HSE

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website includes coverage for schools (state funded and independent), further education establishments and higher education institutions.

Guidance on managing the significant risks in the sector for pupils and members of staff is included. The site makes clear that a sensible approach to risk management is essential.

The section Sensible health and safety management in schools is essential reading for those responsible for managing health and safety in schools to strike the right balance, so that the real risks are managed and learning opportunities are experienced to the full. Sensible health and safety management should be straightforward, it's just part of good school leadership.

The HSE Guidance and Publications includes advice on:

• Accident Reporting
• Hazardous substances / COSHH
• Health and safety management

. . . and other titles of relevance to Design and Technology.

The HSE website includes a section on Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and a series of free safety information sheets can downloaded as PDFs from Working with machinery.

There is also a HSE Classroom Checklist available as a free to download PDF which is suitable for general classroom use but where more specialist equipment and/or substances are in use (e.g. in a workshop), risk assessment and management appropriate to the activities should be in place..