Safety education

1. Safety education is the responsibility of all staff in the school, including teaching and non-teaching
staff, through the formal and informal curriculum. If safety education is to be effective, safety should
underpin the whole culture and ethos of the school.
2. What can safety education achieve? Safety education can enable children and young people, and
their parents/carers, to put effective safety measures into practice. For example, young cyclists can be
taught how to plan safer routes to avoid difficult junctions where most accidents happen. Fitting smoke
alarms and rehearsing escape routes can save lives in fires.
3. What pupils learn about risk assessment in school can be applied to life outside the school gates and
can increase receptiveness to safety information and advice from other sources. Safety education can help
young people make decisions about, and undertake, a wide range of activities - sport, adventurous
activities, travel, work experience - confidently and competently.
4. What is safety education?  Safety education should enable pupils to keep themselves safe and to
contribute to keeping others safe. It helps them be aware of possible hazards in different areas of their
lives, and be able to take appropriate decisions and actions.  Safety education is not about isolating
young people from all hazards – the bumps, cuts and bruises which are a normal part of growing up - but
about equipping them to deal safely with a wide range of situations.
5. Safety education includes:
6.  The skills of hazard awareness and recognition, and risk assessment and management. Pupils will be
taught about risk assessment in subjects such as design and technology, science and physical education.
Safety education enables pupils to transfer this learning to other areas of their lives.  The factors which
influence attitudes and behaviour which relate to safety. Safety education should include consideration of
the stereotypes and pressures which affect risk taking, for example, media images linking driving and
speed, or the influence of fashion trends on the wearing of protective equipment.
7.  Personal and social skills like assertiveness are important in enabling pupils to take responsibility
for their own and others’ safety: for example, when asking for help or calling the emergency services, or
asking an adult to wear a seat belt or to drive more slowly.  The role of emotions in recognising and
managing risky situations. Being able to control anger and deal with stress and fear are valuable safety-
related skills.  Playing a part in making communities safer. Safety education involves learning to take
responsibility for social and moral issues. Discussing safety issues to do with their school and local
environment can lead on to pupils taking part in activities to improve safety. It should include discussion
about social and political issues, which impact on improving safety.
8. Contexts for safety education  Effective safety education should include a range of contexts
appropriate to the age and developmental stage of the pupils. Account should be taken of the immediate
environment of the pupils, for example, urban or rural roads, as well as unfamiliar environments that
pupils may encounter, for example, driving, field visits, family holidays or work experience settings.
9. Contexts and Issues for Safety Education  play  sport and leisure  construction sites  Water 
roads  rail  Fire  electricity, gas  agricultural settings  school  community safety  the
world of work  home  personal safety  socio-political issues
10. Effective planning for safety education will help teachers to promote key skills and thinking skills:
Key skills  information technology  improving pupils’ learning and performance  information
processing  enquiry  evaluation Thinking skills  working with others  problem solving. 
Reasoning  creative thinking
11. The general teaching requirement for health and safety requires teachers to teach pupils how to:
12.  Recognise hazards: A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm (this can include
objects, substances, machines, ways of working and the working environment).  Assess risk : A risk is
the likelihood of potential harm from the hazard being realised. The extent of the risk will depend on : 1)
the likelihood of that harm occurring 2) the potential severity of that harm 3) the number of people who
might be affected.  Control risk : The purpose of the risk assessment is to determine what measures
should be taken to control the risk, taking into account existing precautions and their effectiveness.
13. POINTS TO PONDER UPON
14.  Is student safety a priority for your school and your community?  Do parents have access to
reports that include information about the number of violent or other unsafe incidents at the school? 
Does your school have procedures for responding quickly to unsafe situations?  Is your school
addressing ways to prevent as well as respond to crises?  Are the school board, school principal, school
superintendent, teachers, school staff, parents, students, and community professionals all involved in
these efforts?
15.  Has someone been designated to coordinate activities to maintain a safe and healthy environment?
 Are counselors and psychologists available to work with students who are troubled or disruptive? 
Do students in all grades participate in classes to help them develop conflict resolution and other life
skills?  Do school health service providers help or refer students who come to them with concerns
about safety?  Does the school emphasize promoting self-esteem and respect for others in all aspects of
the school program?  Are parents and students involved in activities that promote school safety?
16.  Are teachers encouraged to set examples of positive physical, social, and emotional health? 
Does the school have fair, firm, consistent discipline policies?  Are school facilities attractive and
hazard-free?  Is safety addressed in all aspects of the school program-the cafeteria, physical education,
classrooms, playgrounds, after-school programs, etc.?  Do school staff, parents, and community
members working on school safety collaborate?
17. Unhealthy Building
18. Contaminated air  If the children frequently has symptoms similar to a cold, an allergy, or the flu—
and if the doctor has eliminated other causes—watch your child to see if the problem clears up on the
weekends.  Another sign is when people with asthma or allergies have more reactions to these
conditions when they are inside the school building than outside it.
19. Pesticides in School  Because their young bodies are still developing, children are more susceptible
than adults to harm from pesticides and other lawn-care products.  Some schools are employing firms
that use safer alternative pest control methods.
20. Unsafe Drinking Water  Occasionally, schools are found to have contaminants such as lead in the
drinking water. Lead pipes in older buildings can be one of the culprits. All schools should have their
water tested periodically.
21. COMING TO THE SCHOOL  Safety measures can take a variety of forms, everything from
stepped-up traffic enforcement to in-class education on such topics as school bus safety rules.  Many
schools have adult crossing guards and school safety patrols, for example. Still, there probably are traffic
situations that could use improvement.  A safety audit with the help of a school safety committee
should be done that includes staff, parents, police, and someone from your community's traffic
engineering department.
22.  The engineer can look at signs, traffic lights, street markings, and other features of the streets
around your school and make recommendations on additional traffic control measures that might be
needed, for example.  One project of the school safety committee should be preparing maps that show
the safest routes to school.  The maps should be big enough to incorporate the entire enrollment area.
 Many of the traffic problems around schools are caused by parents. Some ignore the pick-up zones,
double park, or block the buses.
23.  Schools can alleviate congestion by taking such steps as staggering the dismissal of walkers and
riders, having them exit on different sides of the building, and creating more pick-up-lane space if
possible.  Traffic rule violations put kids in danger. If this is a problem at your school, talk to the
parent-teacher association or the school staff—both about ways to ease congestion and to enforce the
rules.  School Bus Safety: Kids should be taught school bus safety rules. For example, they should stay
away from the wheels and the back of the school bus. If they cross in front of the bus after deboarding,
they should move to at least 10 feet in front of the bus and wait for a signal from the driver that it's safe to
cross.
24. Safety of Playgrounds  If the equipment is metal, it should be painted or galvanized to prevent
rusting. Otherwise, the structure can become weakened or develop sharp, broken edges. Parts used for
climbing and gripping are safest if covered with slip-resistant material.  Wooden equipment can
deteriorate and become splintered. Bolts can loosen.  Moving parts can pinch or crush a child's finger.
Give special scrutiny to merry-go-rounds, seesaws, and suspension bridges.
25.  Exposed mechanisms, such as joints or springs, are prime places for injury. Moving parts should
be kept lubricated.  Kids should never wear clothing with drawstrings. The strings can get caught on
playground equipment—and other places—and strangle children.  Make sure elevated surfaces, like
platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.
26. Fire and Safety drills  Have monthly drills and time them to be sure that students are exiting in a
timely manner.  Hold fire safety assemblies to review procedures.  Review each fire drill over the
intercom or on the schools television broadcast. Provide recommendations for improvement and
commend exemplary behavior.  Use of fire extinguishers should be known to all.
27. Earthquake Simulation and Evacuation Drill  Give your students several opportunities to ask
questions and discuss their fears and concerns. They’ll have plenty of “what if’ questions. Don’t feel that
you must provide all the answers. Let your students hold problem-solving sessions. Class and group
discussions provide opportunities for students not only to express their negative feelings, but also to
develop pride in the positive competency they have gained.
28. Classroom Hazard Hunt  Are free-standing cabinets, bookcases, and wall shelves secured to a
structural support?  Are heavy objects removed from shelves above the heads of seated students?  Is
the TV monitor securely fastened to a stable platform or securely attached to a rolling cart with lockable
wheels?  Are wall mountings secured to prevent them from swinging free or breaking windows during
an earthquake?  Are hanging plants all in lightweight, unbreakable pots and fastened to closed hooks?
29. Laboratory safety measures  Use of Lab-gear viz. lab coats, hand gloves etc.  Adequately trained
lab staff.  Safety drills for the lab in case of an emergency.  Training the students for safety
precautions related to use of chemicals, electric points, hazardous equipment etc.
FIRST AID
First aid is the assistance given to any person suffering a sudden illness or injury,[1] with care provided to
preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery. It includes initial
intervention in a serious condition prior to professional medical help being available, such as performing
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while awaiting an ambulance, as well as the complete treatment of
minor conditions, such as applying a plaster to a cut. First aid is generally performed by someone with
basic medical training. Mental health first aid is an extension of the concept of first aid to cover mental
health.

There are many situations which may require first aid, and many countries have legislation, regulation, or
guidance which specifies a minimum level of first aid provision in certain circumstances. This can
include specific training or equipment to be available in the workplace (such as an automated external
defibrillator), the provision of specialist first aid cover at public gatherings, or mandatory first aid training
within schools. First aid, however, does not necessarily require any particular equipment or prior
knowledge, and can involve improvisation with materials available at the time, often by untrained people.
[2]

First aid can be performed on all mammals, although this article relates to the care of human patients.

Aims
The key aims of first aid can be summarized in three key points, sometimes known as 'the three Ps':[12]

Preserve life: The overriding aim of all medical care which includes first aid, is to save lives and
minimize the threat of death.
Prevent further harm: Prevent further harm also sometimes called prevent the condition from worsening,
or danger of further injury, this covers both external factors, such as moving a patient away from any
cause of harm, and applying first aid techniques to prevent worsening of the condition, such as applying
pressure to stop a bleed becoming dangerous.
Promote recovery: First aid also involves trying to start the recovery process from the illness or injury,
and in some cases might involve completing a treatment, such as in the case of applying a plaster to a
small wound.

Key skills

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In case of tongue fallen backwards, blocking the airway, it is necessary to hyperextend the head and pull
up the chin, so that the tongue lifts and clears the airway.
Certain skills are considered essential to the provision of first aid and are taught ubiquitously. Particularly
the "ABC"s of first aid, which focus on critical life-saving intervention, must be rendered before
treatment of less serious injuries. ABC stands for Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. The same
mnemonic is used by all emergency health professionals. Attention must first be brought to the airway to
ensure it is clear. Obstruction (choking) is a life-threatening emergency. Following evaluation of the
airway, a first aid attendant would determine adequacy of breathing and provide rescue breathing if
necessary. Assessment of circulation is now not usually carried out for patients who are not breathing,
with first aiders now trained to go straight to chest compressions (and thus providing artificial circulation)
but pulse checks may be done on less serious patients.
Some organizations add a fourth step of "D" for Deadly bleeding or Defibrillation, while others consider
this as part of the Circulation step. Variations on techniques to evaluate and maintain the ABCs depend
on the skill level of the first aider. Once the ABCs are secured, first aiders can begin additional
treatments, as required. Some organizations teach the same order of priority using the "3Bs": Breathing,
Bleeding, and Bones (or "4Bs": Breathing, Bleeding, Burns, and Bones). While the ABCs and 3Bs are
taught to be performed sequentially, certain conditions may require the consideration of two steps
simultaneously. This includes the provision of both artificial respiration and chest compressions to
someone who is not breathing and has no pulse, and the consideration of cervical spine injuries when
ensuring an open airway.