School Risk Management

A healthy school environment should be the focus of any health, safety or wellness initiative. Studies prove that the better an indoor school environment is, the better student test scores will be. Better indoor environments also allow for healthier, more effective cleaning and can save on operating costs while providing more budget dollars for education. At LGC, our Health and Safety Advisors can help you conduct a facility evaluation and staff presentation that focuses on environmental factors contributing to a poor indoor environment and how to make positive culture changes. The following web links can connect you to valuable school program information from state departments and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency programs as well as and a downloadable grant application from New Hampshire Healthy Schools Program. Both an LGC Health and Safety Advisor and the New Hampshire Department of Education can assist you with implementing these programs, which have proven track records of success in schools throughout the country.

• Connecticut Department of Public Health - Tools for Schools Program
• EPA Healthy SEAT
• EPA Tools for Schools
• New Hampshire Department of Education School Building Aid
• New Hampshire Healthy Schools Program

Establishing a Joint Loss Management Committee (JLMC)—a requirement of the New Hampshire Department of Labor (DOL)—is the vehicle to formally addressing health and safety issues in your school. Complying with Lab 600 and 1400 should be your first step in developing a sound, risk management program for your district. An LGC Health and Safety Advisor can assist you with establishing a JLMC along with setting agendas and conducting effective meetings while complying with New Hampshire’s DOL rules.

At LGC, our Health and Safety Advisors and Certified Playground Safety Inspectors can work with you to inspect your playgrounds. The following linked PDFs can help you determine if your playground equipment is safe:

      ASTMI Playground Audit Guide

      Public Playground Safety Handbook

Playground Audit and Inspections
The LGC’s Certified Playground Inspector can conduct an audit of new or existing playgrounds for compliance with the Consumer Safety Product Commission and American Society for Testing and Standards International Guidelines for Public Playground Safety. The LGC will generate a follow-up report citing issues of non-compliance with recommendations for addressing potential safety hazards identified.

Your department heads and managers can receive one-on-one assistance from an LGC Health and Safety Advisor in developing policies and procedures that are mandated by either state or federal regulations and typically relate to personnel. Consultations cover the following topics:

• Drug free workplaces
• Bullying and harassment
• Drug and alcohol testing
• Sexual harassment/discrimination
• Hazardous communication
• Employment law issues
• Discipline
• Emergency response plans
• Use of facilities
• School policy requirements

The Safe School Initiative is a best practice and good place to start when developing or reviewing your district’s School Emergency Management Plans. It provides balance in emergency planning and violence prevention, which is the most prudent risk management strategy for today’s schools. Your LGC Health and Safety Advisor can provide copies of the Safe School Initiative for your planning team and assist you with organizing for success. The following online resources provide publications to download that relate to the Safe School Initiative plus valuable information from the New Hampshire Department of Emergency Management on school emergency planning:

• The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative (PDF)
• Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates (PDF)
• Physical Security Evaluation (SMART School Tool™)
• New Hampshire Department of Emergency Management - Emergency Planning for Schools

You can also learn about creating a safe and connected school environment through the LGC Academy's online Building a Respectful School Community class.

NHSAA Special Education Resource Hotline: 603.225.3230

NHSAA Special Education Support Center
At LGC, we cover half of the annual fee for the NHSAA’s Special Education Support Center for our groups. The support center provides advocacy and technical assistance to New Hampshire school districts regarding the implementation of special education programs and services. Group school districts receive, at a minimum, the following services or products:

• Access by telephone and/or email to consultation regarding a local problem or question
• Weekly email updates on issues of common concern
• Examples of model policies and procedures on special education
• Research and problem-solving, with executive summaries for members on timely topics
• Access to a rich website full of important resources
• Monitoring of new federal and state laws, rules and procedures
• Updates

Special Education Reimbursement
In response to rising claims related to interaction with children who act out in the school environment, LGC provides a registration reimbursement program which allows School Administrative Units to send one person to a ‘train the trainer’ Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) training or equivalent session. Our reimbursement program can help your district have a trained staff person available to provide non-violent CPI training to paraprofessionals and other support staff who may be in situations where interaction with students becomes an issue. Simply download a PDF of our Crisis Prevention & Intervention Training Registration Fee Reimbursement Form for completion.