TEACHERS are required to investigate and compile reports of any occupational health and safety breaches in schools.

Education Ministry OHS and First Aid national trainer Veer Chand said the new process of dealing with OHS breaches in schools was a requirement of the ministry, which had so far trained and certified more than 760 teachers in the country.

He said this was an effort by the ministry to strengthen the health and safety compliance standards in every school.

“What is required of a teacher is to know, as a proactive measure, the occupational health and safety regulations,” he said.

“And they apply those regulations in their schools to ensure that students are safe in the school environment.”

He said regular OHS programs in schools were also compulsory.

“Regular meetings with the headteachers and school board are held to ensure the school environment is made safe and secure while in-house training is done weekly for the rest of the teachers.

“Students are also educated on OHS and first aid because this is an important aspect of their everyday learning in school.

“If these are not implemented in the school system, then students and teachers will not be aware of what is or is not hazardous in their environment which causes avoidable accidents.”