WorkSafe steps in to protect student safety

WorkSafe has entered into an agreement which will help protect secondary students at Victoria’s state schools from preventable injuries in woodwork, metalwork, and automotive classrooms.

The enforceable undertaking with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) is a legal agreement, which is an alternative to dealing with matters in court.

It requires all equipment in woodwork, metalwork and automotive secondary school classrooms to be audited by the end of the year – including equipment like planers, grinders and drills. Equipment which isn’t safe will be removed from use immediately or repaired, and all equipment will be recorded on a centralised register.

This work will make school a safer place for students who attend Victoria’s 300 state secondary schools, WorkSafe Victoria’s Acting Executive Director for Health and Safety Stan Krpan said.

“This undertaking demonstrates the DEECD’s commitment to improving safety in schools. By taking leadership of the issue and making these changes, they are protecting students now and in the future.”

The undertaking also requires the DEECD to implement health and safety management systems across all secondary schools, which will be audited annually by specially trained staff members and overseen by WorkSafe.

“Hands-on training in technology classes is an important part of education – but some of the equipment can be dangerous. Like any workplace, schools are responsible for making sure students are safe while they’re learning,” Mr Krpan said.

“This involves having overall safety systems in place, which direct teachers do things like make sure equipment is correctly guarded, and give students guidance on how to use it correctly.”

WorkSafe and DEECD entered into an enforceable undertaking after two incidents in 2008 where students were injured while using inadequately guarded equipment. Both students suffered serious hand injuries – one while using a surface planer, and the other a portable dust extraction system.

These incidents follow two prosecutions of the DEECD in 2009 – one for failing to maintain an asbestos register, and the second following an incident where a student sustained significant finger injuries while using a grinder in a metalwork classroom.

“Our main focus is making sure that these incidents are not repeated. This program will ensure there are prevention systems in place,” Mr Krpan said.