Health & Safety Policy

St John the Baptist Church,

Penymynydd

Church Committee

Health and Safety Policy

We will, so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all our voluntary helpers, and provide such information, training and supervision as they need for this purpose. We will consult voluntary workers on a regular basis in order to seek their views on health and safety matters.

We expect our voluntary workers to have due regard for their own safety and this policy, and bring any deficiencies or concerns to the attention of a senior member of the Church (the Priest or a member of the Church Committee).

We will also endeavour to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all members of the congregation, contractors, visitors and others who may visit the church and churchyard.

The arrangements that we will make to implement the policy are set out below.

This policy will be kept up to date, particularly in the light of any changes to our buildings or activities. We will regularly review the policy and the way in which it has operated, and make any appropriate changes.

Any Health and Safety matters arising from this policy will be raised at the following meeting of the Church Committee, and in any case Health and Safety will form an item on the agenda at a meeting of the Church Committee at least once per year.

Review date: 1st August 2027

Version 1.7

Organisation and arrangements

A.   Introduction

In the event of an emergency Church Post |Code is CH4 0EN.

The nearest Defibrillator is mounted on the school fence.

The activities of St John’s Church, its buildings and their maintenance do not generally present serious safety concerns. Nevertheless, there still remains the potential for accidents.

The aim of our safety policy is therefore

_ to make arrangements which enable hazards in our surroundings to be identified;

_ to reduce the risks presented by these hazards to tolerably low levels;

_ to encourage church members, voluntary workers and users of our premises to be

vigilant, taking care for their own safety and that of others.

We need to keep it simple. In our church we must make sure that our arrangements are  flexible enough to deal with both routine and unexpected hazards and not administratively cumbersome or over-complex.

In this policy, the term hazard means a safety concern or a situation which could

cause harm. The term risk is a combination of the severity of the hazard and

the likelihood of its occurrence

B. Safety inspections

We shall ensure that our safety policy is being carried out by having safety inspections involving a cross-section of members of our church. A safety inspection of the church premises will be carried out every 12 months by a churchwarden accompanied by at least one other person. To assist them, a checklist is provided. The topics listed under the “Specific Concerns” below are intended to give the inspection team more detailed information on the checklist items. A record of the inspections and their findings will be kept.

Any actions arising will be dealt with by the Churchwardens, and this may include immediate rectification and / or carrying out risk assessments. The information will be brought before the Church Committee at its next meeting.

The check list is really only a starting point. It cannot cover every possible hazard. The inspection team - and indeed the whole church community - must be alert to new or unexpected hazards and situations.

A note on Risk Assessments is appended to this policy.

C. Specific arrangements and concerns

The following is a list of specific safety arrangements and concerns. It is a part of the Church Safety Policy, and it forms a guidance for the team carrying out safety inspections.

1. Accident book

The Church maintains an accident book (kept in the vestry). Any accidents on church

premises involving personal injury, or near misses, will be investigated by the churchwardens, and the details (including dates, times, circumstances and any

relevant observations or recommendations) entered in the accident book.

2. Medical emergency

2.1 A first aid box is located in the baptistry. The contents are checked regularly.

2.2 In the event of a medical emergency In the event of an emergency the Church Post Code is CH4 0EN. The nearest Defibrillator is mounted on the school fence.

3. Fire safety

3.1

1 foam fire extinguisher, 1 CO2 fire extinguisher and 2 fire blankets are kept in the baptistry

The extinguishers noted above are checked at every inspection to make sure they

are still in place and have not been discharged

3.2 In the event of an emergency an announcement to leave the building will be made by the clergy, churchwarden or leader. The assembly point is at the top carpark. Keep well clear of the lychgate, road and pathway, as the emergency services may need access.

The emergency services will be contacted immediately by a churchwarden or leader, using a personal mobile phone.

3.3 Before the start of any service, the sidespeople on duty for the day will check that both exits from the church are unlocked and clear of obstructions.

Sidespeople will be briefed to be extra vigilant when candlelit services are taking

place.

4. Electrical Safety

4.1 Every five years, our fixed electrical system will be inspected and tested by a

competent contractor who is a member of the NICEIC, ECA or other approved body.

Any necessary remedial work will be carried out.

4.2 Our portable electrical appliances will be examined at each routine safety inspection (with especial attention to age, general condition, damage to plugs, cables and sockets and worn flexes) and any defects reported to the churchwardens for rectification.

5. Hazardous substances

5.1 Hazardous substances which may be found in normal domestic premises (such as

detergents and polishes) are stored securely in a cupboard.

5.2 Fuel oil for the boiler is stored in a standard closed, bunded tank.

5.3 No other hazardous substances are stored on church premises.

6. Plant and machinery

Volunteers using equipment on church premises (such as mowers, strimmers, vacuum cleaners and portable tools) should ensure that the equipment is properly maintained and that they know how to use it safely. Eye and hearing protection must be worn as directed by the wardens, especially during grass cutting activities.

7. Slips, trips, falls and impacts

7.1 The routine safety inspection will include attention to the state of the floors, stairs and hand-rails in the church. The inspection team will also check that the state of paths and steps in the churchyard is satisfactory.

7.2 Impact from falling boxes, heavy items, masonry and churchyard memorials is of

concern. Any potential problems here will be identified and addressed by the inspection teams.

8. Lighting

The routine safety inspection will include a check that all the lights in the church are

working correctly.

9. Tower access

There are a number of potential hazards within the tower of St John’s Church,

including (but not limited to) steep and worn steps, a lack of handrails, defects in the

flooring, the bell mechanisms and dust.

Consequently it is the policy of the Church Committee not to allow tower access by members of the public, or to allow unauthorised persons to enter the tower. For the purposes of this policy, persons authorised to enter the tower shall be limited to:

_ The incumbent

_ The Churchwardens

_ Contractors carrying out repairs and maintenance

_ Other persons authorised by any of the above and personally accompanied by

them.

10. Balcony Access

The balcony is accessed by a steep and winding stair case and is unsuitable for people of limited mobility, health problems and young children. The front edge of the balcony is below the recommended height for a ‘handrail’ and therefore care should be taken and young and vulnerable people should be supervised. It is not permitted to stand on the pews as this will increase the risk of falling from the balcony.

11. Working at high levels

Working at high levels can be particularly hazardous, and is strongly discouraged.

Volunteers must not work at height or use ladders on church premises unless a risk assessment is carried out and the findings actioned. In addition, volunteers must

work within their capabilities and that of any equipment, and must never work alone at high levels.

12. Children and Vulnerable Adults Protection

We have a children and vulnerable adults protection policy which is monitored and administered by the Safeguarding Officer appointed by the Church Committee.

13. Personal safety

Working alone in the church or churchyard is discouraged, but it is recognised that in

many cases there is no practical alternative. Volunteers who are in the position of

working alone must ensure that either they have ready access to a mobile telephone

at all times, or arrange for some other person to check periodically on their welfare.

14. Church activities

All special church activities (fetes, outings, special events) must be subjected to a risk assessment. The organisers must take appropriate action depending on the

outcome.

Appendix 1 - Risk Assessments

Carrying out a risk assessment simply means that we think about a hazard, its severity and its likelihood, and then decide what control measures, if any, we need to put into place. In most cases the course of action will be obvious. Occasionally however it may not be this simple. Eliminating the hazard might be impracticable or very expensive. In this case a risk rating should be carried in order to determine the appropriate course of action.

Remember that a hazard means a safety concern or a situation which could cause harm.

Risk is a combination of the severity of the hazard and the likelihood of its occurrence.

By grading the severity to a hazard, and then judging the likelihood of it happening, we can gauge just how high is the resulting risk. Use the diagram on the next page.

If the risk is assessed as “low”, no action at all may be required.

If the risk is “medium”, additional control measures and warnings will probably be necessary.

If the risk is “high” it may be necessary to stop the particular activity or restrict access to the area until action has been taken.

Examples

Hazard severity

Low severity - minor cuts and bruises.

Medium severity - serious injury, or incapacitated for 3 days or more.

High severity - fatality or life-threatening injury, or many people seriously injured.

Likelihood

Low - very unlikely, and nobody can remember anything like it happening before.

Medium - quite possible, or people can remember something like it happening before.

High - quite probable, or something like it has happened several times or recently.