Health and Safety at Work - Safe to Teach?
In 2007, the NASUWT embarked upon an extensive study into the quality of health and safety management arrangements in schools and colleges. This is the final report.
The NASUWT study examined a number of dimensions and factors relating to health and safety issues in schools and colleges, from the perspective of nearly 6,000 teachers, school and college leaders and trade union health and safety representatives.
This report examines the perceptions and experiences of the workforce in relation to the overall management of workplace health and safety and with regard to a number of specific health and safety issues, including:
- site security;
- building maintenance;
- hygiene;
- heating, lighting and ventilation;
- dual usage of school premises;
- traffic on site;
- equipment maintenance;
- the management of asbestos; and
- the effect of privatisation within the education service on health and safety in schools.
The NASUWT study confirms that in many schools and colleges, the failure to prioritise health and safety matters means that the workforce is being placed at high levels of risk, pupils’ welfare is being jeopardised, and the law is being flouted regularly and on a significant scale.
The NASUWT is pursuing these issues with the Government, employers, governors and the Health and Safety Executive.
