CLEAPSS Health and Safety Management for Heads of Science 2026

CLEAPSS Health and Safety Management for Heads of Science or their Deputy

In compliance with Regulation 13(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, the EA School Development Service will be offering one day health and safety training, provided by CLEAPSS, for Science Heads of Department.

Attendance at this course is a crucial factor in the mitigation of risk in school science and to reduce the likelihood of HSENI prosecutions against the EA, or your school, and any resultant civil actions arising out of accidents.

The main emphasis of this one-day, face-to-face course is on management issues and risk assessment. It is intended for Heads of Science or their Deputies and will run from 9:30am to 3/3:30pm.

Steve Jones, Director of CLEAPSS, will lead this professional learning opportunity.

Each NI school can apply for one place only and must send a permanent member of staff.

Please have the approval of your Principal to attend.

Your course fee will be paid by EA.

No substitute cover will be paid.

On this occasion lunch will not be provided, we kindly request that participants bring their own lunch to the training.  We will provide tea/coffee for early arrival, break and lunch times.

It is important that the full name of the participant and their C2K email (not personal) are used for the purposes of efficient contact, registers and certification.

You will receive immediate confirmation to the email address supplied; therefore please ensure you enter your C2K email correctly!

This training is open to all post primary school management types across NI.

The objectives for the day are to:

• Raise awareness of current and significant safety issues in Science teaching.
• Develop a better understanding of what is required by health and safety legislation.
• Consider the implications of this for the management of safety in Science Departments.
• Consider the risk assessment process, as required by the Management Regulations, COSHH Regulations and others.
• Understand the uses of a safety policy and how it can be monitored.
• Devise an action plan.

The day will be a mixture of input from the trainer, discussions and a variety of activities intended to enhance participants' understanding of the legislative framework and how it applies in schools, especially risk assessment.

Common and not so common, but more serious, accidents which occur in school science will be examined along with a discussion of the implications for management. There will be plenty of opportunities for participants to identify their own areas of concern.

Legal requirements for risk assessment both in the curriculum and in the prep room will be considered. Included in the package will be checklists which Heads of Department or other senior managers could use to audit their school's processes & procedures.

Outcomes:

By the end of the day participants:

• Will have explored in detail what health & safety legislation requires and what it does not.
• Will have considered what constitutes a sensible, manageable and effective approach to risk assessment.
• Will appreciate the need for a health and safety policy.
• Will have considered how its implementation can be sensibly monitored.