Safety Issues Tips
Read these 15 Safety Issues Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Teaching tips and hundreds of other topics.
Clean Hands for Safe Food
You have just returned from an amazing trip to the zoo. It's just about time to go to lunch. Gotta get those hands clean ! Not enough time to wash hands in the restroom. What to do ? Have your HandyKid pull out the ziploc bag that contains two small bottles of waterless cleanser and two small packets of tissues. Everyone in line cleans his/her hands to minimize the chance of food contamination. HandyKid throws away the used tissues and cleans up,too. Make sure the clean up kit is refilled as needed.
Expensive Items
There have been days when students have brought expensive game consoles or jewelry to school. Unfortunately, such actions tempt other students to steal these items. To nip this potential problem in the bud, make sure that you write a statement that no expensive items should be brought to school. The best time to send this message home to parents the very first day of school. Stress that students who still bring these items to school do so at their own risk, and the school assumes no liability for loss,breakage,or theft. It's a sad duty, but worth the effort.
Working After Hours
I am probably one of the most guilty teachers around in terms of staying after school until around 10 or even 11 pm. I know, I know, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME ?? Well, the times I did stay that long, I had already established a routine to ensure my safety as I walked to my car. Janitors were aware of my presence, they would escort me to the car, I always parked my car as close as possible to my classroom once all students were gone,I alerted my family and friends as to where I was and when I would be home, and, I did not make it a regular event !! Keep this in mind when you stay late .
Students' Definition of Safety
During the first week of school,have students gather in a group around you. Write on the chalkboard the word,"safety." Pass out blank sheets of paper along with markers and crayons. Have students list five ways they can behave safely. Continue with a discussion on what safety is and what it means to them. Students will then need to select one item from the list and illustrate what it looks like. Post the drawngs and lists on a bullein board. You may wish to use thE safety tips as the foundation of classroom rules.
First Aid Kits
When it's time for recess, it is also time for those scrapes and cuts rough play can cause. Be prepared by having one of your students act as a First Aider. S/he will carry around a sandwich sized ziploc bag which will contain a small bottle of waterless cleanser,small packet of tissues, and bandaids. As soon as a student gets a cut, you can use the kit to clean and bandage the cut. This minimizes the chances of infection. Check with your school nurse first to make sure s/he understands what you are doing and to get advice on such a procedure.
Safety Measures For Your School
Has your principal made the faculty aware of measures that have been taken to ensure the safety of students, employees,and visitors ? If not, it is vital that s/he do so. There should be an SOP (standard operating procedures) on what to do regarding visitors (especially parents who are divorced and only one has custody),how to report suspicious activity,how to be more aware of the environment,etc. Just as neighbors may have a crime watch program, so your school should have something along the same lines,too. An ounce of prevention goes farther than you may realize !
Securing YOUR Expensive Items
You may be used to telling your students to safeguard any expensive items they bring to school, but have you thought about the pricey things you yourself may bring to share with students and/or other teachers ? Refuse to let down your guard about securing that precious coin collection. Keep it with you at all times or lock that baby up ! Once it is gone, it is GONE !
Safety Officer
Whether you're elementary or secondary,
safety is the TOP PRIORITY for
ALL MEMBERS OF THE LEARNING COMMUNITY.
Make sure that you know who the Safety Officer
is for your school. If you don't have one,
it's critical that your principal designate a
teacher to take on this responsibility. This officer
should be aware of your district policies on safety,
attend safety meetings, and give safety workshops to
members of your school. As a minimum, monthly inspections
should be performed to insure that your school is in
compliance with district policies, and an annual report
should summarize the status of your school campus.
It does not take much to avoid a great deal of safety
problems.
Safeguarding Cash Collections
You simply cannot avoid it: you will have days when you must collect cash from students for various events. With the ton of responsibilities you must complete each day, it is quite easy for that collection to get lost or even stolen. Establish a routine to collect all monies in one huge envelope clearly marked,give receipts to students if possible,and check off who turned in what,when,and why. Most importantly, be discrete about locking that envelope up as soon as you are done collecting. Save yourself problems that could quite easily materialize if you aren't careful !
Home Fire Drill
It's one thing to have fire drills at school, it's definitely another when it comes to doing so at home,too. Discuss how your students would perform a practice fire drill at home. Have your class write up a step by step procedure booklet that can be reproduced and distributed not only to your students,but to other students as well. Have them take the booklets home to share with parents. Next,students should draw a diagram of their home,and designate all exits. They need to post this diagram in an area that is frequented by all family members. Finally, students must work with families to develop an evacuation plan and conduct a practice fire drill at least once a month. Sure to be highly appreciated by parents !
Internet Safety: Student Privacy
The world of the Internet is a fascinating and mysterious one. Students are always intrigued with what it has to offer. Sadly,the Internet is not as safe as we would like. As teachers,we must make sure that students do not give out information that is about family or themselves. Remind students that there are indeed those who would use such information
inappropriately. Have the class do practice Internet scenarios so that they know what to be aware of and what type of information should not be given out.
Internet Safety: Parent Awareness
Parents need to know how you are using the Internet in
the classroom. During a PTA meeting, inform them of
the types of projects that are being done,
as well as safety precautions that you have
your students practice while on the web.
Share with them some strategies they can use at
home to strengthen the home school connection.
Solicit ideas from them,too.
Bus Rides: What To Do In Case Of An Emergency
I truly feel that students should know what to do in
case of an emergency on the bus. It certainly would
not be a bad idea to discuss a handout on procedures
that should be followed in case of an accident or
other emergency. Parents should be aware of these
procedures,too. Such student awareness could not
only help the driver and emergency personnel,
but just might save a life,as well.
Safeguarding Your Purse
Sadly, we live in a time when you really have to be far more aware of your surroundings in order to protect yourself. Those surroundings include school, which is just as vulnerable to crime as any other place. Problem is, thieves can take advantage of school environments and help themselves to what is rightfully ours. On that note, it is especially important that you lock up that purse or handbag before school begins. Take just enough cash for anything you may have to use it for during school. Better yet,lock that classroom door if possible to cut down any chances of theft of your purse. I have seen far too many teachers learn this lesson too late. Save yourself the headache of reporting stolen credit cards and changing locks due to stolen keys !
Bus Rides: Behavior Issues
At my previous school,we had several students that took the bus. I noticed that there were always problems that occurred and little consequence in response to that problem. What a headache for the drivers ! Don't let that be the case for your school if you have students that ride the bus. The very first week of school,have a schoolwide assembly where the bus drivers are intoduced. Discuss and hand out rules and consequences for bus behavior. These notices should be sent home to parents. Safety issues musrt be strongly emphasized during this assembly. Such actions will greatly reduce the number of problems
most bus drivers encounter.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Sheri Ann Richerson |
