SUA HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
29 July 2023
Statement of intent
1. The policy of the Southern Unitarian Association (SUA) is to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions and environment for all our volunteers and participants, plus any other people who are directly affected by our activities, such as members of the public at any events we may hold.
Responsibility
2. Overall and final responsibility for health and safety at all events and activities organised by the SUA lies with the Executive Committee. This responsibility will be delegated to a named volunteer for each event or activity. This volunteer will be responsible for ensuring that this policy is upheld.
3. For our business meetings and social gatherings on church (or equivalent) premises, the responsible person will be nominated from the ‘home team’ of the congregation that is hosting the meeting, who knows the building and also the first aid and accident book arrangements. Thus the responsibility will rotate, dependent on the meeting being held in Portsmouth, Southampton, Newport or Ringwood. The responsible person will be named in advance.
4. For all other events the responsible person will be named in advance and their name will be noted on all relevant risk assessments.
5. All volunteers and participants involved will be made aware of who is responsible for health and safety on an event by event basis.
General arrangements
6. The aim of the SUA is the diffusion of Unitarian principles and the support of member congregations in their work in the community through regular meetings, social events and such other joint activities as may from time to time be decided.
7. Currently, the main activity of the SUA is to hold meetings, both to decide the disbursement of grants and also to provide opportunities for congregations’ members to socialise, including with members of the general public invited by the congregations.
8. For that purpose, the SUA meets at one of the four prime venues situated in Portsmouth, Southampton, Newport, and Ringwood. For each venue we will carry out a general risk assessment for the event/activity/equipment/venue. These risk assessments will be reviewed once a year or when a venue changes.
9. Should other one-off events be planned, a risk assessment will be carried out before every one-off event. This will include assessing risk as it relates to all aspects of the event including: equipment; venue; volunteers; attendees. Appropriate precautions will be taken to minimise hazards at all events and activities.
10. We will make sure all volunteers and participants at events and activities are aware of the location of fire exits.
11. All volunteers and participants will be made aware of the precautions they need to take, as noted on the relevant risk assessment.
12. No volunteer will run an event or activity on their own, and at least two volunteers should stay at an event until it is finished and the last attendees have left.
13. We will work towards having a trained first aider present at all events which are open to the public.
14. The SUA will hold Public Liability Insurance.
Review
This policy will be reviewed every year.
Date……29 July 2023 …………………………………..
Signature (Chair)…………………………………………………………….
Signature (Secretary)…………………………………………………………
