The O’Brien International School: Health and Safety Policy

1. Introduction

At The O’Brien International School, the safety and well-being of pupils, staff, and visitors is a core priority. All school-related activities—both on and off site—must be planned and executed with proportionate risk management, aligned with Ley 31/1995 and best practices outlined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Objectives:

Ensure all risks are identified, assessed, and controlled proportionately.
Maintain a safe environment for learning, play, and extracurricular activities.
Enable enriching school trips and physical activities while safeguarding participants.

2. Leadership and Accountability

Proprietor (for private schools) holds ultimate responsibility for Health and Safety.
Director and Management Team handle daily implementation.
Competent Person: Europroven Prevención de Riesgos is employed to oversee legal compliance, risk assessments (including COVID-19), and staff support.

Responsibilities:

Ensure regular reviews of safety procedures and risk assessments.
Promote a culture of safety among all staff and students.
Respond to concerns raised by staff on the adequacy or appropriateness of safety processes.

3. Health and Safety Policy Components

The policy follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act model recommended by the HSE.

Key Elements:

Plan: Define leadership roles and risk management responsibilities.
Do: Apply control measures proportionately and responsibly.
Check: Monitor and report health and safety outcomes.
Act: Periodically review and improve procedures.

The policy includes:

General statement of intent.
Delegation of responsibilities.
Risk assessment procedures and controls.
Monitoring and review framework.

4. Risk Assessment and Management

All school-related hazards must be:

Identified
Evaluated for potential harm
Controlled with practical measures

Risk assessments must:

Cover staff, students, visitors, and contractors
Be reviewed if:
- There’s a reason to believe it's no longer valid
- A significant change has occurred
Be recorded and made accessible

5. COVID-19 Protocol

General Principles:

Risk assessments are living documents—updated regularly.
Active monitoring of control effectiveness is essential.
Compliance with HSE workplace safety guidance is mandatory.

Control Hierarchy (in priority order):

Elimination – Avoid unnecessary risky activities.
Substitution – Replace with lower-risk alternatives.
Engineering Controls – Use physical structures or modifications.
Administrative Controls – Implement signage, one-way systems, etc.
PPE – Used only when necessary and as per guidance.

6. Additional Policy Inclusions

The school’s Health and Safety Policy also covers:

Line management duties
Staff health and safety training
Off-site visit procedures (including residentials)
Emergency procedures and contacts
First aid provision
Occupational health access
Accident/incident reporting (RIDDOR compliance)
Periodic inspections and consultation with employees
Performance monitoring

7. Review and Improvement

The policy and assessments are subject to annual review or when circumstances change.
Staff are encouraged to raise concerns about process adequacy or burdensomeness.
Findings from accidents and inspections feed into ongoing improvements.