Plan safe EOTC trips and excursions
Plan ahead to identify allergens, put safeguards in place, ensure safe food practices are followed, and plan your emergency responses.
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Health and safety policies
Health and safety policies
Comply with legal responsibilities – NAG 5.
Review your health and safety policy and supporting procedures, using the EOTC SMP policy and procedure template.
- Identify those at risk of anaphylaxis from your student data.
- Identify those at risk of an allergic reaction from your student data.
- Minimise risks to triggers that could result in anaphylaxis, including food, insect venom, and latex.
- Ensure quick access to students’ ASCIA Anaphylaxis or Allergy Action Plans.
- Ensure quick access to students’ adrenaline, such as EpiPens.
- Ensure allergy medication, such as antihistamines and EpiPens, is available at all times and is up-to-date.
- Identify emergency procedures for students at risk of allergic reactions.
- Train all staff to recognise and deliver first aid to a child experiencing an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis.
Source: EOTC Guidelines 2016: Bringing the Curriculum Alive (opens in a new tab/window)
Times of high risk
Times of high risk
Put processes in place to ensure a timely response to an anaphylactic reaction.
Learners are most at risk when:
- their routine is broken, for example, during sports days
- they are at morning tea and lunch
- they are off site on excursions or camps
- immediate access to medical services is not available, for example, when tramping
- staff changes occur, for example, when relief staff are working
- participating in activities involving food, such as cooking lessons.
Source: Anaphylaxis Management Guidelines for Western Australian Schools (opens in a new tab/window)
RAMS
RAMS
Use the Tool Kit for EOTC Management to identify, assess, and control risks for students with allergies.
- Identify hazards – identify specific triggers, such as specific food, bees, wasps, and latex, which may exacerbate an allergic reaction. Plan to avoid these where possible.
- Assess risks – understand the nature of the risk, the consequences, and the likelihood of it happening. For example, a mild allergic reaction, such as a rash or swelling of the face, or a severe allergic reaction with difficulty breathing. Use the EOTC risk assessment form.
- Control risks –plan to implement effective control measures, such as quick access to students’ ASCIA Anaphylaxis or Allergy Action Plans, medication, including EpiPen and antihistamine, first-aid kit, and cell phone. Ensure parent helpers know which learners are at risk of severe reactions (anaphylaxis), the signs and symptoms to watch out for, and actions to take if anaphylaxis suspected.
- Review control measures – review your allergy emergency procedures: Are they working as planned?
Manage risk of anaphylaxis
Manage risk of anaphylaxis
Ensure you have procedures in place to manage food allergies safely, avoiding accidental exposure.
- Supervise children eating lunch outdoors or in new environments.
- Plan ahead to ensure any food purchased for trips or brought on the day is safe for students with food allergies.
- Do not allow food to be shared.
- Provide access to handwashing facilities.
- Clean surfaces where food is served to prevent the cross-contamination of allergens.
Excursions – Health and safety practices
Excursions – Health and safety practices
Ensure you are aware of any allergies and have the appropriate medication.
Use HS17 Excursions to support your planning.
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Useful resources
Useful resources
EOTC guidelines – Bringing the curriculum alive
School guidelines supporting safe and effective practices and procedures for EOTC.
Health and Safety requirements for boards and school leaders
These guides and tools are intended as a supplementary resource that will support the people involved in governance and leadership at schools to develop a clear understanding of what the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) means for them.
Publisher:
Licensing criteria for centre-based ECE services
This booklet contains the licensing criteria for ECE services. References to health and safety issues on excursions are on page 20.
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Develop and implement health and safety policies and procedures”:
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Return to the guide “Allergies and learning”
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Allergies and learning
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Recognise and respond to allergic reactionsShow suggestions for Recognise and respond to allergic reactions
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Develop and implement health and safety policies and proceduresShow suggestions for Develop and implement health and safety policies and procedures
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Create inclusive systemsShow suggestions for Create inclusive systems
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Create an inclusive learning environmentShow suggestions for Create an inclusive learning environment
