Health and safety knowledge vital for schoolchildren, says Leeds Beckett expert

That was the message from Leeds Beckett University academic Tim Briggs as he handed out two health and safety awards at the 2015 Education Business Awards.

The gongs handed out by Mr Briggs were sponsored by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), of which he is Immediate Past President. Mr Briggs also gave a presentation on health and safety in schools at the ceremony at The Grange Hotel, St Paul’s, London.

He told delegates, mostly made up of senior school staff, he was delighted to hear that children were learning about health and safety. He added that teaching children about risks at a young age will help them live and deal with them when they grow up.

Mr Briggs, who is Course Leader of BSc (Hons) Safety Health and Environmental Management at Leeds Beckett, said: “IOSH is very happy to be involved in these awards. It is great to hear about how schools are taking health and safety so seriously.

“Safety is a philosophy that allows people to grow, develop and be educated, so it is very important in schools.

“If young children realise that they can look after themselves using sensible measures they will learn to develop risk knowledge and deal with more complex risks in the future.

“At IOSH we want children to be risk aware, not risk averse.”

The awards handed out by Mr Briggs on Wednesday 8 July were for Excellence in Health and Safety (presented to Maltings Academy of Witham in Essex) and Innovation in Health and Safety (presented to Leas Park Junior School in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire).

They were part of 22 which were handed out during the ceremony, which is held annually by the Education Business magazine to recognise outstanding achievement in schools.

IOSH is the world’s largest membership organisation for health and safety professionals. It has several different groups which focus on a variety of industries, including one for education.