Safeguarding: Physical Security & Visitor Control

HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL HEALTH & SAFETY GUIDANCE DATE: OCT 2016 VERSION: 4 REVIEW DATE: OCT 2018 SUBJECT: Safety Monitoring Systems

This document is intended to provide an overview of the Local Authority’s arrangements and monitoring systems for health and safety where it is the employer.

Where HCC are not the duty holder e.g. for Voluntary Aided (VA), Foundation or Academy status schools this guidance is commended to them.

Introduction 1. Under health and safety law the employer (either the LA or Governing Body / Trust) is required to monitor activities to ensure compliance with locally set policies and procedure and that appropriate standards are being achieved and maintained.

2. The HSE document ‘Managing for Health and Safety’ (HSG 65) outlines how effective H&S management should be based on model of ‘Plan-Act-Check and Review’, with good- quality monitoring not just identifying problems but identifying what sort of changes are needed to address them.

3. Where the LA is the employer and thus ultimately responsible under health and safety law, HCC’s Health and Safety Team conducts a cycle of health and safety audits (20% of schools per annum) in order to monitor compliance with its policies and procedures.

4. These audits focus on the systems in place within the school to effectively manage H&S and check compliance by carrying out an inspection of selected areas. In addition to these cyclical audits assurance may also be sought on specific areas of risk e.g. asbestos management.

5. Where the Council believes the health and safety of anyone at a Community or Voluntary Controlled school site or engaged on school activities off site, is at risk it.

6. Local Authorities can issue directions to the Governing Body and Headteacher on H&S matters and may give warning notices to maintained schools where the safety of pupils or staff may be being threatened. Section 60 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 sets out the provisions relating to a performance standards and safety warning notice.

© Hertfordshire County Council 2016. Copyright of this publication remains with the original publishers and is intended only for use in schools. All rights reserved. School Monitoring systems 7. The overall responsibility for monitoring health and safety rests with the employer and at a local level is delegated to the Headteacher. The school’s health and safety policy statement should clearly define its local arrangements.

8. Monitoring systems used within a school should be both proactive and reactive.

Active monitoring provides assurance on how effectively the health and safety management system is functioning i.e.

 Routine in house checks and inspections e.g. weekly testing of fire alarm system, monthly checks, water temperatures, informal and formal inspections of ladders etc.  Cyclical inspections of plant and equipment to ensure that preventive and protective measures are in place and effective. E.g. gas safety checks, inspections of LEV equipment, PAT Testing etc.  Periodic examination of documentation such as risk assessments and training records etc. to ensure they are kept up to date.

Reactive monitoring e.g. investigating the immediate and underlying causes of incidents and accidents to ensure that remedial action is taken, lessons are learnt and longer term objectives are introduced.

9. Systematic safety inspections should be carried out and recorded, these should be undertaken on a risk based cycle based upon the activities undertaken, size of site, age and condition of premises etc. Assurance over the effective control of significant risks such as fire, asbestos, working at height etc. should be the priority.

10.Thus depending on the risks involved a 6 monthly or termly cycle could be considered proportionate. Larger sites may decide to physically inspect different area(s) or block(s) ensuring that the whole site has been inspected over the course of a 12 month cycle.

11.Copies of all safety inspections, audits and any resultant remedial actions must be kept at the establishment and be available for inspection.

Safety inspections 12.The use of a checklist can help ensure consistency of approach as well as providing a record for follow up actions.

13.Inspections by 2-3 people can be effective, these could involve a member of SLT, a subject specialist for curriculum areas, site manager / caretaker, a governor, trades union representative etc.

14.The findings of safety inspections should be reported to the head teacher / member of SLT, with a summary of key findings provided to the Governing Body. This would enable governors to monitor health and safety performance and prioritise actions. Where relevant these health and safety matters should be reflected in the school development plan / asset management plan etc.

Education Health and Safety Policy and Procedures Page 2 of 4 Oct 2016 Issue 4 15.The following generic checklists are available to assist schools, these are not necessarily exhaustive and should be adapted to reflect individual circumstances as required.

 School site inspection checklist Focussing predominantly on operational and premises related issues intended to be completed periodically to ensure all areas of the school are being monitored.

 Governors / Management Inspection Checklist Designed to assist governors and SLT in monitoring the effectiveness of the school’s H&S management systems, a blend of both overarching management and premise related issues. Its completion would form part of an overall strategy to demonstrate that the principles of HSG 65 ‘Managing for Health and Safety’ which is both the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) and HCC’s benchmark are in place.

 Curriculum specific checklists for KS3-5 Separate checklists for potentially higher risk areas (DT, Science, PE etc.) are available for heads of department to use for curriculum specific risks, responses to these should be co- ordinated by a member of SLT. Both the ASE (Association for Science Education) and CLEAPSS also provide helpful documents for auditing Science and DT departments in KS3 and above.

16.If as part of the monitoring process you have any concerns or require clarification over the expected standards please contact [email protected] Governor Involvement 17.As part of their support and challenge role then the Governing body should be involved in the monitoring of health and safety management systems and determining compliance with school and HCC policies.

18.Every school will have its own approach to this and the school and Governing body should agree a framework for monitoring which is reflective of the school’s risk profile and makes best use of the time / resource available.

For example:

 Select 1 or 2 key risk areas from the local arrangements section of the school’s H&S policy and seek evidence that the policy is being effectively put into practice and that any required documentation / records and training can be evidenced;  Select a sample of the school’s risk assessments- seek assurance that the controls identified as being required are actually in place?  Utilise the Governors / Management Inspection Checklist – the questions within this document could be used either in full or completed over an agreed cycle to provide assurance over H&S management within the school.

19.In all likelihood how monitoring is conducted will vary over time to reflect changing priorities / risks, whatever method is used Governors should track actions to completion and where necessary ensure that these are reflected in the school’s development and/or asset management plan.

Education Health and Safety Policy and Procedures Page 3 of 4 Oct 2016 Issue 4 20.Whilst there is no statutory duty for school’s to have a named H&S Governor this would be recommended to help provide a focal point for monitoring activities.

Safety Representatives 21.It has been agreed with the trades unions that, wherever possible, inspections by accredited safety representatives should be carried out jointly with representatives of management. To avoid duplication of effort, it is recommended that these inspections are incorporated as part of the safety audit programme.

Example of possible H&S monitoring cycles  Day-to-day monitoring of health and safety and areas under their control by school staff.

 Routine cycle of specific checks / inspection and testing in place (e.g. weekly testing of fire alarm etc.)

 Regular safety inspections conducted (e.g. 6 monthly / termly), checklists can be used to facilitate this.

 Analysis of accidents/ incidents for any trends and that any remedial actions have been completed.

 Subject leads / co-ordinators, Heads of curricular areas (Science, DT, PE, Art) undertake an annual review of H&S management / risk linked to their schemes of work.

 Assurance of H&S management undertaken by Governing Body on at least an annual basis (see above).

 Regular reporting to the Governing body by Headteacher on significant H&S issues

 Annual review of school’s risk assessments (sooner in event of significant change)

 Cycle of H&S policy review ( maximum 2 yearly)

 Cyclical H&S audit via LA’s H&S team, 20% of Community and VC schools undertaken per annum (available for other schools upon request).

Education Health and Safety Policy and Procedures Page 4 of 4 Oct 2016 Issue 4