Risk Management

Risk is present in all activities, yet schools and their staff sometimes are unaware of these risks or the significance of the financial consequences associate with accidental losses. Risk management is an important process used to identify these risks and help your school mitigate their impact.

Risk Management Services

At CharterSAFE, we understand the financial limitations faced by charter schools and provide our members with advice about cost-effective and reasonable solutions. Below is a list of services we offer to members, at no additional cost:

• Risk Management Consulting: Expertise in charter school operations for pragmatic and relevant risk management support.
• Employee Training: CharterSAFE provides all members with Vector Solutions, the premier provider of online, on-demand courses to comply with California mandated training as well as well as recommended topics to support a culture of safety & compliance.
• Safety & Loss Control Inspections: From thorough onsite safety & loss control inspections of school sites, buildings, and playgrounds to self-inspection safety checklists, school leaders will have the information they need to increase campus safety.
• Contract Review: Review indemnity and insurance provisions in contractual agreements such as leases, facility use agreements, and vendor/ contractor agreements from a risk management perspective to ensure that the school is not taking on more risk than needed.
• Ergonomic Evaluations & Advice: Ergonomic evaluations for employees that provide practical solutions for a safe & healthy workplace.
• Safety Chats & Best Practices: Monthly safety topics and best practices on relevant topics to promote school safety.
• Policy Templates: Customizable templates on many health & safety topics.
• Risk Control Evaluation: A tool to review your current risk management practices to identify strengths and weaknesses for the risk management team to assist and advise on. 
• A List of Vetted Vendor Partners, Referrals, and Member- Added Resources

SAFETY CHATS

Safety Chats is a monthly safety topic intended for short meetings and school site postings to promote a culture of safety, enhance communication and training, prevent injuries and accidents, and foster a proactive approach to risk management in schools.

How to Use Safety Chats…

• Circulate to your staff on a regular basis
• Communicate at staff meetings
• Post in a common area where it is convenient for staff to read and sign

Safety Chats in PDF format are available to CharterSAFE members only. Please login to see the links below.

BEST PRACTICES GUIDELINES

Click on a topic below to learn more.

• Animals on Campus
• Athletics
• Back Safety
• Background Checks for Contracting Entities
• Bleacher Safety
• Classroom Decorations
• Crossing Guard Safety
• Dealing with Difficult Parents
• Emergency Epinephrine Auto-Injectors
• Emergency Management Planning
• Emergency Medication for Opioid Overdoses
• Ergonomics
• Field Trips
• Fire Extinguishers
• First Aid Kits
• Hazard Communication
• Incident Investigation
• Indoor Air Quality
• Key Control
• Kilns
• Managing Workers' Compensation Costs
• Medication Administration
• Parade Participation
• Performing Arts Theaters
• Playground Safety
• Reducing Vandalism & Graffiti
• Risk Management Overview
• Safety Committees
• School Sponsored vs Non-Sponsored Activities
• Securing Property for Winter Break
• Slips, Trips, & Falls
• Social Engineering
• Special Events
• Surveillance Cameras
• Telecommuting
• Use of Facilities
• Utility Carts
• Visitors on Campus
• Volunteers
• Weight Rooms
• When Involved in an Accident
• When to Call 9-1-1 for Medical Emergencies
• Wildfires
• Winter Storm Preparations

HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES

School-sponsored activities require evaluation of the perceived educational, cultural, and social benefits versus the potential risks. Certain activities are considered higher risk because they are more dangerous and may jeopardize the safety of your students. When planning an event that may be considered unique or high-risk, please contact the CharterSAFE Risk Management Team to discuss. Please note that a DEDUCTIBLE of Twenty- Five Hundred Dollars ($ 2,500) shall apply on a per-injury basis for the following activities:

• Water depths greater than 2 feet (including but not limited to scuba diving, sailing, fishing, swimming, dunk tanks)
• Height more than 6 ft (including but not limited to ziplining, rock climbing, bungee jumping, high ropes course) 
• Jumping and/or inflatable devices (including but not limited to trampolines*, bounce houses, hamster balls, zorb balls, slides, mazes, and obstacle courses) 
• Activities involving animals (including but not limited to horseback riding*) 
• Weapons of any kind (including but not limited to airsoft and paintball guns, shooting ranges, etc.) 
• Fire (including but not limited to fireworks)
• Carnival Rides 
  *Except mini-trampolines and horse-back riding when part of Special Education Programs

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Let CharterSAFE’s Risk Management team keep you informed of important changes in the California legislative landscape that can directly impact our member schools. We encourage members to read each piece of legislation in its entirety and to contact legal counsel with questions regarding interpretation of the law.

Legislative Updates in PDF format are available to CharterSAFE members only. Please login to see the links below.