West View Baptist Church
Health and Safety Policy
The Church:
1. 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.
2 The church will, therefore, take all necessary steps within its power to meet its responsibilities in so far as is reasonably practicable by, among other arrangements:
2.1 so far as is reasonably practicable the maintenance of the church premises in a condition that is safe and without risk to health and the provision and maintenance of means of access to and egress from it that are safe and without such risks;
2.2 the provision and maintenance of furnishings and equipment which, so far as is reasonably practicable, are safe and without risks to health;
2.3 assessing the risk to the health and safety of those who use the church premises;
2.4 ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;
2.5 the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as it necessary to ensure, so far as it is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of those who use the church premises;
2.6 the provision and maintenance of a proper environment for the church’s employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare;
2.7 consulting, where necessary, with all employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers on the implementation of any change to this Policy;
2.8 ensuring the adequate funds and resources are made available for carrying out this Policy.
3 The church has given the overall responsibility for the fulfilment of this Policy to the leadership and appoints a Health and Safety officer holder but subject thereto the Deaconate 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.
Health and Safety Officer
4 The Health and Safety office holder will:
4.1 carry out appropriate risk assessments (these to be reviewed annually) of the church’s premises and activities and report to the Deaconate as necessary;
4.2 co-ordinate the implementation of the church’s Health and Safety Policy (including Fire Safety);
4.3 carry out investigations of any accidents and recommend measures for preventing their recurrence;
4.4 ensure that accident and other appropriate records are maintained and returned to the appropriate bodies;
ensure that all appropriate arrangements are made to provide for first aid;
ensure that all Food Safety legislation is complied with;
4.5 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;
4.6 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;
4.7 ensure that access to and from emergency exits and fire equipment are not impaired and that passageways are kept free from obstructions other than of a temporary and partial nature.
Employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers
5 All employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers will:
5.1 take reasonable care of their health and safety, and of the health and safety and of other persons who may be affected by a person’s act or omissions while working or helping.
5.2 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;
5.3 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;
5.4 make themselves familiar with and conform to the Health and Safety Policy of the church at all times;
5.5 observe all safety rules, procedures, and codes of practice at all times, and in particular, they must be fully conversant with the procedures to be followed in the event of a fire or any other emergency;
5.6 conform to all the Food Safety regulations that are applicable to them;
5.7 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 training if called upon to do so;
5.8 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;
5.9 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;
5.10 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.
For a website link, electronic copy or hard copy of these documents, please contact Terry Hegarty