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Health and Safety in Teaching

As a teacher working in a school, institution or at home you should know your rights and responsibilities regarding health and safety.

Last updated: 28 July 2023

Health and safety on school premises or other workplace

You must take responsibility for your own health and safety while on school premises. Any activity undertaken by you must not cause any harm to others.

Think about any possible health and safety issues there might be in your teaching space, bearing in mind that you must comply with the school’s health and safety procedures while on site.

While on school premises you should ensure that you are aware of the school’s procedures with regards to:

  • Pupil and teacher behaviour
  • The evacuation procedure in the event of a fire or major incidents
  • First aid provision
  • Accident reporting
  • The procedures for raising a health and safety issue

Risk assessments when teaching as a self-employed

If you are a self-employed teacher it is helpful to carry out a risk assessment that essentially lists all the tasks you carry out, the possible risks and what you should do to reduce or mitigate them.

Contact the Musicians' Union today

The MU has a network of experienced teams available to help musicians in all areas of the industry. If you have any questions about our services, membership or how the MU could help you, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

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