Page 7 - Professional Advisory Safety in Learning Environments: A Shared Responsibility

Know your professional responsibilities
Ontario Certified Teachers have a professional responsibility through due diligence to safeguard and educate students who have been placed under their care. Jointly with school administrators and key stakeholders, teachers are responsible for creating safe
and healthy instructional settings integrating hazard identification, assessing the risks and controlling the situation in all aspects of the facility. Due diligence refers to taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to avoid injuries.
Report
Following a safety-related incident, report the incident and actions you have taken to your direct supervisor and to appropriate health and safety representatives.
• Identify the what, who, when and where in the situation.
• Document formally (if required by employer policy) and informally (personal notes) the relevant details, actions taken to deal with the situation, other individuals present during the incident, the student’s demeanor/conduct prior to the incident and other relevant factors such as the activity taking place. Documenting should be done at the time of the incident or as soon as possible afterwards. Retain all copies for possible future use.
• Ensure that parents/guardians are informed promptly of a safety-related incident.
• Consult other individuals who had contact with the student prior to the incident.
Although an incident may not require
formal reporting to a supervisor, it is always recommended professional practice to promptly document incidents that fall outside the norm of daily occurrences, especially when related to safety, in case of later inquiry as well as for the purposes of self-reflection.
• Understand your duty and your employer’s duty to contact or report to outside agencies, such as children’s aid societies or the police about concerns and/ or suspicions of
child abuse.
• Know your responsibility as it relates to
police/employer protocols for responding to
violent incidents.
• Always maintain professional boundaries
with students.
• Be aware and responsive to new and
emerging safety concerns that affect
students.
• Become familiar with individual plans for
students who have health or other
safety concerns.
• Ensure that areas that contain safety items
such as WHMIS binders, fire extinguishers, eye wash stations, defibrillators and first aid kits are clearly marked. Report
missing items.
A framework for dealing with safety in learning environments
Recognize
Incidents involving student safety generally occur when we least expect them. Using a framework to work through ongoing and past occurrences enables you to be better prepared when these situations do occur.
Recognize that the situation and your actions may affect your professional conduct toward students, their safety or well-being and yours.
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