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- H&S policies and guidance
- Children, young people and vulnerable adults on campus
- Control of substances hazardous to health (CoSHH)
- Dogs in university buildings
- Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
- Driving vehicles on university business
- Fieldwork
- Fire safety
- First aid
- General risk assessment
- Health and safety policy and management
- Manual handling
- Meningitis
- Portable appliance testing (PAT)
- Radiation safety
- Smoking policy
- Forms, signs and templates
- How to...
- Health and safety training
- Health & Safety Committee
- H&S policies and guidance
4. Risk Assessment of a Planned & Supervised Activity for Children & Young People
4.1 Legal Framework
The Employers
Health and Safety law refers to “employers” as the key agent of corporate responsibility: The University is an Employer, represented by the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar and Secretary.
Schools and Colleges
Employers are the Local Education Authority (LEA) in county, controlled and special agreement schools. The governing body is the employer in city technology colleges, voluntary-aided, non-maintained and grant-maintained schools. The owner, governors or trustees are the employers in independent schools.
The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 employers are responsible for the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. Employers are also under a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of themselves and anyone else on the premises who may be affected by their activities.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1992)
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, made under the 1974 Act, require employers to:
- assess the risks of activities;
- introduce measures to control those risks;
- tell their employees about these measures and others who may be affected (e.g. students, children, young people, visitors and members of the public).
Common Law Duty of Care
Teachers and other staff in charge of children/young people also have a common law duty to act as any reasonably prudent parent would do in the same circumstances (in loco parentis).
General duties under health and safety law
Also under the Health and Safety legislation employees must:
- take reasonable care of their own and others’ health and safety;
- co-operate with their employers over safety matters;
- carry out activities in accordance with training and instructions; and
- inform the employer of any serious risks.
4.2. Insurance
Children/young people and their supervising staff must be adequately insured whilst carrying out activities on campus.
Employers Liability Insurance
Most employers (including the University) are required by law (Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969) to have insurance cover against costs arising from injury to their employees. Local Education Authorities (LEAs) are exempted (under Section 3(1)(a) of the Act) from this requirement but some LEAs (such as the Devon LEA) have nevertheless chosen to have such insurance in place.
Public Liability (Third Party) Insurance
Public liability insurance is taken out to insure against costs arising from injury to non-employees (e.g. children, students, visitors and members of the public). It is optional in both public and private sectors but it is very desirable (both the University and the Devon LEA have Public Liability Insurance).
Additional Insurance Policies
The following additional policies may be in place:
- travel insurance;
- personal accident insurance;
- medical insurance;
- vehicle insurance; and
- specialist risk activities insurance
See the Risk assessment form and guidance notes section for details about how to complete a risk assessment.
