SECTION 14 - Welfare

14.1 Stress

There are many studies which document the stressful nature of teaching as an occupation. The role of the small school principal can be very stressful because of the many roles built into this one position.

As a new principal you will have to quickly develop knowledge and skills in the following:

School Management

  • coordination of administrative tasks
  • problem solving
  • personnel management
  • staff development
  • industrial relations
  • meeting management
  • policy making coordination
  • management of physical resources
  • financial management
  • supervision

Leadership and Human Relations

  • personal educational philosophy
  • identification of school/community values
  • broadening commitment to whole school development
  • communication skills
  • management of change
  • staff welfare
  • conflict resolution
  • training and development
  • community relations

Curriculum and Instruction

  • instructional leadership
  • curriculum monitoring
  • contact with students

External Relationships

  • awareness of social-political trends in education
  • marketing the school and its policies
  • communication with district office, state office and other service providers

The dual role of the Small School Principal may also be a source of stress due to:

  • conflict of interest - being a full-time teacher and a full-time principal
  • lack of job satisfaction - the feeling that nothing is done well because you have to attempt to do so much.
  • expectations of others - you are expected to be an exemplary teacher but it is difficult to deliver
  • system demands - being called away from the school for conferences etc.

Stress does not necessarily have to be negative. Without positive stress many people will not attempt to reach their full potential.

What we are talking about is not stress but pressure. Pressure is a desirable, healthy form of stress.

 

14.2 Coping with Stress

Sometimes we complain about stress when what we are really experiencing is pressure. Ask yourself

"Is this really negative stress - or desirable pressure?"

If it's pressure, enjoy it, if it's stress, do something about it.

Stress Reducing Strategies

A. Creating a Pleasant Work Environment

Make your office pleasant, without being self indulgent, with plants, pictures, art pieces, pupils' work, photographs etc.

B. Limit Your Work

a) Allocate a reasonable time to your work given all the other demands of being:

  • wife/husband
  • parent/care giver
  • friend
  • colleague
  • family member
  • member of the community

b) Do not try to go to all the meetings

c) Do not try to read every piece of mail, select what you need to read and delegate other items or dispose of it

d) Keep a balance in your life and make time for all facets of your existence:

  • physical
  • social
  • mental
  • spiritual

e) Take time to laugh at yourself and the world in general

  • rent a funny movie
  • run a silly photo competition
  • have a dress up day

f) Make time to do something nice for yourself each day

  • take a walk
  • soak in the pool
  • visit a friend
  • paint, draw, or listen to your favourite music

C. Avoid False Guilt

a) Do not allow parents or staff make you feel guilty about something that you or your school did

b) Be tolerant of your mistakes

c) Keep perfectionism in check. Trying to be perfect in everything is self-defeating. Learn what you are good at and perfect those skills.

d) Take time to focus on what is important. Ensure that the work you do is in line with the primary goals of the school

D. Drive Your Own Bus

a) Do not accept everyone's personal problems, be sympathetic but recognise that most people are capable of solving their own problems, and will grow from the experience

b) Be selective about what you take on

c) Learn to say NO.

 

E. Work Smart

a) Don't re-invent the wheel - check what is already available and can be modified to meet your needs.

b) Collaborate with others

c) Delegate

d) Utilise technology eg a cordless phone can free you from the office

e) Recognise and use the skills of others. "Delegate or Disintegrate"

f) Keep a copy of form letters which can be used again and again

 

F. Work on Win/Win Approach to Conflict

a) Be prepared to negotiate

b) See things from the other person's perspective

c) Compromise on things that are significant to others but not of great importance to you

G. Manage Your Time

a) Set routines for things like opening the mail or making telephone calls

b) Do not drop everything to answer the phone. Train a student to answer the phone and take messages or ask callers to ring at a preferred, non-teaching time

c) Create a "thin" workable filing system to save time looking for essential forms

d) Organise a "reference" of important contacts and numbers and carry it with you

 

H. Plan and Prioritise

a) Maintain a daily TO DO list and prioritise the tasks

b) Write things down so you do not forget important tasks

Plan for Success

 

I. Develop a Support Network

Create an informal support network which will enable you to let off steam, receive moral support, accept helpful advice and share ideas and feelings.

14.3 Staff Welfare Scheme

The Department has formal procedures to assist staff who need support or counselling.
There is a staff welfare officer in each district and welfare organisations contracted to provide assistance.
This service is confidential.
Staff Welfare 131536

14.4 Occupational Health and Safety

The Department of Education and Training, in common with all employers, has responsibilities to its employees under Section 15 of the occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 No. 20. Section 15 states in brief "Employers (are) to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees".

Other sections of the OHS Act 1983 which deal with the role of the employer in workplace health and safety are:

Section 16 - which outlines the employer's responsibility to ensure the health and safety of non-employees such as visitors and customers - this includes students.

Section 26 - which protects employees from dismissal when they raise health and safety issues.

Section 50 - which defines who, in management, is responsible for a breach of the Act by the employer.

Section 53 - which defines the degree of responsibility of the employer for a breach of the act.

The DET develops its policies in accordance with the legal requirements of the industrial law which include Industrial Relations law, Occupational Health and Safety law and Workers Compensation Law. Authority is then delegated by the DET to principals to implement these policies in their schools. In a situation where a principal has not implemented DET policy, the principal could be held responsible and could be personally liable for any penalty imposed under the Act. If a principal is aware of an OHS problem, this should be reported to the District Superintendent who should refer it on through the appropriate channels. It is not considered a defence in law to say "I did not know".

Where the Act has been contravened, the court will investigate both the employer and manager responsibility under the Act. The principal would be considered a manager in this context. Principals have an obligation to ensure the safety of people such as tradespeople working on school premises and not to endanger them by asking them to work in or on an unsafe location eg. asking an electrician to work on live circuits. To assist the principal in ensuring that they do not endanger others there should be written procedures that must be followed when any work is being done at the school.

Principals are also employees of the DET, and as such, are bound by Section 19 of the OHS Act which states "Employees as workers (are) to take care of others and co-operate with the employer". Therefore they should not endanger or cause harm to themselves or others by what they do or fail to do.

Principals also need to be aware that there have been changes to the OHS regulations concerning:

Hazardous Substances - which covers labelling of containers, Material Safety Data Sheets, assessment and control of risks to health, training employees, monitoring of exposure and record keeping.

Noise - which covers hazards arising from exposure to noise which needs to be identified, assessed and controlled. The regulation sets a noise exposure limit of 85dB(A).

Plant - which aims to protect people from risks arising from plant which includes machinery, equipment, appliances and tools.

Manual handling is an important issue in OH&S. The principal will need to set up safe systems of work for all manual handling tasks for teachers, SASS, GAs and students.

14.4.1 Specific Occupational Health and Safety Responsibilities

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 and associated regulations place specific responsibilities on all persons at the workplace.

Principals and supervisors are responsible for:

  • providing staff, students and other a safe and healthy environment which is conducive to working and learning;
  • developing policies and procedures to prevent risk and secure a safe and healthy working environment;
  • providing information, education and appropriate training necessary to ensure health and safety at work;
  • monitoring and reviewing the working environment under their control;
  • ensuring staff maintain a high level of awareness of health and safety issues;
  • establishing procedures for effective occupational rehabilitation; and
  • fostering a working environment which encourages staff to co-operate with the occupational rehabilitation program.

All staff are responsible for:

  • taking reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others at the workplace;
  • co-operating with the supervisor in ensuring a safe and healthy working environment;
  • reporting potential and actual health and safety hazards to principals and supervisors; and
  • co-operating with the supervisor to support occupational rehabilitation.

14.5 WORKCOVER

WorkCover New South Wales is a statutory authority which administers the legislation for Occupational Health and Safety, Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation in N.S.W. WorkCover NSW aims to prevent work-related injury and illness and their social and economic impacts by:

  • improving health and safety in the workplace
  • rehabilitating injured workers
  • compensating injured workers and their dependents

WorkCover NSW has a number of metropolitan and country offices which can:

  • advise on rights and responsibilities concerning OHS, Workers Compensation and rehabilitation;
  • investigate causes of accidents, injuries and illnesses;
  • assist in mediation and resolution of disputes about OHS, WC and Rehab;
  • license and certify systems for hazardous operations.

"Your Guide to Health and Safety in the Workplace" - Workcover NSW 1998 (Order # 909)

Information and Training

WorkCover NSW Information Centre
Phone: 131050

 

WorkCover Bookshop
Locked Bag 10 (Clarence Street)
PO Box
SYDNEY 2000

Phone: 0293705303
Fax: 0293706127
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

14.6 Workers Compensation

Worker's compensation is generally available to teachers if they:

  • are injured at work;
  • have contracted an infectious disease while at work;
  • are injured outside schools hours while on duty;
  • have an injury or illness which is aggravated by conditions at work;
  • are injured travelling to or from work.

In the event of an injury, the principal should send completed claim forms, certificates and documents to the Personnel Support Officer at District Office within seven (7) days of receiving them. Principal's should follow instructions in the "Workers Compensation and Rehabilitation Resource Manual" when preparing the claim for filing.

For further information or advice in filing a workers compensation claim, contact the Staff Welfare Officer or Personnel Support Officer at District Office.

Principals must notify WorkCover NSW of any accident to staff, non-employee or student which results in death, serious injury or results in the person being unable to attend or perform usual duties for a continuous period of seven (7) days.

Notification is made by lodging the WorkCover Accident Report Form which is obtainable from the nearest WorkCover NSW Office or District Office.
Failure to lodge this form may render the principal liable for a personal fine of $25,000.00.

Worker's Compensation insurer for the DET is the Government Insurance Office (GIO) through the Treasury Managed Fund.

14.7 Rehabilitation

WorkCover defines "occupational rehabilitation" as the "restoration of injured workers to the fullest physical, social, vocational and economic usefulness of which they are capable, consistent with pre-injury status. It is a managed process aimed at maintaining injured or ill workers in, or returning them to, suitable employment. It involves early intervention with appropriate, adequate and timely services based on assessment of the injured worker's needs". It is a process that has a beginning and an end.

 

Under the WorkCover Scheme, management of workplace injuries is now the responsibility of the employer.

Employer's Responsibilities

The Workers Compensation Act 1987 and Workplace Injury Management & Workers Compensation ACT 1988, requires employers to:

  • have a Workplace Program detailing policy and procedures for returning injured people to work;
  • have a written return to work plan for any worker who is unfit for twelve (12) weeks or longer;
  • display a summary of the Workplace Rehabilitation Program in the worksite;
  • employ a Rehabilitation Coordinator. In the case of the DET, this position is filled by the Staff Welfare office in district office.

 

Principal's Responsibilities

As one of the key facilitators in the development and implementation of the Return to Work Plan for the injured worker in a school environment, the principal should:

  • maintain contact with the injured worker;
  • assist in identifying suitable duties;
  • arrange for the provision of any special equipment;
  • liaise with all parties involved in devising the Return to Work Plan.

 

Advice on rehabilitation can be obtained from the Staff Welfare Officer at district office.
This information on Occupational Health and Safety, WorkCover and Rehabilitation was prepared by Dianne Nolan, Staff Welfare Officer - Broken Hill District Office.

 

Occupational Health, Safety & Injury Management - Guidelines for Principals and Management 1997

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