Employers and staff have legal responsibilities concerning health and safety under both common and statute law. The main regulations and requirements, which have implications for the management and organisation of practical activities in schools, are set out below.
Very few local authorities continue to provide comprehensive guidance on health and safety in art and design activities, to the schools they maintain responsibility for. In addition, there are very few readily accessible, up-to-date publications for teachers that deal exclusively with health and safety in art, craft and design.
Comprehensive guidance and accessible information can be found on the web site of the Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk/and specifically in the education section of the HSE website, which can be located here.
Those schools with a membership of CLEAPSS, will also be able to access detailed specialist health and safety information, developed in response to specific concerns regarding the use of specialist equipment, processes, materials and products. https://www.cleapss.org.uk/
