Pupils put at risk over poor safety standards

THE safety of thousands of secondary students and teachers is being put at risk because schools are failing to meet basic health and safety laws, according to a union leader.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) has found that almost one third of the 270 schools which responded to a recent survey had not conducted a fire drill in the past year.

One-in-five schools did not even have a safety statement, which is a basic legal requirement for all workplaces, and 31% of teachers said the inconsistent implementation of school discipline policies was creating a health hazard for teachers.