HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT

Health and Safety Policy

The Design and Technology Department regards Health and Safety as a very important aspect of teaching in the workshop. Risk Assessments are regularly undertaken to ensure that staff and pupils have a safe working environment. This Department takes as its standard the Safety Booklet produced by the Education Authority - regarding the use of equipment and machines. Each member of staff has a copy and should refer to it at all times and know its constraints and apply it in full.

Regular checks are made by staff and the Technology Technician - with regards to equipment such as:

1. Goggles being left with each machine and checked before use.

2. The use of machine guards and protective equipment / clothing.

3. Defective equipment being reported immediately to the Head of Department (Reports may be from staff / technician or pupils).

4. It is a requirement that the teacher checks the condition of the workshop at the end of each lesson so that the room is in good condition for the next member of staff and his/her pupils. All staff and pupils follow the procedure for ending lessons, which includes the way machines should be left in a tidy and safe condition.

All staff are aware of the location of Health and Safety booklets and information such as COSHH, risk assessments information, CLEAPSS, and in particular the Local Education Authority Safety Booklet. Staff have attended, or are in the process of attending, Health and Safety courses which lead to DATA core accreditation.

Health and Safety features as a regular component of Departmental meetings. Staff are required to read the LEA Health and Safety Document and ensure that procedures for the use of all machines are followed.

All accidents must be recorded in the school accident book.

Risk Assessments

All lessons / schemes have a Risk Assessment that has been carried out by a competent and suitably qualified technology teacher. The Department follows the WATT Risk Assessment System, which ensures that risk is minimised in all elements of teaching and learning in the workshop - without reducing the effectiveness of lesson delivery. The procedure for drawing up Risk Assessments is outlined below.

		THE WATT HEALTH AND SAFETY QUALITY SYSTEM FOR ACTIVITIES IN THE WORKSHOP / CLASSROOM
	STAGE	GENERAL ASSESSMENT	DATE
1.	Draw up a scheme of work	At a departmental meeting discuss health and safety issues relating to the scheme. Make alterations if necessary. Ask a senior manager to be present at this meeting. If they refused, refer to this in the minutes.
2.	As a department, write each individual lesson plan.	Each member of the department selects a lesson plan and evaluates it for health and safety issues.
3.	Review both the scheme and the lesson plans. (Keep notes)	Look for any possible hazards
		Who is likely to be harmed?
		Are existing safety procedures and precautions within the workshop adequate.
		How can safety procedures and precautions be improved to reduce risk?
		Record all notes relating to factors identified by staff and modifications to existing procedures.
4.	Discuss the elimination of risk (s). (Keep notes)	Can the risk be eliminated or reduced within acceptable limits?
		How can this be achieved?
		What modifications to procedures will lead to safer working practices?
		What protective clothing is required?
5.	A suitably qualified person must carry out a risk assessment of each lesson and if necessary each activity.	Use a form similar to the ones provided by WATT (sheets two and three). You must use your schools risk assessment system / procedures at all times unless the Governing Body of your school have approved the WATT version.
		Regularly review all risk assessments especially if the working environment changes in any way.
		Ask your Head Teacher for time to carry out risk assessments. If time is denied or is inadequate ensure that you have informed your professional association or union. Record this in departmental minutes.

The Department uses WATT Risk Assessment Sheets and the WATT Grading system