LA maintained schools told us that they value unlimited access to important Health and Safety training and we have set up a course on the Blackboard training platform. This training includes PowerPoints, YouTube videos and quizzes that can be accessed…

A private boarding school has been fined £50,000 after exposing five pupils, two employees and their children to high levels of radioactive radon gas. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Kingswood School in Bath had not monitored radon levels…

The team are currently working on a new monthly Fire Check form in the Inspections tab of Civica for schools, which will ask for evidence about your weekly fire call point tests for example. We will be removing the weekly…

The Civil Contingency Unit (CCU) issue Heatwave Alerts and this week issued a Yellow Heat-Health Alert. Practical actions managers may wish to consider to mitigate the risk to employee health. What’s the concern? During a heatwave employees are more susceptible…

A plastics manufacturing company in West Bromwich has been fined after it put workers and the public at risk of being infected with potentially deadly bacteria. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated Riaar Plastics Limited after members of the…

Somerset Council is committed to reducing the risks to employee’s wellbeing when using display screen equipment (DSE) and all computer peripheral equipment. Although computers are of benefit to us all, they can cause problems if incorrectly used. Even if a…

There are new training course dates for schools that require an External Visits Coordinator (EVC) to monitor and endorse off-site visits and activities as part of their outdoor education programme and in line with recognised school duties and responsibilities. The…

Maintained schools within Somerset Council use European Educational Consultants (EEC) as its primary Health and Safety Management System. This system enables schools to compile risk assessments, record accidents and near misses, submit off-site visit applications for endorsement and provides the…

Common questions that are asked by External Visit Co-ordinators (EVC’s): Q: Do I need risk assessments from a provider? A: Providers from an Outdoor Education perspective are businesses that provide adventurous activities. Some of the common providers you will be…

A YouTube recording has been made of the EEC training webinar that the Corporate Health & Safety Unit delivered in June. Maintained Schools within Somerset Council use European Educational Consultants (EEC) as its primary Health and Safety Management System. This…

Training is available for School Premises Managers and is bookable through SSE, the next courses are 30th October 2023 and 24th November 2023. Premises Manager training is aimed at Headteachers, Business managers and anyone within the school setting with Health…

A YouTube recording has been made of the Working at Height awareness webinar that the Corporate Health & Safety Unit delivered in June. This webinar focused on the news story about a city council that was fined after a school…

There has been poor engagement and a low uptake in completing the new Introduction to Risk Assessment training course which was published in April and is available on The Learning Centre (TLC). This course has been designed to support employees…

The Health and Safety unit have collaborated with the Vision Support Team to produce guidance for creating risk assessments for visually impaired students. For access to education, it is important that students with visual impairment are considered, and risk assessments…

In January 2023, the HSE released an ebulletin regarding a fallen tree which resulted in prosecution and significant fines, but more tragically the death of a young girl. Tree safety guidance for schools has been written by the Grounds &…

The Corporate Health and Safety Unit (CHSU) has published a new Health & Safety chatbot to assist you with Health and Safety queries. CHSU’s chatbot is designed to assist with basic enquiries, guidance, polices and locating forms. Health and Safety…

A Health and Safety incident refers to an accident, occupational ill health, a near-miss, a dangerous occurrence, an incident of work-related violence or a driving accident while on Somerset Council (SC) business. These incidents need to be recorded using SC’s…

Radon monitoring for maintained schools and corporate buildings is now organised by the Somerset Council Property department using an external contractor. More information can be found in the updated Radon Policy Full Story Somerset Council (SC) ensures that radon is…

The Systems and Performance team have recorded the training session to demonstrate Civica Property along with a short guide on how to use the system. FAQs: Q: With inspections, will we receive reminder emails when an inspection is due? Or…

The Health & Safety unit in conjunction with The Asbestos Team in Scientific Services have produced two new documents for asbestos management in Somerset Council owned building. The Asbestos Emergency Procedure to be used when asbestos may have been accidently…