Health & Safety Policy

Date of Approval: 01 June 2021

Signed: Ruth MinhallPosition: Head of Service

Last reviewed: June 2021

Next review: June 2022

Policy Statement

It is the policy of Tuition Extra to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its employees whilst they are at work, its students whilst studying and others such who may be affected by their undertakings and to comply with the Health and Safety at work etc. Act 1974 and all other related and relevant legislation as appropriate.

In addition to this policy statement, Tuition Extra will be responsible for developing workplace and external risk assessments and specific health and safety procedures that are required for Tuition Extra to undertake its day to day operational requirements. As a service that operates in a variety of locations at present rather than fixed premises, we have high expectations in relation to our individual tutors in implementing this policy.

Aims and principles for the Health and Safety policy

The aim of this statement is to ensure all reasonably practical steps are taken to secure the above and thereby adopt the following:

Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment throughout the service.

Establish and maintain safe working procedures for all staff and students.

Ensure the provision of sufficient information, instruction and supervision.

Maintain a safe and healthy place of work and safe access and exit from it.

Formulate effective procedures for use in case of fire, medical and other emergencies.

Lay down procedures to be followed in case of accident.

Provide and maintain adequate welfare facilities.

Roles and Responsibilities Tuition Extra – The organisation

Tuition Extra as the employer has a duty in respect of health and safety to ensure that premises and people are healthy and safe. The responsibility is devolved to the Health and Safety Officer, who has day to day responsibility for staff, students and others as ‘officer in charge’.

The head of service will ensure the overall implementation of the policy and will provide the information, instruction, training and supervision at all levels necessary to ensure that staff and students are competent to supervise or undertake their work activities and that all staff, students and others are made aware of any related hazards and the measures to be taken to protect against them and given adequate information on relevant hazards to any persons whose health and safety might be affected by them.

Health and Safety Officer Responsibilities:

To ensure this policy is reviewed annually, or before if there are any changes in circumstances

To ensure that employee responsibilities regarding health and safety are included in his/her job description and that it is properly received and understood.

To include health and safety issues in the service improvement plan, if necessary.

To carry out regular health and safety inspections (at least twice times a year) and take remedial action as appropriate.

To undertake risk assessments, record significant findings, and review annually, or before if there is a change in circumstance.

To receive and deal promptly with raised issues or complaints about unsafe premises, equipment or work practices.

To ensure that emergency evacuation procedures are in place and tested where needed.

To ensure that adequate first aid provision is available and kept up to date.

To monitor and review all health and safety policies and procedures.

To be the focal point for day-to-day references on health and safety and will provide advice or indicate sources of advice to both staff and students.

Co-ordinates the implementation of the approved safety procedures in service.

Maintains contact with outside agencies able to offer expert advice.

Will make or arrange inspection of premises (which take place at least 3 times per year), places of work and working practices on a regular basis.

To review weekly and termly the provision of first aid in the service

Will recommend necessary changes and improvements in the service through day to day overview and management of all Health and Safety procedures

Identifying hazards and conducting formal risk assessments when appropriate in order to minimise the risk for all activities undertaken by us.

Know the special safety measures and arrangements to be adopted in their own working areas and to ensure they are applied

Have a duty to report all health and safety concerns to the Health and Safety lead or their line manager.

Staff Responsibilities

All staff and volunteers will be informed of their responsibilities regarding Health and Safety through their induction. They are expected to:

Know and apply the emergency procedures in respect of fire and first aid where required and in line with the premises they are working in

To always Supervise students

To ensure that they are using appropriate ID, and should they be using their own vehicle for the purposes of business, that this is risk assessed and they have the appropriate class of insurance.

Tutors are also expected to:

Exercise effective supervision of the students and to know the emergency procedures and to carry them out.

Know the special safety measures to be adopted in their own teaching areas and to ensure they are applied.

Give clear instructions and warnings as often as necessary.

Follow safe working procedures personally.

Students are expected to;

Observe all safety rules of the service and the instructions of all staff given in an emergency.

Use and not willfully misuse, neglect or interfere with things provided for his/her safety.

Visitors and Contractors Security

If a visitor is not carrying any identification, advice must be sought from the Head of Service or other member of the management team.

Unknown visitors or visitors who cannot be identified will not be permitted to enter the service.

All visitors to service must report on arrival; this is for security and fire reasons.

Visitors will be given a badge to wear whilst in service, so they can be identified. This includes parents, work people etc.

All visitors must sign in and out of service in the official service signing in book, indicating time of arrival, purpose of visit, and time of departure.

Visitors and other users of the premises, (e.g. delivery personnel), must be required to observe the safety rules of the service.

Activities

The Head of Service and management team will ensure that risk assessments are undertaken and cover all aspects of internal and external activities that take place. This is applicable to examination and assessments as well, and this is detailed in seperate policies. Significant findings of all risk assessments will be reported, and appropriate actions taken to all relevant staff, contractors and visitors who may be affected. The Head of Service or delegated responsible person will check that the implemented actions have removed/reduced the risks. All Tuition Extra risk assessments will be reviewed on an annual basis or at such time that this is deemed necessary.

Safe Handling and Use of Substance (specific relevance to Science and land based subjects)

The Health and Safety lead is responsible for identifying all substances which need an assessment under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002. The delegated Health and Safety lead will be responsible for undertaking COSHH assessments, and will ensure that all relevant employees are informed about the COSHH assessments. The Health and Safety lead will be responsible for checking that all new substances can be used safely before they are purchased, and such assessments will be reviewed on an annual or when needed basis.

Medication

At this time, the responsibility for students taking medicines as part of a course of treatment remains with the parents. We have one medication trained medication administration trained staff who can be consulted where medication needs to be given during the course of the day. The student must however self-administer. Staff are not permitted to administer medication to students. Staff must follow the agreed procedure on the pupil’s individual risk assessment should they refuse to take their medication. This will include having an appropriately labelled medication box from the pharmacy with dosage and time of taking clearly displayed. This section of policy remains under review. Queries in relation to medication should be sent to [email protected]

First Aid

First Aid Boxes are available in the main tuition extra premises, and tutors should endeavour to carry a suitable first aid kit with them when tutoring in the wider community. Each box contains only first aid equipment and a list of contents. First aid items and boxes are replenished as necessary and audited on a monthly basis. Staff should raise any equipment needs to the nominated 1st Aid lead.

If anyone should become ill or suffer injury because of an accident the procedures below should be followed

Following any accident, however slight, the accident book must be completed. The accident books are kept in the main tuition extra office, and an online form is available on google drive to alert the main office to an accident, incident or near miss. Accident and incident report forms are to be emailed to the group email [email protected]

First Aid Procedure

First aid should be rendered, but only as far as knowledge and skill permit. The casualty should be given all possible reassurances, and if necessary, removed from danger. Only authorised, trained First Aiders/Appointed Persons should administer any First Aid. That being said, at this time, first aid should not be administered unless you have shown the management team evidence of your training. These names will be put on the board in the hallway daily.

Transport to hospital

If an ambulance is required, the emergency “999” service should be used. In all cases the pupil’s consent form must be available immediately. Parents / carers must be informed immediately if tuition is not taking place in the home. It may be appropriate to transport a pupil to a casualty department without using the ambulance service, but it should be noted that this should always be on a voluntary basis.

If a pupil refuses to attend casualty, parents / carers must be informed immediately to decide the most appropriate course of action. No casualty should be allowed to travel to hospital unaccompanied.

Accident Reporting

In the event of any accident (however minor), incident or violent event, and involving employees, visitors or students the reporting form must be completed using the appropriate form on drive, and translated to the accident book by the management team. The affected person (or any person acting on behalf of the affected person) should complete and sign the appropriate form. The original of the form must be retained in the accident file, and photocopies distributed as required. All accidents should be reported and investigated for continuous learning opportunities and preventing further incidents or accidents occurring, and these investigations are in line with our safeguarding practices to ensure that we are fully compliant. Accident and incident report forms are to be emailed to the group email [email protected]

Fire and Emergency Procedures

The Fire/Emergency Procedure is displayed in our office areas, and should be adhered to. Please ensure that when working in the main tution extra office you sign in. When working off site, please ensure that you are familiar with the policies of the location you are working in. If you are in a home and you perceive that there is a potential fire risk or risk in relation to evacuation, please ensure this is passed on to the health and safety lead or head of service so that it can be appropriately risk assessed.

It is the responsibility of all members of staff to be familiar with this procedure and carry it out when necessary. Procedure is under review constantly as we develop the premises associated with Tuition Extra.

Consultation with Employees

Tuition Extra are committed to consult with staff members on all aspects of Health and Safety and will undertake the following:

Consulting with and involving our staff and students in matters relating to their own Health and Safety
Ensuring that Health & Safety is a standing agenda item on all staff meetings.
Ensuring that staff are fully aware of control measures and emergency procedures that are in place; effective; properly used; monitored and maintained.

Whilst Health and Safety is everyone’s responsibility, Tuition Extra will have in place a designated Health and Safety lead who will report to and work with the management on all aspects of Health and safety as well as ensuring that all staff are kept up to date with best practice in relation to Health and Safety and complying with all relevant legislation and authoritative guidance

Induction training will cover matters of Health and Safety for all members of Tuition Extra staff and training for individual staff members will be identified, arranged and monitored by Health and Safety lead. All staff should however take responsibility for drawing to the attention of the management team any additional training needs they may have in relation to Health and Safety matters.

Complaints about this policy

If any Tuition Extra Staff are dissatisfied with any aspect of the Tuition Extra Health and Safety policy, they are encouraged to communicate this to the head of service in the first instance.