Pastor Safety Instructions

March, 2015

As pastors and ministers of Apostolic Faith churches, we must do all in our power to provide a church environment that is spiritually, emotionally, and physically safe for those who attend our services and events. It is our responsibility to familiarize ourselves with legal and insurance requirements, and strive to meet them.While we cannot prevent all accidents and emergency situations, we can take appropriate steps to minimize risk and equip ourselves to respond properly. With that goal in view, we ask that these safety instructions be followed by all of our branch churches in the U.S.

Pastor’s Five Action Steps

1: Assemble a safety team.

Pastors may serve on the team, althoughthat is not a requirement. If possible, the team should consist of at least three members. Consider involving the following:

  • Assistant ministers, ushers, maintenance personnel, and/or security people.
  • A person(s) with business skills to do copying, filing, distribution of materials, keeping records, etc.
  • Individual(s) with medical or emergency training.

2: Read the Safety Manual.

Read through the Safety Manual to acquire a thorough understanding of all safety procedures and requirements. We also suggest that you look over the Volunteer Handbook. While much of it is also covered in the Safety Manual, skimming through the handbook will give you an awareness of the guidelines communicated to our workers.

3: Set up a record-keeping systemfor safety documents as follows.

Retain in your local church files:

  • Worker Applications and Youth Worker Applications (for workers under the age of eighteen) for approved workers. Also keep a list of approved workers, which should be updated annually.
  • Online child safety training records. This file will contain your record of those who have completed the online training required for those who serve in ministries involving children or youth. Be aware that every two years the training needs to be retaken and the worker recertified. It may be helpful to establish a certain quarter every other year, when all who work with minors retake the training. In Portland, we plan to recertify in the final quarter of 2015, and then again in the final quarter of 2017, if the Lord tarries.
  • Sunday schoolregistrationforms and attendance. While your Sunday school students no doubt have been registered, parents will need to fill in this new form for each child. It should be updatedannually, as we need to be sure information such as custodial parent and emergency contact numbers are current. You may wish to plan for this to happen at promotion time each year. Weekly Sunday school attendance records must be kept for both students and teachers.
  • Van transport records. Weekly attendance records must be kept for each Sunday school van route recording the driver, attendant, and names of minors and adults who were transported.
  • Youth activity records. Attendance records must be kept of all church-sponsored youth activities noting names of both the minors in attendance and the staff.
  • Minors who attend church-sponsored youth events other than Sunday school (such as youth camps, retreats, or Sunday school class outings) must have a Youth Activity Permission Form filled out by the parent/guardian.
  • Minors who regularly attend a church-sponsored Boys or Girls Club must have a Boys/Girls Club Permission Form filled out by the parent/guardian.
  • Safety inspection records.This should include inspections of the church building, elevators, fire equipment, vehicles, etc.
  • Driver certifications. This folder should include a list of all approved local drivers, a copy of their currentdrivers’ licenses, and the certification that they have completed the online driver’s training required by insurance.
  • Information regarding all safety meetings held at your location, whether provided by headquarters or prepared independently.
  • Accident/Incident Report forms for any accident or injury which occurs on church premises, or at an off-site church activity.
  • Vehicle Accident Information Form. Any vehicle accident occurring while minors or adults are being transported by church-owned vehicles are to be documented on a Vehicle Accident InformationForm. A copy of the completed form must be sent to the Portland headquarters office for insurance purposes.

Send to headquarters:

  • Information regarding any accidentor injury on church property or at a church event which results in an insurance claim. Also, headquarters should be sent a copy of the Vehicle Accident Information Form after any accident involving a church-owned vehicle.
  • Any allegation of abuse.

Keep completed Worker Applicationsin a secured file drawer along with any other forms which include private information such as a Social Security number. Access should be granted only on a need to know basis.

The question may arise how long you need to keep attendance records for youth events, Sunday school van routes, etc. We ask that each church always have the last two years of records on hand. Afterwards, these records should be sent to headquarters for archiving.

Action 4: Present the safety program.

We recommend that you show the “Safe Sanctuaries” PowerPoint to give congregation members an overview of our safety program.

Have copies of the following available for distribution at that event:

  • Worker Applications and Youth Worker Applications
  • Volunteer Handbooks
  • Procedure Guidelines
  • Forms

Action 5: Visit the safety page on the church website regularly.

Notifications, new forms, updates to documents, training announcements, handouts, etc. will be posted there. See the section of this handout titled “Information About the Safety Page” for more details about where to find what you need.

Responsibilities of the Safety Team

While the safety team should relieve the pastor of some safety-related responsibilities, the pastor is ultimately responsible to make sure the following steps are implemented. If you are not participating on the team, appoint a team leader to keep you updated on all safety issues.

Read the Safety Manual.

Those on the safety team should be thoroughly familiar with all safety requirements as documented in the Safety and Security Manual. They should pay particular attention to the sections of the Safety Manualtitled Safety Management Team and Emergency Response Procedures.

AppointChurch Emergency Responders (CERs).

Throughout our safety documents, you will see references to “Church Emergency Responders” or CERs. Many of our churches have individuals informally serving in this capacity, but identifying them as CERs is new—so here is a brief description of their role. Church Emergency Responders (CERs) must be able-bodied, alert, level-headed individuals who are trained and able to take charge in an emergency situation. They will need to be thoroughly familiar with the emergency response procedures found in the Procedure Guidelines for Church Emergency Responders and able to carry out the duties described.

The number of CERs needed for the local church should be based on the size of the congregation, but we recommend selecting at least two individuals to fill this role. CERs may be safety team members or people in the congregation with medical or emergency response training, but others may qualify as well.

In order to best assess who might be equipped to fill this role, we recommend that pastors and safety team members reviewthe Procedure Guidelines for Church Emergency Responders prior to appointing individuals. While the safety team may offer suggestions regarding potential choices, pastors will make the final determination.

Do a local church assessment.

The safety team should do a walk-through of your church building to identify any hazards. They should evaluatethe facilities in conjunction with the sectionsof the Safety Manual titledBuilding Safety, Grounds Safety, Kitchen Safety, and Facility Preparednessand report their findings to the pastor.Following the assessment, potential hazards should be rectified.

A good church inspection checklist developed by Church Mutual Insurance Company can be found at There is a link on the safety page to this checklist. It provides a comprehensive list of things to look for as team members do the inspection. We recommend that pastors print this form and give it to the safety committee as a guideline for what to look for in their assessment.

Evaluate local environmental risks.

The safety team should evaluateenvironmental risks in your area such as the potential for earthquakes or inclement weather. The following government websites give data regarding risk in your region.

Earthquake hazard maps:

Current storm advisories:

These links are also available on the safety page of the website.

The safety team should determine how to prepare for potential situations of this nature, depending upon the degree of probability. The section of the Safety ManualtitledEmergency Preparedness offers helpful guidance regarding steps that can be taken.

Inspect all first aid and safety equipment.

The safety team should make sure that first aid kits are well-supplied and placed in key locations around the church.They should also inspect any church-owned medical equipment such as wheelchairs, stretchers, AEDs, etc. to make sure they are all in good working condition.

Copy and distribute safety materials.

At the safety presentation in the local church, the following should be distributed.

  • A Volunteer Handbook for everyone who currently participates in the work. New workers should be given a copy when they are invited to participate.
  • Procedure Guidelines for instructions specific to various aspects of ministry.Note that these guidelines are general in nature, as they were designed to be applicable to all our U.S. churches. You may feel free to adapt details inthese documents or add information to tailor them more precisely toyour location.However, the requirements for staff members, trainings, record keeping, and safety procedures must be kept the same. All workers who participate in ministries covered by a Procedure Guidelineshould receive copies for the areas where they serve.
  • Worker Applications and Youth Worker Applications. Even veteran workers need to fill out a form.As new workers are asked to participate, they should submit a completed application.Prospective workers under the age of eighteen are to fill out a Youth Worker Application rather than a Worker Application.
  • Due date. Since participants must certify on their Workers ApplicationorYouth Worker Application that they have read the Volunteer Handbook and the Procedure Guidelines for areas where they serve, pastors will need to announce a date by which that task should be completed and the applicationshanded in.
  • Information for online trainings. Workers should be instructed to go to the safety page where they will submit an online form requesting access to the training they need. After submitting that form, they will be contacted by email and given a link to the chosen training.
  • Workers involved with children/youth ministries must take the online risk management training recommended by insurance.
  • Workers who drive church vehicles must take the online drivers training recommended by insurance.

A copy of the Safety Manual should be placed in the local church office and at other key locations around the church as needed.

A list of phone numbers for crisis responders who can assist in emergency situations should be placed in the main entry area of the church, and at other key locations throughout the building. The list should give the church address and phone number, and provide contact information for:

  • 911 (police, fire, and medical assistance).
  • Security contact person (person with keys or codes to access the building, and any alarm information).
  • Building maintenance contact person (to report hazardous conditions, damage, or break-ins).
  • CERs or congregation members with medical or emergency response training.
  • Minister to contact if an emergency occurs at a time other than during a church event.

Complete the initial start-up process in 2015.

Plan to begin reading the safety material and working your way through the action steps in the very near future. We’ll be contacting you from time to time to see how you are doing with the process. If you have questions, feel free to email headquarters. There will be a spot on the safety page of the website where you can easily email questions.

Subsequent to the Safety Presentation

Once the initial presentation has been made to your congregation, continue to work with your safety team to ensure that workers are trained regarding the church policies and emergency procedures. How best to accomplish this will vary from location to location. However, the following steps will be key in achieving that goal.

Begin using the standardized forms.

Refer to the handout which provides a list of all available forms, and print the ones needed for your local church. They are available on the safety page of our church website for printing as needed by each church. All are formatted in Word.

While contact information, events, dates, or other information specific your local church may be added to the forms, nothing should be removed, as all the listed information must be collected. All the listed information must be collected.

A VehicleAccident Information Form should be placed in the glove box of each church-owned vehicle.

Inform and train new workers as they are invited to participate.

As new workers begin involvement in any area of ministry, they should be given the following prior to participation.

  • A Volunteer Handbook.
  • The Procedure Guidelines for the area(s) where they will be serving.
  • Online training information (for drivers, or those who will be working with children or youth)
  • A Worker’s Application Form(or a Youth Helpers Application for those under age eighteen) and a due date for its return to you. The completed form should be returned to you before the individual begins participating.

Be sure to addto your list of approved workers any new participates who begin serving in your various church ministries.

Visit the safety pageof the church website frequently.

Further notifications, new forms, updated documents, training announcements, and other safety materials provided by headquarters will be posted there. The safety team should assist the pastor in any needed follow-through. You will also find a place where you can easily email the safety team in Portland with your safety-related questions.

Schedule annual safety reviews.

Plan for an annual safety inspections of all church facilities, equipment, and vehicles; you may find it best to do this at the same time each year. Inspections should include elevators, fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and fire suppression (sprinkler) systems.

Ensure that records related to safety inspections, discrepancies, and work orders for corrective action are retained in the church files, and that any documentation required by insurance is sent to headquarters.

Plan periodic safety updates for your congregation.

Oversee periodic fire and evacuation drills or instruction for the congregation with the frequency recommended by the church insurance provider. This may be as simple as a few statements at ordinance, such as a reminder of building evacuation routes and/or how to respond in the event of a fire. Occasionally it may be a brief presentation provided by headquarters or our insurance provider.

Monitor child/youth programs for compliance.

The pastor on an appointee should monitor or observe all child/youth programs on a regular (announced and unannounced) basis to ensure ongoing compliance with safety policies.

Ensure that the safety team meets on a regular basis.

Members of each local safety team should meet on a regular basis. While the frequency of such meetings may be dictated in part by the size of the congregation and the logistics of each church, meetingon a regularly-scheduled basis will help keep safety concerns on the minds of team members.

Information About the Safety Page

As described in the “Safe Sanctuaries” presentation, the four main components of our safety documentation are found just below the first illustration. These are: the Safety Manual, the Volunteer Handbook, Procedure Guidelines, and the standardized forms to be used in all our U.S. churches.

Scrolling down the page, you will find the form workers will submit when they wish to take the child/youth or the defensive driving online training. After submitting that form, they will be contacted by email and given a link to the chosen training.

Over to the right is a section where you can easily send us any questions you might have regarding the safety program.

The next area on the page is where safety presentations will be found, such as the one you are viewing today.