Schools are no different to any other public building, and they must be assessed to ensure they meet the health and safety standards required. With so many people in school buildings and so many potential hazards, there is a lot you must consider when assessing a school. It is made even more difficult as you must look at other things besides the physical dangers present, and you must also look to care for the mental health of students, teachers, and administration staff.
Below are some of the common hazards you can find in a school that you must mitigate to ensure you provide a safe environment for everyone.
Safety In The Classroom
Before a school can open, they will need to bring in consultants for health and safety in the classroom and ensure no obvious hazards can place people at risk. There are many hazards in classrooms, and it is compacted with having so many people in one room. You will need to consider the layout of the classroom and the placement of furniture to ensure you remove as many risks as possible. The assessment will highlight any areas of concern, and the school can then address these issues before they open their doors to students.
Adequate Signage
You will need to consider the signage you have in the school and ensure that it is adequate for the school and the people who will be in it. You will have to have signs denoting the various buildings and departments within the schools, as well as hazard warning signs if there are apparent hazards in the area. You will need to have the school assessed and then install signs where they are needed, in order to warn people of potential risks.
The Most Dangerous Classrooms In The School
Although accidents can happen in any part of the school, there are two classrooms where accidents are more likely to happen. These are in the science, design and technology departments, where they teach various subjects such as chemistry, cooking, woodworking, and metalwork. Science labs have many chemicals and equipment that can cause injury or death, so the equipment must be closely monitored and stored correctly. It is the same in workshops and kitchens. You will need to ensure there is adequate signage in these areas enforcing the rules. It is impossible to mitigate all potential hazards, but you can reduce the likelihood of accidents happening through training, regulations and signs, warning people of the risks.
Dangerous Lessons
There are also lessons where the chance of people getting injured are much more likely, and these are usually physical lessons such as PE. Schools teach a wide variety of sports, and some of the equipment can be potentially lethal. Some of the hazards may include:
- Javelins
- Shot Puts
- Trampolines
- Gymnastic Equipment
Before any equipment is used that can potentially be lethal, you must do a risk assessment, and you will need to reduce the risks as best you can. You can find risks no matter where you look, so you need to be vigilant and do everything you can to mitigate them.