Codes of practice (COPs) and risk assessment

Health and safety checklist for classrooms

Health and safety in a school is about taking a sensible and proportionate approach to ensure that the premises provide a healthy and safe place for all who use them, including the school workforce, visitors and pupils.

This Health and safety checklist will help users quickly identify any areas of concern or risks to those using or working in the classroom. Using it is not mandatory - but doing so will give users and employers confidence that sensible precautions are in place.

Documents for schools to download and adapt

Asbestos, Ealing Council Code of Practice (word)
The management of asbestos at work, 2008.

Aggression, dealing with - COP (word)
Guidelines and COP on dealing with aggression and harassment, updated November 2010.

Body fluids risk assessment (word)
Generic risk assessment.

Coach travel risk assessment (word)
Generic risk assessment.

Contractors, checks to be made on contractors visiting school sites (excel)
Flow chart of checks to be made by schools.

Contractors, child protection and having contractors in school (word)
Guidance notes extracted from the code for contractors in schools.

Contractors, dealing with in schools - COP (word)
Safety code for contractors working on education sites - information for headteachers and governors, May 2004.

Contractors, safety guidance for contractors in schools - COP (pdf)
Information for contractors, revised in August 2010.

Educational visits
Guidelines and risk assessments for educational visits.

Farm and zoo visits - COP and guidance (word)
Guidance and COP for school visits.

Infection control guidance (pdf)
The Health Protection Agency has updated its poster on guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings.

Insurance for DIY maintenance and minor works in schools (word)
Guidelines.

Key risk assessments (word)
Carried out by Belinder Ewart at Mayfield Primary School, with the assistance of John Boniface, principal officer for health and safety. Schools can adapt this for own purposes. A blank form for new assessments is included.

Man-made fibres, safe use - COP (word)
Safety COP for use of man-made mineral fibres, January 2004

Medication, administering in schools - COP (word)
Guidelines and COP, revised October 2006.

Ozone: emission of ozone from photocopiers and laser printers (word)
Guidelines and risk assessment.

Physical Intervention, policy and guidelines for schools, nurseries and children's centres (word)
Information for headteachers and staff, September 2009.

Physical Intervention, DCSF guidance on the use of force to restrain pupils (pdf)
Non-statutory guidance for schools in England, 2008.

Thermal comfort in schools, nurseries and children's centres - COP (word)
Guidance on temperature in indoor workplaces.

Seven risk assessments connected with after school clubs:

Risk 1: Losing children between school and the club (word)
Risk 2: Sports activity area (word)
Risk 3: Unsafe equipment (word)
Risk 4: Unsafe practice during activity (word)
Risk 5: Injury to a child during activity (word)
Risk 6: Losing children at the end of the session (word)
Risk 7: Additional safeguards for sports coaches (word)

Working at height risk assessments:

All files open in a new window and are word documents

Access to and from loft areas
Clearance of gutters
Contracted out work
Low level painting and maintenance
Replacing lamps
Retrieval of item from roof
Risk assessment template
Stage productions
Teaching staff activities
Using access tower scaffolds
Using ladders for access