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JHF  
#1 Posted : 15 October 2021 13:11:56(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
JHF

Hi - looking for some adice regarding the 3 most common H&S related challenges there are in further education. Just a couple of pointers needed - thanks.

Roundtuit  
#2 Posted : 15 October 2021 13:23:56(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

The staff, the students & their parents/guardians.

Might help if you gave an indication of the facility - science, catering/hospitality, sport & fitness, engineering, construction / electrical, vehicle maintennace, art, computing...

Roundtuit  
#3 Posted : 15 October 2021 13:23:56(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

The staff, the students & their parents/guardians.

Might help if you gave an indication of the facility - science, catering/hospitality, sport & fitness, engineering, construction / electrical, vehicle maintennace, art, computing...

JHF  
#4 Posted : 15 October 2021 13:36:02(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
JHF

Hi - the main activities are marine related, they do other courses, but a lot seem to related the the various courses relating to the above.

peter gotch  
#5 Posted : 15 October 2021 14:21:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

JHF - perhaps even more information required!

"marine related" could mean salmon farming, building flood defences, container ports, running nuclear submarines and so much more.

A Kurdziel  
#6 Posted : 15 October 2021 14:25:25(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Ok when you do H&S in a normal environment you look at the competence of the people doing the activity, but you will be dealing with students who by definition ARE NOT COMPETENT. So what extra controls including supervision information etc  do expect the students to  have to make sure they are not at a higher risk and then at what stage do you deem them competent and let them loose in your workshops and labs. Easy really-no not really it is very difficult to get this right! It  involves spending time with teaching and technical staff building up a relationship. They have to take the lead but you have to steer them in the right direction; so it’s not just signing off some risk assessments.

JHF  
#7 Posted : 15 October 2021 14:45:08(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
JHF

Hi Peter, sorry, it a marine college (FE etc.) - South Tynesde. Vast variety of courses related.  

JHF  
#8 Posted : 15 October 2021 14:49:12(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
JHF

# poster No 6 - thanks, will check through.

HSSnail  
#9 Posted : 15 October 2021 14:53:00(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

depending on age of building i would say asbestos is top of the list.

Been a number of recent prosecutions about unsafe work at height practices in education as well

peter gotch  
#10 Posted : 15 October 2021 16:28:18(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Hi JHF 

Perhaps top of the list is the contractual relationship between the college and those providing placements.

As example if the student is a cadet, the college will do relatively low risk stuff in the classroom. But somebody else will show them the ropes (excuse the pun) in a marine working environment.

Then maybe the next on the list is the facilities within the college campus that provide a pseudo marine environment. So, as example there might be dive chambers.

P

firesafety101  
#11 Posted : 19 October 2021 18:16:23(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

I would place the Equality Act top of the list.  So many people of different backgrounds and abilities attend colleges.

Marble  
#12 Posted : 25 October 2021 12:59:31(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Marble

I am one of a small team of H & S Officers for a college group in England, I can only speak for my site of course but would say our biggest challenges are:

Even our H & S manager has no seat on the leadership team, we have to feed via a higher-up and anything we say is watered down

There is no money for anything, so at best any improvements we may suggest are sticking plasters

Every department think they are the most important 

Recently we have been asked if we could not have so many non-compliances on certain risk assessments as "they don't look good". Well... if you have broken fire doors and sockets hanging off walls (real examples) then no, it is better to address them than turn the blind eye as they would rather we did.

I went from industry to education and am looking to move back!

Edited by user 25 October 2021 13:01:34(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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