Follow the Education Act and your board’s policies and procedures when responding to and reporting student accidents and injuries.
When developing the school plan for responding to accidents and injuries, consider what will happen before (accident prevention), during (reaction/response) and after (follow-up) an injury.
1. Before
a. Planning
- Check all collective agreements for any clauses concerning the administration of first aid by staff.
- Review and comply with relevant safety legislation and board policies/procedures regarding school facilities and instructional activities.
- Review the school’s overall emergency response plan.
- Develop reporting and communication protocols in case of a serious accident.
- Develop and regularly review a crisis communication plan.
b. Training Staff
- Identify which staff members have first aid, CPR, and defibrillator training.
- Provide first aid training opportunities for staff, especially those working in the office, gym, science and technology areas.
- Provide training for staff on how to respond to an accident or injury.
- Train staff and students in the safe use of equipment and supplies, ranging from glue guns to chemicals in the science lab to machinery in the technology areas.
c. Prevention
- Communicate general accident and injury prevention strategies to staff, students, parents, volunteers and the school council; motivate participation in accident prevention activities.
- Display first aid and accident prevention posters and information in the staff room, main office, classrooms and common areas of the school.
- Review specific accident prevention/reaction programs in science labs, industrial arts and family studies rooms, physical education programs, on school buses and other critical areas.
d. Risk Assessment
- Practise general risk assessment and safety planning strategies; for example, conduct a site safety audit.
- Identify specific hazards or temporary hazards in the school or on school grounds. (See also chapters on Occupational Health and Safety and Emergency Preparedness for more information.)
- Identify students with special health needs and/or disabilities.
e. First Aid Kits
- Ensure that first aid kits containing updated supplies are located throughout the building and provided on field trips.
- Ensure staff compliance with procedures to prevent infection when dealing with bodily fluids; for example, the use of disposable gloves.
- Inform staff, students, supply teachers and volunteers about the location of first aid kits and trained first aid personnel, and on the procedures for responding to and reporting accidents.
2. When an Injury Occurs
A teacher should:
- Arrange to have the injury reported to the office and stay with the student, administering first aid if needed, or
- Bring the student to the office to both report the incident and render first aid as necessary.
A principal or designate should:
- Call for a trained first aider from list maintained at the school
- Arrange for medical assistance and/or transportation by ambulance to hospital, if necessary
- Inform the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) at the very first opportunity
- Have a staff member go to hospital with the student and take printed information regarding the student
- Be sure to complete and submit an accident report in a timely fashion, following board procedures. This is a critical step to take when an injury occurs
- Use your board’s accident report forms (or the Ontario School Boards’ Insurance Exchange Incident Report Form if your board does not provide one) and maintain a log regarding accidents
- Inform your supervisory officer and board personnel immediately if the injury is serious.
3. After an Injury
- Demonstrate concern for the student.
- Provide support for staff and students affected by the accident.
- Document all details regarding the accident. Be mindful of issues of negligence and liability. (See also chapter on Liabilities and Negligence in Schools for more information.) Also be mindful of Part XIII of The Education Act (Behaviour, Discipline and Safety) obligations where the injury was at the hands of another student and could attract suspension/expulsion consequences. In such instances there are responsibilities to investigate, apply discipline and notify the parents of students involved.
- Consult with the supervisory officer in the case of a serious accident or injury.
- Co-operate with board personnel, OSBIE, and legal counsel.
- Do not discuss the situation with agents appointed by the student’s family; consult your board.
- Follow your crisis communications plan if the media becomes involved.
- Call OPC if you would like additional advice and assistance.
Where a medically fragile student is able to attend school, section 265(j) of the Education Act requires a principal “to give assiduous attention to the health and comfort of the pupils.”
At the same time, the common-law standard of care imposed on staff is that of a reasonably prudent parent – albeit a reasonably prudent parent with a large number of children.
An Educator’s Guide to Special Education Law, B. Bowlby, C. Peters, M. MacKinnon, p. 187
Note: A principal is required to give assiduous attention to the health and comfort of all pupils
Should An Accident Occur
- Picture – take pictures of the accident scene, particularly in situations where the conditions might change quickly. Note date and time of day pictures are taken.
- Weather Conditions – document weather conditions indicating time of last snow, rain or freezing rain.
- Maintenance Routine – document regular maintenance routine – when performed and by whom.
- Witnesses – list names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses.
- Footwear – make note of type of footwear worn by injured party.
- Assistance – note name, address, and phone number of anyone who provided assistance to the person directly after a fall.
- Comments – note any comments made by injured person after a fall and to whom.
- Note any outstanding, relevant non-compliance reported to the board (e.g. health and safety report, work-order)
Adapted from OSBIE website – Risk Management Advisory – Occupiers’ Liability (www.osbie.on.ca)