Risk Assessment of Possible Dangers in Schools - Report Example

Risk assessment Risk assessment entails purpose of principles that may enhance the occurrence of damage or injury to an individual. This can be in a particular working environment or a crowd set up (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). In order to estimate if sufficient limits have been employed in that particular place to lessen the happening of any injury, as well as determining whether careful measures are needed to avoid an injury from happening, a risk assessment should be conducted. Risk assessment makes sure that nobody has been injured and no damage to property. It is the responsibility of the law to ensure risk assessment has been undertaken in every working location (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). This makes sure that poor health and destructions that arise because of unhealty working environment are prevented. Risk assessment entails several stages; the first stage is the discovery of the danger. This involves recognition of anything in the working premises that can lead to injury. During the discovery stage, an individual is expected to focus on the dangers, which seem to be more noteworthy and might lead to evident injury. To be in a position of discovering the dangers that are more profound, every member involved in the working premises must be consulted. For example in a learning set up the staffs, students, teachers and the entire management should be consulted to assist in discovering the main cause of fire breakdown in the learning institution The second stage is the discovery of the individuals who might be at jeopardy of being injured. This may involve the learning institution community [that is support staff, teachers, management and student] or the members of the society, who may be among the fire-extinguishing group in a school set up (House of Commons Defence Committee, 2009). The third stage in risk assessment is the estimation of risk and available procedures that can be practiced to avoid the risk from taking place. It is vital to reflect on the likelihood of every danger leading to injury. This in return helps in shaping the necessity of supplementary risk and diminution measures (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). During risk assessment several risks might be left out, therefore its consequence should be evaluated and considered. It is important to make sure that all the required procedures and the principles of every industry by law are put into practice. This stage makes sure that the danger is declined as much as possible. The likelihood of doing away with the risk should be considered and if the task is not possible, other alternatives might be practiced to lessen the dangers completely. Several processes may be employed to manage the risk first; alternatives that are less dangerous should be tempted (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). Secondly, every individual should be prevented from accessing the danger. Third, exposure of individuals to the prospective hazard should be minimized. Fourth, defensive tools should be given to individuals who were involved. Lastly, safety amenities should be provided. The third stage of risk assessment makes sure that expenses that might be incurred in situations of an accident are alleviated (House of Commons Defence Committee, 2009). The fourth stage in risk assessment is the recording of results. All noteworthy dangers recognized and the appropriate conclusion made in terms of accessible control and the measures to be employed] should be put in writing. The results should be presented to the individual concerned. This makes sure that the assessment established is proper and the dangers that were major have been dealt with, every safety measure put in place is sensible and the probability of risk happening is minimal (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). The results recorded can be offered to the team of scrutiny incase they are in need of them. They help in displaying the logical stages that were employed in avoiding danger in case of another occurrence of accident. The last stage in risk assessment is the analysis and reconsideration of the assessment. This ensures any new danger that may come up as the firm develop and owns new machines, they are correctly evaluated and possible safety measures put in place to lessen dangers (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). Discovery and assessment of possible dangers in schools. In general overview the lifestyles and characters of several students, contributes towards the increment of fire accidents in their schools. The video cassettes show that most buildings are well constructed with sufficient space for the activities of the students, there lacks attachments or additional materials that can impose occurrence of fire (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). However, coercion is contributed by uncontrolled behaviors and lifestyle of different students; hence, it is important to make sure the risk assessment applied addresses the lifestyle and behaviors of such student. The stages discussed in the risk assessment segment may be applied to make sure that all students acknowledges and recognizes consequences linked to their lifestyle (Office of Public Sector Information, 2010). Kind of dangers Who is likely to be injured and how? Which measures have been employed? What other alternatives are applicable? Who can take the action? When can the action be practiced? Done Parking risks Most students may be at risk of being injured due to the availability of vehicles in the surrounding. Placement of sign boards directing the students. Making sure that all the cars are well packed. Teaching the students significance of moving around deliberately Supervisors, staff, students and subordinate immediately Alerting the drivers to park their cars based on illustrated procedures Security guards and institution board Right away Electrical injuries and threats Students as a result of defective electrical short circuiting Ensuring no naked wires are present Providing means of managing consequences of short-circuiting Frequent inspection of accommodations safeguarding department, and housing management Two week from now Installing electricity measures in case of fire the electricity is directly switched off repair department, and housing management Four weeks from now Stability of students based on sliding and slipping threats The housing place has corridors, and badly light areas may lead to slide and fall endorsed to students Placing lights on the corridors and any other path e.g. staircases teaching and informing students on the significance of switching on and off the lights housing centre management and housing centre representatives Two days from now Lifestyle related threats e.g. smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and drug usage Students, housing management, and other members within the locality of institution teaching students on coercion linked with such lifestyles smoking, drinking alcohol and use of drugs by students must be prohibited punitive measures should be given to the culprits board of management and administration Anytime from now Risks posed by these dangers Within all the possible dangers in an institutional set up, students’ ignorance exhibited in their housing centers poses a higher risk. This is not only for the students, but also for the workers tending their housing centers and the fire brigades team who might show up in case of a fire breakdown. All these individuals may be harmed in case of a fire breakdown and therefore their security is at risk. To add up, fire breakdown in neighboring residents may lead to damage of housing facilities. Expenses arising from damage of resources and harm treatment may go up in case the fire broke out in the students housing centre. The rate of harm can increase in case the rescue team authority fails to employ mechanism to lower cases of individuals being injured during fire breakdown (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). Although fire incidences in school laboratories occur less often, their presence may have destructive effects including loss of life, harm and obliteration of properties and learning resources. It is therefore vital to hold the measures strictly and train all the students and laboratory technicians on various methods of preventing and minimizing fire breakdown in a laboratory set up (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). Abolition or diminution of fire breakdown saves the top management from the burden of spending extra funds to offer new machines and facilities and taking care of injuries that might have occurred during the fire accidents. Fire breakdown from the kitchen section because of ignorance from staff members is very rare though its effects are of great degree in case it happens (House of Commons Defence Committee, 2009). Majority of the employees may be harmed or end up loosing their lives in the cause of a fire breakdown. The school facilities may be ruined down and some students be injured in the process of fire, this will expose the management in incurring higher expenses in treatment of the injured individuals and refurbishment of the damaged facilities. Thus, there also arises a need to make sure that the kitchen team is sensitized on methods of assuaging fire breakdown. Every new employee should be trained on usage of electrical tools and the necessary methods of preventing fire breakdown incase they are running the facilities by themselves. In case new equipment has been purchased and it portrays the risk of causing a fire breakdown, the staffs should be alerted and cautioned on the same in order to lessen the accident (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). Control and reduction of the impacts of these risks To minimize the impacts of the risks, all the members of the institution that is the teachers, management, support staff, fire rescue team and the students should combine effort and lay down all the necessary measures of decreasing fire breakdown. It is the responsibility of the fire rescue team to consult other personnel in order to be informed on other methods of curbing fire risks. Joined effort between the members of staff and the rescue team can assist in implanting logical rules and regulation that can prevent or do away with fire accidents completely (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). Teamwork between fire rescue group and the teachers can be of assistance in training other staffs in the school on applicable methods of diminishing fire breakdown and fire fighting strategies in case of an outbreak. The fire rescue team can also assist the management in purchasing fire fighting equipments like smoke detectors, sprinkles and fire extinguishers. They may also help in installation of these equipments and perform a demonstration to ensure they are effective. The fire rescue team would also teach a number of school staffs on various techniques of fire fighting and prevention of outbreaks, this can ensure security among the staffs incase of a fire breakdown before the rescue team arrives (House of Commons Defence Committee, 2009). The fire rescue group in association with the school board of management may create an inspection team. This team should be in charge of monitoring the school equipments regularly to make sure no dangers pose to the entire school society. The team must report any kind of danger likely to occur to give room for action (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). This incorporated procedure ensures that several cases of fire breakdown are avoided and the entire school community is not at a risk of encountering fire accidents and injury (Office of Public Sector Information, 2010). To add on the same, the process will ensure the reaction to fire accidents is timely hence securing several school facilities from being damaged. All the combined effort are linked with the fire and rescue services Act 2004 to lessen fire breakdown and endorsement of safety to the society included. The fire and rescue service Act 2004 The act obliges all the members engaged in fire and rescue tasks to join in the support of fire security in their specified segment of jurisdiction. The Act points out that, the previous findings dictated that, it is of great significance to prevent fire breakdown instead of treating the consequences of the accident. The act for instance states that most deaths linked with fire breakdown, happens prior to wisdom of fire rescue team. Thus the acts campaigns for avoidance of fire breakdown to secure lives of susceptible group, hence ensuring protection of the concerned society (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). The act notes down that, the sustainability of society is mostly endangered by fire and it costs England and Wales about six billions yearly to deal with fire-associated issues and of which two billion results from arson. The Act continues to be familiar with the importance of quick and effective reaction of the fire and rescue team. However, it stresses that the avoidance of fire breakdown is one of the appropriate methods of saving the lives of individuals and minimizing linked losses and harm (House of Commons Defence Committee, 2009). The act also recognizes that several individuals lose their lives to accidents of fire while they are sleeping and may lack smoke detector/alarm. It is clearly underlined in the act that, despite the attempt of fire and rescue team in avoiding fire breakdown, the results are varied; therefore, all the team members are required to prioritize prevention. The act mentions that, discovery of members at risk via integrated risk management plan have been implanted by different authorities (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). The act dictates that the authority should balance avoidance measures with involvement efforts Integrated risk management plan. Integrated risk management plans are effective for several reasons. To start with, they are the tools in discovery of significant and present risks in specific areas. Secondly they assist in assessing the response and avoidance measures that are set and weighing their efficiency (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). Third, integrated risk management plan assist in the recognition of various methods of improving the result and measures, which are set aside and help in verifying standards and procedures that are applicable in avoidance and intervention of the accidents. Lastly, IRMP are used in finding out the resources that may be needed to establish the standards and procedures. IRMP develops local fire cover up standards over the national ones. They base their focus on individuals rather than preparing in advance to bring out all the risks created by fire, and the management of risks (House of Commons Defence Committee, 2009). In the preparation of IRMP, the fire rescue team requires to discuss with the fretful society. This makes sure that their establishment is not encountered with opposition from the subject at hand. These discussions assist in elaborating the working of the service, any arising chance that is present to be utilized in order to improve the security of the society and how the intended corrections will develop the improvement (Office of Public Sector Information, 2010). Conclusion Fire breakdown in learning centers and residential segments have extremely appreciated. The fire accident increase is because of ignorance and careless mistakes from the students. There occurs a need to lower these accidents for they expose the school community and facilities to be at risk. An integrated approach with combined trial from the school community and the fire rescue team may assist in declining or completely doing away with the fire breakdown. Training of school staffs on methods of minimizing fire breakdown incase of an accident can highly lower the cases and guarantee the security of the school community. To implement this risk assessment in discovering possible dangers is vital. The task also aids in recognizing and assessing all the people at risk and the magnitude of the risk. Risk assessment also plays a role in identifying various methods of avoiding the episode of fire breakdown in addition to recording, analyzing and reviewing the assessment. The development of fire and rescue services Act 2004 ensures the security of the society and in this case the school society. References HM Fire Service Inspectorate. 2007. Fire and Rescue Service manual: Vol. 2: Fire service operations, Incidents involving rescue from road vehicles, Volume 2. London: The Stationery Office. House of Commons Defence Committee. 2009. Defence Contribution to UK National Security and Resilience. London: The Stationery Office. Health and Safety Executive. 2010. Health & safety legislation. Available at http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm?harvard_id=63#63 [Accessed 3 June 2010] Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. 2010. Risk Management Plan 2008/11. Available at http://www.lancsfire.gov.uk/IRMP/rmp2008-11.asp [Accessed 3 June 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (OPSi). 2010. Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. Available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/ukpga_20040021_en_1 [Accessed 3 June 2010] Read More