Ambergate Primary School

Risk Assessment Policy

Risk assessment is the core of effective management of health and safety. Every person within our school community has a significant contribution to make to ensure that our school is a safe and healthy place to be.

Aims

The Headteacher, Governors and all members of staff aim to do everything reasonably practicable to protect the safety, health and welfare of all children and persons within Ambergate Primary School.

Definitions:

Risk Assessment: is the identification, evaluation and examination of the levels of risks involved in a situation that could cause harm, and decide whether or not adequate precautions have been taken to minimize this risk to acceptable levels.

Hazard: is something that has the potential to cause harm, such as chemicals, electricity, working from a ladder etc.

The 5 steps to risk assessment

Step 1 Identify the hazards

Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how

Step 3 Evaluate the precautions

Step 4 Record findings and implement them

Step 5 Review the risk assessment and update if necessary

Procedures

A generic risk assessment file is in place; it lists all the various risk assessments we need for day to day activities, and the dates for reviews.

All our risk assessments are documented and we aim not to overly complicate them. Activities which present a hazard will be identified on an on-going basis.

Control measures will be identified and implemented, by all staff, children and persons likely to be affected by the activity.

The risk assessment will be reviewed when there is a significant change to the activity or equipment being used.

Staff will be given the opportunity to undertake risk assessments which are authorised by the Headteacher or senior member of staff.