New safety manual for Indian schools in Oman

Muscat: School pupils’ safety is the focus of a manual on health, safety and environment (HSE) released by the Board of Directors of the Indian Schools in Oman at a function at Indian School Darsait.
Wilson V. George, Chairman, Board of Directors, said the manual is expected to create awareness regarding health, safety and environment in these schools and make them safer for children.
“The manual provides insights and spells out requirements for the safety and security of the campus, addressing issues such as safe use of electricity, fire hazards and control, traffic management, handling and storage of chemicals in the laboratory, food safety measures for canteens, emergency preparedness and many more,” he said.
The Board of Directors, as part of its policy to encourage various stakeholders in the school system to contribute to its different initiatives, had formed an HSE Taskforce in 2015.
The task force included HSE professionals from renowned corporates and parents of students studying in different schools.
The HSE Taskforce developed an HSE Manual for Indian Schools in Oman as one of its tasks. The Manual was finally approved and released for implementation in all Indian schools.
George also emphasised the significance of health and safety in any school, which is like a second home to children. “It is important that children learn to understand and manage the risks that are integral to everyday life. Staff should be given training so that they can keep themselves and children safe and manage any risks effectively,” he said.
PrabhakarTijare, in charge of the HSE activities representing the Board, underlined the need to create awareness regarding health and safety among staff and children.
Eswaramoorthy, Deputy General Manager for HSE with Galfar, who has been leading the task force that carried out HSE audits in schools, praised the initiatives of the school managements for starting school-monitored transport facilities, CCTV-monitored campuses and well defined health and environment clubs.
Representatives of school management, administrative staff and senior teachers who were present on the occasion shared the safety measures their respective schools had undertaken and suggested ways to create more environment-friendly campuses for the children.