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Deregulation of health and safety puts pupils and staff at risk

Deregulation of health and safety puts pupils and staff at risk

The Coalition Government’s attacks on health and safety provisions are jeopardising the quality of educational provision for children and young people, representatives at the Annual Conference of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, will assert today.

A motion condemning the Coalition Government’s attacks on vital health and safety provisions is due to be debated at the Conference in Birmingham.

The motion condemns the repeal of the School Premises Regulations, reclassifying schools as low-risk environments and leaving children at risk of being educated in disused offices, shops and factories. Other vital protections to prevent overcrowding and to ensure a healthy learning environment have also been removed.

The NASUWT’s 2014 Big Question survey found that nearly four in ten (38%) of teachers said their buildings were not fit for pupils and over a third (34%) said they were not fit to teach in.

Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“Since coming to office, the Coalition Government has continually trivialised the importance of health and safety, claiming that it has imposed unnecessary bureaucratic burdens on schools.

“The simple truth is that the deregulation of health and safety was part of the Coalition’s strategy to make schools more financially attractive for take-over by private sponsors and external organisations.

“This is another example of where ideologically driven policy takes precedence over the health, welfare and needs of pupils and staff.”
 


NASUWT Press Office contacts:
Ben Padley 07785 463 119
Lena Davies 07867 392 746
Amanda Williamson 07741 246 202

Notes to editors
The NASUWT’s Annual Conference is being held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham from 18-21 April.

The NASUWT Big Question survey is an annual survey of teachers on a range of issues affecting their wellbeing and professionalism. 12,000 teachers responded to the 2014 survey.

The full text of the motion is below:
FIT-FOR-PURPOSE SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Mick Burrows to move,
Wayne Broom to second:
Conference condemns the downgrading of health and safety in schools and colleges, as a result of action by the Coalition Government to:
(i) cut funding for local authorities and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE);
(ii) repeal the School Premises Regulations, leaving pupils at risk of being educated in disused offices, shops and factories;
(iii) re-classify schools as low-risk workplaces, exempt from proactive health and safety inspections;
(iv) repeal the regulations governing health and safety risk assessment and
(v) weaken the provision of health and safety guidance in schools.
Conference asserts that access to quality education is being seriously undermined as a result of the assault on health and safety.
Conference further asserts that quality education depends upon access to fit-for-purpose buildings, with adequate and appropriate space and facilities for use by pupils and staff.
Conference endorses action by the National Executive to continue to:
(a) lobby the Government to secure appropriate statutory guidance for schools on the conduct of health and safety risk assessments;
(b) campaign for routine and proactive HSE inspections in all schools and colleges;
(c) support members in campaigns where school and college buildings are not fit-for-purpose;
(d) campaign for the right of staff to be consulted on the design of any new-build and on building refurbishment projects;
(e) provide information, advice and support to assist health and safety representatives;
(f) press for the effective management of health and safety risks, including heating and cooling, ventilation and materials and
(g) press school employers to ensure compliance with asbestos regulations.
(Executive)
AMENDMENT
Sion Reynolds to move,
John Spiegelhalter to second:
In the first paragraph:
replace ‘Government to’ with ‘Government in’
in (i) replace ‘cut’ with ‘cutting’
in (ii) replace ‘repeal’ with ‘repealing’ and ‘at risk of being’ with ‘to be’ and after ‘factories’ insert ‘, often putting them at risk’
in (iii) replace ‘re-classify’ with ‘re-classifying’
in (iv) replace ‘repeal’ with ‘repealing’
in (v) replace ‘weaken’ with ‘weakening’
(Portsmouth)