When parents and guardians send their children to school they expect them to be in safe hands because after all, children spend more time in school than almost anywhere else. Of course, schools are very secure and have high security measures in place to protect children, but there is always more than can be done.
Keep reading to find out some of the top ways to improve safety in schools.
Install security cameras
Security cameras give you the chance to monitor staff, students and visitors as they enter or exit the buildings and walk the halls. This can improve safety by making sure no children leave the premises without permission during the school day, and no unauthorised people enter the school either.
Also, the presence of video cameras can reduce the risk of bad behaviour and fights as children become aware that they are being recorded.
Add entrance mats
Any school will have multiple entrances for both children and staff, which means that there are several ways in which dirt and mud can be tracked into school. This can be dangerous, especially on rainy days, because the floors will become wet which causes a slip hazard for anyone walking there afterwards.
A great way to avoid this problem is by installing entrance matting at every doorway in the school premises. This keeps all major points of entry dry and clean to ensure that all children have a clean and safe environment to learn in.
There are many materials to choose from that work excellently for school entrance matting, including coir, microfibre and rubber, all of which are available in a huge range of different sizes to fit your entrance area perfectly. The thickness of your mat, also known as the pile, is also an important factor to take into consideration. Knowing which pile size depends on the door clearance and the depth of the matwell, if you have one.
Put up fire safety signs
The breakout of a fire is one of the biggest emergencies that could happen in a school. That’s why educating children about fire safety, as well as putting up the correct signage to make sure everyone is aware of what to do in a fire, is so important.
Fire signs should be put up all around the school with a main focus on areas where fire could be considered a larger risk, such as in science labs and near kitchens. Make sure that students understand what the signs mean, and that they know how to respond to a fire alarm during a school fire drill.
It is also a legal obligation to make sure you have the correct fire safety equipment on hand at all times. Fire safety equipment from extinguishers to signs to door closers are all essential to help keep your students and staff safe and sound in the event of an emergency.
Improve the lighting
Lighting is one of the most commonly overlooked safety features in a school, especially during the winter when it gets dark before the end of the school day.
By installing flood lights outdoors and LED lights indoors you can improve visibility and safety within your school. If there is a certain location where slips, falls or even violence are more likely, adding permanent or motion-sensing lights can also be an effective solution.
Assess equipment safety
Regularly assess the state of the school’s equipment to ensure everything is safe and in good working order. This ensures that when a student picks up a piece of equipment, it is tried and tested to ensure nothing goes wrong while it is being used.
There are many pieces of equipment that you should safety check regularly, including playground equipment like swings, gym equipment including trampolines, the carbon monoxide alarms, all the fire alarms, door locks, computers and laptops, heating and cooling systems as well as all the kitchen appliances in the cafeteria.
Author Bio: First Mats started life as safety matting specialists, but have since expanded to become a complete industrial and commercial supplies company. The focus of First Mats is to provide safety-focused products that improve the wellbeing of staff through quality approved products, backed up by extensive knowledge. www.firstmats.co.uk