These policies help to protect students, staff, and visitors from hazards and ensure that the educational environment is safe and healthy.
Essential EHS policies that all educational establishments should have in place
Health and safety policy
This policy should set out the educational establishment’s commitment to health and safety and outline the procedures that are in place to protect students, staff, and visitors. The policy should cover all aspects of health and safety, including:
- Risk assessment and management
- Accident and emergency procedures
- Fire safety
- Electrical safety
- Chemical safety
- Manual handling
- Workplace violence
First aid policy
This policy should set out the educational establishment’s procedures for providing first aid in the event of an accident or injury. The policy should include:
- List of qualified first aiders
- The location of first aid kits
- Procedures for contacting emergency services
Food safety policy
This policy should set out the educational establishment’s procedures for handling and storing food safely. The policy should cover all aspects of food safety, including:
- Food hygiene
- Food storage
- Food preparation
- Food cooking
- Food serving
Hazardous materials policy
This policy should set out the educational establishment’s procedures for handling and storing hazardous materials safely. The policy should cover all aspects of hazardous materials management, including:
- Risk assessment and management
- Storage and handling
- Disposal
Emergency preparedness plan
This plan should set out the educational establishment’s procedures for responding to emergencies, such as fires, bomb threats, and natural disasters. The plan should include:
- Evacuation procedures
- Communication procedures
- Emergency contact information
Additional EHS policies educational establishments may want to consider implementing
- Bullying prevention policy
- Cyberbullying prevention policy
- Drug and alcohol prevention policy
- Workplace violence prevention policy
- Ergonomics policy
- Indoor air quality policy
It is important to note that EHS policies are not a one-size-fits-all solution. The specific policies that an educational establishment needs in place will vary depending on the size and type of establishment, the activities that take place at the establishment, and the hazards that are present.
It is also important to regularly review and update EHS policies to ensure that they are effective and up to date. This can be done by conducting regular risk assessments and by reviewing any accidents or incidents that have occurred.
Tips for implementing EHS policies in educational establishments
- Involve all stakeholders
- Provide training
- Monitor and evaluate
Benefits of implementing EHS policies in educational establishments
- Improved safety and health for students, staff, and visitors
- Reduced risk of accidents and incidents
- Reduced costs
- Improved reputation
By implementing effective EHS policies, educational establishments can create a safe and healthy environment for all students, staff, and visitors.
The iProtectU health and safety software provides:
- An inspection and Audit App which allows for safety inspection of the workplace and associated report
- eLearning on a wide range of EHS topics
- Scheduling functionality for managers to send eLearning, risk assessments and documents out to all staff via the software with tracks completion and compliance
- Risk assessment templates covering policy implementation where applicable
- Management system to document control the EHS policies
- Method Statement module for the creation of various working instructions
- Legal register that provides legislation guidance on implementing EHS policies
- Incident investigation module that tracks incidents both with an app and via desktop
- Hazard observation app where staff can report and record any concerns to the organisation
- Asset management App ensuring assets are recorded in the software
