The
Board of Management operate a Health & Safety Policy which seeks to provide
a healthy and safe environment for all hall bookings.
All
statutory requirements for public health and safety are reviewed and
implemented in accord with Local Government recommendations. Regular Risk
Assessments, which address the normal use of the hall, are carried out and
wherever practical potential hazards are reduced and if possible eliminated. Guidance
is regularly sought from the appropriate departments of
Written records of all
health & safety issues are kept and available for inspection on request. An
‘Accident Report Form’ and a ‘H&S Suggested
Improvements Form’ are both available by the 999 telephone in the bar area.
User Groups play a key role in maintaining this
healthy and safe environment by operating in a way that does not lower our
H&S standards. The policy statements below seek to support User Groups in
maintaining this standard and the User nominated
responsible person is required to sign an acknowledgement of their
responsibility to this policy - as part of their hall booking contract. They or their representative is then responsible for the
health & safety of the group during their use of the hall facility.
Any point can be queried with the Hall’s Health
& Safety Officer whose word is final.
1.
The
Hall’s telephone in the bar area provides ‘999’ emergency services access.
2.
The
entire building is non-smoking at all times.
3.
No
activities are allowed which involve danger to the public. No obvious fire hazards are allowed on the premises.
No unauthorised heating appliances are to be used. No hazardous substances (as
regulated by COSHH) are to be used or stored in the hall. No highly flammable
substances shall be brought into or used in any part of the premises. No
internal decorations of a combustible nature (e.g. polystyrene, cotton etc)
shall be undertaken or erected without the permission of the H&S Officer.
4.
The Hirer must report all accidents
involving injury to the public to a member of the Village Hall Management as
soon as possible and complete an ‘Accident Report Form’. Any failure of
equipment belonging to the Village Hall or brought in by the Hirer must also be
reported as soon as possible. Certain
types of accident or injury must be reported on a separate Local Authority form.
The Hall Secretary will give assistance in completing this form. This is in accordance with the Reporting of
Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).
Regarding Safe Escape in the event of a
Fire
5.
Users
should acquaint themselves with all exits (normal & emergency) and these
must be kept clear (internal & external) at all times such as not to impede
emergency evacuation. All fire doors are marked as
such and under no circumstances are to be wedged open.
For any major events involving numbers exceeding 100, the hirer must check that
all exits are unobstructed – this includes checking that emergency exits are unlocked
and functional as intended.
Fire drills are not regularly practiced.
6.
In
the event of an outbreak of fire however slight,
the building must be evacuated immediately – fire extinguishers are provided at
all exits to assist in clearing a path for emergency exit. The musterpoint is the grass area over the road from the Hall – take care
crossing a main road . Wherever feasible and
safe to do so, doors and windows should be closed to reduce the spread of the
fire. The Fire Service should then be called on 999.
Regarding the use of the Kitchen
7.
Any
hirer intending to provide catering (beyond cold or hot drinks and cold
proprietary packaged biscuits/cakes) should contact Chester City Council Food
Safety Team on 402302 or 402323 and follow their
guidance before proceeding.
8.
The cooker and fridge are normally
kept switched off and locked – arrangements for their operation are made via
the caretaker who will give appropriate guidance in their use.
9.
Care must be taken when preparing and using
boiling water and when handling hot utensils or appliances. The oven/hob should
be supervised at all times when in use. It remains hot well after being turned
off.
10.
Users must remove all food at the end of their
booking. Two outside rubbish bins are provided for disposal of waste food. Bags
of food waste must not be left unless securely
within the external rubbish bins provided.
Excessive rubbish created such as by parties should be removed by the hirer.
11.
A handwash facility
is provided near the kitchen door. The kitchen and utensils should be left in a
hygenic state – usable by the next booking. Cleaning
facilities are provided – generally stored in the broom cupboard – off the
corridor (opposite the kitchen). If the kitchen has been left in an unhygienic
state by a previous booking it must be reported to the Caretaker. While these
standards are followed by the Hall’s cleaner, the Hall does not arrange
cleaning between each booking and the Board of Management cannot be held
responsible for the condition of the kitchen from the previous booking.
Further
general points
12.
No
safety equipment must be tampered with. If any faults are observed they must be
reported as soon as practical to the H&S Officer.
13. In the event of a power failure – an
emergency lighting supply is automatically triggered to illuminate exit routes.
The illuminated ‘exit’ signs must be turned on manually
when the premises are occupied by more than 20 people.
14. No First Aid box or
qualified First Aider is provided by the hall
facility. Users are advised to consider and resolve their own First Aid
requirements.
15.
Children
are to be supervised at all times. The hall has many features such as a
kitchen; stage and storage cupboards which while necessary for hall activities,
potentially offer hazards during careless and unacceptable behaviour.
16.
Care
must be taken at all times with the front of stage due to its inevitable shear
drop to the floor of the main hall. Similarly care is needed on all stairways.
17.
The
Hall has a furniture store room. Care must be taken moving furniture in and out
of this room and all items must be stored such as to avoid accidents from
over-stacking.
18.
Users are responsible for the safe operation
of all equipment they bring into the Hall. Electrical
equipment must be used in a safe manner in accordance with the
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
19.
The
Hall’s electrical and gas facilities are regularly inspected by authorised
personnel and a certificate issued. Any user noting any questionable defect
should report it immediately and where appropriate cease using the faulty
appliance.
20.
No
electrical equipment is to be stored in the hall such that other user groups
could mistake it for equipment provided as part of the hall booking.
21.
Any
users needing to trail cables across the floor should minimise this need and
should take care not to create tripping hazards. Lengths of floor cable covers
are provided which should be used where necessary and then returned to lay flat
along their ‘warm’ shelf on the back wall.
22.
Certain
rooms/cupboards are generally locked for authorised access only – as stated on
the doors.
23. The Hall operates a
one-way system for drivers. Drivers must take care at all times and they should
note that the exit is directly onto a main road.