Health & Safety

About Health & Safety

Churches have a legal duty to assess the risks which exist on your premises and to reduce them as far as reasonably practicable. This is the responsibility of the Charity Trustees (Church Leadership). Any risk which cannot be entirely removed should be reduced until it can be described as a small risk. We:

identify the hazards
decide who might be harmed, and how
consider the likelihood and severity of hazards
identify existing precautions and decide whether they are adequate or whether more should be done to overcome the hazard
record the significant findings of your risk assessment, eg. the main risks and the measures you have taken to deal with them
review our assessment annually

We carry out health and safety risk assessment. If higher risks remain, we write an ‘action list’ of what else we need to do, giving priority to the highest risks or those which could affect the greatest number of people. We think about everyone who uses our building, however infrequently, paying special attention to vulnerable groups such as children, people with disabilities and lone workers.

Health & Safety Policy

The church recognises and accepts its responsibilities for providing, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe and healthy environment with a view to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all those who use the church premises.
The church will, therefore, take all necessary steps within its power to meet its responsibilities so far as is reasonably practicable by, among other arrangements:

a. maintaining the church premises in a condition that is safe and without risk to health and providing and maintaining means of access to and egress from it that are safe and without such risks;

b. providing and maintaining furnishings and equipment which are safe and without risks to health;

c. assessing the risk to the health and safety of those who use the church premises;

d. ensuring the safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles, equipment, furniture and substances;

e. the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the health and safety of those who use the church premises;

f. the provision and maintenance of a proper environment for the church’s employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers that is safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare;

g. arranging for suitable induction programmes and training; consulting, where necessary, with all employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers on the effectiveness and implementation of this policy; and any necessary changes.

h. ensuring that adequate funds and resources are made available for carrying out this policy.

The church’s charity trustees have overall responsibility for health and safety. They have given responsibility for the fulfilment of this policy to (Geof Hillier) as the church’s Health and Safety Officer but subject hereto the charity trustees will be responsible for carrying out the implementation of the church’s policy and for the issue of supplementary policy statements where this may be necessary.
The Health and Safety Officer will:

a. carry out appropriate risk assessments (these to be reviewed annually) of the church’s premises and activities and report to the church’s charity trustees as necessary;

b. co-ordinate the implementation of the church’s Health and Safety Policy (including Fire Safety);

c. carry out investigations of any accidents and recommend measures for preventing their recurrence;

d. ensure that accident and other appropriate records are maintained and returned to the appropriate bodies;

e. ensure that all appropriate arrangements are made to provide for first aid;

f. ensure that all food safety legislation is complied with;

g. arrange safety training courses, as may be necessary or desirable, so that specific legal requirements are adhered to and that any changes in such requirements are complied with and communicated to employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers as necessary;

h. ensure that, where necessary, all relevant safety regulations are prominently displayed, that all emergency procedure notices are properly exhibited and clearly visible at all times;

i. ensure that access to and from emergency exits and fire equipment are not impaired and that corridors and stairs are kept free from obstructions other than of a temporary and partial nature.

All volunteers, ministers, employees, leaders, and helpers will:

a. take reasonable care of their health and safety, and of the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by a person’s act or omissions while working or helping.

b. as regards any duty or requirement imposed on the church or any person by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions, co-operate with the church so far as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with;

c. ensure that they shall not intentionally or recklessly neither interfere with nor misuse anything provided in the interest of health, safety or welfare, in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions;

d. make themselves familiar with and conform to the Health and Safety Policy of the church at all times;

e. observe all safety rules, procedures, and codes of practice at all times, and in particular be fully conversant with the procedures to be followed in the event of a fire or any other emergency;

f. conform to all the food safety regulations that are applicable to themselves;

g. co-operate with the church to enable it to carry out the duties and requirements under the provisions of all health and safety legislation, including participating in any initial or other training if called upon to do so;

h. report to the church’s Health and Safety Officer all accidents or hazardous occurrences or dangers whether persons are injured or not as soon as is reasonably practicable;

i. ensure that all working equipment and materials used by them are in a safe and serviceable condition and that no cables or wires are left in such a position as to be likely to cause anyone to trip;

j. have regard to the possible consequences of their actions on the health, safety and welfare of all those persons who at any time and for whatever purpose may or will use the church premises.

This policy statement was adopted by a resolution of a Deacons’ Meeting dated TBA

Risk Assesment (January 2010)

NATURE OF CHECK	RESULT OF CHECK AND NOTE OF ACTION REQUIRED	PROGRAMME FOR ACTION
1. Are the Church premises, paths, steps, staircases, floors and toilets in a safe, clean and tidy condition and adequately lighted. Are there satisfactory arrangements for their cleaning and maintenance?	Male toilets are in very poor repair and difficult to clean	Tile/Redecorate
2. Is the electrical wiring safe? Is it tested regularly?	Yes 2 broken sockets found	Inspected Jan 2010 Replace sockets
3. Are portable electrical appliances regularly checked for safety net faulty flexes, appropriate fuses and trailing wires. Are they plugged into a sufficient number of sockets for their use without the use of adaptors? Is there a clear rule concerning the electrical equipment which can be brought onto the Church premises?	Yes Rules on personal equipment are unclear. Musical instruments and games consoles are regularly brought onto the premises	Inspected Jan 2010 Added a line to the terms of hire stating that non-church electrical equipment is used at the owners risk
4. Is the gas/oil installation regularly serviced? At the church building? At the Manse? When was it last tested by a qualified person?	Yes	Manse tested August 2009 Church test due now
5. Has anybody at the church read the leaflet C15 Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006 and Churches? Has an investigation been made to check whether Asbestos is present:- in the church building in any residential property e.g a manse Is the situation being adequately managed?	Yes	Policy on web
6. Are all exists and escape routes clearly marked with appropriate signs which comply with the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996? Are the emergency exit escape routes kept clear of obstruction and properly lighted?	No	Need more signage and panic bars to be fitted to side exit
7. Should emergency exits and any emergency exit route be provided with emergency lighting?	No	Not req
8. What provisions are made to ensure that emergency exit doors are either unlocked or fitted with panic bolts? Where possible do they open outwards?	See 6
9. If appropriate, are clear instructions issued giving instructions as to what to do in the event of a fire?	Yes	Fire notices are displayed around the church
10. Are there appropriate arrangements for giving warning in case of fire?	Yes	Shout "Fire"
11. Is the fire fighting equipment adequate, easy to use, properly positioned and signed in accordance with the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, and is it regularly maintained? Do a number of people understand how to use the equipment?	No	This will be reviewed once the building works have been carried out
12. Is it appropriate to specify the maximum number of people that may be present at any one time in any part of the premises?	No	The fire exits are sufficient to allow a larger capacity than the room can accomodate
13. Is contact with the emergency services necessary regarding rescue work and fire fighting?	No
14. Does the kitchen and any equipment in it comply with modern hygiene requirements?	Yes	Inspected 2009
15. If heavy items need moving is proper advice given on how this should be done and how furniture and equipment should be stacked or stored?	Yes	Lifting advice displayed around the church
16. Is a first aid box available and is someone responsible for ensuring that it is adequately stocked? If appropriate is somebody designated as a first aider?	Yes No	Box in kitchen No first aider
17. Where a VDU is used on a daily basis, has the appropriate check and advice been given?	N/A
18. If any hazardous or harmful substances are used or stored on the church premises are there proper precautions for their use, labelling and storage? Is cleaning and decorating equipment stored away from children? Is safety equipment such as goggles, rubber gloves and aprons available?	Yes
19. Is the outside of your building safely maintained? Can doors be exited safely? Are ramps safe? Is external land properly maintained? Can children be safely escorted between different parts of the premises?	Yes
20. Are appropriate arrangements made for planning and supervising volunteer work parties undertaking maintenance or repairs on the church premises?	Yes
21. Are arrangements made for employees and volunteers to be consulted or supplied with appropriate information about health and safety and fire precautions?	Yes
22. Are there adequate arrangements for outside contractors who carry out work on the church premises to ensure that they work safely and do not create a safety hazard for others?	Yes
23. Where outside organisations use the church premises are the users aware of the church’s Health and Safety Policy and is it clear to them that they must take responsibility for their own operations?	Yes
24. Where a door can swing both ways, does it have a visibility panel and if so is this fitted with safety glass? Are there any other glazed areas that should be fitted with safety glass?	Yes No
25. Are there proper arrangements for investigating, recording and reporting accidents?	Yes
26. Are there any other ‘hazards’ which need consideration? If so, list them noting the action required and the programme for action.	Ladders Portable Heaters	No action required
27. Do new employees of volunteers (including the minister) receive instructions and information about the church’s health and safety policy?	Yes
28. Do new employees or volunteers (including ministers) understand any rules or agreed advice about working alone in the building?	Yes
29. Are there proper arrangements for monitoring the action required as a result of this risk assessment and for its annual review?	Yes
30. Is there an annual review of the health and safety policy by the Charity Trustees?	Yes