The School Safety Adviser is concerned with the day-to-day safety organisation within their school or building. School Safety Adviser MS TeamWe have set up a Microsoft Teams School Safety Adviser group. The Team is used to share H&S updates, ask questions and share good practice. We have a General channel in the Team which all School Safety Advisers can see and add to, as well as private channels for each of the College/Support Groups to allow for area specific discussions. All new School Safety Advisers will be added to the group. Updates and news blogThe Department uses the University blogging system to update the community on health and safety matters, guidance and important information as well as direct emails if required. All SSAs have been added to the Blog and will receive an email when a blog is published, unless they have opted out of this part of the system. All University staff can access the Health and Safety blog.ResponsibilitiesSchool Safety Advisers responsibilities are detailed in the University Health and Safety Policy Framework: Organisation document, Section 11, an extract of which is provided below.Framework: Organisation Section 11University Health and Safety PolicyThe full Health and Safety Policy and Framework documents are available online.University Health and Safety Policy and codes of practiceModel List of Duties of a School (Area) Safety AdviserEach Head of School must appoint a School (Area) Safety Adviser.A model list of duties which a Head of School may delegate to the School Safety Adviser is downloadable below.Model list of duties for a School / Area Safety AdviserSchool (Area) Safety Advisers HandbookVarious template checklists are also available, such as for local health and safety inspection, in our Checklists section.Accident and incident investigationsSchool Safety Advisers will receive an email for any accidents or incidents submitted for their area and are expected to act upon any accidents or incidents which are submitted using the online system called AIR (Accident and Incident Reporting). For very minor incidents, a review of the accident may be all that is required. For more serious incidents, a more thorough investigation may be more appropriate.Please see our Accident/Incident reporting pages for more information on what is expected and support available.Retention of health and safety documentsThe Health and Safety Department have put together a retention schedule for common health and safety documents. The schedule sets out the minimum amount of time that you need to keep certain common types of health and safety records. This retention schedule does not apply to documents held by the Health and Safety Department.Health and Safety records Retention Schedule for SchoolsSchool / Area Safety Adviser contacts listA contacts page listing all School Safety Advisers is available below. This is only accessible by University staff and students.School Safety AdvisersTrainingNo formal qualifications or standards of training for Health and Safety Advisers have yet been set down in any of the relevant legislation. Appropriate training, to assist School (or area) Safety Advisers to understand and perform their role and functions within their own schools, is available on People and Money. It is expected that all School (or area) Safety Advisers complete this online training course.Course outlineThis course covers the following information:Health and safety law and University health and safety policyUniversity management structure and roles and responsibilitiesAccident and incident reporting, training, and risk assessmentAccident and incident management - including how to report an accident etc., and how to use the AIR system to manage your accidents etc. and a template investigation formFurther useful documentsFurther useful linksAccessing the courseAn online course is available for all School Safety Advisers. Please click on the button below to self-enrol. Self-enrol on the Role and responsibilities of a School (Area) Safety Adviser t… Guidance for contact with the HSEThe Health and Safety Department has produced a general guidance note for School Safety Advisers regarding contact with the Health and Safety Executive. This will be sent directly to all School Safety Advisers as required.Another, more specific guidance note on types of interviews the HSE undertake and how these affect staff has also been produced and disseminated directly.Health and Safety ConferenceList of regular conferences held by the Health and Safety Department for School Safety Advisers.Health and Safety Conference May 2024Health and Safety Conference March 2018Health and Safety Conference March 2016Health and Safety Conference February 2014Health and Safety Conference September 2012Health and Safety Conference February 2011 Health and Safety Department Contact details Work: +44 (0)131 651 4255 Email: Health.Safety@ed.ac.uk This article was published on 2024-07-22
