Health and Safety (H&S) is of great importance at ACF and across programmes, H&S is carefully adhered to. Ambuja Manovikas Kendra, a school in Ropar, Punjab that caters to children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, takes H&S seriously going over and above basic requirements (like wheelchairs, ramps and railings) to ensure health and safety is taken care at the institute:

·       Monthly Health & Hygiene Check Ups: A medical doctor is invited on a monthly basis for a routine health check-up of students. An Immunization and MMR schedule is also shared with the parents to ensure vaccines are taken on time. Polio drops are provided in the school during Polio week.

·       Safety Training: Frequent safety training sessions along with audio visuals are provided to the students and staff organized by the Health and Safety Team at Ambuja Cements. Safety meetings are also organized for parents and community members in areas where the children reside. Sensitization on certain issues with regard to special needs children is required in such communities and thus sensitization workshops are organized.

·       Safety Storage: Children at AMK are vulnerable and can be attracted to any materials regardless of how harmful it might be. At AMK, storage cabinets have been kept at a distance which includes Gardening Tools, Cleaning Materials, Hazardous equipment, Electronics which need supervision and equipment that is involved in the Bakery and Jewelry Section. Regular repair and maintenance of electronics in the skill training centre, physiotherapy rooms and speech therapy rooms is frequently checked.

·       Field and Vehicle Testing: Monthly checks of live wires, electrical sockets and connections are conducted with immediate repair if required. The Principal and Staff are very alert to ensure that no faulty electrical equipment exist on the premises. Under the Safe Vahan Policy of the government, the AMK school buses which ferry students from home to school and back is also daily checked from the exterior and interior. The requirement of the bus color, availability of a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, CCTV Camera is also placed in the buses. Separate Parking is also allocated for parents and teachers in the premises and parents riding on two wheelers are encouraged to always wear a helmet and carry necessary documents.

·       Security: While CCTV camera and watch guards are available on campus, thorough security check is also conducted of visitors entering the premises. AMK ensures 100% safety for its children. Thus safety practices and a watchful eye on visitors is always maintained.

·       Insurance: AMK has a Student Safety Package Insurance Policy in terms of any mishap or accident that occurs during school hours. A limit of 1 lakh is granted for each child, 5 lakh cover in case there is an accident and Rs. 5000 for medical expenses. In case of any emergency situation in the campus, the students are trained on the fire drill and assembly points in the campus.

·       COVID-19 Interventions: The staff at AMK are keeping in touch with parents frequently to understand the behavior of the students amidst the pandemic and lockdown. Regular precaution messages in the form of text messages, audio and video clips are sent to the parents and other family members. Zoom meetings are organized weekly to receive updates and explain safety measures to be practiced at home. Special care/medication is advised if the child is experiencing fits or epilepsy.

·       Fumigation: To avoid any attraction towards insects/animals/creepers which could be dangerous for the children, regular campus fumigation in the garden and institute is carried out. Currently with regard to the virus, Campus sanitization and fumigation is carried out before the staff enter the premises. Safety guidelines towards COVID-19 are regularly followed.

o   617 beneficiaries the communities have received safety messages on COVID-19 from the AMK staff.

o   31 staff members and families have enrolled for the COVID-19 insurance program

o   117 students and families of AMK have been reached during the pandemic

·        HIRA & SOT: The Health and Safety team at Ambuja Cements conducts frequent Hazard Identification & Risk Assessments (HIRA) at AMK and provides necessary action plans and Safety Observation Tools to follow with regard to infrastructure or any risk/hazardous equipment.