Health & Safety Policy

1.  STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Senior Management Team of Charterhouse Square School will strive to achieve the highest standards of health, safety and welfare consistent with their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and other statutory and Common Law duties.

This Statement sets out how these duties will be conducted and includes a description of the establishment's organisation and its arrangements for dealing with different areas of risk. Details of how these areas of risk will be addressed are given in the subsequent chapters of the Health and Safety Manual.

This policy will be brought to the attention of, and/or issued to, all members of staff.

This policy statement and the accompanying organisation and arrangements will be reviewed on an annual basis.

This policy statement supplements

• Cognita's General Statement of Health and Safety at Work Policy ;

2. ORGANISATION

As the employer, Cognita has overall responsibility for Health and Safety in the School.

At school level duties and responsibilities have been assigned to Staff as laid out below.

Responsibilities of the Senior Management Team

The Senior Management Team is responsible for health and safety matters at the School and are responsible for:

• Formulating a Health and Safety Statement detailing the responsibilities for ensuring health and safety within the school;
• Reviewing the schools Health and Safety Policy and performance annually;
• Regularly reviewing health and safety arrangements and implementing new arrangements where necessary;
• Providing appropriate resources within the school's budget for the implementation of the attached arrangements;
• Receiving from any member of staff reports on health and safety matters and reporting to Cognita, any hazards which the school is unable to rectify from its own budget;
• Seeking specialist advice on health and safety which the school may not feel competent to deal with;
• Promoting a positive H&S culture and high standards of health and safety within the school.

Responsibilities of the Headmistress:

Overall responsibility for the day to day management of health and safety in the school rests with the Headmistress.

As manager of the school and of all the activities carried on within it, the Headmistress will advise the SMT of the areas of health and safety concern which may need to be addressed by the allocation of funds. 

The Headmistress has responsibility for :

• Communicating the policy to all relevant parties;
• Ensuring there is an adequate system in place for undertaking risk assessments;
• The implementation and monitoring of the school's health and safety arrangements which form part of this policy;
• Ensuring all staff are provided with adequate information, instruction and training on health and safety issues;
• Ensuring that the school has emergency procedures in place;
• Reporting to Cognita any hazards which cannot be rectified within the school's budget;
• Ensuring there is no misuse of equipment etc.;
• Ensuring that the premises, plant and equipment are maintained in a serviceable condition;
• Ensuring consultation arrangements are in place for staff and their trade union representatives (where appointed).

The Headmistress may choose to delegate certain tasks to other members of staff.  It is clearly understood by everyone concerned that the delegation of certain duties will not relieve the Head from the overall day to day responsibilities for health and safety within the school.

Responsibilities of other senior teaching staff / non-teaching staff holding posts of special responsibility

• Apply the school's Health and Safety Policy to their own area of work and be directly responsible to the Headmistress for the application of the health and safety procedures and arrangements;

• Maintain or have access to an up to date library of relevant published health and safety guidance from sources including the HSE etc., and ensure that all subordinate staff are aware of and make use of such guidance;

• Ensure regular health and safety risk assessments are undertaken for the activities for which they are responsible and that control measures are implemented;

• Ensure that appropriate safe working procedures are brought to the attention of all staff under their control;

• Resolve health, safety and welfare problems members of staff refer to them, or refer to the Headmistress or SMT any problems to which they cannot achieve a satisfactory solution within the resources available to them;

• Carry out regular inspections of their areas of responsibility to ensure that equipment, furniture and activities are safe and record these inspections where required;

• Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the provision of sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to enable other employees and pupils to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own health and safety;

• Ensure that all accidents (including near misses) occurring within their area of work are promptly reported and investigated using the appropriate forms etc;

• Arrange for the repair, replacement or removal of any item of furniture or equipment which has been identified as unsafe.

Responsibilities of employees

Under the Health and Safety at work Act etc 1974 all employees have general health and safety responsibilities. Staff must be aware that they are obliged to take care of their own health and safety whilst at work along with that of others who may be affected by their actions.

All employees of the school have responsibility to:

• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others in undertaking their work.
• Comply with the school's health and safety policy and procedures at all times.
• Report all accidents and incidents in line with the reporting procedure.
• Co-operate with school management on all matters relating to health and safety.
• Not to intentionally interfere with or misuse any equipment or fittings provided in the interests of health safety and welfare.
• Report all defects in condition of premises or equipment and any health and safety concerns immediately to a member of the SMT.
• Report immediately to the SMT any shortcomings in the arrangements for health and safety.
• Ensure that they only use equipment or machinery that they are competent to use or have been trained to use.
• Make use of all necessary control measures and personal protective equipment provided for safety or health reasons.