How to Prevent Slips, Trips and FallsPreventing Attacks on Professional and Para-professional Employees
Safety Tip
by Terry Allen
Preventing Attacks on Professional and Para-professional Employees
The Risk Alert this month will again focus on injuries related to professional and para-professional employees in the school system.
Each quarter, all school
district and Education Service Unit workman’s comp claims are
examined by ALICAP employees and Loss Control Consultants, as well
as reviewed by district or ESU personnel. One category of special
concern and importance for professional and para-professional staff
members are the accidental or purposeful attacks made by students
on either teachers, principals, or para-professionals A large
number of these claims involve injuries incurred from special
education students and students with severe behavioral problems.
Some of these injuries are accidental because these students either
have trouble understanding school regulations, or because they just
do not realize their own strength and/or size. Other injuries can
be on purpose by students with behavioral issues. Each year,
teachers and para-processionals are hit, kicked, bitten, pushed,
pulled or, otherwise, harmed when objects are thrown at them. It is
important for local school board policies and administrative
procedures to clearly address how to deal with these students. All
policies and procedures should comply with Nebraska Revised
Statutes and case law. Those policies and procedures should address
ways for teachers and para-professionals to legally physically
restrain students so they do not harm other students, teachers,
para-professionals or themselves. All professional staff and
para-professionals should know the policies and procedures in this
area of their respective school districts. Some generally accepted
restraint procedures can be found in the Safety Manual for
Professional Staff (ALICAP, pages 44-46). These procedures may
include the following: holding a student’s hand, wrist, feet or
legs holding a student’s face down on the floor holding a student
against a wall seeking assistance from another employee
Your school’s safety committee or administration may be able to
assist or arrange instruction and materials on appropriate defense
mechanisms. Your school’s safety committee or administration may
also provide education and training regarding proper implementation
to your school district’s policies and procedures on these types of
matters. Local law enforcement officers can often assist in
providing this type of instruction. The school district’s legal
counsel should be consulted in the development of these procedures
and policies.
5.
