HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

In Brainworks Taunggyi International School, safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm. It is a preventative agenda that helps children and young people achieve their full potential, regardless of negative factors such as social exclusion, by providing services and support to overcome barriers to achieve academic excellence. 

BTIS ensures that our children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care. The BTIS family takes on that role to enable our children and young people to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.

Policy Clauses:

The HOA is directed to:

• Pursue the objectives of the Governing Body of the school in respect of Health and Safety.
• Set up arrangements in the school to cover all health and safety legal requirements:

• To bring the same to the attention of all staffs. 
• The statement is to be revised and amended as and when necessary;

• Be available to any member of staff to discuss and to seek to resolve health and safety problems.
• Draw up the necessary arrangements to secure compliance with all health and safety legislation.
• Keep a record of such arrangements.  
• Circulate this information to all staff members of the school.
• Monitor the implementation of the arrangements. 
• Record and report on the implementation of the arrangements to the school-based Health and Safety Representative and Officer.
• Report to the Principal, those instances where the HOA’s delegated authority does not allow the elimination or reduction of risks to a satisfactory level, but to take all necessary short-term measures to avoid danger.
• Comply with all health and safety instructions as well as advice issued by the Education and Cultural Services to ensure that they are brought to the attention of all staff.

• Keep a file of such information about health and safety to make this information available to staff. 
• Be readily available to the Health and Safety Representatives and to co-operate with them as far as is reasonable in their efforts to carry out their functions.
• Receive written reports from safety representatives and to respond in writing within a reasonable time. 

• Establish a School Safety Committee (HODs and Level leaders) within three months of receiving a written request from staff at the school. 
• Ensure that all areas of school are inspected once per term; and the details of the inspection are recorded. 
• Ensure that a system is established for reporting, recording, and investigating accidents and making sure that all reasonable steps are taken to prevent recurrences.
• Ensure that all visitors, including maintenance contractors, are recorded, and are informed of any hazards on site of which they may be unaware. 
• Ensure that consideration is given to the possibilities of maintenance work affecting students and staff. 
• Ensure that new employees are briefed about safety arrangements, to ensure that they are given a copy of the school’s health and safety policy as well as the opportunity to read it before starting work. 
• Ensure that any necessary protective clothing and equipment is used correctly and that it is properly maintained and replaced when required.
• Ensure that effective arrangements are in force to facilitate safe evacuation of the building in case of fire or other emergencies and that the staff are trained to appropriate standards. 
• Ensure that responsibilities are properly allocated, accepted, and fulfilled. 

Fire and Accident Policy

Every school seeks to provide an environment that is safe, secure, and conducive to learning. Having said that, accidents and mishaps can occur anytime, anywhere. The social environment of a school is not immune to accidents and knowing that Taunggyi International School follows a very stringent fire and accident policy to minimize all such risks.

Fire Emergency

The evacuation of any building let alone a school with hundreds of pupils is a challenging task. The ability of a school to safely and efficiently evacuate its students and staff is dependent on good information, good discipline, and regular practice. Brainworks-Total-Taunggyi International group of schools is well prepared for any such unfortunate eventuality.

• Brainworks Taunggyi International School complies with every Building and Fire Safety standard and is always at the task with maintaining and upgrades to its structure and facilities.
• The School is equipped with necessary fire deterrent installations on every floor and corner of its premises. The fire alarm systems, smoke detectors, fire hydrants, exit routes, physical markers, signs, and symbols are all periodically checked and maintained for full functionality.
• The School has a mandatory drill routine scheduled in its academic calendar every term. All staff members, both new and old are trained and briefed with existing and new protocols for fire emergencies.
• It is mandatory for all students (except for the physically challenged) to participate in the fire drill and learn safety measures. A log book is maintained to keep track of drill efficiency.
• After evacuation to a designated safe zone and accountability procedures, the school security will assist professional emergency services.
• Any indication of carelessness, vandalism or tampering found to be associated with the cause of the fire will then be treated as arson and will be accordingly investigated through legal channels.

First aid & Infirmary for Accidents and Medical Emergencies

• All school nurses at Taunggyi International School are qualified. Most branches have nurses on site while a few have nurses on call.
• The school maintains a stock of basic first aid kits and medicines for common ailments and illnesses. (Cough, cold, headache, fever, stomach ache, etc.)
• Cases of minor injuries like scrapes/bruises/superficial cuts will be treated by the nurse.
• All other injuries and accidents which are not minor in nature like a fracture/deep cuts/scalding/repeated vomiting/sprain etcetera will be transferred to the nearest hospital. The school will immediately rush the child to the nearest hospital while the concerned Parent/Guardian will be informed simultaneously. The school follows a zero-delay policy for hospital transfers. However, it must be understood that traffic snarls and busy phone lines are sometimes unavoidable.
• The school does not administer any medication to a student unless otherwise specified, in writing, by the concerned parent/guardian.
• The administering of care for a minor injury like a wound/cut/bruises etcetera is limited to the washing, cleaning, and application of anti-septic to the affected area.
• The school maintains a log file of all injuries and accidents- minor and major. Records of all incidents and events and the subsequent response/s are filed by the Medical Staff.
• The school has the right to disallow a student from attending any class on grounds of suspected health hazards. If a student is found to have symptoms of any illness, communicable by nature such as foot and mouth, chicken pox, flu-like symptoms etcetera, then the said student will be asked to seek medical help and recover completely from home until such time as deemed safe by a doctor.
• Any student who endangers or creates conditions that alarm the health and safety of others in school-wilfully, in jest, or intentionally is liable to be dismissed.

Responsibilities to ensure Safety: The Duties of All Members of Staff of BTIS

All Employees should:

• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety as well as any other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. 
• Co-operate to enable any duty or requirement imposed on his or her employer or any other person by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions to be met. 

All members of staff will:

• Be familiar with the Safety Policy and any safety regulations as laid down by the Governing Body and the Health and Safety Policy of Education and Cultural Services, and Access Service Unit. 
• Ensure health and safety regulations, rules, routines, and procedures are being applied effectively by both staff and students.
• Check that all lab equipment and resources are adequately guarded. 
• Ensure that toxic, hazardous and highly flammable substances are correctly used, stored and labelled
• Report any defects in the equipment and facilities which they observe.  
• Take an active interest in promoting health and safety and suggest ways of reducing risks.

Supervision of Children in BTIS

It is the responsibility of Head of Academics (HOA) in consultation with the Principal/Director to ensure the safe supervision of students, staff and others whilst they are at school or partaking in school activities. All staff will be made aware of these arrangements.