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An introduction to health, safety, and wellbeing

An introduction to health, safety, and wellbeing

Every school must have a strong focus on the emotional and physical safety of everyone who comes onto the school grounds.

The fundamental principle of health and safety is that everyone who goes to work should come home healthy and safe.

Under section 127 of the Education and Training Actopen_in_new, boards must ensure that the school is a physically and emotionally safe place for all students and staff.

Your school must also meet the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015open_in_new (HSWA) requirements and its obligation to be a good employer.

Providing a safe work and school environment is a core part of your legal obligations as a school board.

We’ll unpack some of the key concepts in this series of articles.

Keep reading to learn more.

What are your board’s obligations?

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) requires the board as an employer to do what is “reasonably practicable” to keep workers and “others” healthy and safe.

Within the school context, the following definitions apply.

Workers include anyone who carries out work in any capacity for the PCBU (see below), such as teaching and non-teaching staff, contractors working at the school, regular volunteers, student teachers, and other trainees.

Others include the students, the board (officers of the PCBU), and all visitors to the school.

The HSWA outlines everyone’s key roles and responsibilities.

For example, it says the school’s leadership should set the direction of health and safety management in the workplace.

Any health and wellbeing programmes that are put in place should ensure that everyone can proactively manage their own health and wellbeing.

With strong policies and regular monitoring and review, school boards ensure there are systems in place that identify, assess, and manage hazards and the associated level of risk ahead of any harm and remove or reduce those risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

Schools are required to take a holistic view of health and safety that includes mental and emotional wellbeing.

Failure to provide a safe working environment can cause significant harm financially, emotionally, and physically to all those involved.

What is a PCBU?

A PCBU is a “person conducting a business or undertaking,” usually a legal or corporate entity.

In the case of a kura or school, the board is the PCBU, and the board members are officers of the PCBU.

As board members (and officers of the PBCU), you have considerable influence over ensuring that everything reasonably practicable is done to keep everyone healthy and safe.

The role of the PCBU is a crucial role defined by the law.

What does “so far as reasonably practicable” mean?

The HSWA applies the “so far as is reasonably practicable” concept.

WorkSafe New Zealand defines something as “practicable” if it is possible or capable of being done.

“Reasonably” means doing what other schools would do in the same situation (it doesn’t mean doing everything humanly possible to manage the risk).

Note: Considering cost implications should only take precedence over safety when it is grossly disproportionate to the risk.

Why is health and safety a key part of your board’s role?

You may be asking, how is it my role as a board member to keep everyone who comes onto the school grounds (or is involved in a school event) healthy and safe when I’m not involved in the day-to-day management of the school?

As per section 125 of the Education and Training Act 2020open_in_new, one of a board’s major roles is to set the policies through which the school is controlled and managed.

Therefore, all boards should have the necessary health and safety policies with a set of underlying procedures to give school management clear direction to safely guide all school activities.

A regular and ongoing reporting auditing and review programme that looks at all aspects of the school’s health and safety performance will assure your board that their policy directions are being met.

A good structure includes showing strategic leadership and direction for health and safety throughout your planning process.

Where should you focus your efforts?

As a board, the law says you should focus on what matters based on risk, control, and severity.

Three key areas that boards should prioritise are as follows.

Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC), due to the potential for increased levels of risk associated with many EOTC activities.

Lockdown policy and procedures, as we see an increasing use of lockdowns in Aotearoa over recent years.

Child Protection Policies (CPP), because the interests and protection of the child are always paramount.

When assessing the health and safety requirements of the school, your board needs to understand the following:

  • The health and safety hazards in your kura or school (particularly those that could cause serious injury or illness)
  • The likelihood of those risks occurring
  • The degree of harm that could result from those risks
  • The options to eliminate the risks
  • The options to minimise the risks (where they can’t be eliminated)
  • The associated costs
  • Ensuring everyone is engaged and participating in your school’s health and safety policies and procedures.

How can your board ensure effective health and safety measures are in place?

A school board's primary role is to establish the appropriate policies and procedures and then have the appropriate level and types of reporting so the board can be confident that policies are complied with.

There are key components of an effective health and safety system. We’ll work through these in the other articles in this series.

  • Health and safety governance (leadership)
  • Worker engagement and participation
  • Managing risks
  • Property and equipment
  • Risk identification, assessment, and management
  • Injury and illness support
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Induction, training, and information
  • Monitoring, reporting, and assurance

These can be used to review your health and safety systems and ensure you meet the HSWA requirements.

Questions your board could ask

  • Has our board identified its responsibilities as they apply to the board governance role?
  • Has our board identified the responsibilities as they apply to the management role of the principal?
  • Does our board have a health and safety policy that includes well-being?
  • Do we have an induction programme for new board members (including a new principal) that includes health and safety training and understanding obligations?
  • Does health and safety appear regularly on our board meeting agenda, and are we asking the right questions?
  • How do we know that health, safety, and wellbeing are openly discussed at all levels throughout the school?
  • Are employees encouraged to speak up when they feel unsafe or notice potential risks to health and wellbeing?
  • Are we assured that all staff have the training and skills to provide an emotionally and physically safe working environment for all?

Templates, resources, and references

Click on the link(s) below to access the templates, resources, and references related to this topic.

These may download or open in a separate browser depending on your device.

Ministry of Education 
WorkSafe Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa 
Education and Training Act 2020 
Other legislation