Suspicious or Dangerous Items
At St Joseph's School, the board ensures that the school is a physically and emotionally safe place where risks to health and safety (both physical and mental) are eliminated or minimised (Health and Safety at Work Act 2015; Education and Training Act 2020). This includes having a procedure for preparing for and responding to suspicious or dangerous items. This information is part of our emergency management planning and kept with our printed emergency plan and procedures.
Preparing for a suspicious or dangerous item
As part of our emergency management planning, we prepare for the possibility of a suspicious or dangerous item by:
- sharing our procedure with staff so that they can recognise and respond appropriately to
suspicious or dangerous items A suspicious or dangerous item may include items that:
- are hidden
- are unusual (i.e. not typical to their environment)
- put the health and safety of others at risk
- may be connected to possible illegal activity (including drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons, or valuable items that may be stolen)
- are received as letters or packages.
The police provide a helpful list of identifying factors – see Suspicious mail and bomb threats 
(New Zealand Police).
- encouraging our school community to report hazards, suspicious items, or suspicious behaviour to the school.
Also see Security Management, Bomb Threat, and Trespasser or Attacker on School Grounds.
Responding to a suspicious or dangerous item
If we receive mail or find an item on school grounds that appears suspicious or dangerous, we respond using the procedure below. Relevant staff are informed and the principal or their delegate informs the board and other stakeholders as needed.
If the item appears potentially dangerous, we contact the police immediately. We isolate the item and follow police advice. We may evacuate the area or the school, or preserve the site until the police arrive.
- We avoid touching the item. If we've already touched the item, we wash hands or any other body part that may have come into contact with the item, and change clothing if necessary.
- If a suspicious item has been opened and contents spilled, we don't clean up. We switch off air conditioning if needed.
- If the item is a suspected bomb, we do not use a mobile phone or other radio device near the item.
If the item does not appear to be potentially dangerous but is still suspicious, we act with caution. If our assessment of the danger of the item changes, we respond as above. We may contact the police or other appropriate authority and follow their advice.
- If the item is received in the mail, we contact the person it is addressed to and ask if they were expecting a mail item.
- We carefully document our handling of the item. This helps to minimise risk and maintains a chain of custody if the item is illegal or related to a crime. We:
- photograph the item where it was found
- handle the item as little as possible (e.g. wearing gloves), and place it in a sealed plastic bag.
- keep the item secure at all times
- record key details, including:
- the time and date the item was found
- name(s) of those who found and reported the item, and any other person who has handled the item
- details of handing over the item to the relevant authority.
If someone is injured or becomes ill after contact with an item, we ensure first aid is provided, call emergency services as appropriate, and report the incident to WorkSafe if needed. See Managing Injuries or Illness and Recording and Reporting Injuries and Illness.
Related policies
Legislation
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
- Education and Training Act 2020
- Evidence Act 2006
- Crimes Act 1961
Resources
: Term 4 2025, Term 1 2024, Term 2 2022, Term 2 2022, Term 2 2022
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