School Safety Assessments and Loss Prevention
Joint KSBA/KDE/KCSS safety assessment process
Loss Prevention
The primary objective of KSBA’s school safety and loss prevention services is to help school entities establish or enhance their safety programs. The results of sound safety programs will benefit the school districts’ students, employees, and visitors by preventing the occurrence of serious accidents, or injuries. Preventing accidents ultimately results in reduced insurance premiums for all types of school insurance, including workers’ compensation and general liability. KSBA is dedicated to helping schools keep their insurance costs as low as possible through the use of safety and loss control management programs.
Recognizing the value of safety, and loss control to local school districts, KSBA implemented a safety and loss prevention program in 1988. The Safety and Loss Prevention Specialist provides the following services to school districts to help them maintain an overall safe school environment:
Accident Trend Analysis
Available to all participating districts is a computerized accident trend analysis of a district’s workers’ compensation claims. From this analysis, the claims experience can then be evaluated by categorizing by department, or cause of injury for a particular policy year. Claims also may be classified by the part of the body affected or by the nature of the injury. The analysis cites accident trends useful to improving experience modifications by focusing inspections, safety awareness, or training efforts on the area most in need of improvement.
Loss Prevention Survey
A loss prevention survey is an important aspect of the loss prevention program and is used to recognize, evaluate, and control loss exposures. The physical inspection typically is a focused walk-through tour geared toward helping a school safety committee or building administrator develop effective solutions to specific problems.
Safety Training Programs
Periodic safety training of staff is an essential component of a safety awareness program.
Training programs are conducted at a site selected by the school district and tailored to address the district’s specific loss prevention needs. Training programs can be designed to address several occupational groups during one program or individual departments can in instructed separately, at the districts direction. The typical safety training program generally is presented in a one to one-and-a-half hour format, but longer workshops may be arranged.
Playground Safety Inspections
KSBA has on its staff a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. The playground safety inspection is provided at no cost to participating school districts. The playground safety inspection will focus on meeting the standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The playground safety inspection will review surfacing requirements, play equipment spacing, play equipment heights, age appropriate play equipment, and supervision requirements.