Posted By Philip McAleenan
Chris,
My company has been doing this for several years now, doing it for free at schools our own children attend. We have been giving talks and putting up exhibition stands at school employment fairs. I wouldn’t go as far as suggest that consultancies should become voluntary agencies giving free talks to all schools, after all we poor guys have a living to make too.
Over the years since my kids started schools I have re-discovered that the awareness of safety by teachers is excellent. They are very competent workers, who are well aware of their responsibilities and duties towards the young people in their charge, and have ensured through experience and assessment that any hazardous activities that take place in the school are well controlled and any PPE that is required is issued, demonstrated and the pupils taught to understand t he reasons for them. When my kids were issued goggles it was not to play conkers, but to safeguard their eyes during science experiments.
We have been made very welcome in the schools and have provided talks to class sized groups as well as to larger groups in the assembly halls. What we have been found is that we are assisting the teaching staff prepare their pupils for work-experience and employment. Pupils are lively and keen, particularly when the teacher uses the time to catch up on his/her paper work in the annex, and we have had the class to ourselves. Questions flow and the discussion is incredible.
Over the years I have come across projects as far apart as Ireland, Scotland and Australia that are very similar, and indeed the aim is to get all “safety professionals”, not just the consultants, to go into the schools. Those on a wage can do this too, and I would encourage them to do at least one a year where they have children, grandchildren, or nephews/nieces at a local school.
In the past couple of years, the IOSH branch in NI has been encouraging its members to do likewise, in fact it is a topic on our next agenda, and has been for three years. I do not see it as an opportunity to promote IOSH, but rather as an opportunity to raise an awareness amongst young people that to be a competent worker they need to develop an awareness of the hazards that they may face and will have to control. In the long run competent workers and competent organisations will be relying upon their own competence to control work operations and guys like us will become superfluous (because we have done a good job).
If you are nervous of talking to pupils in school, or not sure how to go about it, feel free to ask the teachers for a few pointers, or anyone else that you know who has worked with young people. They really don’t bite, but they are not afraid to ask what might appear to be the strangest of questions. But remember, they want to know, so whatever you can give them, give. But do not be afraid to tell them if you do not know. Kids are not stupid and will pick up a bluff very quickly and then you have lost them. Set them the task of finding out and promise that you will get the answer to them (a wee note to the teacher who will pass it on).
As other contributors have pointed out, there are many resources, including IOSH resources, available, some free, some at a cost. We have used our own company resources, bringing in such items as RPE, hi-vis PPE, hard hats etc, and letting the kids have a real hands-on session. We have produced information sheets for the pupils, their teachers and parents, and for their prospective employers. This means that they all go away with something to facilitate further discussion in school and at home, and a reminder that the visit was more than just a “free period”.
In my experience it is a good exercise for all to be involved in, whether a safety professional or not. As parents it is another way to facilitate the safe transition from school to work, and to be in touch with what our kids are thinking about as they face this transition.
NI members, the next branch meeting is 13th November in Craigavon, and for my sins I’ll be expanding on this contribution,
Regards, Philip