Wrong Notions Thrive on Health and Safety Issues in Schools
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
When it comes to the issue of health and safety in schools, there are many misconceptions that HSE is eager to clear out so that people get a correct picture of how health and safety rules need to be implemented in schools.
Among the many myths being circulated, a popular one is that providing health and safety tips through live demonstrations in classrooms often results in suspension of regular classes.
Another popular misconception is that teachers always face the risk of being prosecuted for injuries suffered by a child in his/her class. HSE has responded to this misconception by stating that teachers are prosecuted only for grievous offences, i.e., when they display glaring lack of common sense and inflict physical pain on students in utter disregard of pedagogic rules and regulations.
In this context, HSE has also said that prosecution cases against teachers are very rare, with not a single such case occurring in the last five years.
Another myth that is widely prevalent is that students are told not to wear ties as it is considered a health risk, and that playgrounds in schools have become almost like training grounds on health and safety and so children don’t have fun on the playground as they used to have.
To get a clear understanding on health and safety, teachers can now explore ‘HeadSafe’, an e-learning tool. HeadSafe is a new training resource available online for informing school authorities on health and safety issues. Rob Castledine, who has over 20 years of experience in the field, is the developer of this online guide. Castledine is Associate Director at Workplace Law Group and is also a Director of Three Spires Safety. Click on Health and Safety for more information on the consultancy services from Workplace Law training.