The ACT's work safety watchdog has slapped an improvement notice on the education directorate after a Tuggeranong student allegedly threatened a teacher and destroyed school property.
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Teacher and staff safety had been compromised by a student focused risk management system, according to the WorkSafe ACT caution.
A Worksafe ACT spokeswoman said the improvement notice had been issued to ensure safe working environments at ACT public schools.
The watchdog had since extended the notice, which remains in place.
Police were called to the school after receiving reports of property damage on February 20.
The notice was issued after a WorkSafe ACT investigation into the incident found the directorate failed to provide and maintain a safe and risk-free work environment, which contributed to the event at a Tuggeranong high school.
The watchdog confirmed a risk assessment had been undertaken at the high school on February 13, which revealed ineffective management of occupational risk.The incident occurred a week later.
The notice - issued by WorkSafe ACT on March 9 and on display in the directorate's Northbourne Avenue headquarters - criticised the risk management system as student focused "with insufficient controls to manage the risks to staff and other persons of being subjected to occupational violence".
WorkSafe has only issued 12 improvement notices to ACT government directorates or agencies during the past five years.
Reasons can include electrical faults, dangerous incidents, or bullying and harassment.
WorkSafe confirmed only one other notice has been issued to schools during that period, which related to a safety-operating procedure for a power tool in 2015.
A spokeswoman for the education directorate said it was working with Worksafe ACT and the local education union to continue making systemic improvements around staff safety.
"The education directorate is working to make sure teachers know they are supported and to increase awareness of the ways to deal with these issues, as schools are places for learning – not a place for violence," the spokeswoman said.
"The education directorate has been working with all public schools for several months on this, including additional training for every single principal and changes to accessibility of reporting mechanisms and follow-up."
"There has been an increase in reporting of incidents which shows that the awareness raising is working."
She said balancing the safety rights of students and staff was challenging.
Australia Education union ACT secretary Glenn Fowler stressed the need for the education profession to adjust its mindset of believing a child's right to an education eclipsed staff safety.
"There has been a blind spot for years in terms of the employer's obligations around the Work, Health and Safety Act," Mr Fowler said.
"The challenge now is to finalise systems and to train all directorate employees, starting with face-to-face intensive training for middle managers and then similarly intensive training for all staff throughout the directorate."
Mr Fowler said he was working with the education directorate towards a cultural shift, which he expected to be "nation leading and great for public education in Canberra."
"It will ensure the dual goals of providing the best education to every child and a safer work environment for staff," he said.
"This hasn't always been the case because of a lack of leadership across the board and the regrettable acceptance by many educators that occupational violence is just part of the job.
"We've been engaged in a lengthy process of policy work with the education directorate to get ahead of the curve."
