This policy reflects our commitment to ensure that health and safety at work is paramount to our business and that effective health and safety actively contributes to our success. We have a legal obligation to control Health and Safety risks for the benefit of staff, mentors, volunteers and our student and school communities.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
This is Creative Enterprise CIC acknowledges its duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and all other current Health, Safety and Environment legislation.
We endeavour to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all our staff, mentors, schools, students and others who may be affected by our work activities through the way we work and behave.
We inspire and lead by promoting best practice in all that we do. TICE staff and mentors demonstrate visible leadership in health and safety and provide people with opportunities to raise concerns and time to reflect and identify new and improved ways of working to effectively manage risk.
Our active and open consultation and communication strategy provides a platform for everyone to tell it like it is and encourages an open, ongoing and determined commitment to improve health and safety at work and throughout our organisation activities.
We ensure that risks are assessed and that people are informed of the risks together with any arrangements in place to prevent, reduce or manage risks.
We will provide resources to ensure that all our staff, sub-contractors and stakeholders have the necessary equipment, information, training, instruction and supervision to work safely and without risk to health.
We will report and investigate accidents, incidents and near-miss events and take corrective action to reduce the risk of recurrence.
We will actively and openly monitor our arrangements and performance against improvement plans and take action to integrate health and safety into everything we do.
Jennifer Barrett
Managing Director.
LOTC BADGE HOLDER (LEARNING OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM)THIS IS CREATIVE ENTERPRISE CIC: CERTIFICATE NUMBER - R1QB102812
The LOtC Quality Badge, awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, provides for the first time a national award combining the essential elements of provision – learning and safety – into ONE easily recognisable and trusted accreditation scheme for ALL types of learning outside the classroom provider organisation.
Having the LOtC Quality Badge means that we have passed a robust assessment process and that meets schools’ learning and risk management needs, no matter what activities we offer.
This information sheet information sheet outlines what schools can expect when using a LOtC Quality Badge accredited provider, and the benefits of doing so.
USING OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS:
The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) awards the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge to organisations who meet nationally recognised standards.
Further guidance for schools can be found: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-advice-for-schools/responsibilities-and-duties-for-schools
TEACHERS PLANNING AN EDUCATIONAL VISIT:
The LOtC Quality Badge reduces the red tape associated with learning outside the classroom by making it easier for you to take your teaching beyond the classroom walls on a regular basis. This increases the likelihood of children having the opportunity to have wider educational experiences which directly benefit their educational, social and emotional development.
The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom is the managing and overall awarding body for the LOtC Quality Badge, which recognises providers offering good quality LOtC and managing risk effectively. As part of this process, the Council is working to reduce bureaucracy in schools, whilst maintaining safety and quality in learning.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This is Creative Enterprise roles and responsibilities for health and safety are outlined below:
TICE MANAGEMENT:
TICE STAFF AND MENTORS:
TICE staff and mentors will:
VOLUNTEERS:
Volunteers and work experience will:
YOUNG PEOPLE:
All young people will be responsible for;
SCHOOLS RESPONSIBILITY
Schools are responsible for day-to-day health and safety whenever your child is in the care of school staff - this includes school trips and clubs.
WHO HAS LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SCHOOL TRIPS AND CAN THIS BE DELEGATED?
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 places overall responsibility for health and safety with the employer. In many cases, the employer will be the local authority; in other cases, it will be the governing body or proprietor of the school. The employer has the overall legal responsibility and accountability for the health, safety and welfare for the school staff, and for the health and safety of pupils, visitors and volunteers.
Health and safety functions (but not accountability) can be delegated to members of staff within the school to fulfil health and safety responsibilities on behalf of the employer.
Teachers organising and taking part in school visits off-site accept responsibility for the care and welfare of pupils, and they act in loco parentis. They will also have duties as employees and/or managers under health and safety at work legislation.
REGULATION IN CHOOSING EXTERNAL SCHOOL VISIT PROVIDERS:
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 applies to any provider operating in Great Britain. If a school is considering using one of these organisations, then the school employer needs to satisfy itself that the provider is suitable.
Schools should ask sensible questions, proportionate to the level of risk, to satisfy themselves that a provider is competent and effective in planning and organising such expeditions.
The school should also carefully consider the level of coordination, cooperation and communication that it will need to provide e.g. between the provider and parents.
DO WE NEED TO HAVE WRITTEN RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR ALL ACTIVITIES?
No. The aim of the assessment process is to identify the real risks, assess them and record the significant findings. There is no need to assess every aspect of every school trip. Assessments for trivial and fanciful risks are not required. Proportionate systems should be in place, so that trips that present lower risk are quick and easy to organise. Higher-risk activities should be properly planned and assessed.
WHAT ARE THE PUPIL TO STAFF RATIOS ON SCHOOL TRIPS?
Pupil to staff ratios for school trips are not prescribed in law. Those planning trips, on the basis of risk assessment, should decide the ratios, taking into account the activity to be undertaken and the age and maturity of the pupils.
WHAT ARE THE SUPERVISION REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL TRIPS?
Levels of supervision should be determined by school risk assessment for the trip. There should be clear boundaries and clear lines of communication. Remote supervision is considered by DfE to be part of the development programme; it should be phased in gradually because it is important for children to learn to be independent.
TOOLS, EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
When working with tools, equipment and materials, in practical activities and in different environments, including those that are unfamiliar, young people will be made aware:
We will list what equipment, tools and materials we intend on using and make sure there are no problems with using them in schools and chosen venues.
PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING (PAT)
Where equipment is owned by This is Creative Enterprise. We shall have all our portable electrical equipment (including extension leads) inspected and tested in accordance with the Institution of Electrical Engineers Code of Practice for InService Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. The frequency and extent of checking, inspection and testing of portable appliances shall be undertaken before use in all circumstances and a visual formal inspection made every 12 months.
RISK ASSESSMENTS
Risk assessments are carried out on a regular basis to assist all TICE staff, mentors and schools in recognising potential hazards and taking action to minimise the risk that they cause.
Risk assessments will be carried out:
Risk assessments may be carried out by:
COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY UPDATE
As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak this addendum has been drafted as a supplement to the Health and Safety at Work Policy.
AIM OF THIS POLICY
To put in place additional measures to;
GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES:
This policy is based on the government’s guidelines as set out in Working Safely During Coronavirus first published in May 2020:
RISK ASSESMENT:
A Risk Assessment will be done to asses the risks and to put in place measures to eliminate or mitigate those risks.
CLEANING, HANDWASHING AND HYGIENE PROCEDURES
POLICY REVIEW:
Through our organisation's activities and commitment, we work to build a safer, more sustainable world.
Quality and safety are therefore our “raison d’être”. Our position as a trusted provider to our stakeholders makes it all the more important for us to set standards and maintain a high level of performance in these areas. Our image and reputation, and therefore our business sustainability, depend on it. No matter where they are located or what their businesses are, the TICE's various subsidiaries are covered by third-party recognition, such as approvals, certifications and accreditations, that demonstrate the quality of our services, our ability to carry out those services safely, the expertise of our employees and the efficiency of our organisation.
This policy is subject to a three year review unless an earlier review is prompted by significant changes to TICE activities or statutory requirements.
JUNE 2021 (UPDATED)
