Fórsa has expressed serious concern following reports of an assault on a school secretary at her workplace in Cork last week.
The union understands that the school secretary was attacked after an intruder gained access to the school premises during the working day. Fórsa said the thoughts of all members are with the staff member involved, who was reportedly left distressed and required medical attention following this frightening incident.
The attack underlines the very real risks faced by public-facing staff in schools and other public services. School secretaries and administrative staff are often the first point of contact for members of the public and carry out their duties in open and accessible environments, frequently without adequate protection or security supports.
Fórsa’s head of Education Andy Pike commented: “As a trade union Fórsa is naturally focused on the health and safety of its members in the workplace. This incident serves as a reminder to all stakeholders – the Department of Education, boards of management, parents and students and other trade unions – about the need for consistent and effective safety measures in school buildings.
“Basic protections such as secure entry systems, controlled access to reception areas, and properly maintained CCTV are not in place in every school, despite the necessity to protect staff from wilful or opportunistic attacks,” he said.
While schools must remain welcoming places for pupils and parents, this cannot come at the expense of the safety of workers. Employers have a clear duty of care to ensure that staff are not exposed to avoidable risks in the course of their work.
Mr Pike added that Fórsa would be raising the issue with the Department of Education, and urging an urgent review of security arrangements in schools and to ensure that appropriate protocols and physical measures are put in place to protect staff. He said this should include a proper assessment of access controls, the availability of CCTV where appropriate, and clear procedures for dealing with intrusions or threatening behaviour.
He added: “No worker should feel unsafe simply for doing their job. This incident must serve as a wake-up call that more needs to be done to safeguard school staff and other public-facing workers across Cork and beyond,” he said.
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