	Policy & Planning Team
	Torbay Council
	Oldway Mansion Torquay Road Paignton TQ3 2TE
	policy&plan ningteam@torbay. gov.uk
	01803 208220
	01803 208237

Do It Online

External Links

Please note: all external links open in a new window

Lightning Protection

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places overall responsibility for health and safety with the employer. Who this is varies with the type of school:

For community schools, community special schools, voluntary controlled schools, maintained nursery schools and pupil referral units the employer is the Local Authority (LA).
For foundation schools, foundation special schools and voluntary aided schools, the employer is usually the governing body.

Education employers have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable:

the health, safety and welfare of teachers and other education staff
the health and safety of pupils in-school and on off-site visits; and
the health and safety of visitors to schools, and volunteers involved in any school activity.

Protection against lightning falls within these health and safety responsibilities and the LA has produced a policy statement and guidance for schools, you can download and view this policy from the Related Documents panel below.

As part of this policy, in 2003 the Council commissioned Redpath Buchannan Consultants to undertake a lightning risk assessment of all Torbay schools. A copy of the risk assessment was sent to all schools and a programme of works developed to ensure that lightning protection was provided and maintained in all non VA schools to the recognised standard. This programme of works forms part of the Schools Capital Repairs and Maintenance Programme managed by Operational Services, for details please see table below. The diocesan office will be overseeing the work required at VA schools.

On all current and future Capital Programme projects the Council will ensure that suitable lightning protection is installed.