Ewerby Reading Rooms Health and Safety Policy
Our policy is to:
a) Provide healthy and safe working conditions, equipment and systems of work for our employee(s), volunteers, committee members and hirers
b) Keep the village hall and equipment in a safe condition for all users
c) Provide such training and information as is necessary to staff, volunteers and users.
It is the intention of Ewerby Reading Rooms’ Management Committee to complywith all health and safety legislation and to act positively where it can reasonably do so to prevent injury, ill health or any danger arising from its activities and operations.
Ewerby Reading Rooms’ Management Committee considersthe promotion of the health and safety of its employees at work and those who use its premises, includingcontractors who may work there, to be of great importance. The management committee recognises thatthe effective prevention of accidents depends as much on a committed attitude of mind to safety as on theoperation and maintenance of equipment and safe systems of work. To this end, it will seek to encourageemployees, committee members and users to engage in the establishment and observance of safe workingpractices.
Employees, hirers and visitors will be expected to recognise that there is a duty on them to comply with thepractices set out by the committee, with all safety requirements set out in the hiring agreement and withsafety notices on the premises and to accept responsibility to do everything they can to prevent injury tothemselves or others.
Signed: (On behalf of the Management Committee) ______
Name______
Position______
Date______
Part 2: Organisation of Health and Safety
The Ewerby Reading Rooms’ Management Committee has overallresponsibility for health and safety at Ewerby Reading Rooms’ . The person (s) delegated by the management committee to have day to day responsibility for the
implementation of this policy is/are:
Name: ______The Chairman______
Name: ______The Secretary______
It is the duty of all employees, hirers and visitors to take care of themselves and others who may beaffected by their activities and to co-operate with the management committee in keeping the premises safeand healthy, including the grounds.Should anyone using the hall come across a fault, damage or other situation which might cause injury andcannot be rectifi ed immediately they should inform the person above, or the Bookings Secretary, as soonas possible so that the problem can be dealt with. Where equipment is damaged a notice should be placedon it warning that it is not to be used.
The following persons have responsibility for specific items:
First Aid box:Secretary
Reporting of accidents: Booking Secretary
Fire precautions and checks:Nominated committee member (currently Martin Crosthwaite)
Risk assessment and inspections:Nominated committee member (currently Martin Crosthwaite)
Information to hirers : Booking Secretary
Insurance:Treasurer
Part 3: Arrangements and Procedures
3.1 Licence
The village hall has a Premises Licence authorising the following regulated entertainment and licensableactivities until 1am :
a. The performance of plays
b. The exhibition of films
c. Indoor sporting events
d. The performance of live music
e. The playing of recorded music
f. The performance of dance
g. Making music
h. Dancing
i. The sale of alcohol
3.2 Fire Precautions and Checks
Person on the management committee with responsibility for testing for the fi re risk assessment: Martin Crosthwaite
Fire Brigade contact tel: 999
Company hired to maintain and service fi re safety equipment:
Name: to be assessed on price annually
Location of service record: Health and Safety file
List of Equipment:
Emergency Lighting – tested monthly
Fire Exits – main hall – tested weekly
Fire fighting appliances – tested annually
Procedure in case of accidents
The location of the nearest hospital Accident and Emergency/Casualty dept is Grantham Hospital.
The location and telephone no. for the nearest doctor’s surgery is: Sleaford Medical Group Boston Road 01529 303301
The First Aid Box is located in: the kitchen under the sink
The person responsible for keeping this up to date is: Ann Giles
The accident book/forms are kept with the H&S fi le. This must be completed whenever an accident occurs.
Any accident must be reported to the member of the management committee responsible, who is: Booking Secretary
Safety Rules
All hirers will be expected to read the whole of the hiring agreement and should sign the hiring form asevidence that they agree to the hiring conditions. All new hirers will also be given information by the booking secretary about safety procedures at the hall which they will be expected to follow (e.g.fi re evacuation procedures, use of trolleys to move equipment, use of equipment) and will be told thelocation of the accident book and health and safety fi le.
The committee has carried out risk assessments. The following practices must be followed in order tominimise risks:
• Make sure that all emergency exit doors are clear as soon as the hall is to beused and throughout the hiring
• Do not operate or touch any electrical equipment where there are signs of damage, exposure ofcomponents or water penetration etc.
• Do not work on steps, ladders or at height until they are properly secured and another person ispresent
• Do not leave portable electrical or gas appliances operating while unattended
• Do not bring onto the property any portable electrical appliances which have not been PortableAppliance Tested.
• Do not attempt to move heavy or bulky items (eg stacked tables or chairs) - use the trolleys provided
• Do not stack more than ten chairs
• Do not attempt to carry or tip a water boiler when it contains hot water. Leave it to cool.
• Do not allow children in the kitchen except under close supervision (e.g. for supervised cookerylessons or, in the case of older children, for supervised serving of food at functions). Avoid overcrowdingin the kitchen and do not allow running.
• Wear suitable protective clothing when handling cleaning or other toxic materials
• Report any evidence of damage or faults to equipment or the building’s facilities to Booking Secretary
• Report every accident in the accident book and to the Booking Secretary .
• Be aware and seek to avoid the following risks:
-creating slipping hazards on stairs, polished or wet floors – mop spills immediately
-creating tripping hazards such as buggies, umbrellas, mops and other items left in halls andcorridors
- use adequate lighting to avoid tripping in poorly lit areas
- risk to individuals while in sole occupancy of the building
- risks involved in handling kitchen equipment e.g. cooker, water heater and knives
-creating toppling hazards by piling equipment e.g. in store cupboards.
Insurance
Name and address of insurer - CC Ltd, The Old Mart, Church Lane, Sleaford, Lincs NG34 7DF
Telephone no of insurer – 01529 306013
Policy No. VVH-272038-1063
Date of Renewal - 22.01.15
Review of Health and Safety Policy
The management committee will review this policy annually. The next review is due in January 2015.
Committee members with responsibility for aspects of health and safety will report to the committeeregularly, including any accidents, faults, misuse by hirers or other matters which could affect the healthand safety of users or employees.
Ewerby Reading Rooms’ Risk Assessment Record January 2014
Conducted by Fiona White, Martin Crosthwaite and Ann Giles
Hazard / Frequency / Severity / Risk Rating1. Tripping and falling on fire exit ramp / 2 / 2 / 4
2. Access to main road by children / 2 / 3 / 5
3. Incorrectly lifting tables and chairs / 2 / 2 / 4
4. Electric sockets – access by children / 2 / 3 / 5
5. Falling from a ladder / 2 / 3 / 5
6. Badly stacked chairs and tables / 2 / 2 / 4
A Risk Rating of 5 or more requires further action, therefore, suggested action for risks 2, 3 and 4 are:
2 – reinforce with parents the need for close supervision of children at all times to avoid them running outside and onto the road.
3 – Provide posters near to the table and chairs explaining how to lift properly and warning to use the chair trolley at all times.
4 – Install electric socket covers to all sockets in the main hall
Fire Notice
1. In the event of a fi re, the person in charge of the hall orfunction will instruct all persons to leave the building,using the nearest available exits.
2. CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE.
The nearest telephone is opposite the Finch Hatton
DIAL 999 AND GIVE THIS ADDRESS The Ewerby Reading Rooms, Main Street Ewerby NG34 9PJ.
3. Responsible adults should ensure that once the hall has beenevacuated, members of the public do not re-enter thebuilding to collect personal belongings, etc.
4. On the arrival of the Fire Brigade, the person in charge
of the hall should report to the Officer in Charge that all
persons are safe, or should inform him/her of their last
known position.
5. You should only attempt to extinguish the outbreak using the fire appliances provided if it isconsidered safe to do so.
EWERBY READING ROOMS
END OF SESSION CHECK LIST
1. Empty the kitchen bin.
2. Check that heaters and cookers are turned off.
3. Check that all electrical appliances are turned off andunplugged.
4. Turn out all lights not required for security purposes.
5. Close all internal doors.
6. Secure all outside doors and windows.