SAGESSE HIGH SCHOOL
MARY MOTHER OF WISDOM
AIN SAADEH
Sagesse High School Safety Policy
Safety and Health Policy
In accordance with the mission statement an Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management (EHSRM) program has been established.
Sagesse High School (SHS) is committed to the provision and maintenance of a safe and healthy environment for its faculty, staff, students, visitors, and the general public, all of which comprise the School Community (SC). SHS considers safety to be of paramount importance, for this reason an Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management program (EHSRM) was established with the authority and responsibility to develop and implement a safety and risk management program for the SC. The mission of EHSRM is to effectively address the School’s liability and to promote a safe and healthy environment that allows the school to meet its mission.
Moreover, the school cares for the safety of the SC both on and off campus. To this end the school has started and will continue with a series of lectures and activities for the SC to be prepared for several emergency situations and help assure their wellbeing.
The Emergency Response Team (ERT) was established in 2013. The Chief Commander is Rector Gabriel Tabet . The team is composed of about 20 volunteer faculty and staff members and is headed by Azmi P. Imad. The ERT has received and will continue to receive training in Firefighting, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, First Aid and response to various emergencies including but not limited to: Gas Leaks, Earthquakes, Fires, Burning Oil Pans, Electrocution, Safe Checking of Gas Bottles, Laboratory and Home Spills, as well as Home and School security. This training will also be offered to students, faculty and staff. It is important to note that this training needs to be updated regularly.
The Students, Faculty and Staff will also be trained in:
- Defensive driving in collaboration with the National Safety Council which is a 100 years old non-profit organization in the USA. This training will help save lives and prevent injuries.
- Food Sanitation and poisoning.
- Electrocution.
- Exit and Shelter in Place drills
- Other Emergencies.
It is hoped that all the SC will be involved in such safety and lifesaving skills so that they are able to live happily and benefit from the education provided at SHS.
Exit and Shelter in Place Drills
Exit drills from buildings and bus evacuation training are important in case of fire, smoke, earthquake, hazardous material spill, or other emergencies. Safe exit is the most important thing to do as it assures the safety of all concerned. Thus the School will continue to have trained teams to fight fires and deal with various emergencies.
Shelter in Place drills are designed to prepare the SC to handle unlikely events such as terrorism, bombings and intruders. By performing Shelter in Place drills the school detects any weaknesses in the action of the people and school facilities so that these may be corrected in time to better protect the building occupants.
These drills are important for everyone at school and at home and will help prevent injuries and death. The practice we perform helps us to act quickly and safely in real situations.
Responsibilities and Authorities
EHSRM responsibilities and authorities include following:
- Providing a safety and health program which complies with existing Lebanese safety regulations and is equivalent to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) , Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other USA or international safety standards as may be required.
- Surveying the school premises including buildings and outdoor areas to look for safety matters, prescribe and follow up on corrective measures.
- Review and approve plans for construction, renovations or alterations to assure that safety measures are included in these plans during the planning stages.
- Establish, direct and train an Emergency Response Team (ERT).
- Shut down areas and stop operations which are deemed to be immediately dangerous.
- Advise the school administration of any activity or condition that appears to be hazardous or exposes the school to acceptable liabilities and risks.
- Review insurance policies before they are singed to assure that the school is adequately protected.
- Represent the School to outside agencies regarding issues pertaining to EHSRM.