Help needed please

[Sandz94]

Hi Lorina. I was wandering if you could please check my project out and let me know if I'm on the right track and if I have it set out okay. Sorry it's such a long one. TIA

The school council wants to get all school support staff more involved with the health and safety of students. Write a 2,000 word submission to the school council providing information on how you (as an education support worker) can contribute to the health and safety of students.

In your submission include information about:

procedures for recognising and dealing with hazards
guidance for students using equipment and resources safely
ensuring students are aware of protection programs
maintaining personal safety of self and others
maintaining a clean classroom
assisting students who require personal care or help with hygiene issues
assisting students in need of first aid
providing assistance in food preparation/ hygiene
supervising students in and out of the classroom
recognising and responding to emergency situations
informing families and the community with regard to health issues
assisting in promoting health programs


Procedures for recognising and dealing with hazards.

There are many different ways that you can recognise hazards in the school environment. The main way is to conduct regular risk assessments of the learning environment to identify any hazards and ensure that risk is minimised at all times. Other ways to identify hazards are - workplace inspections, consultation between employees and employers, monitor injury and illness records, health and environment monitoring, reading complaints files, walk through surveys, assessments and reports from external consultants (e.g. fire station) and observation.

When dealing with a hazard the hierarchy of control is the best process to use. The hierarchy of control is – elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering, administration and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Elimination – means the hazard is completely removed from the environment (e.g. snake removed from the playground.
Substitution – This is when materials are replaced (e.g. faulty equipment) or processes associated with the risk with less hazardous substances that do the same thing but are less toxic.
Isolation – When you separate the hazard from everyone or everyone from the hazard.
Engineering – Equipment, work processes, tasks and machinery can be redesigned to reduce or eliminate the risk. (e.g. using stretchers to to move injured students rather than carry them)
Administration – They can help when signs are needed to warn people of a hazard, instruction manuals, advice and training. It can also be used to redesign tasks to limit risk.
PPE- This is protective equipment such as gloves, masks and earmuffs. This is a last resort though as the best scenario is to eliminate the hazard.

Always report the hazard and notify all other staff immediately.

Guidance for students using equipment and resources safely

To guide students on using equipment and resources safely, I would create a lesson about safety for the students. In this lesson I would also model how to use these things safely and explain what is unsafe and why we don't do it that way. I would also set and reinforce rules for safe play and behaviour by encouraging students to tell school staff if they see unsafe equipment or unsafe behaviour from others. I would also role model these behaviours and practices to all of my students.

Ensuring that students are aware of protection programs

To ensure that students are aware of protection programs I would assist the supervising teacher in lessons to educate students to recognise if they may be unsafe and how to get help. In these lessons the content would include stranger danger, cyber safety, safe houses and the circle concept. I would also print out pictures and information to hang in the classroom as a visual reminder (e.g. picture of the circle concept and safe houses).

Maintaining a clean classroom

I will contribute to maintaining a clean classroom by keeping the classroom in a clean and orderly fashion at all times. I will clean up any materials or resources as soon as students finish utilising them. At the end of the learning day I would place chairs on top of desks, take the rubbish out and tidy up any pens, pencils, etc that are left out. I will also sweep, vacuum or mop as necessary and when needed after a lesson (e.g. vacuum up glitter or small bits after a craft lesson). Any toileting accidents or bodily spills like blood or vomit I would clean up immediately and use the necessary PPE like gloves to clean the area. I would also clean and sanitise surfaces such as furniture like benches and tables, and equipment regularly to stop the spread of and kill any micro-organisms that could cause infection or disease.

Providing assistance in food preparation/hygiene

Before I even start to do any food preparation I would ensure that all utensils, cutting boards, plates, etc are clean and I wash my hands thoroughly before and after preparing any food. Any of the dishes that the food is to be served on would also be cleaned thoroughly. I would also be aware of cross contamination, e.g. use different cutting boards and knives for fruit and meat, or clean them thoroughly in between uses, e.g. cut up the fruit, clean the cutting board thoroughly then prepare the meat on the clean cutting board. I would also ensure that all food is stored correctly to avoid sickness from food poisoing (e.g. all meats stored in the fridge in air tight containers). Meat should be stored at 4.44oC or below to ensure it doesn't spoil and make people sick. I would also clean and sanitise any food preparation areas on a regular basis to stop micro-organisms from causing illness or disease. I would also make sure that I maintain a high level of personal hygiene to help stop contamination.

Assisting students who require personal care or help with hygiene issues

When I am assisting students who require personal care or help with hygiene issues I will do this in a manner that maximises the student's safety, comfort, independence, dignity, privacy and learning. I will also follow the health and safety standards set by the school. I will not judge a student if they have toileting issues but instead I would clean up the mess without making a fuss in a quiet area away from others to avoid embarrassment or humiliation to the student and make sure they are in clean, dry clothes. I would definitely not consider the student as lazy, dirty or attention seeking especially as it is possible that they have an underlying medical condition with their bowel or bladder. I would also inform their parent/ carer of the accident. Other ways I can assist would be in helping with nose blowing, hand washing, wiping their face when dirty and possibly mensturation management in older students. I would model these practices to the student and help them to learn proper techniques in these areas.


Maintaining personal safety of self and others

Maintaining personal safety of myself and others is my duty of care. I will take reasonable care by doing everything possible to make situations safe within the boundaries of my work responsibilities. I will take reasonable care to protect my own health and safety and the health and safety of others. I will use any equipment provided to protect my own health and safety and the health and safety of others, obey reasonable instructions that my employer gives me on health and safety and I will familiarise myself with the procedures for reporting hazards, accidents or incidents. I will also ensure that I am not affected by alcohol or any other drugs that could cause me to endanger myself or others. I understand that I have a responsibility to maintain my own personal safety and the personal safety of other staff or students.

Assisting students in need of first aid

If a student is ill or injured and in need of first aid, I will provide the appropriate first aid if I am qualified to do so or I would notify a staff member who is qualified. If the injury sustained is major, I would remove all other students from the area, keep the student in question warm and call for appropriate first aid and medical assistance, e.g. ambulance staff. In a major injury incident I would not move the student in case of back injury or exasperating the injury but I would wait for medical assistance. If the injury is minor, I would take the student to the sick bay or first aid room to perform first aid so they can have quiet and comfort. I understand that I have a duty of care to students, other staff and third parties to provide first aid assistance when required, to the level of my competence and training.



Supervising students in and out of the classroom

When I am supervising students in and out if the classroom, I will do this according to the supervising teacher and the school's policies and procedures. I understand that detailed statements of my duties and levels of supervision allowed are also kept in the school's handbook. While I am supervising I will enforce health and safety rules and teach students the right way to do something if they are doing it wrong (e.g. standing in front of a swing that is occupied and moving). I will stay in physical proximity and 'ear shot' of the students I am supervising so I can listen to and sort out misunderstandings, conflict or inappropriate behaviours and so I can call out to the students and they can hear me. I also understand this is not only my duty of care but supervising also helps me to build trust based relationships with my students.

Recognising and responding to emergency situations

Recognising emergency situations is sometimes straight forward e.g. fire, flood, bomb threat, abduction or robbery. Other times not so. If a student is having seizures, unconscious, blue, grey or purple skin or lips, having difficulty breathing or unable to speak, acting out of character, less alert, etc. these are emergency situations that can be harder to determine. A head injury may just need to be kept an eye on but becomes an emergency situation if the student has decreased alertness, confusion, headache, vomiting, irritability or difficulty walking.

To recognise an emergency situation I will determine the exact nature of the emergency, the likelihood that harm will result, the degree of harm that is likely or that has occurred and the best course of action to take. I would determine the person to report to and the method of reporting (e.g. face-to-face, written). If the emergency is extreme I would decide what emergency personnel to call.

When I respond to an emergency situation I will also remain calm, be observant, reassure any other people involved, keep uninvolved people away from the problem area, make appropriate reports or call emergency personnel, activate appropriate emergency signals, take action to keep people safe until emergency personnel arrive and know where emergency equipment is kept and access as needed.

Assisting in promoting health programs

Health programs can be promoted in many ways. School canteens can promote healthy eating and good nutrition through healthy eating programs and improving school lunches. Schools also run programs for students to participate in vaccinations through the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Schools also take on the 'no hat, no play' policy which aligns with The National Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign promoting skin cancer awareness. All of this information can also be displayed in posters, brochures, pamphlets, letter drops or verbally. All of this information can also be displayed in posters, brochures, pamphlets, letter drops or verbally. Parents also need to be informed of health programs through things like flyers, in monthly newsletters, displayed on parent notice boards or emailed regularly.

I could assist in promoting these health programs by ensuring that students wear their hat outside during play time or outside activities. I could also push the litter free lunch box program and ensure that lunch boxes are treat free (healthy foods only, no chips, lollies, etc. I could also assist in creating and sending the program information to parents.

Informing families and the community in promoting health programs

There are many ways you can inform families and the community in regards to health issues and they fall under the categories of written and verbal. I could help in this area by creating flyers, pamphlets, brochures, newsletters and emails to distribute to the families and community. I could also assist by holding or attending meetings, providing information at community functions, interviews with parents, informally face-to-face with parents, as part of a special presentation or open days. Some of the health issues that would be addressed include – no hat no play due to the affects on the skin by the sun (e.g. skin cancer), the importance of immunisations, proper food handling techniques, proper hand washing techniques, healthy eating, etc.

[Lorina]

Yes, you're on the right track with your response...

In regards to dealing with hazards, read the following:

WHS Risk Assessment

In regards to health programs, you can also include:

Life Education

,
Lorina

[Sandz94]

Thank you very much for your help once again

[Lorina]

You're welcome!

,
Lorina