Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ENGLISH
Learning in
Safe Hands
El aprendizaje
en buenas manos
Contents
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ENGLISH
Introduction
Establishing Safety
Everyday Risks
Protecting People
13
Additional Resources
16
Its not hard to see that many common school activities present certain risks. Science
labs, shop classes, recess, physical education and occasional field trips cant simply be
avoided because risks may be involved. There are also risks associated with teachers,
administrative staff and custodial employees. Lets not forget operating buses or other
transportation. Getting a handle on all of this is a tough job. But it can be done.
While it is impossible to avert every accident or loss that could potentially occur at a
school, measures must be taken to:
Prevent occurrences.
Train teachers and staff regarding their responsibilities in the event
of an occurrence.
This booklet is designed to lend a hand in identifying potential hazards and in properly preparing for emergencies. Following these simple steps will greatly help protect
students and staff.
Editor
Writer
Copy Editor
Design & Publication Coordinator
Arthur F. Blinci
Phyllip Baker
Steve Hamstra
Erica St. Louis
Remember, through ensuring their safety we demonstrate our care for Gods precious
children.
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Two vital components in ensuring safety at your school are the School Safety Officer
and the Safety Committee. Start by having the school board appoint a qualified School
Safety Officer. The primary objectives of this position are the prevention of accidents,
giving focus and direction to the school safety program and coordinating the work of
school administration and the School Safety Committee.
The Safety Committee will also be appointed by the school board and should
include individuals who possess knowledge or skills applicable to school safety. This
team will be an important resource for the Safety Officer, school board and
school administration.
Establishing
Safety
When going through a school self-inspection, consider both internal and external risks.
What exposures are nearby your school? Are there potential risks such as chemical
releases, train derailments or a deteriorating neighborhood? Is your school prepared
with written emergency and disaster plans? If so, have they been practiced? Are staff
and students prepared to respond properly during a fire or a lockdown?
As you develop and refine various emergency response drills, work through Section A
of the School Self-Inspection Form, which addresses written disaster plans, fire safety
elements and general safety conditions. In an emergency, having practical and wellrehearsed plans in place will be invaluable.
Some Adventist schools house students in on-campus dormitories. The importance of
a strong fire safety program in these facilities cannot be overstated. Evacuating sleepy
students, sometimes from a multi-level building, can be a cumbersome process. Evacu-
ation route maps should be posted in each dorm room. It is also imperative that alarm
systems are well maintained, operate properly and can be heard in all areas of the
dormitory. Again, have a written disaster plan in place for all dormitories and conduct
emergency drills regularly.
Field trips are excellent learning experiences. They also present a number of additional
risks. Not only does the School Self-Inspection form have information to help you plan
for field trip safety, ARM also offers a Field Trip/Outing Planner. This document, which
can be downloaded from the ARM website, walks you through a number of steps including parental permission slips, transportation, supervision, first aid and more.
Proper planning requires diligent, detailed work. But when the unexpected occurs,
particularly an emergency, having all your bases covered will be invaluable.
Everyday
Risks
6
Some of the most common accidents are slips, trips and falls. In fact, more than 540,000
slip and fall accidents occur in North America each year. Of these, more than 300,000
cause some form of disabling injury and some 20,000 result in death. So finding and
correcting potential slip and fall hazards is crucial.
Even something very small can cause a slip, trip or falla few drops of water on a
smooth surface, a slight change in elevation or a wrinkle in the carpeting. Here are
some common hazards:
Unevenness, tears or holes in carpeting or flooring. Defective, loose or
missing railings. Broken steps.
Weather also causes many slip and fall hazards. After storms or strong winds, remove
any tree branches and other debris from sidewalks and parking lots. Snow, ice and rainwater can cause numerous hazards that generally need to be dealt with immediately.
Have procedures in place to ensure proper action before and after storms. Also make
prior arrangements for prompt snow removal from parking lots and sidewalks.
Observe the condition of school playing fields and playgrounds.
who visit your school may have visual disabilities. Good lighting also helps prevent
crime. Shadows next to buildings, along walkways and in parking lots provide excellent hiding places for burglars and other criminals.
Finally, ensure that your employee safety program includes fall protection provisions
that cover the use of ladders and scaffolds as well as working on rooftops. Personal fall
protection equipment should be available. If you cannot provide the necessary training and personal protective equipment, consider hiring a company that can.
Transportation
Providing safe student transportation is a serious task for schools. A single accident
could result in severe injuries or even fatalities. To reduce transportation risks, numerous precautions must be taken. Start by setting up a systematic maintenance schedule
for each school-owned vehicle. You should also conduct pre- and post-trip inspections
and solicit driver feedback. Make sure all maintenance-related elements are well documented.
Of course, driver quality is integral to transportation safety. Individuals must be licensed to drive the available vehicles and must have good driving records.
Section P of ARMs School Self-Inspection Form provides helpful guidelines for overseeing transportation safety. Some key points:
Obey vehicle capacity limitsthe number of seatbelts, the vehicles load
rating and tire load ratings.
Are cushioning materials provided and maintained beneath
playground equipment?
Each vehicle should have emergency equipment such as reflective triangles,
spare fuses, a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
Falls, often from climbing on equipment, are responsible for the majority of playground
injuries. Having cushioning materials beneath playground equipment and ensuring
proper clearances will help reduce these injuries (see page 11).
Good housekeeping is critical to preventing slips and falls. Offices, corridors and storage rooms must be free of clutter. Also have cleanup materials and warning signs readily available to address food and liquid spills.
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Some schools use volunteer drivers and privately owned vehicles for field trips or other
activities. This can make transportation risks more difficult to control. While proof
of insurance can be required, generally it is hard to determine how well maintained
a volunteers vehicle is or how well they drive. At a minimum, school policies should
clearly specify to what extent volunteer drivers and private automobiles may be used
for school operations and activities.
Proper lighting also plays an important safety role. In poorly lit areas it may be difficult
to see changes in elevation, debris and sidewalk curbs. Take note of lighting conditions
along sidewalks, steps and in parking lots at night. Keep in mind that some people
While the importance of fire and other emergency drills was addressed on page 5,
there are numerous other fire safety elements. For example, emergency exits. Exit corridors must be kept clear and should never be used for storage or house combustible
materials. Ensure that exit doors have panic hardware, open freely in the direction of
exit travel and are never chained or padlocked.
Make sure lighted exit signs have no burned out bulbs. Periodically test smoke detectors, fire alarms and emergency lights for proper operation. Also have fire extinguishers
professionally serviced every year. Check your mechanical rooms too. Make sure these
rooms are not used for storage and are free of combustible materials.
Electrical safety is another concern for schools. Place safety caps in unused electrical
outlets and watch for broken or missing switch and outlet covers. Also look for damaged electrical cords and outlets. Electrical tools kept on site must be double insulated
or be properly grounded. And inspect equipment for broken plugs and damaged
wiring.
Except for temporary operations like running a projector, laws prohibit the use of extension cords. If you are making permanent use of an extension cord, have an electrician install proper wiring to that location. Limited use of power strips for surge protection is allowed, but do not plug one power strip into another.
Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. To help prevent electrocution, laws
require ground fault circuit protection for outlets in bathrooms, garages, outdoors at
grade level access and within six feet of sinks. Even with ground fault protection, it is
wise to keep electrical equipment as far as possible from sinks.
School laboratories present unique hazards. Consequently, safety precautions and
emergency equipment must be in place. Rules have to be established and clearly
posted. Students should be instructed on lab safety precautions. Personal protective
equipment including safety goggles and gloves should also be on hand for all students.
Also make sure the lab is equipped with a fire blanket, emergency gas shutoff valves,
emergency eyewash station, emergency shower, a first aid kit and fire extinguishers.
Chemicals found in labs, shop rooms and maintenance areas are yet another hazard.
Make sure a detailed inventory is kept of the chemicals stored and used in each of these
rooms and maintain material safety data sheets for all chemicals. In addition, staff and
students should be trained on the safe use of and required protective equipment for
various chemicals. They should also learn basic first aid. All chemicals should be dis-
10
On the Playground
Playground safety is an important topic, as many injuries to children occur there. Poor
supervision is a common culprit. When evaluating supervision, ask these questions:
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Is the entire playground area visible from one vantage point or are there
blind spots?
Are supervisors at times distracted by conversation, grading papers, reading
documents or participating in playground activities?
If more technically advanced activities (gymnastics or rock climbing, for
example) are taking place, are supervisors sufficiently knowledgeable or
certified for the activity?
While supervision plays a major role in playground safety, the equipment itself is just
as important. Many potential hazards come with playground equipment, slips and falls
being the most common. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC), nearly 80 percent of injuries on playground equipment were caused by falls.
The CPSC website, www.cpsc.gov, offers excellent playground safety information,
including the Playground Safety Handbook. Here is the CPSCs Playground Safety
Checklist:
Make sure surfaces around playground equipment have at least 12 inches of
wood chips, mulch, sand or pea gravel. Mats made of safety-tested rubber
or rubber-like materials are acceptable as well.
Ensure protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from
playground equipment. Surfacing under swings should extend twice the
height of the suspending bar, both behind and in front.
Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spaced at least
9 feet apart.
Check for dangerous hardware, like open S hooks or protruding bolt ends.
Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or
between ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
11
Look out for tripping hazards, like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps
and rocks.
Make sure elevated surfaces like platforms and ramps have guardrails to
prevent falls.
Check playgrounds regularly to see that equipment and surfacing are in
good condition.
Protecting
People
12
Program
The risk of child abuse is something to take very seriously. One recent study estimates
that 30-46 percent of all children in the United States will be sexually assaulted before
they are 18 years old. Unfortunately Adventist schools are not immune from sexual
predators. So church leaders and school administrators have a tremendous responsibility to protect children from abuse.
Parental involvement
Transportation
Teachers, staff and volunteers must be trained to recognize the signs of abuse and know
how to respond to allegations or actual cases of abuse. Utilize background checks and
establish supervision standards to help reduce the potential for child abuse at your
school. Also try to ensure that individual staff members do not spend time alone with
a student and that offices are fully visible when closed-door discussions with a student
must take place. Even false allegations can destroy lives.
Here are four focus areas for child abuse prevention:
Premises
Access to premises
Lighting of facilities
Participants
Reporting incidents
Personnel
Proper supervision two adults or never alone with one child rule
Discharge
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Child Abuse
Employee Safety
Every year people are injured, permanently disabled and even killed by workplace accidents. While accidents can never be completely prevented, establishing a safety policy,
ensuring employees are properly trained and insisting on the safe use of equipment
can help reduce potential hazards.
A major and sometimes challenging responsibility will be ensuring that employees
develop safe work habits. Make sure that proper protective equipment is in place in
industrial and maintenance rooms. Also mandate that safety glasses be worn when operating saws, grinders and other equipment. Goggles, rubber gloves and other safety
equipment should be worn when handling dangerous chemicals.
A useful tool available on the ARM website, www.adventistrisk.org, is the Workplace
Safety Toolkit. It features tools to help school administrators identify training needs,
comply with OSHA standards and provide a safe workplace. Topics covered include
emergency planning, hazard communication, chemical safety, blood borne pathogens, lockout tag out, fall protection, transportation and more.
Volunteer Safety
Volunteers provide numerous services at schools. Room mothers, Home & School leaders, coaches, maintenance/janitorial, field trip chaperones and drivers all may comprise
the volunteer workforce at your school. School administrators must be aware of the
potential risks associated with using volunteers on campus and during school activities. Just because a volunteer is a parent of a student this does not elevate the school
from the responsibility to assure the individual does not pose a threat to students. Likewise, OSHA regulations require volunteers to use the same safety equipment and be
trained in safe practices just like any other school employee.
It is very important that all volunteers are provided an orientation on the duties that
they are undertaking for the school. This orientation process may require a back-
14
15
All volunteers should be provided with volunteer labor or trip accident insurance. This
type of insurance is typically provided through your Conference office. This insurance may be supplemental to the volunteers own personal insurance. If a volunteer
is injured while they are performing a service for your school the accident should be
reported within twenty-four (24) hours to the Conference office of education.
Additional Resources
Church & School Inspection Forms, Solutions Articles and Other Information
Adventist Risk Management, Inc., www.adventistrisk.org
Trip Safety
School trips can be an exciting time for students, faculty and volunteer chaperones.
All school trips should be carefully planned to determine the potential risks or hazards
that could cause an accident or unexpected emergency. All school trips should receive
the appropriate level of approval. In North America approval for day trips should have
the schools administrative committees approval; all off-campus overnight trips should
also be approved by the school board and out-of-country trips should have the approval of your Conference or Union Conference office of education. Trip safety should
be the highest priority of the planning process.
Whenever a trip is planned there must be signed permission form and contact information from the students parent or guardian to allow their child to participate. In addition to the permission form, a medical release and information form should accompany
the student at all times during the trip. Copies of these signed forms and any other
travel documents (passports, visas, tickets) should be carried by a responsible adult so
they can be readily available in the event of an emergency.
School Safety
National School Safety Center: www.schoolsafety.us
It is good practice to provide a trip summary to each students family that outlines
the planned activities and trip time lines. Included in this summary should be a disclosure of any associated risks that a student may encounter during the trip and the
preventative measures the school has in place to conduct this activity in a safe manner.
Holding a parents meeting prior to departure is an excellent way to answer questions
and communicate that the schools trip is well planned and good safety practice is a
high priority.
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ENGLISH
ground check in order to determine whether or not they can perform their duties or
to determine if they have the appropriate documentation i.e. personal insurance etc.
Volunteer orientation should also include training on any safety practices that must be
followed that includes a clearly defined code of conduct on how they are to conduct
themselves as a school volunteer and what procedures must be followed in the event
of an emergency.
Employee Safety
U.S. Department of Labor: www.osha.gov
Child and Playground Safety
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (including the Playground
Safety Handbook): www.cpsc.gov
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Contenido
ESPAol
Introduction
19
Establecimiento de la seguridad
20
Riesgos cotidianos
23
Proteccin de la gente
30
Recursos adicionales
33
ESPAOL
Las escuelas adventistas del sptimo da de todo el mundo llevan sobre s una pesada
responsabilidad. Se les encomienda brindar una educacin de calidad centrada en
Cristo. Y lo que es igualmente importante: se espera que mantengan a salvo a sus
estudiantes.
No es difcil ver que muchas de las actividades comunes de la escuela presentan ciertos riesgos. No obstante, no se puede evitar los laboratorios de ciencia, las clases
de trabajos prcticos, los recreos, la educacin fsica y las ocasionales excursiones al
campo solo por los riesgos que conllevan. Hay, adems, riesgos en relacin con los
educadores, el personal administrativo y los empleados custodios; y no dejemos de
mencionar los mnibus escolares u otros medios de transporte. Encargarse de todo
esto no es nada fcil, pero se puede hacer.
Aunque es imposible impedir todo accidente o prdida que pudiera ocurrir en la
escuela, se deben tomar medidas para:
determinar las exposiciones (a los elementos, al peligro) que la escuela
pudiera tener que afrontar;
Director
Redactor
Corrector
Coordinadora de Diseo y Publicacin
Arthur F. Blinci
Phyllip Baker
Steve Hamstra
Erica St. Louis
evitar incidentes;
instruir a los educadores y al personal tocante a sus responsabilidades en
caso de ocurrir una desgracia;
Este folleto se ha creado para darle una mano en lo que respecta a determinar los
peligros potenciales y prepararse apropiadamente para casos de emergencia. Seguir
las medidas indicadas a continuacin le ayudar enormemente a proteger a los estudiantes y al personal.
Recuerde que al velar por los preciosos hijos de Dios, demostramos nuestro inters
en ellos.
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El Comit de Seguridad tambin ser designado por la junta escolar y debe incluir
personas que posean conocimiento o habilidades pertinentes para la seguridad de la
escuela. Este equipo ser un importante recurso para el encargado de seguridad, la
junta escolar y la administracin escolar.
Establecimiento de la
seguridad
El proceso de inspeccin es tan importante porque ayuda a la escuela a tomar la iniciativa en cuanto al mantenimiento de las instalaciones, el planeamiento cuidadoso
de los eventos o salidas especiales, y la preparacin para posibles emergencias. La planificacin para casos de emergencia y desastres requiere preparacin especialmente
exhaustiva por lo que pudiera ocurrir a causa de condiciones climticas adversas, situaciones de incendio o incluso de violencia en el recinto escolar.
Al proceder a la inspeccin personal de la escuela, considere tanto los riesgos internos
como los externos. Cules son las exposiciones a riesgo ms cercanas a la escuela?
Hay riesgos potenciales como fugas o derrames de substancias qumicas, descarrilamientos de trenes o un vecindario deteriorado? Est su escuela preparada con planes
por escrito para casos de emergencia y desastres? De ser as, se han puesto en prctica? Estn el personal y los alumnos preparados para responder apropiadamente en
caso de incendio o de enclaustramiento?
Mientras crea y refina varios ejercicios de respuesta a emergencias, repase la Seccin A
del School Self-Inspection Form (Formulario de Inspeccin Personal de la Escuela), que
trata sobre los planes de preparacin para desastres, elementos de seguridad en casos
21
Riesgos
cotidianos
22
irregularidades, desgarros o agujeros en las alfombras o en el piso; barandas
o balaustradas defectuosas, flojas o faltantes; escalones rotos;
El clima tambin causa muchos peligros de resbalones y cadas. Despus de las tormentas o de vientos fuertes, quite de las aceras y de los lotes de estacionamiento las
ramas de rboles y dems escombros o residuos acumulados. La nieve, el hielo y la
lluvia pueden causar numerosos peligros que, por lo general, requieren atencin inmediata. Tenga sus planes en marcha, para asegurarse de contar con la accin apropiada
en el momento necesario, antes y despus de las tormentas. Haga tambin arreglos
por anticipado para la pronta remocin de la nieve de las aceras y de los lotes de estacionamiento.
Observe las condiciones de los campos de juego y de los patios de recreo.
Las cadas, a menudo desde los equipos de juego, son causa de la mayora de las lesiones ocurridas en los patios de recreo. Tener material amortiguador debajo de los
equipos de juego y asegurarse de que el rea est despejada ayudar a reducir este
tipo de lesiones (vea la pgina 28).
ESPAOL
Por ltimo, verifique que su programa de seguridad para el empleado comprenda provisiones de proteccin contra cadas que cubran el uso de escaleras y andamios, y el
trabajo en tejados y azoteas. Recuerde, adems, que tiene que haber equipos personales de proteccin contra cadas. Si no puede proporcionar capacitacin ni equipo
personal de proteccin a sus trabajadores, considere ms bien contratar una empresa
que s pueda hacerlo.
Transporte
Proporcionar transporte seguro a los estudiantes es una gran responsabilidad para las
escuelas. Un solo accidente puede resultar en graves lesiones y aun en muerte(s). Para
reducir los riesgos en relacin con el transporte, se deben tomar numerosas precauciones. Comience por establecer un programa de mantenimiento sistemtico para cada
vehculo de propiedad de la escuela. Debe, adems, proceder a inspecciones antes y
despus de los viajes y solicitar la opinin del conductor. Asegrese de que se documenten como corresponde todos los elementos en relacin con el mantenimiento
del vehculo.
Por supuesto, la calidad del conductor forma parte de la seguridad del transporte. Los
conductores deben tener buenos antecedentes de manejo y permisos para conducir
los vehculos a su disposicin.
La Seccin P del Formulario de Inspeccin Personal de la Escuela proporcionado por
ARM proporciona tiles pautas para supervisar la seguridad del transporte. He aqu
algunos de sus puntos ms destacados:
24
25
Nunca permita que los pasajeros viajen en la parte de atrs de las camione
tas ni en camiones con caja abierta.
Todo vehculo debe contar con equipo equipos de emergencia con tringu
los reflectantes, fusibles de repuesto, un botiqun de primeros auxilios y un
extintor de incendios.
Sobre todo, asegrese de que todos usen sus respectivos cinturones de
seguridad.
Algunas escuelas utilizan conductores voluntarios y vehculos privados para los viajes
al campo u otras actividades. Esto puede dificultar el control de los riesgos en relacin con el transporte. Aunque se puede requerir prueba de cobertura de seguro,
por lo general es difcil determinar cun bueno es el mantenimiento del vehculo del
voluntario o cun bien ste conduce. Como mnimo, las normas de la escuela deben
especificar claramente hasta qu punto la escuela puede usar para sus operaciones y
actividades los servicios de conductores voluntarios y automviles privados.
26
ESPAOL
Preste atencin a los lmites de capacidad del vehculo, la cantidad de
asientos con cinturones de seguridad, y los lmites de carga tanto del
vehculo como de las ruedas.
27
La seguridad en los patios de recreo es de gran importancia, pues muchas de las lesiones de los nios ocurren all, mayormente por falta de supervisin adecuada. Al evaluar
la supervisin, formlese las siguientes preguntas:
Desde una atalaya, se ve toda el rea del patio de recreo o queda alguna
zona fuera del ngulo de visin?
Se distraen a veces los supervisores conversando, corrigiendo deberes,
leyendo o participando en otras actividades?
Si se estn practicando otras actividades tcnicamente ms avanzadas
(como por ejemplo, gimnasia o escaladas), hay supervisores autorizados o
suficientemente conocedores para participar en esta actividad?
Aunque la supervisin desempea un papel importante en cuanto a la seguridad en
los patios de recreo, los equipos son igualmente importantes. Muchos de los peligros
potenciales tienen que ver con los equipos de los patios de recreo, siendo los resbalones, los tropezones y las cadas los riesgos ms comunes. Segn la U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Comisin de Seguridad de los Productos de Consumo de los
Estados Unidos: CPSC, por sus siglas en ingls), de las lesiones relacionadas con equipos
de los patios de recreos, casi ochenta por ciento fueron resultado de cadas.
Revise las partes de metal peligrosas, como los ganchos en forma de S o los
pernos o tornillos que sobresalgan.
Asegrese de que los espacios que pudieran atrapar a los nios como
las aberturas en los pasamanos (barandas, barandillas) o entre los peldaos
de la escalera midan menos de tres pulgadas y media o ms de
nueve pulgadas.
Vea si hay algo que pudiera hacer tropezar a los nios, como bases de
hormign, tocones de rboles o rocas.
Asegrese de que las superficies elevadas, como plataformas y rampas,
tengan barandas, para evitar cadas.
Revise los patios de juego peridicamente, para verificar que los equipos y
la superficie debajo de los mismos estn en buenas condiciones.
Supervise cuidadosamente a los nios en los patios de recreo, para
asegurarse de que estn a salvo.
El sitio ciberntico de la CPSC, www.cpsc.gov, ofrece excelente informacin sobre seguridad para los patios de recreo, incluido el manual Playground Safety Handbook. A
continuacin publicamos su lista de verificacin de la seguridad de los patios de recreo:
Asegrese de que las estructuras de juego de ms de treinta pulgadas de
alto estn separadas entre s a una distancia de por lo menos 9 pies.
28
29
ESPAOL
En el patio de recreo
Maltrato infantil
El riesgo del maltrato o abuso infantil es algo que hay que tomar muy seriamente. Un
estudio reciente estima que entre 30% y 46% de los nios de los Estados Unidos sern
asaltados sexualmente antes de los 18 aos de edad. Lamentablemente, las escuelas
adventistas no son inmunes al asalto de los depredadores sexuales. Por consiguiente,
queda en los lderes de la iglesia y en los administradores de las escuelas la tremenda
responsabilidad de proteger a los nios contra todo tipo de maltrato y abuso.
ESPAOL
Se debe ensear a los educadores, al personal y a los voluntarios a reconocer las seales del maltrato fsico y emocional, y a saber cmo responder a las acusaciones o
casos reales de maltrato o abuso. Utilice las verificaciones de antecedentes y las normas
de supervisin establecidas, para ayudar a reducir el potencial de maltrato y abuso
infantil en su escuela. Adems, procure asegurarse de que ningn miembro del personal quede a solas con un(a) estudiante y que las oficinas estn plenamente a la vista
cuando alguien deba conversar con un(a) alumno(a) a puertas cerradas. Recuerde que
aun las falsas acusaciones pueden destruir vidas.
He aqu cuatro reas a considerar para la prevencin del maltrato o abuso infantil:
Instalaciones
Acceso a las instalaciones
Participantes
Evtese el contacto con menores fuera de la escuela
Proteccin
de la gente
Disciplina y roce
Denuncia de incidentes
Personal
Cuidadosa seleccin de los voluntarios: regla de los seis meses
Supervisin apropiada: regla de dos adultos o nunca a solas con un(a) menor
Despido
31
Actividades y equipos
Transporte
32
de su escuela. Los administradores escolares deben ser conscientes de los riesgos potenciales relacionados con el empleo de voluntarios en el campus y durante las actividades escolares. El hecho de que el (la) voluntario(a) sea padre o madre de uno de los
estudiantes no exime a la escuela de la obligacin de asegurarse de que la persona en
cuestin no represente una amenaza para los estudiantes. Adems, las regulaciones de
OSHA requieren que los voluntarios usen el mismo equipo de seguridad y reciban la
misma capacitacin en prcticas seguras que cualquier otro empleado escolar.
Es de suma importancia que a todos los voluntarios se les d orientacin tocante a sus
obligaciones para con la escuela. Puede que este proceso de orientacin requiera la
verificacin de antecedentes, a fin de determinar si los candidatos pueden o no desempear sus funciones, o si tienen la debida documentacin (por ejemplo: seguro personal, etc.). La orientacin a los voluntarios debe incluir, adems, capacitacin en todas
las prcticas de seguridad que haya que seguir que conlleven un cdigo de conducta
claramente definido sobre cmo deben comportarse como voluntarios de la escuela, y
qu medidas se deben tomar en caso de emergencia.
ESPAOL
Programa
Aprobacin de los dirigentes y de la junta escolar tocante a actividades
fuera de la institucin
Hay que proporcionar a todos los voluntarios seguros de trabajo o de accidentes para
voluntarios. Por lo general, estos tipos de seguro se ofrecen a travs de la oficina de su
Asociacin, y pueden ser suplementarios del propio seguro personal del voluntario. Si
el (la) voluntario(a) se lesiona mientras desempea sus labores para la escuela, se debe
informar del accidente dentro de veinticuatro (24) horas a la oficina de Educacin de la
Asociacin.
Seguridad al viajar
Los viajes o excursiones escolares pueden resultar estupendos para los estudiantes,
el cuerpo docente y los voluntarios acompaantes. Todos los viajes y excursiones se
deben planear minuciosamente, para determinar los riesgos o peligros potenciales
que pudieran causar un accidente o una emergencia inesperada. Todos los viajes y excursiones escolares deben recibir el grado de aprobacin correspondiente. En Norteamrica, la autorizacin para excursiones durante el da debe contar con la aprobacin
del comit administrativo escolar; todas las excursiones donde se pase la noche fuera
del campus deben contar, adems, con la aprobacin de la junta escolar; y los viajes
al extranjero, con la aprobacin de su Asociacin o de la oficina de Educacin de la
Asociacin de la Unin. La seguridad durante los viajes debe ser prioridad absoluta del
proceso de planificacin.
Siempre que se planee un viaje, debe haber un formulario de permiso firmado e informacin de contacto del padre, de la madre o del (de la) tutor(a) del estudiante, para
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Recursos adicionales
Es necesario que los administradores escolares confirmen si cuentan con los seguros de
accidentes en viajes apropiados para todos los viajes o excursiones fuera del campus.
Revise cuidadosamente la pliza de seguro de accidentes para estudiantes de la escuela, a fin de determinar si cubre el tipo de actividades planeadas y el lugar geogrfico donde tendr lugar la excursin. Muchos programas de seguro de accidentes para
estudiantes solo ofrecen cobertura en su pas de residencia. Si determina que necesita
un seguro de viaje fuera del pas, la agencia Travel Hub de Adventist Risk Management
puede proporcionarle seguros de accidentes en viajes de corta duracin para su grupo
escolar. Para obtener ms informacin al respecto, srvase dirigirse a www.adventistrisk.org y seleccionar Travel Hub o llamar gratuitamente al (888) 951-4276.
ESPAOL
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www.adventistrisk.org