8. HEALTH AND SAFETY ON SCHOOL TRIPS

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1 8. HEALTH AND SAFETY ON SCHOOL TRIPS POLICY STATEMENT Students at this school are engaged in many outdoor activities and school trips, and therefore there are stringent guidelines in place to ensure the safety of every student and teacher. All teachers engaged in any activity programme or trip must be fully acquainted with these rules and guidelines. This document includes: Health and safety for all trips; risk assessments; van driving; outdoor activities; and specific guidance for staff on health and safety during trips. HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR ALL TRIPS A Parents Consent form is to be signed by all parents of students attending outdoor activities, and lodged in the office. A Risk Assessment is to be carried out by the teacher in charge, and the relevant form filled in. A copy must be placed in the file in the office. A thorough pre-trip briefing must be carried out in school, by the teachers concerned, with the complete student group, before departure, during which all safety matters must be presented in detail, together with an outline of the trip plans. Before the trip leaves the school ensure (by a physical check), that every student has the correct equipment for the activity planned. RISK ASSESSMENTS The risks must be assessed for all activities at school, and prior to all trips and visits. Overall risks during school time are assessed and recorded by the headmaster or administrator. Risk assessment forms are kept in the office and it is the responsibility of each individual teacher to complete them as and when necessary. Teachers are responsible for completing risk assessment forms for activities that fall outside of regular, on site, activities. Below are some examples of how the requirements apply in various circumstances. Regular outing to the same place (e.g. farm visit or walk to the woods) A risk assessment form must be completed and given to the office the first time the outing takes place. That is then valid until something changes that may affect the risks involved in that outing, for example the location or mode of transport changing. This also applies to Weekends Away that go to the same place and involve the same activities each time. The form need only be updated if, for example, a new activity is included. One-off class trip: in these circumstances a risk assessment form must be completed prior to the trip and returned to the office.

2 2 New activity within a lesson: a form must be completed to cover all elements of the activity before lessons begin, either at the start of a main lesson block, or at the introduction of a new practical subject. Examples could include building a wall or a bridge within a main lesson, conducting chemistry experiments, or introducing a new craft. VAN DRIVING People are only allowed to drive the minibuses if approved by Graeme Whiting or Barney Franklin. To be legally entitled to drive a minibus you must have passed your driving test before January 1 st 1997, in which case you will have the correct entitlement showing on your driving licence. Any person who passed their driving test after January 1 st 1997 must take a separate driving test to enable them to drive a minibus. All minibuses are correctly insured and maintained, which is the responsibility of the school. If you notice any problems when using a minibus please report it to the office. Check that the minibus documents are up to date and that they are in the glove compartment. Carry out a pre-trip inspection of the vehicles, including oil, water, washer fluid, tyre pressures, seatbelts, windows and screens, lighting board, etc. This is the weekly responsibility of Barnaby Franklin, and is part of his official timetable. When using a vehicle please check that an appropriate risk assessment has been completed (either then or on a previous trip) and that there is a first aid kit, fire extinguisher and school telephone list in the minibuses. Please also take a mobile phone on all trips. No driver may carry a mobile phone for their own use on any school trip, with the intention of using it while mobile. The driver s mobile is to be switched off unless a senior student is charged with using it on their behalf. If a member of staff uses their own car for school purposes, such as transporting pupils, is absolutely vital they ensure that their insurance includes business use. This is their own responsibility, and a copy of their insurance must be provided to the school office before the vehicle is used. As of April 2008 the Corporate Manslaughter Act comes into force, under which the school could be held responsible if there were to be an uninsured accident. The school may need to check your insurance documents so please make sure you are correctly covered. In case of an accident or breakdown: summon ambulance and police if anyone is hurt; remove passengers to a safe place; contact the school office or Headmaster immediately; exchange details with other vehicle drivers; do not admit liability to anyone. Ensure that all students are in the appropriate seat with a functioning seatbelt. Make sure the vehicle exits are unobstructed at all times, and that students do not leave the vehicle via the emergency exit doors at the rear. These are for emergency use only, unless the driver has a reason to instruct the passengers otherwise.

3 3 Do not allow students to use personal stereos or other music equipment during school trips, or in vehicles travelling to and from anywhere. Their attention must be on the journey at all times. Loud music and radio programmes should not be played in the vehicle from the in-car system. This can add to the already present danger of being on a road driving children. Drivers should ensure that mellow or classical music is played, if any. Although we transport teenagers most of the time, and one would therefore think that they should have music piped to them, it is abundantly clear from research and investigations into crashes with school children, that music contributes to many of the accidents. Take this seriously for the sake of the children. SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FOR STAFF DURING TRIPS The following staff are involved in the school s outdoor activities programme: Graeme Whiting (45 years outdoor pursuits, with no accidents or serious problems). Barnaby Franklin (15 years outdoor pursuits, with no accidents or serious problems). James Whiting (5 years outdoor pursuits, with no accidents or serious problems). Sarah Whiting assistant 1. The safety of the students in your group is your prime concern. 2. Never take chances with a student s life. 3. Follow the safety guidelines at all times. 4. Make sure you are always aware of the wellbeing of every student, and keep a constant watch on group dynamics. 5. If a student appears ill or exhausted in any way, take precautions immediately. If in doubt, the student should be removed from the situation. 6. As you approach a new hazard, carry out a risk assessment and brief students about the potential problems they may encounter. 7. Always keep calm, and lead with forthrightness. 8. Be aware of your own limitation. Remember, all accidents that have happened in the past, anywhere, were unexpected. 9. Carry enough food and water for emergencies, and keep contact with base at all times. MOUNTAIN EXPEDITIONS AND WALKING Two staff to be present at all times when in the mountains, with no less than a ratio of 1 adult member of staff to 7 students, except in exceptional circumstances.

4 4 Staff: Graeme Whiting, Barnaby Franklin, James Whiting. These activities have been running for 14 years and there have been no accidents or difficulties. Places visited Isle of Skye, Lake District, Western Ireland (Connemara). All students to receive a full briefing and instruction on all elements of an intended trip, well before any activity in hills or mountains. This will cover compass drills and use, map reading and bearings, emergency procedures, first aid drills (including hyperthermia), rescue procedures, equipment, aims and discipline. Avoid walking along the edge of rivers, particularly when the ground alongside a river or canal is raised, slippery from rain or rising water, or any other hazard. A fall into water is a serious hazard, and there must be specific training to bring students into an understanding of the perils of such an event. In all walking students must be led, and the second teacher at the rear, to ensure that no student is lost. The teachers must carry out regular checks of personnel. Never take chances with the students lives. Satisfactory equipment must be worn at all times when in the mountains. Provision for emergencies must be made, in respect of first aid, spare clothing, waterproofs, communications, compass, map, food and water. The teacher must give a clear list of all equipment necessary for the trip. No student should ever be in a mountainous terrain without a map of the area being directly available. The ratio of maps should be at the discretion of the group leader. A member of any group in such terrain, must carry a compass, and understand the use thereof. This will have been taught in a classroom and on open ground. It is the teacher s responsibility to fully engage each student in the use of a compass. The group leader must carry a comprehensive mountain terrain first aid kit, and students in the group should carry their own modified version when on a prolonged trip such as an overnight stop, with such items as rescue remedy, arnica, plasters, a crepe bandage, antiseptic cream, and anything else instructed by the teacher in charge. ALL ACTIVITIES ON COASTAL OR INLAND WATER Water sports including water skiing, kneeboarding, sailing, wakeboarding, snorkel diving, and ocean surfing. Staff: Graeme Whiting, Barnaby Franklin, James Whiting. These activities have been running for 14 years and there have been no accidents or difficulties. Buoyancy aids and wetsuits to be worn at all times, by both students and teachers, when on the sea or inland waters. Before commencing any activity, teachers must thoroughly brief students about that activity, pointing out all dangers and risks that they may encounter. When surfing or using the sea at all, the students must be fully aware of the state of the sea, the tide times, and the procedure for contacting the emergency services in case of an accident. It could be that the teacher becomes a casualty, so all students must be made aware at all times. For surfing, a thorough understanding of rip tides must be given, and procedures for dealing with such dangers. Check that students know what to do if caught in a rip. They must be discouraged from carrying out a rescue, and decisions in this respect lie with the teacher who is there at the time.

5 5 All surfing with body boards to be carried out in the presence of a teacher, who must be experienced in such an activity. Students who are on surfboards may surf at point break, whilst under the direct supervision of Graeme Whiting, Barnaby Franklin or James Whiting. No student may swim on a surf beach in water above waist-deep. All surfers are to be counted before entering and when leaving the sea. No student may leave the sea without the teacher being notified. At least two teachers to be in the sea at any time whilst surfing is taking place. Radio communication and mobile telephone communication is to be maintained at all times. When on the open sea, a fully functioning and fully charged VHF radio must be in the possession of at least two teachers, with contact maintained with H.M. COASTGUARD. Maintain emergency channel communication when on estuarial waters. Two boats to operate together on the open sea as a safety precaution, with spare engine on board. SPEEDBOATS AND WATERSPORTS ON INLAND LAKES Students are to be instructed in safety procedures in relation to speedboats, before beginning an activity involving such craft. They must be made fully aware of the dangers of approaching a speedboat and the boat driver must ensure that the boat engine is not in gear as skiers climb onto the boat. If in any doubt, switch off the engine until the skier is on board. There needs to be proper and thorough briefings carried out to ensure complete safety. Skiers must wear a buoyancy aid at all times. A wetsuit must be worn at all times by all skiers, except in exceptional circumstances, such as a skier with a lot of experience, who can also swim very well. There must be a responsible spotter in each boat, whose task it is to watch the skier being towed, and to have a clear signal system from boat to skier and vice versa. With all water sports, in view of the danger of a skier or kneeboarder being caught under a ski or kneeboard, a responsible and able older student or adult must be on board in order to affect a rescue in such situations. A responsible adult must be at the waterside whilst skiing is taking place, to supervise and order those waiting for a ski. NB. Only those with SBDA certificate may drive a ski boat. Appointed drivers: Graeme Whiting and James Whiting Signed: Graeme Whiting (Headmaster) Updated: 1 June 2016 To be reviewed: 1 June 2017 By whom: Headmaster EDUDOC.HEALTHANDSAFETYONSCHOOLTRIPSPOLICY