Purpose
ENCSD recognizes that maintaining a safe and healthy environment for students, employees, and visitors is essential to the mission of the school. This policy establishes expectations and procedures for injury loss prevention, reporting, and response in order to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, protect school property, and promote a culture of safety across all instructional, residential, and operational programs.
ENCSD is committed to providing a safe environment for all stakeholders, including students, staff, and visitors. ENCSD shall implement proactive injury prevention strategies, maintain appropriate supervision, and ensure timely reporting and investigation of injuries and losses. Safety practices shall be communicated in accessible formats to ensure full understanding by all.
I. Scope
This policy applies to:
- All ENCSD students, including those participating in the Residential Program
- All employees, including instructional, residential, administrative, and support staff
- Volunteers, contractors, and visitors while on ENCSD property or participating in ENCSD-sponsored activities
- All ENCSD facilities, vehicles, programs, and activities, whether conducted on or off campus
II. Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:
- Injury: Any physical harm, illness, or medical condition sustained by a student, employee, or visitor during ENCSD activities or while on ENCSD property that requires first aid, medical evaluation, treatment, or results in restricted activity, lost instructional time, or lost work time.
- Loss: Damage to, destruction of, or theft of ENCSD property, equipment, or facilities, including losses resulting from accidents, unsafe conditions, vandalism, or natural events.
- Injury Loss Prevention: Proactive measures, practices, and procedures designed to identify hazards, reduce risk, and prevent injuries to individuals and damage or loss of property.
- Hazard: Any condition, practice, or situation that has the potential to cause injury, illness, or property loss if not corrected.
- Incident/Accident Report: A written or electronic report completed in accordance with ENCSD procedures to document injuries, losses, near-misses, or unsafe conditions.
III. Responsibilities
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees shall:
- Adopt policies that promote injury loss prevention and school safety
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations
- Support administrative efforts to maintain safe instructional and residential environments
Superintendent
The Superintendent or designee shall:
- Establish and oversee procedures to implement this policy
- Ensure appropriate training for employees
- Monitor injury and loss data to identify trends and areas for improvement
- Coordinate with state agencies, insurers, and other entities as required
Principal
The school principal shall:
- Enforce safety rules and procedures
- Ensure hazards are promptly reported and addressed
- Maintain accessible communication regarding safety expectations
- Support injury reporting, investigation, and corrective actions
Employees
All ENCSD employees shall:
- Follow established safety rules and procedures
- Immediately report injuries, unsafe conditions, or losses
- Participate in required safety training
- Provide appropriate supervision to students, including in residential settings
Students
Students shall:
- Follow safety rules and instructions
- Report unsafe conditions or injuries to staff
- Act in a manner that supports a safe school and residential environment
IV. Injury Prevention and Safety Practices
ENCSD shall implement reasonable and appropriate measures to prevent injuries and losses, including but not limited to:
- Routine safety instructional, residential, and support facilities
- Maintenance of equipment and facilities in safe working conditions
- Clear safety signage using visual supports, plain language, and where appropriate, American Sign Language (ASL)-accessible resources
- Supervision plans appropriate to the age and needs of students, including residential supervision outside of instructional hours
- Emergency preparedness and response planning
V. Residential Program Considerations
Recognizing the unique nature of the Residential Program, ENCSD shall:
- Provide training specific to residential safety, supervision, and injury prevention
- Establish clear procedures for monitoring student well-being during non-instructional hours
- Ensure residential facilities meet applicable safety, health, and fire codes
- Communicate residential safety expectations to students and families in accessible formats
VI. Injury and Loss Reporting
All injuries and losses shall be reported promptly in accordance with ENCSD procedures. Reporting shall include:
- Timely notification to appropriate administrators
- Completion of required incident or accident reports
- Communication with parents/guardians when a student is injured, using accessible methods as needed
Employees shall cooperate fully in any investigation related to injuries or losses.
VII. Investigation and Corrective Action
ENCSD shall investigate reported injuries and losses to:
- Determine contributing factors
- Identify corrective actions to prevent recurrence
- Implement reasonable safety improvements
Findings may be used for training and prevention purposes and shall not be used to assign fault beyond what is necessary for corrective action.
VIII. Accessibility and Communication
All safety-related information, training, and reporting processes shall be accessible to our Deaf and hard of hearing stakeholders. ENCSD shall provide reasonable accommodations, including visual alerts, captioned materials, and ASL interpretation when appropriate, to ensure effective communication and understanding.
IX. Legal Compliance
This policy shall be implemented in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, including but not limited to workers' compensation requirements, occupational safety regulations, and North Carolina State Board of Education policies.
Legal References
- 29 C.F.R. Part 1910 — Federal Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHA)
- 13 NCAC 07F .0101 — North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards
- NC State Board of Education Policy TCS-Q-003 / INSR-003 — Local Safety and Loss Prevention Program Requirements
- NC General Statutes Chapter 115C — Public School Laws
- NC General Statutes Chapter 97 — Workers’ Compensation
- Applicable fire, health, and building codes
This policy shall be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure continued compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and best practices for serving deaf and hard of hearing students.