A Happy New Year to all our loyal clients and readers!
2016 has become reality and it is up to us to make it work. Not just for ourselves, but for those around us as well. Although most of us would like to extend the short break we had, but it is time to get ahead of the pack.
Particularly Health & Safety officials involved in educational facilities should take the opportunity to assess the risks and mitigate any danger.
Although I understand the sentiment, I have always wondered why Health and Safety officials are so eager to take a break over the holiday season. It is understandable that we prefer to spend time with our families and loved ones, especially over the festive season. However the holidays are also the best time to inspect and assess our facilities. Particularly school facilities need to be top-notch and ready for the kid's return.
Risk assessments are ongoing, but they are essential this time of the year. Most learners will arrive with their heads still in the clouds and a perception that everything is possible and doable. They will have forgotten about all the safety rules and warnings that were clearly in place, just before the left for the break. Performing a risk assessment this time of the year will also allow you to do the rounds undisturbed.
Taking the time to do a proper risk assessment this time of the year is also important as other people might have broken or tampered with items while you and your staff were gone.
We are merely days away from the first children returning to school. Most of them will be familiar with the facility but you will also receive several new learners. The holiday season is the perfect time of the year to ensure that you provide facility that is free from any health and safety risk.
Generally speaking, educational facilities are not worse or better than any other facility when it comes to 'risks' and 'danger'. The difference is that our main 'clients' have little to none perception of risks and danger hence the need to always be a step ahead. Children are champions when it comes to doing things. They find ways to perform tasks in the most dangerous ways, despite of us thinking we had put everything in the right places to prevent injuries.
Performing a risk assessment at a school requires in-depth knowledge and skills about the facility but also about the potential risk something can cause. The latter is easier said than done. That is why it is essential to have such assessments done by professionals familiar with all the ins and outs of possible danger.
Health and Safety officials at MAKROSAFE acquire knowledge every day by assessing and mitigating risks at a variety of facilities. Being an accredited educational institution, MAKROSAFE knows from experience what it is that needs to be assessed to provide learners with a healthy and safety facility.
Make sure that your learners can return safely to their benches and avoid being hauled to in sit on a bench while awaiting a legal verdict!
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