Both schools and colleges, amongst numerous other institutions in South Africa, are legally required to adapt to changes as they occur. Schools and colleges, like other industries, are forced to meet and conquer existing and new challenges at a fast pace, without sacrificing the safety, health and well-being of all those involved.
These challenges faced may include new structures, accountability, additional concerns from pupils, students and parents, the concerns that political circles have and excessive risk aversion.
What does health and safety ethics in schools entail?
It is imperative that health and safety risks have a systematic approach and where ethics are concerned, it is the right thing to do. A portion of the overall values in schools is to ensure that both staff and visitors are safeguarded, and that pupils and students become more aware of risks instead of developing an aversion to these.
Where operations are concerned, health and safety ethics and effective management of risks help to avoid accidents that can result in costs, disruption and damage to the morale and reputation of the school. This also enables the school to more effectively comply with the duties bestowed upon it under health and safety regulations. 
What legal responsibilities towards health and safety exist in schools?
The Occupational Health and Safety Act tasks all employers to ensure that the health and safety of employees, visitors and anyone else affected by their activities, meaning staff, pupils, visitors to the school and all other involved parties who enter the premises.
Furthermore, the Occupational Health and Safety Act also indicates that the employer, or in this case school or college, must meet the overall duty of care, including the correct policy organisation and arrangements that must be in place and effective. It also includes that suitable risk assessments must be conducted, with competent advice and adequate training for all staff. Further regulations also demand compliance against a broader class of hazards.
This includes equipment, chemicals, electricity, temperature and noise, amongst others. When the necessary steps are taken to adhere to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the school and college can defend itself more efficiently against damage claims when accidents occur on the premises. Pupils and students may not be regarded as employees; however, the Occupational Health and Safety Act is still relevant, and it applies to their welfare.
Every school and college has both unique and similar elements where low and high risks are concerned. Apart from obvious and known precautions, schools and colleges must consider factors such as fire escape routes and frequent emergency drills, which may present several hazards that could have been overlooked. This includes science laboratories, playgrounds, sport fields and several others.
Hazards found in these least considered areas may pose a threat to pupils, students, parents, teachers and others who enter the premises. For this reason and numerous others, schools and colleges must ensure they conform to the stipulations and requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other relevant regulations. 
Risk assessments
Schools and colleges have the same legal obligation that employers have in carrying out risk assessments that are both suitable and adequate in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. When a risk assessment is carried out on the health and safety of schools and colleges, it must detail the risks associated with the facilities and the activities it performs. Additionally, the precautions that must be taken to minimise the stated risks must also be detailed.
Effectiveness of health and safety in schools
The ethical element concerned with ensuring health and safety in schools and colleges – that it is the right thing to do – does not necessarily only involve legal compliance. It involves achieving and providing a level of excellence in the manner through which health and safety risks are managed. There are a few benefits that can be observed from ensuring health and safety in schools and colleges, and it can assist in preventing:
- Serious injuries that could have otherwise been prevented.
- Work-related illnesses such as stress and back pain.
- Workdays lost due to illnesses and injuries in the workplace, and
- Costs involved with damage-only accidents as well as the disruptions that result from such.
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School accidental injury rates
Accidental injury rates in schools indicate that rates are low in young people, with the most risky age group being from the age of 10 up to 24. Up until the age of 10, young people tend to be injured at home, however, young people between 10 to 14 are likely to be injured either in sport events, in public or while travelling to and from school. Most injuries are sustained from falls, transport, foreign bodies entering through an orifice or skin, accidental poisoning, burn scalds, venomous bites, drowning and several others.
Safety management in schools
Why is it important to teach health and safety in schools and colleges?
Health and safety in schools and colleges must form part of any continuous planned processes of an educational institution. It must also be an integral part in the management of the school or college. Clear and concise policies must be defined, as well as an understanding of major stakeholders involved with health and safety. Clear plans must be in place to monitor mechanisms and furthermore, information provided must be reviewed so that the institution can learn and ensure consistent improvement on future arrangements.
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