Moving On Campus: Dorm and General Campus Safety

Did you know that 10% of U.S. adults are college students? And even with distance learning, many students still choose to live on campus and attend classes in person.

Fall semester is right around the corner, and your college is likely welcoming even more new students to campus.

With so many students living on your college campus, a lot could happen. Injuries are the perfect example; students can get injured on campus and even in their dorms.

And if a serious injury occurs, your college could face some serious consequences.

Here are some general campus safety tips and why your college might want to purchase  accident and health insurance.

Most Common Injuries Sustained by Students

Knowing the most common injuries that students get in college can help you prevent them and educate  you on the benefits of purchasing  insurance to cover your assets. Here’s a look at these injuries.

Broken Bones

College campuses offer sports and a variety of similar activities that students love. However, these activities can result in broken bones. From broken hands to broken ribs, bone fractures can be extremely painful.

Knee Injuries

As stated previously, students often walk and run between classes and to other places on campus. Knee injuries are also common among the athletes at your college.

Like with broken bones, students may be prone to knee injuries.

Concussion

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that usually occurs when the individual hits their head.

While most effects are minor and temporary, students can still suffer difficulty concentrating, headaches, issues with balance and coordination, and memory loss.

A student could easily fall when riding their skateboard to class, suffer a concussion while playing sports, and even a simple slip and fall can result in a concussion.

Strained Back

Sure, most college students are young and likely don’t suffer from back problems. However, strained back injuries occur for a variety of reasons.

Students who play sports may be  more prone to develop these injuries. Some students may even strain their back when moving their furniture and belongings into their dorm.

Sprained Ankles

Sprained ankles are common injuries and can happen anywhere.

Whether a student slips in water or misses a step when walking up or down stairs, try and prevent  the hazards that can cause a sprained ankle. These can be especially common when students first move into their dorm.

Burn Accident

There are three burn injury severities: first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns. The type of burn that students get depends on the degree of the burn and how much the injury damages the skin and tissues.

How to Help Prevent College Campus Injuries

Now that you know the most common injuries students face, you can start making your campus safer. Here’s your guide.

Conduct Dorm Room Safety Audits

Before a dorm becomes inhabited by students, always do a safety audit through the room. Make sure there’s nothing in the rooms that can cause serious injury.

If you find any concerns, make sure you fix the issue  and set strict policies to avoid injuries.

Post Emergency Contacts Throughout the Campus

Sure, pretty much all students know to call 911 in the event of an emergency. But campus police and medical staff can also help address a situation.

That’s why you should post the contact information for safety staff members all around campus. You can also offer students an optional service where they receive text message alerts for emergencies on campus.

Encourage Students to Report Hazards

College staff can’t be everywhere. That’s why you should always encourage students to report any hazards they witness or any injuries they sustain. They can report this directly to college staff or even to their student union.

Offer Safety Policies and Resources on Your Website

As a college, you want to prove to your students that you take safety seriously.

That’s why you should always have safety policies and other resources easily accessible on your website. If you can, include your safety rankings so students can always feel secure.

Some of these policies can include what we mentioned previously, such as reporting hazards, injuries, and even suspicious people on campus. You should also include a section that lists emergency contact information.

Make Sure Alarms Are Working

From fires and floods to suspicious people on campus, a college should have many alarms on campus. Test them regularly to ensure they work. It’s an inexpensive way to help prevent a catastrophe at your college campus.

In addition to alarms, campuses and dorms should always have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers readily available. Exit signs should be clearly marked.

Always inform students of the nearest exit to their dorm and classrooms. As a bonus, you should include alarms in each door room. This way, you can help prevent burglaries and other problems in dorms.

Offer Safety Courses

Prevention is the key to safety. That’s why free safety courses are a good idea. Many colleges offer safety courses during the first few weeks of the semester. You should also require new students to take these classes.

Why is this recommended? For most students, this is the first time they’re living independently, and these courses will teach them basic safety information.

Enhance Campus Safety by Purchasing Insurance

While all of these tips can increase your campus safety, student injuries are often unpredictable.

That’s why colleges should make sure they have the right insurance to cover students’ out-of-pocket medical costs. The right insurance can minimize the damage of general liability claims and even lawsuits.

Our accident and health insurance covers colleges and universities across the country. We can customize a policy that helps protect students, athletes and volunteers on campus so get started today.