Health & Safety

Like many public buildings, schools face a variety of risks from within as well as from factors such as crime and antisocial behaviour. In schools, however, the potential consequences of security failures are far greater than in other environments, as the safety of children is at stake.

Effective risk assessment and good health and safety practices, and security solutions, therefore, are vital. The Education Act 2002 and subsequently the Children Act 2004 placed a duty on schools to “safeguard and promote the welfare of children”, a daunting responsibility for organisations struggling to maintain high standards with limited resources.

The key, however, is not deciding whether schools can afford effective security, but rather deciding whether they can afford not to have it.

Individual schools have unique characteristics that demand unique security solutions, and risk is influenced by a number of factors including the site’s location, physical design and condition.

However, there are certain measures that can be taken, regardless of a school’s specific situation, to minimise risks from internal and external sources.

This section looks at two ways in which schools can improve their health and safety and security measures.

Portable Appliance Testing specialists Datatrak Ltd explains the importance of electrical safety in schools, and Regton Ltd, suppliers of security metal detection equipment, look at the current climate of crime, outlining potential solutions to security problems in schools.

In This Section:

Datatrak Ltd - Electrical Safety for Schools
Dennis Lamb, Chairman of DataTrak Ltd, specialists in portable appliance testing, explains that safety is a core value of his company.

Regton Ltd - School Security Solutions
Metal detection specialists, Regton Ltd look at the increasing importance of security in schools, and offer perfect solutions to all your security needs.