Mid-Year Climbing Safety Standards Updates

A mid-year update was made to the helmet requirement for some Climbing safety standards. Consult Mid-Year Climbing Safety Standards Updates for more information.

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Sample Supervisory Officer Checklist

The sample checklist is a tool that can be used by Supervisory Officers (directors/superintendents) to identify their responsibilities to provide for a safe physical activities program, in their school Board, using Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE).

Communication

Establish a process to communicate with school board staff, students, and stakeholders (for example, parents, community partners) the safety standards for the school board's Health and Physical Education Programs (curricular, intramural and interschool) and the school board’s concussion protocol (OPASSE or the localized verison of OPASSE).
Communicate with stakeholders on how to access OPASSE or the school board’s localized resources.
Where appropriate provide additional resources, to relevant stakeholders, to assist in the implementation of a safe Health and Physical Education Program and/or concussion protocol.

Staff Training, Student Learning, Stakeholder Information

Establish a consistent school board approach to training school board staff, educating students and informing stakeholders.
Establish a process to identify the information and training needs of school staff and stakeholders for Health and Physical Education Programs and/or concussion protocol at the school board and school level.
Determine the format of training that the school board will use (for example, electronic, staff meetings, staff review).
Provide information and training regarding Health and Physical Education Programs (curricular, intramural, interschool) to school board staff that are responsible for these programs.
Provide concussion information to stakeholders (for example, School Administrators, Secondary H&PE Department Heads, Teachers, Coaches, Occasional Teachers, new Teachers)
Plan, develop and provide information, instruction and resources to be provided at system level for Health and Physical Education Programs and concussion protocol (for example, awareness, prevention, identification and management).
Where training is to be conducted by School Administrator for school staff provide relevant information and resources.
Where training is to be conducted by School Administrator/Teachers for students provide relevant information and resources.

Documentation

Establish a system wide process to record and retain documentation from the training, such as the date, time, summary of content, and the particpants attendance.
Establish a process to ensure those absent receive information at earliest opportunity.

Inspections and other means of hazard identification

Establish a process to have school facilities and equipment used for Health and Physical Education Programs inspected on a regular basis by the school board’s Facilities Department and/or approved third party provider.
Establish a process to review each school’s inspection results and ensure corrective actions are taken.
Share each schools inspection results with the principal and ensure corrective actions are completed.

First aid Plan and Emergency First Aid Response

Communicate to school administrators the board’s First Aid Plan and Emergency First Aid Response.

Accident Investigation and Reporting

Communicate to School Administrators how to use the school board’s accident investigation and reporting system.
Establish a process to review data provided through the accident investigating and reporting system and identify areas of concern and possible corrective actions.
Share data with School Administrators and suggested corrective actions.
Discuss areas of concern regarding safety with School Administrators during school visits.

Keep up to date in the area of safety

At the beginning of the year:

Review OPASSE’s yearly revisions to the safety standards that come out at the beginning of each school year (September)
Communicate revisions to relevant school staff and stakeholders
Where appropriate make adjustments to school board safety standards and communicate to stakeholders.

During the school year:

Ensure school staff identify physical activity safety concerns and communicate school board responses. If support is needed check with Ophea’s ‘Ask Ophea’ function.
Identify areas within OPASSE that need to be updated for the following year.

End of the term/year:

Establish a review process (for example, yearly and/or every 3-5 years)
Content of safety standards
In service to School Administrators, Department Heads, Teachers, Coaches, Occasional Teachers, new Teachers.

Resources

Supervisory Officers must be aware of responsibilities for safety in all aspects of physical education programs:

  • Ministry of Education – The Ontario Curriculum Health and Physical Education: Grades 1-8; Grades 9-10; Grades 11-12
  • Policy Program Memorandum 158: School Board Policies on Concussion
  • Council of Ontario Directors of Education – Creating a Culture of Safety Mindedness (b) Health and Physical Education Overview: ontariodirectors.ca/SIPI/2017/Update_no_2_SIPP-Final.pdf