OHS in Schools A practical guide for school - WorkSafe Victoria

A handbook 

for workplaces 

OHS in schools 

A practical guide for 

school leaders 

Edition No. 1 

May 2008

Contents 

Introduction 1 

Glossary 2 

Developing a systematic approach 3 

Why should we put effort into OHS 3 

What does the law require 4 

What are the roles of school leaders and HSRs 6 

Where to start 7 

Addressing the key risks in schools 12 

What are the main risks in schools and how should we deal with them 12 

Manual handling injuries 13 

Psychological injuries and illnesses 15 

Injuries resulting from slips, trips and falls 18 

Other common hazards and risks 20 

Getting more information 21 

Sample record of hazard inspection and risk control 24 

This guide has been prepared with input and assistance from: 

Association of Independent Schools of Victoria 

Association of School Councils in Victoria Inc 

Australian Education Union Victorian Branch 

Australian Principals Federation 

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria 

Community & Public Sector Union 

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development 

Noel Arnold and Associates Pty Ltd 

Victorian Independent Education Union 

WorkSafe Victoria is a trading name 

of the Victorian WorkCover Authority. 

The information presented in OHS in 

schools A practical guide for school 

leaders is intended for general use only. 

It should not be viewed as a definitive 

guide to the law, and should be read 

in conjunction with the Occupational 

Health and Safety Act 2004 and the 

Occupational Health and Safety 

Regulations 2007. 

This publication is protected by 

copyright. WorkSafe encourages 

the free transfer, copying and printing 

of this publication if such activities 

support the purposes and intent for 

which the publication was developed.

Introduction 

Health and safety is an issue that affects everyone in Victoria’s school communities 

– not only staff and students, but also parents and visitors. 

This guide is intended to help people with management responsibility for 

occupational health and safety (OHS) in schools – such as principals and assistant 

principals, and leadership team members responsible for budgets, facilities and 

purchasing – to understand their roles and get started on the challenge to improve 

the health and safety performance of Victorian schools. 

The publication is designed to be a simple and practical guide that will help schools 

improve their OHS performance. It provides information and guidance relevant to 

all Victorian schools, whether they are government, independent or Catholic. 

The guide will also be useful for school-based health and safety representatives 

(HSRs) who represent staff working in schools. It explains the role of the HSR and 

complements resources HSRs can obtain from WorkSafe and other organisations 

such as unions, education authorities and approved training organisations. 

School council or board presidents and members are also encouraged to read 

this guide and use it in shaping the OHS policies and practices of their schools. 

Health and safety is not a complex matter that can only be understood by trained 

specialists or that needs significant financial or other resources to make headway. 

It can be easily integrated into existing school processes. Commitment from school 

leaders, consultation with staff, and identifying, prioritising and acting on key issues 

are the way to make real improvements in OHS in Victoria’s schools. 

WorkSafe Victoria A handbook for workplaces OHS in Schools A practical guide for school leaders 1

Introduction 

Glossary 

CPTED 

CRT 

DEECD 

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design 

Casual relief teacher 

Department of Education and Early Childhood 

Development 

DWG 

Designated work group 

HSR 

Health and safety representative 

MSDS 

Material safety data sheet 

OHS 

Occupational health and safety 

OHS Act Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 

OHS Regulations Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 

PIN 

Provisional Improvement Notice 

Hazard 

A potential source of harm or injury; the potential to cause injury, illness or disease 

Risk 

The likelihood of a hazard causing harm to a person 

2 A handbook for workplaces OHS in Schools A practical guide for school leaders WorkSafe Victoria

Developing 

a systematic 

approach 

Why should we put effort into OHS 

Schools are facing increasing expectations and pressures – many of which need to 

be addressed immediately. However, there are good reasons to treat OHS as a core 

issue for schools. If it is an integral part of school planning, and addressed as part 

of other school processes, it contributes to the school’s goal of providing excellent 

educational outcomes for students. 

Improving the school climate 

It is well known that students perform better in a school whose staff has high 

motivation and morale. Significant contributors to high motivation and morale 

among staff are freedom from the risk of physical or psychological pain and disease, 

such as pain resulting from injuries, joint or muscle pain, back pain, stress, anxiety or 

depression. Good OHS performance in schools is linked to improved morale, reduced 

sick leave and improved retention of teachers and other staff. Putting effort into OHS 

is an excellent way to demonstrate to staff that the leadership team cares about their 

wellbeing – resulting in fewer injuries, greater job satisfaction, increased motivation 

and better industrial relations, as well as better student performance. 

Meeting community expectations 

School communities expect that school leaders will ensure that people who 

come into the school will go home at the end of the day as healthy as they arrived. 

Furthermore, schools have a responsibility to model healthy and safe workplaces 

for their students, who are the employers and employees of the future. 

Reducing costs 

Improving a school’s OHS performance has a direct impact on its budget. Lower 

sick leave rates reduce the need to engage casual relief teachers (CRT); and better 

staff retention lowers recruitment and replacement costs. In addition, good OHS 

performance reduces the risk of public liability claims and has the potential to 

reduce WorkSafe premiums. 

Meeting legal obligations 

The legal requirements in relation to health and safety are set out in the 

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act), the Dangerous Goods Act 

1985 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007. All employers 

have a legal obligation to provide a healthy and safe workplace so far as it is 

reasonably practicable to do so. This is discussed in the next part of the guide. 

Schools also have a legal duty of care towards their students. In most cases, 

establishing a health and safety culture with effective OHS processes will assist 

in meeting this duty of care. 

All these factors enforce the need for school leaders to make OHS a part of core 

business in their school communities. 


Developing a systematic approach 

What does the law require 

The OHS Act, the Dangerous Goods Act and the OHS Regulations set out the 

key principles that underpin OHS in Victoria. Understanding these principles is the 

key to understanding the legal requirements that apply to OHS in Victorian schools. 

These principles are summarised below: 

• All people – employees, students and the general public – should have the 

highest level of protection against risks to health and safety. 

• Those who manage or control the workplace are responsible for eliminating 

or reducing the risks, so far as is reasonably practicable. 

• Employers should be proactive in promoting health and safety in the workplace. 

• Information and ideas about risks and how to control them should be shared 

between employers and employees. 

• Employees are entitled – and should be encouraged – to be represented 

in relation to health and safety issues. 

Duties of employers 

In line with these principles, the OHS Act imposes duties on the people who control 

risks in the workplace. In many cases, the actions required to meet these duties 

can be easily and effectively integrated into the normal processes that are 

used to run the school. 

The OHS Act requires employers to provide a healthy and safe working environment 

for their employees so far as is reasonably practicable. 1 This means that any risks 

must be eliminated, and those risks which cannot be eliminated must be reduced. 

While the employer (e.g. DEECD, school council/board, parish priest) can assign 

responsibilities to others in the organisation (such as, in the school context, a 

principal), the employer cannot delegate its legal duties to its employees and 

must therefore ensure that it meets its duties under the law. 

Employees include independent contractors and their employees (such as cleaners 

and technicians who repair equipment) who enter the school, in relation to things 

over which the employer has control or would normally have control. 

The employer must ensure that people who are not employees (such as students, 

parents and visitors) are protected from risks arising from the employer’s undertaking. 

This duty applies even if the risk arises away from the school, such as on excursions 

or camps. It ties in directly with the school’s duty of care towards its students. 

The employer must provide information, training, instruction and supervision so that 

employees can do their work safely and without risks to health. 

The employer also has duties under the Accident Compensation Act 1985, including 

a duty to keep a register of injuries that occur in the workplace. 

1 Many of the duties described in this section only have to be carried out so far as it is reasonably 

practicable to do so. In determining what is ‘reasonably practicable’, the employer must take all 

of these matters into account: 

• the likelihood of harm occurring 

• the type of consequences of the harm, if that harm occurs 

• what the employer knows (or ought to know) about the hazard or risk, and ways of controlling it 

• the availability and suitability of ways to control the hazard or risk, and 

• the cost of controlling the hazard or risk. 



Consultation with employees 

The principles outlined in the OHS Act recognise that employees have significant 

knowledge and expertise about the hazards and risks in the workplace, and can 

make a significant contribution to improving health and safety. For these reasons, 

employers must consult with HSRs and employees when dealing with hazards and 

risks in the workplace. Proactive and regular consultation with employees can help 

to identify issues in the workplace and build strong commitment to health and safety. 

Each workplace can agree on consultation arrangements that suit its own culture 

and existing processes. In addition to consultation via the HSRs and health and 

safety committees (where they exist), staff may be consulted through staff meetings, 

individual face-to-face discussions or meetings between the employer and the union 

representing the employees. In the school environment, consultation about OHS can 

be easily integrated into the normal process of consultation about other matters. 

If the employees are represented by HSRs, the consultation must involve those 

representatives if the matter relates to their designated work group (DWG). 

This requires: 

• sharing information about the matter with HSRs a reasonable time before 

it is shared with employees 

• inviting the HSRs to meet and consult about the matter or meeting with 

the HSRs at their request to consult about the matter 

• giving the HSRs a reasonable opportunity to express their views, and 

• taking those views into account. 

Assisting injured staff members to return to work 

Employers also have responsibilities under the Accident Compensation Act 1985 

to return injured staff members to work as soon as possible and prevent a recurrence 

of their injury. This includes preparing an occupational rehabilitation program, an 

individual return to work plan for injured staff members and a risk management 

plan. Further resources to assist with returning injured staff members to work are 

listed at the end of the guide. 

Incident Notification 

Under Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 employers and 

self-employed persons have a duty to notify WorkSafe Victoria of a notifiable incident. 

For information on Incident Notification, including an explanation of what Incident 

Notification provisions are and how to notify WorkSafe, refer to the Guide to 

Incident Notifi cation which can be found on the WorkSafe web site under 

the section ‘Getting More Information’. 

Duties of employees 

The OHS Act requires employees to take reasonable care for their own health 

and safety, as well as the health and safety of other people who may be affected 

by their work (such as students and other employees). Staff must co-operate with 

their employer’s efforts to comply with its legal duties. This includes co-operating 

with the employer’s system for reporting OHS incidents and hazards. 

Note: This is a statement of the key duties under the OHS Act. Other duties may also 

be relevant in particular circumstances. For further information, consult the OHS Act 

and OHS Regulations or visit WorkSafe Victoria’s website at worksafe.vic.gov.au. 



What are the roles of school leaders and HSRs 

Role of the member(s) of the school leadership team responsible for OHS 

In the education sector, the employer may give responsibility for co-ordinating and 

monitoring OHS to a senior school leader, usually the school principal. This person is 

responsible for managing OHS in the school within the requirements and guidelines 

set by the employer. He or she may allocate responsibilities to other school-based 

leaders, such as assistant principals, business managers and facility managers. 

Key leadership responsibilities for OHS include: 

• making decisions on OHS in consultation with the HSR and staff 

• ensuring that risks in the school (e.g. manual handling, chemicals, equipment) 

are controlled 

• purchasing safe equipment that does not involve hazards and risks 

• keeping school buildings and grounds safe 

• liaising with building designers to ensure that new buildings and renovations 

and alterations to existing buildings are designed to provide a safe environment 

(i.e. eliminating risks through good design) 

• addressing issues raised by HSRs, and 

• ensuring the welfare of staff members and students. 

If there are issues that cannot be dealt with at the school level, they should be 

referred for resolution to the appropriate level of management outside the school. 

In some cases, the advice of an OHS specialist may be sought. 

Role of school councils/boards 

Where they exist and it is part of their role, school councils/boards, as representatives 

of school communities, should make policies that commit to ongoing and measurable 

improvement in the OHS performance of their schools. The school council/board 

should report to the school community on the school’s OHS performance against 

its targets on at least an annual basis. It should regularly engage with the community 

in promoting awareness and change in relation to OHS. 

Role of the HSRs 

The role of HSRs is quite different to the role of school leaders. HSRs are employees 

elected by staff members in a DWG (a grouping of employees agreed between the 

employer and employees) to represent them in relation to their health and safety. 

HSRs are not nominated by the leadership team. 

As such, an HSR does not have responsibility for managing OHS in the school. 

There may be more than one HSR in a school, depending on what is agreed between 

the leadership team and the staff in negotiations to set up DWGs. If there is more 

than one HSR, generally each HSR’s powers are limited to the DWG where the staff 

members who elected him or her work. 

Deputy HSRs may be elected to act as an HSR if the HSR is not able to carry 

out his or her role (e.g. because he or she has resigned, is sick, is on annual leave, 

in a meeting or in class). 

HSRs have powers under the OHS Act to: 

• inspect any part of the school in which members of their DWG work (after 

giving reasonable notice or immediately if there is an incident or immediate risk) 

• accompany a WorkSafe inspector during a workplace inspection involving their DWG 

• attend interviews on OHS matters between a staff member and an inspector 

or a member of the leadership team, if the staff member agrees 



• after consulting with the school leader responsible for OHS, issue a Provisional 

Improvement Notice (PIN) to require that an OHS contravention or suspected 

contravention be fixed 

• be given the facilities and assistance they need to carry out their role 

(e.g. opportunities to consult with members of their DWG, appropriate time 

release, access to the internet, etc) 

• require the establishment of a health and safety committee, and 

• seek the assistance of any person whenever necessary. 

In addition, HSRs and deputy HSRs are entitled to paid time off work to attend initial 

and annual refresher training courses approved by WorkSafe. HSRs are also entitled 

to paid time off work to attend other WorkSafe approved training courses. 

By agreement among all the parties, an HSR can represent staff in more than one 

school. In this case, he or she will need additional facilities and assistance (including 

time release) to carry out the expanded role. 

Displaying the names of people with key OHS roles 

The names of the member(s) of the school leadership team responsible for OHS 

and the HSRs must be clearly displayed in a prominent place or be readily accessible 

to staff in some way. 

Where to start 

Getting started on OHS is not difficult. OHS can be easily integrated into existing 

school processes on matters such as consultation, and staff and student welfare. In 

this way it will become part of the school’s daily routine without requiring significant 

additional resources. However, it requires a commitment to improve the school’s 

OHS performance and a willingness to consult with staff to make sure the proposed 

actions deal with the real risks in the school and have the best chance of success. 

Collegiate groups of schools that are close to each other (e.g. an existing network) may 

decide to work together to improve their OHS performance. The steps set out below can 

easily be adapted for a group of schools that is sharing its OHS skills and resources. 

There are five simple steps that school leaders with responsibility for OHS should 

take to get started. These are outlined below. 

1. Demonstrate commitment 

Stating a commitment to the health and safety of staff members is a good way 

to start. However, like any other aspect of leading a complex school community, 

it needs to be followed through with actions. Ways to demonstrate commitment 

to OHS in your school include the following: 

Develop an OHS policy 

This can be a simple document that sets out the school’s commitment to work 

with staff to improve the health and safety of the school environment. It should 

be integrated into the school’s main policy statements that are available to staff 

and the public. Staff and the HSR should be given an opportunity to comment 

on the policy before it is finalised. To be most effective the policy should reflect 

the culture, leadership structure and risks at the school. It should be posted in 

a prominent place and reviewed regularly. 

Related procedures, such as how OHS issues that arise in the school will be 

resolved, should also be developed and documented. 



1. Demonstrate commitment (cont) 

Allocate management responsibility for OHS 

OHS responsibilities should be allocated to leaders as appropriate in the school 

structure and culture, e.g. to assistant principals, facility managers and others. 

However, the OHS legal duties of an employer cannot be delegated to a manager 

or other employee. A person who represents the employer in resolving OHS 

issues in the school must have an appropriate level of seniority and competency 

to act in this role. OHS training specifically designed for senior managers is 

a good way to gain the necessary competency. 

While one person (such as the principal) may be allocated overall responsibility 

for co-ordinating OHS in the school, OHS should not be seen as just one person’s 

responsibility. Accountability for OHS should be allocated in the same way as other 

responsibilities in the school. They should be included in all nominated leaders’ 

position descriptions and assessed as part of their performance reviews. 

Establish a good relationship with the HSRs 

The HSRs represent staff on OHS, and should be supported to undertake 

WorkSafe approved OHS training. A co-operative relationship between the 

leadership team and the HSRs will ensure that risks in the school can be tackled 

comprehensively and constructively. It is a relationship worth investing time in. 

If there is no HSR in the school, staff should be encouraged to elect one or 

more (along with deputy HSRs) to represent them. 

Set up a process for regularly consulting with staff 

This can be achieved in a number of ways and is best integrated with staff 

consultation on other issues. Some schools establish a dedicated OHS committee, 

while others make OHS an agenda item in staff meetings. The HSRs must be 

consulted when determining the consultation arrangements for OHS and they 

must always be involved in consultation on OHS issues. 

Staff meetings provide a good forum for consultation on OHS, including alerting 

staff to hazards, seeking their ideas on options to control risks and reporting 

progress on risk control plans. Just as importantly, encouraging staff to raise 

OHS issues in meetings (and reporting back on how it is proposed to deal 

with each issue) demonstrates commitment and openness. 

Each school needs to consider which meetings are most appropriate for 

consultation on OHS and how frequently it should be put on the agenda of those 

meetings. A balance will need to be drawn between giving everyone an opportunity 

to raise issues and not overburdening staff who attend a number of meetings 

during the school week. Meetings where it may be appropriate to include OHS 

on the agenda (in addition to the health and safety committee) include leadership 

meetings, administrative committee meetings, curriculum-related meetings, year 

level co-ordinators’ meetings and staff welfare committee meetings. 

Agenda items should be set in consultation with the HSR and should always 

include feedback on issues raised at previous meetings. The needs of both 

teaching and non-teaching staff should be considered. 

OHS consultation should be considered each time the school reviews its general 

consultation arrangements. The consultation arrangements should be documented. 



2. Gather information about hazards 

A hazard is a potential source of physical or psychological harm or injury. There 

are many simple ways of gathering information about the hazards that exist 

in the school environment. These include: 

• carrying out hazard inspections or ‘walk around’ audits 

• reviewing easily accessible information, such as incident reports, WorkSafe 

Injury Insurance Claim (WorkSafe claim), sick leave records, the first aid 

register, the injury register and records of employee assistance programs 

• issuing a hazard survey to staff and students, and 

• reviewing data from staff opinion surveys. 

A program of regular inspections or ‘walk around’ audits is a good way to identify 

physical hazards in the school. These inspections should be carried out on a 

regular basis, at a minimum once a term. They should also be carried out after: 

• an OHS incident 

• changes in the way work is done 

• changes in work procedures, and 

• changes in the layout or design of a work area. 

Depending on the size and leadership structure of the school, the inspections 

could be carried out on the basis of a building complex, mini-school, campus 

or the entire school. The HSRs should be invited to participate in the inspections. 

Hazards affecting both teaching and non-teaching staff must be considered. 

The findings of the inspections should be recorded. ‘Getting more information’ 

on page 24 of this guide provides a simple template for recording the results. 

Some school sector employers already have more sophisticated ways of recording 

the identified hazards, including computer-based databases. These are also an 

excellent way of recording the results of hazard inspections. 



3. Develop and implement an action plan to deal with risks 

Once the physical and psychological hazards in the school are identified, the next 

step is to decide which of them pose risks to health and safety, and develop an 

action plan to address those. A risk is a likelihood that harm or injury will actually 

result from a hazard. 

Specific school leaders should be assigned responsibility for the actions that are 

required. The action plan should be set out in a simple document. The template 

on page 24 of this guide can be used for recording the actions planned to deal with 

risks, the responsibilities for these actions and when they have been completed. 

The best way to control a risk is to eliminate it altogether. Other types of controls 

should only be used if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk. Controls 

that make the school and the work intrinsically safe (rather than controls that rely 

on individuals doing the right thing) should always be implemented so far as 

reasonably practicable. 

The OHS Act requires consultation with staff and HSRs about the 

implementation of measures to deal with risks. Staff can be consulted in staff 

meetings (refer to ‘Demonstrate Commitment’ on page 8) or any other way 

that is agreed in the school. 

In many cases, solutions will be simple and inexpensive to implement. In other 

situations, the solutions will need to be budgeted. It is a good idea to develop the 

plan before budgeting proposals are finalised so that any necessary expenditure 

can be included in the school budget. 

4. Make sure staff have the information, training, instruction and 

supervision they need to work safely 

Staff need information and training so that they can work safely and without risks 

to health. The information and training should cover the hazards and risks in the 

school environment, the consultation and representation arrangements in the 

school, and the measures that are in place to control risks. New staff should be 

given OHS information and training before they start work in the school. It should 

also be provided when staff are allocated a new activity or task. Information and 

training can be easily integrated into the school’s processes for inducting new 

staff and allocating work. 

School leaders must also make sure that staff are supervised appropriately so that 

they are able to work safely and follow the OHS procedures in place in the school. 



5. Monitor and evaluate progress 

As with any other issue that has to be managed in the complex school 

environment, progress in implementing the action plan for addressing OHS risks 

should be regularly monitored and evaluated. A good time to do this would be 

immediately before the next round of hazard inspections, but it may need to be 

done more frequently to ensure that progress is being made to control risks. 

The following indicators may be useful to measure progress in improving the 

school’s OHS performance over time: 

• the number of injuries, illnesses, ‘near misses’, sick leave days and WorkSafe 

claims reported 

• the number of issues raised by HSRs and staff, and addressed 

• the number of hazard inspections conducted, and follow-up actions taken 

• the number of staff trained in OHS 

• the number of HSRs elected 

• the number of HSRs who have attended initial and annual refresher training, 

and 

• issues raised by WorkSafe inspectors, including any compliance notices issued. 

Results of the evaluations should be documented and reflected in the performance 

reviews of the leaders who have been allocated responsibility for implementing the 

agreed actions. 

The process for addressing school-based hazards and risks is set out in the 

diagram below. 

Consult with HSRs and staff 

Carry out hazard inspections 

Control risks (in consultation) 

Review and monitor progress 

(in consultation) 


Addressing 

the key risks 

in schools 

What are the main risks in schools and how should 

we deal with them 

From WorkSafe claim statistics there is a good understanding of the most common 

injuries that occur to staff in the education sector. These are summarised in the 

diagram below. 

Psychological system 

Work related stress, 

anxiety or depression 

from harassment, bullying 

(colleagues or students) 

or increased work pressure 

19% 

5% 

Neck 

Muscle stress/strain from 

computer use or from 

lifting/moving equipment 

or materials 

Shoulder 


assisting students, moving 

furniture, or lifting/carrying 

equipment or materials 

8% 

5% 

Arm 


computer use or lifting/ 

carrying equipment. 

Fractures from slipping and 

falling on uneven surfaces 

(e.g. footpath) or from being 

knocked over by others 

Forearm/wrist 

Fractures from falling on 

uneven ground or slipping 

on wet floors. Muscle 

stress/strain from 

repetitive movements 

(e.g. computer use) 

Knee 

Muscle stress/strain 

from slipping on wet 

floors, tripping on uneven 

ground or from kneeling. 

Traumatic joint/muscle injury 

or strain from slipping on wet 

floors, tripping on uneven 

ground, kneeling or falling 

during physical activity 

5% 

10% 

18% 

6% 

Back 

Muscle stress/strain 

from lifting, assisting 

or restraining students, 

bending down, moving 

furniture or boxes, from 

falling off chair or down 

stairs, slipping on wet 

floors or tripping over 

objects 

Hand and fingers 

Open wounds and 

lacerations from being cut 

by sharp objects. Fractures 

during physical activity or 

practical classes 

Ankle 

Traumatic joint/muscle 

injury, strain and fractures 

from tripping on uneven 

surfaces or over objects 

5% 

Note: Figures correct at time of printing. 

For more information, see the Injury Hotspots flyer at worksafe.vic.gov.au/hotspots 


Addressing the key risks in schools 

The most common types of injuries and illnesses in schools can be summarised as 

manual handling injuries, psychological injuries and illnesses, and injuries resulting 

from slips, trips and falls. This section examines each of these injury types and 

suggests solutions that can be implemented. 

Many other types of injuries and illnesses can occur in the school environment. 

There is a list of resources that will assist schools to address these risks at the 

end of this guide. 

Risks arising in the school environment should be addressed in a systematic 

way. Page 3 of this guide will assist in doing this and will provide direction on the 

‘hierarchy of control’ methodology. Providing information and training to staff about 

the risks that are present in the school environment and the measures that are 

being implemented to control them is an essential part of the systematic approach. 

Manual handling injuries 

Manual handling means using the body to exert force to handle, support or restrain 

any object, including people. It includes lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, lowering, 

throwing, carrying, typing, cleaning and using tools. The term is not limited to handling 

heavy objects. Stacking photocopying paper on a shelf, carrying a laptop computer, 

moving sporting equipment, assisting or restraining a student with special needs, 

moving maintenance equipment in the school grounds and even using a keyboard 

are all examples of manual handling. 

In the school environment, manual handling may lead to injury (i.e. becomes 

hazardous manual handling) when it involves: 

• repetitive or sustained application of force, awkward postures or movements 

• tasks that people would find difficult due to the degree of force required 

• manual handling of students, e.g. in special schools, and 

• manual handling of unstable objects that are difficult to grasp or hold. 

Some types of injuries and outcomes that can result from hazardous manual 

handling are: 

• muscle sprains and strains 

• back injuries 

• soft-tissue injuries to the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck or legs 

• abdominal hernias, and 

• chronic pain. 



The table below sets out some common tasks in schools that involve hazardous manual handling and some effective ways 

of controlling the risk of injury. Staff must be consulted in determining the control measures to be used. 

Risk 

Likelihood of injury resulting from 

moving heavy/large/awkward 

equipment, teaching tools or materials 

such as televisions, other audiovisual 

equipment, class sets, chairs, tables 

and building materials. 


handling heavy or awkward equipment 

such as sporting equipment and air 

conditioners, and hitching and 

unhitching trailers. 


hanging objects/displays/projects at 

a height in buildings and classrooms. 


computer-based or written tasks 

which are done continuously for 

more than 30 minutes or a total 

of two hours in the day (e.g. 

preparation or report-writing). 


sitting on damaged chairs. 


moving and storing boxes (e.g. in 

archives or general storage rooms). 

Examples of risk controls 

• Equipment is permanently available in each room or area where it is needed. 

• Equipment is stored permanently on suitable trolleys close to where it is 

required, and it is easy to move the trolleys to the classroom, maintenance 

workshop, etc (smooth flooring, no steps or steep ramps). 

• Equipment is suitably mounted and restrained on the trolleys. 

• Smaller size and weight equipment and materials are purchased. 

• The need to move equipment frequently is eliminated through planning 

and timetabling. 

• Alternatives to heavy or awkward equipment are used. 

• There is adequate storage, with the heavy and more frequently handled items 

stored between knee and shoulder height. 

• Equipment can be transported without applying high force (e.g. using trolleys 

and cages with castors selected for the terrain). 

• Trailers are fitted with suitable jockey wheels and suitable chocks are provided. 

• Small trolleys are provided for transporting laptop computers and books 

to classrooms. 

• Staff are trained to avoid risks (e.g. in loading laptops into car boots). 

• Pulley systems are in place to hang objects or displays. 

• Display boards for lightweight objects are easily accessible, and work 

is displayed within the staff member’s arm reach. 

• Staff use a suitable stepladder to hang objects and displays. 

• Suitable adjustable chairs are provided for all workstations where computer 

or written work is done. 

• Suitable desks are provided at each workstation. 

• Screens are clear and free of glare. 

• The workplace design encourages staff to move by locating printers at 

a distance from the workstations. 

• Where laptop computers are being used, a height adjuster for the keyboard, 

mouse and monitor is provided. 

• All damaged chairs are immediately removed, tagged and replaced or fixed. 

• Double handling is eliminated by ensuring safe access and direct delivery 

of items. 

• Only boxes and cartons with lower weights are moved and stored. 

• Trolleys are provided and readily available. 

• Storage and shelving systems are installed. 



Risk 

Likelihood of injury arising from 

hazardous ways of handling and 

accessing materials in classrooms, 

technology areas, staff rooms, storage 

areas, maintenance sheds, facilities 

sheds, etc. 


• Just in time purchasing procedures are used to minimise demands 

on storage areas. 

• Trolleys are used where practical. 

• Items that are heavy or commonly accessed are stored at waist height. 

• Storage areas are designed to reduce turns and distances that need 

to be crossed. 

• Regular storage audits are undertaken to ensure materials that are 

not needed are removed to free up space for safer access. 

• Adequate storage is provided and used. 

Psychological injuries and illnesses 

Risks to psychological and physical health arise from work-related stress, violence, 

harassment and bullying. Some of the risk factors in the school environment that 

may lead to psychological harm are: 

• lack of control over workload and work demands (such as pressure to work long 

hours and timetabling issues) 

• challenging behaviour of students, parents or colleagues 

• bullying and workplace violence 

• poor leadership skills 

• poor communication 

• lack of clarity around roles, processes and procedures 

• perceptions that processes, such as promotion processes, are not procedurally fair 

• concerns about career development, social status and pay, and 

• conflicting demands of home and school. 

The injuries, illnesses and other impacts that can result include: 

• psychological distress 

• emotional exhaustion 

• physical health symptoms 

• taking frequent sick leave 

• a sense of low morale and a low level of engagement with work 

• deteriorating work performance, and 

• an intention to resign from work. 



It is important to focus attention on the risk factors that can actually be addressed at 

the school level. If there are issues that cannot be raised or dealt with at the school 

level, they should be referred for resolution to the appropriate level of management 

outside the school. 

A key to tackling psychological injuries and illnesses is consultation and open 

communication. Suggested topics for consultation with staff are: 

• circumstances when the risk factors listed above occur 

• how often and over what period they occur (to determine whether risk builds 

over time) 

• what actions or behaviours are linked to the risk factors, and 

• possible solutions and controls. 

All hazards that are identified through consultation should be investigated further. 

There should be a record of the outcome of these discussions made available 

to all staff. 

Depending on the outcome of the first discussion, it may be appropriate to agree 

that a smaller group of staff will continue the discussion at a suitable time, then 

report back to the leadership team, colleagues and HSRs. 

Through consultation with staff and the HSRs, the most suitable means to address 

the identified risk factors can be agreed and acted upon. The table below sets out 

some ways of controlling the risk of psychological injury and illness. The most suitable 

and reasonably practicable controls for the school environment and how and when 

they are applied should be the subject of consultation. The agreed measures and 

timeline should be recorded in the form of an action plan for dealing with risks 

of psychological injuries and illnesses. As with any other OHS plan, it should show 

who is responsible for actions and be regularly reviewed and evaluated. 



Risk 

Likelihood of psychological injury 

arising from the organisational culture. 


arising from interpersonal relationships 

at work. 

Likelihood of psychological injury arising 

from the physical work environment. 


arising from the way work is managed. 


resulting from inadequate information, 

instruction or training. 


• Building a leadership structure that engages, supports and motivates staff. 

• Building leadership and management skills. 

• Improving consultation and communication between leaders and staff. 

• Providing clear educational and other objectives for the school. 

• Making sure that job roles and accountabilities are clearly defined so everyone 

knows what is expected of them – role clarity and performance review. 

• Developing clear school policies on issues such as mobile phone use by 

students, and making sure they are consistently applied. 

• Providing support for staff to do their work (e.g. mentoring system, employee 

assistance program). 

• Providing career options and professional development opportunities and other 

training for staff where possible. 

• Providing flexibility in timetabling where possible for staff with conflicting home 

and school requirements. 

• Developing and implementing policies to deal with bullying and 

occupational violence. 

• Implementing issue resolution (grievance) processes for staff and parents. 

• Ensuring staff have a well-designed work environment. 

• Providing the equipment, facilities and technology needed to help them achieve 

excellent educational outcomes. 

• Ensuring that security arrangements at the school are appropriate 

(e.g. incorporating CPTED principles). 

• Ensuring that OHS is considered when designing new buildings and modifying 

or refurbishing existing ones. 

• Allocating duties to staff members on the basis of their skills and interests. 

• Making sure there is a clear and effective process for replacing teachers 

on sick leave, professional development, etc (e.g. giving adequate notice of 

extras, engaging CRTs). 

• As far as possible, making sure that the school timetable gives teachers 

a spread of teaching periods, yard duty and non-student contact time across 

the working week. 

• Involving staff in decisions about their work and giving them opportunities 

to have as much input and control. 

• Ensuring there are adequate meetings at appropriate levels (all staff, year levels, 

mini-schools, etc) so that there is good communication within teams. 

• Having a formal induction process for all staff, including CRTs and school 

service officers, as well as volunteers. 

• Giving staff members information about the school’s OHS procedures 

(including processes for reporting hazards and incidents, who to go to about 

an OHS issue and who the HSRs are) and the roles of the leadership team 

member(s) responsible for OHS, HSRs and staff. 

• Giving staff members, parents and students clear information about the school’s 

expectation, including enrolment, discipline and transfer procedures. 

• Providing relevant OHS training, instructions, information and supervision. 



Injuries resulting from slips, trips and falls 

Slips, trips and falls in the school environment can result in a wide range 

of injuries, including: 

• fractures of the forearm and wrist from breaking a fall, falling on uneven ground, 

slipping on wet floors or being knocked over 

• muscle stress from kneeling, slipping on wet floors, tripping on uneven ground 

or damaged flooring 

• traumatic joint or muscle injury from falling during physical activity, slipping on 

wet or uneven surfaces, or tripping over objects. 

The main causes of slips, trips and falls are set out below. They form a useful guide 

when carrying out a health and safety inspection. 

In many cases, risks can be eliminated through good design when a school 

building is being constructed or refurbished. Elimination of risks is the most 

effective way to control them. 

Flooring 

Stairs 

Roofs 

Housekeeping 

Human factors 

Environment 

Cleaning 

Unsuitable, slippery, dirty, not correctly fitted, not 

maintained, changes of level that are not highlighted. 

Low visibility, no suitable handrail, steps of uneven height, 

steps of varying width, poorly maintained coverings 

or surfaces. 

Retrieving balls from roofs. 

No suitable walkway through work areas, such as staff 

rooms, maintenance sheds or storage areas, trailing 

wires, obstructions, untidy floors around work stations, 

inadequate storage space, not enough rubbish bins. 

Wearing inappropriate footwear, students and staff rushing 

about, carrying large objects, becoming distracted while 

walking (e.g. using a mobile phone). 

Light on a shiny floor causing glare, too little light, 

rainwater or condensation getting onto flooring, spills. 

Damp floors after cleaning, trailing wires from a vacuum 

cleaner or buffing machine. 



The next table sets out some ways in which the risk of slips, trips and falls in the school environment can be controlled. 

Risk 

Likelihood of injury arising from slips, 

trips and falls on stairs and steps. 

Likelihood of injury arising from slips 

in the general environment. 

Likelihood of injury arising from trips 

in the general environment. 

Likelihood of injury arising from falls 

from roofs. 


• Stairs are not slippery (e.g. non-slip bull-nose finish) and the surfaces are 

well maintained. 

• The nosing and/or tread is well defined visually (e.g. good lighting, bright strips). 

• There are no isolated low steps which could be a trip hazard. 

• Sturdy handrails are provided on all steps and stairs. 

• There is a slip-resistant floor surface in areas where water or grease can create 

a slip hazard. 

• There are slip-resistant strips on any other hazardous walking surfaces. 

• Suitable mats are placed at entrances to buildings and sheds. 

• Outdoor surfaces are free of leaves, mud, clippings, paper, gravel, moss 

and slime. 

• Spills are managed immediately, e.g. hazard warning signs are posted in the area 

of the spill and spills are cleaned up immediately. 

• The location of power points avoids the need for electrical cables on the floor. 

• Floor and doormats and carpets remain firmly in place. 

• There are no low obstacles (e.g. there are adequate storage racks for bikes; 

aisles and passageways are always uncluttered; lockers, desks and shelves 

are provided for storage of personal items). 

• Footpaths and garden edging are properly maintained. 

• Surfaces do not have trip hazards, such as potholes. 

• The gradient of roofs allows balls to fall back to ground level without needing 

to be retrieved. 

• Balls are only retrieved from roofs by designated staff members who have been 

trained, using suitable equipment, such as extended-handle ball retrievers. 

• Skylights are guarded. 



Other common hazards and risks 

Apart from the hazards and risks covered in the previous sections, a number of others 

can cause injury and illness in schools. The ones listed below are examples only. For 

more detailed information on these and other hazards and risks in schools, see the 

next section of this guide. 

Plant and equipment 

Plant and equipment in the technology rooms, science rooms, maintenance sheds, 

facility sheds and other parts of the school pose significant risks of injury (such 

as open wounds, amputations, lacerations and burns). Wherever it is reasonably 

practicable, plant and equipment that has a lower level of risk must be used. If there 

is still some risk associated with the plant and equipment, physical controls, such 

as machine guarding and personal protective equipment, must be used to reduce 

the risk. 

Hazardous substances and dangerous goods 

Hazardous substances are substances that harm people’s health. In the school 

environment they include chemicals used in science rooms, technology rooms, art 

rooms and swimming pools, as well as cleaning agents. Wherever it is reasonably 

practicable, the use of hazardous substances must be eliminated or (if it is not 

reasonably practicable to eliminate the hazardous substance) a less hazardous 

substance must be substituted. If there is still some risk associated with the substance, 

other control methods, such as personal protective equipment, must be used. A register 

must be kept of all the hazardous substances in the school, and a material safety data 

sheet (MSDS) must be obtained and be available for each hazardous substance. 

Dangerous goods are substances that can cause injury or death and can also seriously 

damage property and the environment. Petrol, LPG, pesticides and acids are common 

dangerous goods that may be found in the school environment. Risks associated 

with dangerous goods must be eliminated or reduced as far as practicable. 

School excursions and camps 

The obligation to protect the health and safety of staff and students extends to 

activities away from school, such as school excursions and camps. An assessment 

of the risks that may arise from any proposed excursion or camp should be prepared 

well in advance. The assessment should cover any foreseeable hazards and risks, 

and set out the ways in which the risks will be managed (including the supervision 

arrangements). The form on page 24 can be used for this purpose. Managing risks 

associated with excursions and camps is an effective way to discharge a school’s 

duty of care to students. 

Health and safety of contractors 

The health and safety of independent contractors and their employees (such 

as cleaners, CRTs, tradespersons and grounds contractors) must be protected 

in the same way as that of any other staff – to the extent that the hazards and 

risks are under the control of the school. Responsibilities for health and safety 

should be clarified with the contractor before any work commences. If the contractor 

is a self-employed person, the school will usually have the duty to protect his or her 

health and safety. 

Where the employees of an agency (such as a teacher/staff supply agency) 

are engaged to work at a school, responsibility for the health and safety of those 

employees is shared between the agency and the school. OHS responsibilities 

should be established in the contractual arrangements between them. 


Getting more 

information 

Listed below are some sources of information available about the issues covered 

in this guide and other common hazards and risks in schools. This information is 

also located at worksafe.vic.gov.au/education under Getting More Information. 

A wide variety of general information and support for schools is also available at 

the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) 

Safety School website at eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/school/default.htm 

The resources on the DEECD site are primarily intended for government schools, 

but provide useful information for other schools as well. 

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and 

Safety Regulations 2007 set out the obligations of employers, employees and 

other people in relation to OHS. 

The Accident Compensation Act 1995 sets out the obligations of employers 

and employees in relation to workers’ compensation and return to work. 

The relevant legislation and regulations can be found at worksafe.vic.gov.au 

Bullying and 

workplace 

violence 

Chemicals/ 

hazardous 

substances 

Camps and 

Excursions 

Prevention of Bullying and Violence at Work: Guidance 

Note (WorkSafe) 

worksafe.vic.gov.au/education 

Chemical safety & hazardous substances (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/worken/chem.htm and 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/accp/hazsubs.htm 

Hazardous Substances (WorkSafe) 


Safety guidelines for education outdoors (DEECD) 

education.vic.gov.au/management/schooloperations/edoutdoors/ 

Planning for education outdoors (DEECD) 

education.vic.gov.au/management/schooloperations/edoutdoors/ 

people.htm 

School trip web page (UK Health and Safety Executive) 

hse.gov.uk/schooltrips/index.htm 

Computer use 

and office work 

Offi cewise: A guide to health and safety in the offi ce (WorkSafe) 


Using your notebook safely (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/infoman/OHS.doc 

Consultation 

Consultation on health and safety: A handbook for 

workplaces (WorkSafe) 



Getting more information 

Contractors 

Information on engaging a contractor (WorkSafe) 


Dangerous 

goods 

Employee 

representation 

and health 

and safety 

representatives 

Employer 

duties 

Employer 

representatives 

Compliance guidelines for schools – Dangerous Goods (Storage 

and Handling) Regulations 2000 (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/ohs/CG_Dangerous_Goods.pdf 

Dangerous Goods Regulations – overview (WorkSafe) 


Employee representation (WorkSafe) 


Health and safety representatives (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/safetyhw/prevent/hsr.htm 

Health and safety representative training web page (WorkSafe) 


OHS Reps @ Work website (Victorian Trades Hall Council) 

ohsrep.org.au/ 

Employer rights and responsibilities (WorkSafe) 


Employer representative competencies (WorkSafe) 


Hazards 

Incident 

notification 

Incident 

reporting 

Legal duties 

Manual 

handling 

Noise 

Plant and 

equipment 

Resolving 

OHS issues 

Education sector alerts (WorkSafe) 


Guide to Incident Notifi cation (WorkSafe) 

worksafe.vic.gov.au 

Guide to incident reporting (WorkSafe) 


Guide to the OHS Act 2004 (WorkSafe) 


Manual handling resources (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/accp/manual.htm 

Manual handling (WorkSafe) 


Noise resources (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/worken/noise.htm 

Noise resources (WorkSafe) 


Accident prevention – Plant & machinery (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/accp/plantm.htm 

Your health and safety guide to plant (WorkSafe) 


Employee representation (WorkSafe) 



Getting more information 

Returning 

injured staff 

members 

to work 

Risk control 

in general 

Security 

and crime 

prevention 

Slips, trips 

and falls 

Stress 

Students 

with special 

educational 

needs 

Work 

experience 

Helping Injured Workers Get Back to Work: The return to work 

guide for Victorian employers (WorkSafe) 


Reporting an injury (WorkSafe) 


WorkCover Rehabilitation and Return to Work (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/safetyhw/claims/rehab.htm 

Hazard identifi cation, risk assessment and risk control in 

the workplace (WorkSafe) 


Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) 

sofweb.vic.edu.au/emerg/secmang/CPTED.htm 

Falls prevention (WorkSafe) 


DEECD resources 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/accp/sltrfall.htm 

Preventing slip and trip incidents in the education sector 

(UK Health and Safety Executive) 

hse.gov.uk/pubns/edis2.pdf 

What causes slips and trips and other resources 

(UK Health and Safety Executive) 

hse.gov.uk/slips/ 

Healthy Schools are Effective Schools – An Introduction 

to School Climate (DEECD) 

eduweb.vic.gov.au/hrweb/ohs/health/School_climate.htm 

Stresswise: Preventing work-related stress – a guide for employers 

in the public sector (WorkSafe) 


Stress (WorkSafe) 


Health and Safety Matters for Special Educational Needs: Legal 

issues including risk assessment (UK Health and Safety Executive) 


Health and Safety Matters for Special Educational Needs: 

Moving and Handling (UK Health and Safety Executive) 


Student initiated challenging behaviour (WorkSafe) 


Work experience students must not be given dangerous 

jobs (WorkSafe) 


Work Experience (DEECD) 

sofweb.vic.edu.au/voced/workexp/ 


Sample record of hazard inspection and risk control for customisation to meet the needs of each school – add rows as required 

Insert name of school 

Form for documenting hazards, risks and control measures 

This form is to be used to document regular hazard inspections, and the follow-up actions to control any risks identified during the hazard inspections. 

Area of school inspected: Inspection conducted by: 

Date of hazard inspection: Health and safety representative: 

Follow-up actions authorised by: Next inspection to be conducted by (date): 

Hazards identified 

(Describe the situation 

which might cause injury 

or illness.) 

Is there any risk 

(Is there any likelihood 

of injury or illness actually 

occurring) 

Yes/No Measures 

already 

implemented 

to address 

the hazard. 

Where there is a risk, 

describe the proposed 

risk control measures. 

Date for 

implementation 

of new risk control 

measures. 

Person responsible for 

implementing risk control 

measures. 

Date of actual 


of risk control 

measures. 

(Fill in when the 

measure has been 

implemented.) 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

Signature of person 

responsible for 


(after completion). 


WorkSafe Victoria 

Advisory Service 

222 Exhibition Street 

Melbourne 3000 

Phone 03 9641 1444 

Toll-free 1800 136 089 

Email info@worksafe.vic.gov.au 

Head Office 

222 Exhibition Street 

Melbourne 3000 

Phone 03 9641 1555 

Toll-free 1800 136 089 

Website worksafe.vic.gov.au 

Local Offices 

Ballarat 03 5338 4444 

Bendigo 03 5443 8866 

Dandenong 03 8792 9000 

Geelong 03 5226 1200 

Melbourne 

(628 Bourke Street) 03 9941 0558 

Mildura 03 5021 4001 

Mulgrave 03 9565 9444 

Preston 03 9485 4555 

Shepparton 03 5831 8260 

Traralgon 03 5174 8900 

Wangaratta 03 5721 8588 

Warrnambool 03 5564 3200 

VWA 1148/01/05.08

OHS in Schools A practical guide for school - WorkSafe Victoria

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?