Creating An Effective Health And Safety Culture In Schools

Culture can easily be defined as “the way we do things around here”, and this can be both obvious, as stated in policies and procedures, or something which is learned through observing how others react in certain situations.

When it comes to health and safety how you react may depend upon your attitude to risk. For example, if you know that the number one cause of accidents in the UK is slips, trips and falls, you’re more likely to aware of any hazards with the potential to cause harm in this way. Or if you know that an estimated 60% of fires in schools in the UK are caused by arson, you’re more likely to ensure that your bin stores are located away from your buildings as that’s an easy way for arsonists to start a fire.

But how can you create an effective health safety culture in schools? Read on and find out.

1. Create a vision
   If you want staff to take health and safety seriously, you might want to start by scaring the pants off them by showing them the Youtube video of the Bradford City Football Stadium fire. The fire took just 7 minutes from ignition to become a raging inferno which claimed the lives of 56 people and injured countless others. Once you’ve seen this video you’ll never again hesitate to react quickly when the fire alarm goes off.
   Of course, what you’re ultimately hoping to achieve is zero accidents and near misses. In order to do so, you need to ensure all staff have received relevant training and that you have an effective accident/near miss reporting system in place.
2. Deliver relevant training
   All staff are required to receive health and safety training, and general fire safety training annually. For new staff this should be part of their induction programme. In addition, staff who carry out specialist roles will require additional training. This will include premises staff, and staff teaching subjects such as science, design and technology, and food technology.
   Whilst the Trust as the Responsible Body is responsible for health and safety in its schools, the day-to-day management of health and safety will be devolved to head teachers, so it is important that they receive training on their specific responsibilities.
3. Create an effective reporting system
   Whatever type of reporting system you have, it needs to be accessible to all staff and easy to use. As you need to be able to extract regular reports from your system, having an electronic system rather than a paper based one will be more effective. Unfortunately, no one system is going to provide everything you want in the format that you want it, so you may have to make some compromises.
   Using your facilities management reporting system for accident reporting means that staff only have one system to learn how to use it, but it may not provide you with the flexibility of a bespoke accident reporting system. Remember, however, that ensuring staff use whichever system you choose is the main issue.
4. Ensure accountability
   Staff need to know that under the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 they have a personal responsibility for their own health and safety and for that of others in their workplace. This means that if they see that a fire extinguisher has been tampered with or is being used to prop open a door, it’s their responsibility to report it. This point needs to be communicated regularly to staff.
5. Communicate regularly
   Different stakeholders require different information. For example, trustees will want to know the level of compliance across your Trust and will need appropriate reports detailing this information. Staff need to know information that is directly relevant to their day-to-day work in schools.
   For example, how long it took for the whole school to evacuate during the last fire drill and what actions they need to improve on for next time to ensure everyone’s safety.
6. Lead by example
   Lieutenant General Morrison of the Australian army used the phrase in a speech “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.” 
   It’s really useful to remember this in your day-to-day activities around school. For example, if you walk past litter in the playground without picking it up, that sends a signal to students and other staff that that’s acceptable behaviour. It isn’t and we should all be modelling what is acceptable behaviour every day, particularly when it comes to health and safety.
7. Celebrate success
   Finally, it’s important to celebrate success.
   When communicating to staff, always start with what they’ve achieved before you get to the “even better if”. Remember that you’re trying to encourage staff to be more safety aware and to model that behaviour to others.
   Be aware though of unintended consequences. For example, having a prize (even if it’s just a certificate) for the school in your Trust with the lowest number of accidents each term may lead to schools under-reporting, so think carefully how you celebrate success.