GLOUCESTER OUTDOOR CHURCH RISK ASSESSMENT FORM

DATE FORM PRODUCED: 6th July 2015. PRODUCED BY: Alex C

Revised 14th December 2016 to produce version 8

OUTDOOR EVENT: Outdoor Church service, conducted by Gloucester Outdoor Church.

LOCATION:Gloucester Park, Gloucester.

DATE: From 8th of January 2015, 12:30 – 2:30, on a weekly basis. We have PC Matthew Hammond's permission to run the events, and council

permission from Karen Pearson/Emily Knight.

EVENT ACTIVITY: A small outdoor church service (25 regualar attendees or less) with guitar-led songs, Bible readings and communion (bread

and juice), followed by one cheese roll.

NO. OF PERSONS EMPLOYED/STAFF/STEWARDS: 2 church leaders (Alex C, Bleddwyn E) both trained first aiders and 1 Safeguarding Rep (Bleddwyn E). Also 1 volunteer from the following: Paul H, Donna A, Graham S, Robert K, Graham W, Rev Mike B, Mary F).

Insurance: Gloucester Outdoor Church is covered with Ansvar Insurance from 20/1/2016 for Public Liability Insurance (for £5 million for each weekly event covering both the participants in the event (including any officials employed in connection therewith) and all third parties), Employer's Liability Insurance and Trustee Liability insurance.

ASSESSOR (print): ……...………………………………………………………......

ASSESSMENT DATE: …….………… SIGNATURE: ……..……….………………….....

ASSESSMENT DISCUSSED AND AGREED WITH EVENT ORGANISER:

ORGANISER NAME (print): ………………..……………………......

AGREEMENT DATE: …….…… ORGANISER’S SIGNATURE: ..….…………………...

ASSESSMENT REVIEW DATES (annually/change occurs):

Date: ……6th July 2016 .…. By Whom: .……...…….Alex C ....…

Date: ……14th December 2016………………… By Whom: ..……...... ………………Alex C…………………..

Date: ……………………… By Whom: ..…….………………………..…………………….

Date: …..…………………… By Whom: ..…….………..…………………………………….

ASSESSMENT OF RISK FOR:Gloucester Outdoor Church's weekly outdoor service
Assessment Conducted By Alex C Event Date: January 8th 2015 and weekly thereafter
Please note that this risk assessment is the result of 8+ observations of the park and 4 years working with homeless people in Gloucester, and 2 years research into outdoor churches for homeless people.
Assessment Review Date: April 2016
HAZARDS / WHO MIGHT BE HARMED?
LIST GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ESPECIALLY AT RISK FROM THE SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS WHICH YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED: / MINIMIZING THE RISK
LIST EXISTING CONTROLS HERE OR NOTE WHERE THE INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND: / What is the degree of risk?
Whose responsibility is this? / FURTHER STRATEGIES TO CONTROL THE RISK
LIST THE ACTION YOU WILL TAKE WHERE IT IS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE TO DO MORE:
Environmental hazards
Very high temperatures resulting in heat stroke / bad sunburn, etc. / Church leaders
Volunteers
Congregants, especially those who are already weak or ill. / Please read the Bad Weather policy and Health and Safety Policy as well for more information. The Volunteer policy contains a good summary of this Risk assessment.
Purchasing caps and sun umbrellas to distribute as needed.
Getting in the shade by moving the church service to the shade of the many trees.
Encouraging congregants to bring adequate water for themselves, and to wear/return to their dwellings to get suitable clothing.
To ensure adequate hydration, using the water fountain. If that is out of use, buying bottled water from the park cafe. If that is closed, then buying bottled water from local supermarkets.
Maintaining a strict policy of no drinking or drugging for people while at church services because this can lead to poor decisions (e.g. staying out in the sun too long).
Encouraging people to wear hats and use suncream to protect themselves.
If someone exhibits signs of heat exhaustion (e.g. flushed, sweating, dizziness, nausea) then giving them plenty to drink and sitting them down in shade, and seeking medical assistance if the volunteer with first aid training deems it necessary, especially if they have kidney, heart, or circulation problems, or have diabetes and use insulin.
If someone has heat stroke (e.g. temperature, sweating, rapid heartbeat or breathing) then call 999 and treat them as for heat exhaustion / contact the Gloucester City Health Centre very nearby.
In extreme circumstances (e.g. very high temperatures), cancelling the church altogether, according to the cancellation procedure. / High – heatstroke can be very dangerous.
Church leaders' responsibility / We have a good relationship with the medical centre that adjoins the park who can provide water in times of emergency.
Adverse weather (rain, sleet, snow, high winds) closing in causing dropping temperature / hypothermia / pneumonia / flu / colds etc. / Church leaders
Volunteers
Congregants, especially those who are ill, under-nourished or elderly / In rain, protection can be sought in the bandstand. It has a ramp for wheelchair access. It will keep people's feet dry which is important for street folk who haven't necessarily got good footwear.
Encouraging congregants to bring/return to their dwellings to get suitable clothing.
Sleeping bags, umbrellas, rain macs, scarfs, hats and blankets provided by the church temporarily to protect people.
Providing hot drinks to raise core temperatures.
Shortening the church service significantly if there's a risk of people catching colds.
In extreme bad weather (e.g. deep snow and very cold temperatures), cancelling the service completely (see the cancellation procedure).
Church leaders and volunteers to ensure that they have mobile phones with credit and reception at all times in order to be able to phone other homeless services / emergency services.
If poor weather persists, cancelling the church service in the long run, or seeking to re-locate to an indoor place (necessitating new terms of public liability insurance and a new risk assessment)
Giving people who are not adequately clothed blankets / advising them to seek shelter elsewhere.
Ensuring that volunteers are aware of the risks of allowing people to remain cold and wet.
Ensuring that volunteers know that colds / flu are more likely to be caught if people huddle together and so providing blankets for people to wrap round themselves so that risk of spreading infections is lessened.
If someone exhibits signs of pneumonia (e.g. phlegmy cough, difficulty breathing, fever, sweating) / hpothermia (e.g. mild: shivering, tiredness, pale skin; moderate: confusion, loss of co-ordination, drowsy, unconsciousness; severe: shallow breathing, weak pulse), volunteers calling for medical assistance.
Obviously, fires / heaters are not to be started or used by the church. / High – if people who are sick and under-fed catch a cold or worse it could be dangerous
Church leaders' responsibility / We have a letter of permission from the council to use the bandstand, which we can show to people who are occupying it.
Develop relationships with nearby churches in case of need to switch location to indoors.
We already have a relationship with one church planning an indoor church bible study / service for street folks. This could be somewhere to re-direct congregants during particularly rainy seasons.
Falling down/ up the steps in the bandstand / Church leaders/ volunteers / congregants / There is a handrail. Church leaders/ volunteers can remind people to be careful and use the handrail in bad / icy weather. / High – people could hurt themselves.
Church leaders' responsibility
High winds causing debris to fly around (e.g. off trees) / Church leaders
Volunteers
Congregants / Seeking shelter in the bandstand
Cancelling the service if necessary (see cancellation policy) / High – people could be severely hurt by flying branches
Church leaders' responsibility
Ice on paths causing people to slip / Volunteers
Congregants / Before each service, a sweep of the area needs to be done to check for icy patches, dog faeces, broken glass, needles, etc.
We have a needle box to dispose of needles, and heavy duty gloves to pick the needles up.
Magnets and heavy duty gloves to be used to remove anything that looks like it could be dangerous to congregants / the church to move away from the dangerous item to another area.
Congregants to be warned of areas that are icy.
Medical attention to be given to anyone hurt by the first aider.
Location of salt / grit boxes noted and used if possible to melt ice.
Rock salt to be purchased by outdoor church to be spread on ice. / High – people could be hurt by falling unexpectedly.
Church leaders' responsibility. / We have a good relationship with Paul the park-keeper. We hope that good relationships with the park authorities develop to the point where we can work out a process where maybe we could help with salting / gritting the paths to help.
We will work out a way to delineate the area swept to show what area is “safe”.
Broken glass / needles / drug paraphernalia in the area where the church meets / Church leaders
Volunteers
Congregants
Congregants' dogs / The church has a no drinking no drugging policy while in the service which should encourage a more responsible attitude to drink/drugs and make people less likely to drink / use drug in the park. If any drug deals are observed, the policy should be called on 101 or 999. People asked to finish / dispose of cans before joining the service, not to leave them somewhere, where they could be contaminated / stolen / drunk by someone inappropriate.
A sweep is done before each service to check for broken glass. We have brush and shovel, wet paper towels, heavy duty gloves and bin bags to dispose of glass. Any cuts to be attended by first aider.
Some street people choose to go barefoot at times. Ask them to go to get shoes / provide them with temporary shoes.
Warn people about needles present, and inform park authorities as necessary / work with park authorities towards a way of disposing of drug paraphernalia.
If the whole area is littered with glass etc., move the church where people and their dogs are going to be safer. / High – glass or needles could give people an infection.
Church leaders' responsibility / Hopefully a good relationship with park authorities will enable us to work together to reduce this problem e.g. by voluntarily clearing up drink/drug paraphernalia.
Hopefully, holding the outdoor church in the park will encourage congregants to be more respectful of the space, which should lead to less drink / drug paraphernalia being in the park.
Dog Faeces / other litter getting on people / Church leaders
Volunteers
Congregants / Encourage dog owners who are in the congregation to be responsible with their dogs by putting droppings in appropriate bins.
Sweep the area before each service and pick up litter. We take our litter home.
We have a “grabber” to reduce back injuries.
Keep a number of poop bags for emergencies. / High – dog droppings can contain larvae and cause infections
Church leaders' responsibility / Hopefully the church can get a reputation for clearing up litter in the park and making it a better place.
People getting cut by picking up litter / Church leaders
Volunteers
Congregants / We have heavy duty gloves and bin bags for litter picking (see above).
Ensure volunteers know how to pick up glass correctly (see above). / High – litter could carry infections
Church leaders' responsibility / Take litter away with us, or work with park authorities a way to dispose of it responsibly within the park.
People getting sick by having to clear up vomit / blood / other bodily fluids. / Church leaders
Volunteers / If someone is sick in the church service, then it's best that the vomit is cleared up properly and safely.
Tell people to stay away
Get heavy gloves, detergent and bag from volunteers' car. Scrape up materials and bag contaminated material. Wash surfaces with detergent and then rinse to ensure that no-one is hurt by the detergent. Bag up clothes.
Check for allergic reactions on volunteers' skin e.g. dermatitis (red, swollen sore skin).
Where an individual regularly causes problems of this nature, work with them to change their lifestyle so that this doesn't occur again.
For more information, see / High – injectious micor-organisms especially to broken skin. Cleaning products can contain chemicals dangerous to human skin
Church leaders' responsibility / Where appropriate, make available appropriate vaccines to volunteers if this is a regular occurence.
Pigeon droppings infecting people / Church leaders
Volunteers
Congregants / Discourage people from feeding pigeons.
Church picks up any litter left when it leaves (see above).
Ensure people don't accidentally touch pigeon droppings. For more information, see / High – droppings carry infectious diseases
Church leaders' responsibility
Bee-stings / any other animals bites / Church leaders, volunteers, congregants / Church leaders to ask volunteers at initial training / congregants at first contact if anyone is highly allergic to bee stings or any other animals and whether they have equipment to neutralise the problem (e.g. an epi-pen) on them. If they don't, they need to go to get it.
First aider to work with congregants/volunteers to understand how to administer what they are legally able to administer (e.g. administer epi-pen in case of bee stings) to alleviate medical problems, and to call for assistance if needed.
Gloucester City Health Centre very nearby may have epi-pens. / Church leaders, volunteers
High – people can die from bee-stings. / Develop good relationship with the medical staff at the Vaughan Centre to enable us to understand which allergies are most common,
Hay-fever, epilepsy, panic attacks or other medical conditions. / Church leaders, volunteers, congregants / Church leaders to ask volunteers at initial training / congregants at first contact if they have allergies or other medical conditions (e.g. hay-fever, panic attacks) that might manifest itself, and whether they have the necssary medical equipment to handle such emergencies. If they haven't got the requisite equipment, they need to go to get it. The medical centre that opens onto the park may be able to help with necessary equipment.
First aider to work with congregants/volunteers to understand how to administer what they are legally able to administer (e.g. administer epi-pen in case of bee stings) to alleviate medical problems, and to call for assistance if needed. / Church leaders, volunteers
High – people can die in the middle of epileptic fits. / As above.
Church leaders to check when grass is being cut to avoid setting off hay-fever prone congregants
Drowning in streams / Congregants/ church leaders / volunteers / There is a stream along the southern boundary of the park. However, it is fenced in, with undergrowth often preventing access to it. If the church meets anywhere near the stream, church leaders to warn congregants and volunteers who go near the stream about its existence, and ask them to come away. / High – drowning.
Church leaders' and volunteers' responsibility.
Hazards caused by food / drink
Poor food handling leading to food poisoning / Church leaders, volunteers, congregants / Please read the Food Hygiene Policy as well for more information
None of the following hazards should cause a problem if the food hygiene / handling policy has been adhered to. This policy has been drawn up in collaboration with, and approved by, Gloucester Council's food hygiene department (contact Yvonne Welsh).
The Outdoor Church provides hot drinks in cold weather or cold water in hot weather, and communion, (rolls and fruit (grape) juice). After the service people turn the comunion rolls into cheese rolls by shaking into the rolls grated cheese. A plastic knife and Branston pickle is provided. GOC displays the allergens of the food / drink provided. There are rice cakes for those who are gluten free.
Bread rolls: are bought the day before the service from Tescos, and kept in the fridge at 5 degrees C or less which is cleaned fortnightly, ensuring that there is no tear or hole in the bag for contaminants to get in. Bread to be transported in a way that ensures that the bag isn't punctured, and it is in a cool place (e.g. cool box or at least not in direct sunlight). It is a legal requirement to keep a record of what food products you have bought, who you bought them from, the quantity and the date. Therefore the receipts are always kept and given to the church leader/treasurer. The buns are pre-cut in bags of 6, so that the bag can be opened, and the buns offered to people using gloves. See end of food hygiene policy for glove policy. A small table is erected (and disinfected with spray and a cloth when erected and between the hot drinks and the communion and at the end) to put the food and drink on to keep them off the ground. The information on the bottle of cleaner is to be studied carefully by those who use it to prevent any injury. As soon as bread is exposed to the air it can receive contaminants, so all the bread is handed out / the rest taken away to be disposed of. Allergy information is displayed at GOC. Rice cakes are available: the use by date to be checked before handing it out using gloves.
Juice and small plastic glasses: Small plastic disposable shot glasses are disposed of afterwards, clingfilmed to prevent contaminants getting into the unused ones. On site out in the open air, gloves are used to fill and distribute the glasses.
The juice is bought in 1 litre cartons from Morrisons and kept in a cool place (it doesn't need to be refrigerated). Use by date checked just before opening. Juice poured straight into small plastic glasses. Excess juice taken away and disposed of. Allergy information is displayed. The glasses are placed while the juice is being poured on a wiped, stable table.