UVH has Public Liability Insurance and Employee Insurance. The later covers our ‘paid employees’ and unpaid volunteers whether trustees or members of the public under ‘trustee control’.

UVH has three categories of ‘employees’ – paid, retained and voluntary. All paid contractors engaged by UVH operate under their own H&S rules and are covered by their own Public Liability Insurance.

1 – Paid

The caretaker’s tasks have been listed along with their potential risks. UVH Management undertake to remove potential risks where possible and to provide all reasonable training to encourage the safe conduct of these routine tasks. The caretaker has been instructed not to attempt new tasks until these have been Risk Assessed and added to the list. All training is to be recorded.

Specific rules are in place such as –

-          When working alone the caretaker  MUST carry a serviceable mobile phone to raise any emergency call if needed.

2 – Retained

The Hall Maintenance Manager is paid an annual ‘retainer’ due to the high level of maintenance activity involved. The Maintenance Manager is responsible for identifying and resolving any task Risk Assessment and Training needs required to carry out specific tasks. This role is expected to engage competent professional services where needed and not to attempt tasks ‘to save money or time’ when adequate self competence and support equipment is not in place.

3 – Unpaid

Voluntary unpaid ‘employees’ are Trustees and ‘general public – usually UVH facility Users’ – who occasionally are involved in various ‘DIY tasks’ where paid contractors are not deemed to be necessary.  Any such activities where UVH Management are responsible (as opposed to being specific for some User Group) must be agreed with either the Chairman, Secretary, Hall Maintenance Manager or H&S Officer of UVH.

These activities are subjected to the test ‘ is this a common home type DIY activity’ ?

Examples of ‘common home type DIY activities’ are – decorating (from a floor standing position); household cleaning; normal furniture rearrangement.

These should be pursued with all usual diligence.

All other activities must be subjected to a Risk Assessment agreed with the H&S Officer or Hall Maintenance Manager.

Such ‘other activities’ are those where ‘most households’ would ‘engage a professional contractor’. This would include the use of equipment not normally found within the home but available from ‘rental’ agencies. Examples – (1) Burning the markings onto exterior tarmac. (2) Changing& cleaning  light fittings in main hall via a scaffold. (3) Tree felling.