Risk Management for Schools

In response to the Safety Canada article on School Field Trips (April issue), the Risk Management Co-ordinator for the Ontario School Board Insurance wrote to say that his organization concurs with CSC's position on the need to establish a formal risk assessment process for all school activities and to share OSBIE's position statement passed in December 2000.

OSBIE is a school board owned, non-profit insurance program representing 89 per cent of the school boards in Ontario. Its primary goals are to insure member school boards against losses and promote safe school practices.

OSBIE Position Statement - Extra-Curricular Activities

Risk Management is a systematic approach to preventing or reducing exposure to losses. School boards, administrators, employees and volunteers are all responsible for risk management. School boards should consider steps, such as the following, as effective ways to prevent student injuries:

(a) Identify hazardous situations and/or activities which may not be appropriate as a school activity.

(b) Identify various risk management strategies to eliminate or reduce the known hazards. The following are examples of strategies that could be applicable to extra-curricular activities:

Avoid the Risk. If the activity has a high risk of injury and cannot be made safe by removing known hazards or by modifying it, then the activity should be avoided.

Reduce the Risk. Remove the known hazards for the activity by:
- Ensuring staff, volunteer supervisors and coaches have the proper training and qualifications to perform their duties;
- Adherence to any applicable standards or codes, such as:
- Physical Education Ontario Safety Guidelines
- Health and Safety Regulations
- Building Codes (buildings, stages, ramps, bleachers)
- Fire Codes (occupant capacity, indoor seating)
- CSA Standards (safety equipment);
- Ensure the activity is organized and operated in compliance with regulations set out by any athletic association or governing body related to that sport or activity;
- Require groups or individuals who wish to organize and operate extra-curricular activities privately to carry their own insurance and to provide evidence of valid insurance coverage;
- Require signed Informed Consent forms for all participants.

(c) Select and implement the most appropriate technique(s) that fit(s) with the situation. Often there are different combinations that will address the various hazards identified.

(d) Monitor the results of the risk management plan that has been chosen. For Extra-curricular activities, the following are examples of documents that would enable a school board to monitor if the strategy is being followed:
- Retain documentation of coaching certificates;
- Retain completed checklists used with the Physical Education Safety Guidelines;
- Retain signed Informed Consent forms;
- Retain Certificates of Insurance from outside organizations who are using school premises.

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Safety on School Trips - Schools and Parents Must Work Together