Occupational Health and Safety Policy
TAYLOR PRIMARY SCHOOL 2006

Introduction
Taylor Primary School aims is to provide a safe, healthy and secure learning and working environment for all students, staff, contractors and visitors. To achieve this goal it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of themselves or others
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Principal is responsible for:
• the provision of a safe and healthy work and study environment;
• ensuring safe systems of work are established, supervised and reviewed
• establishing a program to manage their OH&S risks.
• providing information, training and supervision to staff and students on:
 the potential health and safety risks associated with their tasks;
 their responsibilities to follow safe work practices
• reporting and investigate all accidents
• taking all reasonable steps to rectify identified hazards.
Staff and Students are responsible for:
• cooperating with the School's OH&S policies and procedures;
• instructions on safe work practices;
• and reporting any hazards or accidents as soon as practical.
Contractors and Visitors must comply with Department of Education policies and procedures and the School's OH&S policies and procedures. They must report any hazards or accidents. Contractors should receive a site safety induction and their work practices should be documented and supervised.
PROCEDURES
OH&S Committee
An Occupational Health & Safety Committee is a means where a representative group can come together in a co-operative way to improve the site's systems for managing health and safety. Taylor Primary School’s OH & S Committee meets at least once per term to consider the safety aspects of the School in all of its activities. It comprises a teacher, a non-teaching staff member and a member of the school executive. The committee is responsible for performing risk assessments of school activities, for disseminating any safety related material that is issued by the Department of Education and for conducting the comprehensive safety audit each semester, as required by the Department of Education. The results of this audit are reported to the Principal and Office Manager.

Members of the OH & S Committee are nominated at the beginning of each school year and are listed on the Areas of Responsibility chart which is on display in the front office, staffroom and photocopier room. Staff have the responsibility of knowing who OH&S representatives are so that they know who to contact if an issue arises that needs to go to the committee.
Canteen
A separate Canteen Committee has oversight of the procedures and policies of the School’s Canteen. Each semester they use a checklist from the ACT School Canteen Association to identify hazards which could potentially pose risk to employee and client health and safety. The Canteen Committee reports to the P&C Association.

Emergency Drills
At least twice per year the school will conduct emergency drills (lockdown or evacuation). In the case of an evacuation of the building all personnel should evacuate the building and move to the assembly point on the playground as per the Emergency Evacuation Plan. This plan is displayed in each staff office, classroom and other areas of the school. It is also published in the Staff Handbook. Emergency contact telephone numbers are displayed beside each telephone in the school.

First Aid
At least two staff members hold current First Aid certificates at any time. Their responsibility is primarily to ensure that students receive appropriate attention for minor injuries and that parents are informed if the child is sick or requires further treatment. They also dispense medication to students strictly in accordance with the Department’s