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Health & Safety POLICY

This is the Health and Safety Policy Statement of Northwick Park Community Garden.

 

Our statement of general policy is:

To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our activities.

To consult with our volunteers on matters affecting their health and safety.

To provide and maintain safe plant and equipment.

To ensure safe handling and use of substances.

To provide information, instruction and supervision for volunteers.

To ensure all volunteers are competent to do their tasks, and to give them adequate training.

To prevent accidents.

To maintain safe and healthy working conditions.

To review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals.

 

Responsibilities:

Overall and final responsibility for health and safety is that of the Trustees of Northwick Park Community Garden.

 

Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into practice is delegated to The Board of Trustees.

 

To ensure health and safety standards are maintained/improved, the following people have responsibility in the following areas: The Board of Trustees.

 

However all volunteers have to:

 

  1. co-operate with Trustees, supervisors and managers on health and safety matters;

  2. not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety;

  3. take reasonable care of their own health and safety; and

  4. report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person/s (as detailed in this policy

 

Health and safety risks arising from our activities:

An Appointed Trustee/s will undertake risk assessments.

The findings of the risk assessments will be reported to The Board of Trustees.

Action required to remove/control risks will be approved by The Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees will be responsible for ensuring the action required is implemented.

An Appointed Trustee/s will check that the implemented actions have removed/reduced the risks. Assessments will be reviewed every three months or when the work activity changes, whichever is soonest.

 

Consultation with volunteers:

Northwick Park Community Garden will consult with volunteers on the following:

  • Any new measure which may substantially affect their health and safety, for example new equipment, new ways of working and new procedures.

  • Arrangements for getting competent people to help satisfy health and safety laws.

  • The information we give to volunteers on the risks to health and safety arising from their voluntary tasks, measures to reduce or get rid of these risks and what they should do if they are exposed to a risk, including emergency procedures.

  • Planning and organising health and safety training.

  • The health and safety consequences for them of any new technology we plan to introduce.

  • The information provided to volunteers will be in a form that can be easily understood.

  • Northwick Park Community Garden will consult directly with volunteers through team meetings and face-to-face discussions.

 

Northwick Park Community Garden will allow enough time for volunteers to consider the issues and give informed responses. Volunteers are encouraged to ask questions, raise concerns and make recommendations.

 

Northwick Park Community Garden will take volunteers’ views into account before a final decision is made, respond to any concerns and questions raised, and explain the final decision and why it has been taken.

 

Safe equipment:

  • The Board of Trustees will be responsible for identifying all equipment needing maintenance.

  • The Board of Trustees will be responsible for ensuring effective maintenance procedures are drawn up.

  • The Board of Trustees will be responsible for ensuring that all identified maintenance is implemented.

  • Any problems found with equipment should be reported to The Board of Trustees immediately.

  • The Board of Trustees will check that new equipment meets health and safety standards before it is purchased.

 

Safe handling and use of substances:

The Board of Trustees will check that new substances can be used safely before they are purchased. Northwick Park Community Garden does not currently use or store any substances which need a COSHH assessment.

 

Information, instruction and supervision:

  • Health and safety advice is available from The Board of Trustees.

  • Supervision of volunteers will be undertaken by An Appointed Trustee/s.

  • The Appointed Trustee/s is responsible for ensuring that our volunteers working at locations under the control of other organisations are given relevant health and safety information.

 

Competency for tasks and training:

  • Induction training will be provided for all volunteers by An Appointed Trustee/s or a qualified person acting on their behalf.

  • Job specific training is not required for any jobs within Northwick Park Community Garden.

  • Training records are kept by the Secretary of the Charity.

  • Training will be identified, arranged and monitored by The Board of Trustees.

 

Accidents and First Aid:

Health surveillance is not required in relation to any volunteer role at Northwick Park Community Garden.

 

The first aid box(es) is/are kept on site during work parties.

The appointed person(s)/first aider(s) is An Appointed Trustee on the day.

All accidents are to be recorded in the accident book. The book is kept at the charity’s registered address.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority.

Monitoring:

To check our working conditions, and ensure our safe working practices are being followed, we will:

  • Carry out inspections and spot checks.

  • Investigate any accidents that occur.

  • The Board of Trustees is responsible for investigating accidents.

  • The Board of Trustees is responsible for acting on investigation findings to prevent a recurrence.

 

The Board of Trustees will be made available to support the Appointed Trustees where applicable with all tasks due to the legal obligation of the organisation, and supporting Appointed Trustees in post with the running of the Charity.

Policy v1 approved by the Trustees on 23/11/2018

Policy v2 reviewed by the Trustees on 30/11/2019

© 2020 NPCG

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