Interactive Screen on Wheels - Health and Safety

[talksr]

Hi there,

 

As a temporary measure, we have installed a Dell Interactive Screen on wheels into a classroom where a lamp had blown on a projector.

This room will have a permanent replacement board on the wall by the end of the financial year.

Unfortunately, this is not good enough for the member of staff who teaches in this room. She seems to think that the long legs on the mount for the screen are 'ridiculous'. I explained that they are not ridiculous in the slightest and protrude out quite deliberately so that the screen doesn't topple over and probably kill a child.

 

The teacher claims that both her and a child have tripped over the legs and that it is a hazard. I have explained that I am more than happy to have the site manager wrap yellow and black hazard tape around the legs of the trolley holding the screen, so they are more visible but she is not happy with this.

 

My head teacher, like me, is fed up with the ungrateful attitudes I seem to encounter (we ordered this screen just for this teacher on a temporary basis and it cost well in excess of £5). My head wants me to take the screen out and leave the teacher with no interactive display at all.

 

Has anyone else encountered moany, health and safety minded teachers regarding interactive screens on wheels and if so, what did you do to overcome this.

I can see where the teacher is coming from, but the legs are long to stop an even bigger health and safety issue. There is just no pleasing some people!

[6Foot2]

...we ordered this screen just for this teacher on a temporary basis and it cost well in excess of £5...

You really can't help some people. I mean the expense you have gone to, and you get this reaction!

 

[Typo acknowledged]

 

[Dave_G]

The teacher claims that both her and a child have tripped over the legs and that it is a hazard. I have explained that I am more than happy to have the site manager wrap yellow and black hazard tape around the legs of the trolley holding the screen, so they are more visible but she is not happy with this.

 

Do you have a designated Health and Safety Officer?

 

I would email them to say that you have been informed of a potential classroom hazard, then they can risk assess and decided on what action (if any) needs to be taken.

[bald_pig]

If the head wants to leave the teacher without, I'd do it. If they have any problems they can talk to the head!

[unixman_again]

My head wants me to take the screen out and leave the teacher with no interactive display at all.

 

Sounds like a plan.

 

Has anyone else encountered moany, health and safety minded teachers regarding interactive screens on wheels and if so, what did you do to overcome this.

 

We refer them to the site manager. Ours is in charge of site safety and what he says goes; if he there isn't a problem, then there isn't and if he says there is, his chaps sort it.

[synaesthesia]

Point at all the tables with nasty corners on them, all the chairs with those toe-busting legs, all the teacher's crap over the desk that could all constitute H&S issues and ask if she'd like you to personally strip her room of everything.

[Homer]

Follow what the heads asked you do do, other than that a simple risk assessment will do - the basis of which could be along the lines of;

 

Is there a need for this? Yes

Risk: Severity moderate (cut, sprain, potentially a break) - Likelihood possible (should be looked at)

Can you remove the hazard? No - if satisfactory lessons are to be taught

Can you reduce the risk? Yes. How? Black and yellow tape on the legs to make them more obvious, sign warning of potential trip hazards under the screen, competent staff in the classroom at all times to monitor behavior, ensuring the screen is sited far enough from other furniture so that it will not impinge on movement of people, making sure no cables are trailing.

No PPE.

 

Residual risk: Severity remains moderate due to it still going to hurt if somebody does trip, however, it is now a remote chance of it happening with proper controls in place - an acceptable risk.

 

If this is not satisfactory - make the screen non-interactive and make an exclusion zone around the screen to allow it to perform its primary function while making sure people remain safe so the likelihood drops to highly unlikely and the risk is almost eliminated.

 

Or do what the H/T has done and eliminate the risk!

 

Sounds like your H/T is on side though so that is a very good thing!

[failnator]

Personally I'd remove it and when they complain about not having anything get them to talk to the head instead. Will teach them.

[localzuk]

Seems like your only real option is present the choice the teacher has to them:

 

1. Live with the portable TV, a device in use in thousands of schools and businesses across the world without issue

2. Take it away and leave them with no interactive screen or working projector.

 

Only way to deal with it IMO.

[synaesthesia]

Can you go and buy her a cheap but particularly ugly pair of safety boots?

[talksr]

Follow what the heads asked you do do, other than that a simple risk assessment will do - the basis of which could be along the lines of;

 

Is there a need for this? Yes

Risk: Severity moderate (cut, sprain, potentially a break) - Likelihood possible (should be looked at)

Can you remove the hazard? No - if satisfactory lessons are to be taught

Can you reduce the risk? Yes. How? Black and yellow tape on the legs to make them more obvious, sign warning of potential trip hazards under the screen, competent staff in the classroom at all times to monitor behavior, ensuring the screen is sited far enough from other furniture so that it will not impinge on movement of people, making sure no cables are trailing.

No PPE.

 

Residual risk: Severity remains moderate due to it still going to hurt if somebody does trip, however, it is now a remote chance of it happening with proper controls in place - an acceptable risk.

 

If this is not satisfactory - make the screen non-interactive and make an exclusion zone around the screen to allow it to perform its primary function while making sure people remain safe so the likelihood drops to highly unlikely and the risk is almost eliminated.

 

Or do what the H/T has done and eliminate the risk!

 

Sounds like your H/T is on side though so that is a very good thing!

 

 

Thanks everyone for your input and help on this. @Homer thanks for the above, that is really helpful. I have put this into a chart and will forward on to both the head and teacher in question.

 

I do really wonder sometimes if people don't have better things to be moaning about, but unlike a lot of you (from what I have read in the past), I have a head and an SMT who are fully behind me and trust my decisions/opinions. I really don't want to take the equipment out unless really necessary as I think it will impinge on the education of the children.

 

Let's see what happens next! It really does beggar belief sometimes!

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Can you go and buy her a cheap but particularly ugly pair of safety boots?

 

haha and a helmet, and maybe a roll of bubble wrap!

[talksr]

Just a quick update....

 

I produced a risk assessment along the lines of what @Homer had helpfully suggested.

 

The head teacher passed this onto the teacher in question and said she has until Wednesday to accept it or the board will be removed.

She has given in and said that hazard tape should be 'fine'!

I bl00dy suggested that weeks ago!

 

Anyway, it looks like the situation has been resolved.

 

Next time she needs anything doing in her room, I think I may postpone it on grounds of health and safety...chairs and tables in the way, the journey from my office to her room may have hazards along the way.

 

Some people have just got so much time on their hands and are SO ungrateful!

 

Thanks everyone for your input, humour and comments!

[6Foot2]

...Some people have just got so much time on their hands...

 

On topic reply: Glad it's sorted.

 

[pete]

When we bought our last Loxit trolley we specced yellow feet becuase it would be going in an area with especially clumsy people.

 

Ask site staff if they have any enamel paint?

 

IIRC we sourced it via @ICTDirect_Dave

[talksr]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]50581[/ATTACH]

 

On topic reply: Glad it's sorted.

 

 

Thanks!

Haha! If it were up to me...they wouldn't have any hands...then no way of emailing me with their silly questions and complaints!

[ICTDirect_Dave]

When we bought our last Loxit trolley we specced yellow feet becuase it would be going in an area with especially clumsy people.

 

Ask site staff if they have any enamel paint?

 

IIRC we sourced it via @ICTDirect_Dave

 

You did, and I remember the yellow feet!