Health & Safety 

@ Our Lady Immaculate School

Legionella Testing at OLIS

What is Legionella?
Legionnaires' disease is an uncommon form of pneumonia which can be severe, often lethal. It's caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila found in both potable and nonpotable water systems.  Legionnaires’ disease, or Legionellosis, is a severe infection caused by Legionella species, primarily L. pneumophila. The disease typically presents as pneumonia and symptoms may include a high fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, headaches, and diarrhea.

How is Legionella contracted?

The most popular theory is that the organism is aerosolized in water and people inhale the droplets containing Legionella. However, new evidence suggests that another way of contracting Legionella is more common. "Aspiration" is the most common way that bacteria enter into the lungs to cause pneumonia. Aspiration means choking such that secretions in the mouth get past the choking reflexes and instead of going into the esophagus and stomach, mistakenly, enter the lung. The protective mechanisms to prevent aspiration is defective in patients who smoke or have lung disease. Aspiration now appears to be the most common mode of transmission.


What is the school doing?
To regulate and control the risk from exposure to legionella bacteria two regulations were published under the Public Health Act, namely the Control of Legionella Regulations, 2006 (L.N.5 of 2006) and the Registration of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations, 2006 (L.N. 6 of 2006). The school has started using the services of a private company to test and monitor our water systems as per the above regulations.  In addition to that, the school also ensures the cleaning of water and flushing tanks, the periodic flushing of unused water systems and the monitoring of free chlorine levels in cold water systems and temperature levels in hot water systems.  

HEALTH & SAFETY message in 
SHOUTY CAPITALS:  
YOUR SAFETY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE ! 

SAFETY 
is EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS

Dear Students and Teachers, you are being invited to:

  • take a look at the Health and Safety signs around the school and 
  • be familiar with the school's Health and Safety Policies.  
  • Make sure you know your emergency exits, 
  • where to go in case of emergency, 
  • how to use school equipment safely, 
  • that you're travelling safely to and from school and 
  • how to ensure the safety of those around you too.   




Our school is equipped to respond more effectively should an emergency involving sudden cardiac arrest arise thanks to the newly installed Automated External Defibrillator (AED). 


Equipping schools with AEDs and training members of staff how to use this equipment can give cardiac arrest victims another chance at life. I urge you to support the initiative of 'Maratona bir-Roti' of which our school was a beneficiary.

What are RISKS and what are HAZARDS?


How are they different 


and which one can be controlled?


Learn more by browsing the FAQ section of the website and email us any hazards you see around you together with pictures of them and we'll have them featured on this website to raise safety awareness.

žHow many times have you used your hands today?
žWhat have you touched today?

žHands pick germs and spread them.
žHand to hand / contaminated object is responsible for the spread of the common cold, flu and 
gastrointestinal disorders. 

WASH YOUR HANDS WELL MORE OFTEN.

We wash our clothes with plenty of water, fabric condition them to remain soft, dry them away from the scorching midday sun (especially leather) and give the expensive ones special treatment.

PROTECT THE SKIN YOU'RE IN.  You cannot buy a new skin, and it has to last a lifetime.  Drink plenty of Water, Cover and Sun protect and Stay out of the Sun this summer. 

Quotable Quotes:

Hug your kids at home, but belt them in the car.  ~Author Unknown 
Working safely is like breathing – if you don’t, you die.  ~Author Unknown 
Better dead sure than sure dead.  ~Author Unknown 
Safety isn’t expensive, its priceless.  ~Author Unknown 
Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.  
 ~William Shakespeare 


PREVIOUS H&S TEACHER'S MESSAGES

Woke up late?
Short of time?
Short of funds?
Hurried around by your boss/teacher/parent?
STOP and THINK.
SAFETY COMES BEFORE 
ANYTHING ELSE.


Many parents bring their daughters to school by car. While praising those who ensure their daughters are strapped safely in the car, it is very worrying to see other students NOT WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS.  In the event of a crash, the unstrapped child can get seriously injured and can also injure other passengers in the same car.

Accidents always happen unexpectedly - Don't take any chances - Travel Safely!



Anything you post on the internet is there TO STAY.  Post anything you wish to circulate around the world and you wish everybody to view.  DO NOT POST anything which you don't want to tell everyone, which you don't want to see in 5 years' time or which you don't want your future boy/girlfriend or employer to know!


STAY ON THIS SITE IF YOU:


  • care about your own health and safety and that of others around you;
  • are a parent of a child attending Our Lady Immaculate School or a parent of any child;
  • are a teacher at Our Lady Immaculate School, a Health and Safety teacher or a teacher at any other school;
  • are a student at Our Lady Immaculate School or a student attending any other school;
  • want to learn more how to make safety a way of life;
  • want to learn about our in-house Health and Safety activities;
  • feel you can contribute to this site;
  • wish explore the links to other Health and Safety sites;

  

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  • wish others well

 


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