Studio owners should spend time identifying potential hazards, as well as creating a safety plan and communicating any plans with parents and students.
Identify Potential Hazards in the Dance Studio
The studio owner should walk through the building regularly to identify anything that might cause an accident. Hazards can include:
- Electric sockets within reach of small children
- Too high of a wattage on light bulbs in the changing areas
- Treacherous steps (too high or too low)
- Uneven floors
- Benches and chairs in waiting area not sturdy enough for children to climb on
- Leaky gutters outside
- Poor visibility at the front door
In case of an emergency, the address and/or name of the studio should be visible to emergency responders. Creating a safety checklist for the building that includes these points can help the studio owner to stay aware of any hazards.
Set a Safety Plan for the Dance Studio
Even studio guidelines such as dress code can aid in the safety of the students. Requiring students to wear their hair back and wear properly fitted shoes contributes to a professional appearance in the studio, as well as helping students avoid trips and falls.
Another example is to hang a sign in the waiting area explaining that there should be no running in the halls or lobby. Enforcing these guidelines is also important to ensure the safety of everyone in the studio.
Communicate with Students and Parents
Parents and students may also have safety concerns that the studio owner may not realize. Keeping the lines of communication open can help to identify hazards in the studio. Letting the parents and students know that safety is a big concern, whether through newsletters or postings on a bulletin board, is a good way to keep an open dialogue.
Asking parents to complete a short questionnaire upon registration is a good way to get information they may not have thought to disclose, such as their child's medical conditions, allergies, injuries, and any other physical challenges. For example, if a child has a history of ashtma, it is important that the teacher know before the class begins. The parent should also provide information on what to do if the child has an attack during class.
The studio owner or office manager should keep emergency contact information on file for each child, and keep it updated as often as possible. With this information, there should be a phone tree or other type of emergency contact system if students and teachers should need to evacuate the building. This information should be easily accessible for the office manager or owner to grab on the way out of the building.
The studio should also display emergency numbers in a visible place near the studio phones, along with any special instructions (dialing 9 for an outside line, for example), and the address of the building to provide to emergency personnel. An emergency kit with flashlights, ice packs, aspirin, ointment, gauze, and other materials should also be close by.
Being prepared for emergencies or accidents can greatly improve both response time and effectiveness. Taking steps to prevent these situations from even happening can allow the studio owner, office manager, teachers, parents, and students to focus on the rest of their tasks in the studio.
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