School leaders play a pivotal role in keeping schools safe from chemical accidents. Readers of this brochure can help schools develop a chemical cleanout and prevention program and assemble a team of teachers, facilities staff, and administrators with technical expertise to assess chemical safety issues and set policy. Some important team roles…

The introductory article to the special issue on pupil transportation summarizes the arguments of opponents and proponents of seat belts in school buses. (MLF)

Only two school districts in the entire country require mandatory school bus seat belts. Bus manufacturers favor "compartmentalization"--a set spacing of high-backed padded seats. Two well-documented school bus accidents, where seat belts were not used, are examined. (MLF)

Existing school bus safety standards make the whole vehicle safe and are more effective than seat belts in preventing passenger injuries. (MLF)

The deterrent to school bus accidents is preparedness. Training programs for drivers and mechanics, equipment specifications, and a community support base are some of the ways to prevent tragedy. (MLF)

Every aspect of coping with injuries and preventing injuries in school settings is covered in this book. It examines how and why students are injured and in what situations schools can be held responsible. It also explains how schools can provide a quick, efficient, and effective emergency response to injuries. How to collect injury data, how to…

Analyses of school bus accidents point to five accident-producing categories: (1) rear-end collisions; (2) sideswipes; (3) backing; (4) right turns; and (5) loading/unloading students. Reviews an accident of each type and focuses on the corrective action needed to reduce these accidents. (MLF)

Traces the death of a student athlete to deficiencies in the Yonkers, New York, athletic program. Includes evaluation questions based on actions later required of the Yonkers schools. (KS)

More children are killed outside their school buses than inside. To solve this problem, we should improve bus design, provide driver training programs for all school bus drivers, utilize the latest safety devices available, and improve ridership safety curriculum. (MLF)

Drownings in lifeguard supervised areas are often due to failure of guard to recognize signs of struggle, intrusion of nonlifeguard duties, and distraction from surveillance duties. Information on inservice training programs and suggestions for monitoring performance are given. (DF)

Camp riding programs should be examined regularly for liability and risk management issues. Elements of a basic safety assessment include requiring proper safety apparel, removing obstructions from riding rings, ensuring doors and gates are closed, requiring use of lead ropes, securing equine medications, banning smoking, posting written…

To reduce playground accidents, schools should (1) audit their playgrounds for compliance with current safety guidelines; (2) employ a risk manager; (3) develop a safety curriculum; and (4) put more emphasis on teaching basic movement competence to students. (MLF)

Describes the funding mechanism in Illinois that permits school districts to levy a separate tax to pay for risk management and tort liability. Offers practical applications for risk care management including risk care management job descriptions. (MLF)

This literature review addresses three specific safety issues: installing seat belts in new buses, retrofitting existing buses with seat belts, and comparing seat belts with other safety features. While inconclusive evidence is provided concerning the first issue, studies do suggest retiring older buses and possibly equipping buses that meet PL…

A Proactive Safety Campaign at Lake Central School Corporation in St. John, Indiana, has lowered workers' compensation insurance costs. Quarterly meetings with the insurance carrier and the director of each department address individual concerns. (MLF)