This page of the site contains useful documents to assist you in managing your premises.  They should be used in conjunction with advice from your Property Advisor (if you buy in to Vertas) or relevant other professional. 

Premises Management Training

Headteachers or a Bursar / Business Manager should attend Premises Management training by Vertas. The course covers what you are expected to do in terms of your building safety. Caretakers and maintenance personnel will also find this useful, especially if they are expected to carry out checks on areas such as fire safety, water temperatures and so forth. Please contact Vertas directly via [email protected] for dates and further information.  

Asbestos and RAAC

• 5 September 2023 – Email to all maintained schools – RAAC in school premises
• HSE’s visits to Schools – Management of Asbestos – 4 November 2022
• Asbestos – site emergency plan – Suffolk County Council document.
• Strategic Asbestos Management Plan – Suffolk County Council document.
• Site Specific Asbestos Management Plan – Suffolk County Council document.
• Asbestos Site Work Signining-In Log – Suffolk County Council document.
• Asbestos Health and Safety – HSE guidance.
• Managing asbestos in your school or college – Department of Education guidance.

Confined spaces

• Confined spaces – HSE guidance.

Contractors

• Managing contractors – HSE guidance.

Doors and blind cords safety

• Guidance on the use of finger protection on doors and gates – Suffolk County Council guidance.
• Blind cords safety alert – Suffolk County Council guidance.

Estate management

• Schools Service Level Plan – Suffolk County Council specification.
• Guidance for making changes to building – Suffolk County Council guidance.
• Landlord Concent Form – Suffolk County Council document.
• Good estate management for schools – Department of Education advice.
• Simple checklist for hiring out halls – HSE guidance – writen for village and community halls, though can be applied to school halls as well.
• Preventing radicalisation responsible venue hire guidance – Suffolk guidance for preventing radicalisation in community venues.

Premises security

• Schools Site Security Letter – Issued jointly by Suffolk County Council and Suffolk Constabulary.
• School Site Security Guidance and Self Assessment – Issued jointly by Suffolk County Council and Suffolk Constabulary.

Slip, trips and falls

• Slips and Trips – HSE guidance.

Traffic on site and staff directing traffic

• Guidance for staff on safely directing vehicles on site – cars, deliveries, minibuses, taxis etc

Tree safety

• Management of the risk from falling trees or branches – HSE guidance.

Waste management

• Waste and recycling – Suffolk.gov.uk information.

Water hygiene

• Water Hygiene Management Plan – Suffolk County Council specification.
• Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease – HSE guidance.

Working at height

• Work at height – HSE guidance.
• Safe use of ladders and stepladders – HSE guidance.
• ‘LA455 Safe Use of Ladders and Stepladders – a brief guide’ is the new guidance jointly produced by the Ladder Association and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Other premises management information covered elsewhere on the site

• Competent person – see Health and safety policies and related responsibilities.
• Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) – see CLEAPS and COSHH.
• Dust – see CLEAPS and COSHH.
• Electrical safety – see Fire safety.
• Fire safety and prevention – see Fire safety
• Maintenance – see Audits and Workplace Inspections.
• Svimming pools – see Playgrounds and Physical Education.