UPTON-by-CHESTER
VILLAGE
This document is an abstract of the Upton Village
Hall Health & Safety Policy and Arrangements for its Implementation and is aimed
specifically at the regular User Group or casual booking organiser.
Policy
§ The
Board of Management seeks to provide a facility where there is a healthy and
safe environment for all its users, an environment
where all users feel they have a "duty of care" towards other users
and all statutory requirements for public health and safety are met.
§ The
User Representative or booking organiser, is responsible for ensuring the
activities that will be taking place do not pose an unacceptable risk to the
people they represent, also for ensuring these activities will not jeopardise
the health and safety of others or the environment that the Board is seeking to
provide.
§ The
Board works to ensure the split of responsibilities between itself and a User
are clear and wants to be informed of any possible grey area that may arise.
§ The
Board recognises that Users play a key role in maintaining a safe and healthy
facility. They require Users to
recognise and cooperate with the Arrangements outlined below for implementing
the H&S Policy and to operate in a way that meets the H&S standards
established by the Board.
Arrangements
for Implementing the Policy
1.
The
User/Booking Organiser
The
representative of a User or the booking organiser, being the nominated
responsible person, is required to sign an acknowledgement of their
responsibility to implement the H&S Policy, as part of their booking
contract. Regular Users will be reminded
of this responsibility during the first quarter of each year and a written
acknowledgement sought from them.
2. H&S Officer
The
Hall H&S Officer is the key link with the User in H&S related matters.
3.
Ensuring Safe Escape in the Event of a
Fire
a)
Users should acquaint themselves with
all normal and emergency exits and must at all times keep these exits clear.
b)
When being used for public entertainment
with less than 100 people present, there shall be a minimum of two persons on
duty, both over 18 years old. If more
than 100 people are present, the number on duty must be increased to three. These supervisory numbers should be regarded
as a minimum if the majority present are less than 16 years old or when many
people with disabilities are expected to attend.
c) For any major event involving numbers over
100, the organisers must check beforehand that all exits are unobstructed,
doors are unlocked and are functional as intended.
d) In the event of a fire the first actions
should be to shout “Fire!" (there being no fire alarm), evacuate the
building (muster point is the grassy area across the road) and call the Fire
Service using the Emergency Phone located in the kitchen (999). If possible all doors and windows should be
closed to reduce fire spread. Fire extinguishers are provided at all exits to
assist in clearing a path for emergency exit.
4.
Reducing the Risk of Fire
a)
The fire doors into the boiler room are
marked as such and under no circumstances are to be wedged open.
b)
Users must not introduce any flammable
substances or decorations of a combustible nature without receiving permission.
c)
Users need to reduce the accumulation of
combustible material and to properly use the storage provided.
d)
Ignition sources, naked flames,
candles, heating appliances or sources of heat are not allowed without
receiving special permission.
e)
Users need to keep hot display or stage
lighting away from flammable materials.
f)
All doors and windows must be closed
and secured when leaving the Hall and any lighting and electrical equipment
properly switched off (except for those normally left on such as the emergency
exit signs).
5.
Accidents, Incidents and Emergencies
a)
Users must report all accidents,
incidents and near-misses on the proper Report Form and immediately inform a
member of the Board. A report is needed
of any accident involving personal injury no matter how small, any failure of
equipment belonging to the Hall or any near-miss (where under slightly
different circumstances personal injury or equipment failure may well have
occurred). A stock of Report Forms is
kept by the Emergency Phone in the kitchen. The Form also covers the procedure to be
followed. On receipt of the Form, the
Safety Officer will ensure any useful learning or improvement actions are
identified.
b)
Users are encouraged to fill in a
Suggested H&S Improvement Form if they believe something is needed to be
done. A stock of these is kept by the
Emergency Phone in the kitchen.
c)
Users are required to consider and resolve
their own First Aid requirements as there is no First Aid Box provided in the
Hall for general use.
6.
Risk Assessment
Hall
Management have a Risk Assessment system in place for them to identify whether
anything additional is needed bearing in mind the controls that already exist. User Groups are encouraged to carry out their
own Risk Assessments, particularly the Drama Group due to the wide range of
significant hazards they can face.
7.
The Use of the Kitchen
a) Any hirer intending to provide catering
beyond cold or hot drinks and cold proprietary packaged biscuits/cakes, are
advised to contact the County Council Food Safety Team for their advice before
proceeding.
b) The cooker and fridge are normally kept
switched off and locked. Arrangements
for their operation are made via the caretaker.
c) 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.
d)
Perishable foods must not be left in
storage cupboards.
e)
Children under the age of 11 are not
allowed unsupervised in the kitchen.
f)
Users must remove all food from the
kitchen at the end of their booking. Food must not be left in the outside rubbish
bins unless they are securely bagged. Excessive
rubbish should be removed by the hirer.
g)
A hand wash facility is provided by the
kitchen door. The kitchen and utensils
should be left in a clean and hygienic state so as to be usable by the next
booking. Cleaning facilities are
provided (and generally are stored in the broom cupboard off the corridor next
to the kitchen.) The hirer will be
responsible for any additional cleaning or waste disposal expenses incurred. If
the kitchen has been left in a unhygienic state by a previous booking, it
should be reported to the caretaker.
9.
Equipment and Appliances
a)
Any user noting any possible defect with
the Hall's electrical or gas facilities should report it immediately to the
caretaker or member of the Board and where appropriate cease its use.
b)
Safety equipment and other hall
equipment must not be tampered with. If
any faults are observed they must be reported and recorded on the forms
provided by the emergency phone. If
important or if safety equipment is involved, then they must be reported
immediately to the caretaker or to a member of the Board.
c)
Users are responsible for the safety and
safe operation of all equipment they bring into the Hall. Annual PAT testing is recommended for
electrical equipment.
d)
Trailing cables must be minimised so as
not to cause a tripping hazard. Lengths
of floor cable covers are available for use. They are kept on the wall shelf between the
radiators on the back wall and must be returned there after use.
e)
No electrical equipment is to be stored
in the Hall as other users could mistake it for being available for their own
use.
f)
In the event of a power failure an
emergency lighting supply is automatically triggered to illuminate exit routes.
The illuminated exit signs are wired to
remain permanently on.
10.
Safe Behaviour
Children
are to be supervised at all times. The
Hall has features such as the kitchen, the stage and storage cupboards, which
pose hazards in the event of careless behaviour.
11.
Storage
a)
Care must be taken moving furniture
in and out of the furniture store room. A special trolley is provided to make handling
easier. Care must be taken to avoid
stacking more than 5 chairs high during movement and storage.
b)
Most Users are allocated their own
storage cupboard. These must be kept
tidy and must not be used for storing hazardous or combustible materials.
12.
Road Safety
A
one-way system operates with the car park entry and exit. This must be respected. Drivers must take care at all times and be
aware of pedestrians. They should take
particular care on making their exit as this is directly onto a main road.
Pedestrians must use the areas marked off for their use wherever possible.