(draft, subject to ratification 2025)

Introduction

The Trustees of Matlock Civic Association have overall responsibility for health and safety in the organisation, and for ensuring that it fulfils all its legal responsibilities. It is the duty of Trustees and Members to uphold this policy and to provide the necessary funds and resources to put it into practice.

The Trustees are committed to ensuring that all Matlock Civic Association activities are safe and it will do whatever it can to provide for the health, safety and welfare of not only its volunteers, but also members of the public that may come into contact with its project activities.  They will ensure that risks to volunteers and members of the public are minimised at all times.

Matlock Civic Association and its volunteers will observe the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (“HASAWA”) and all relevant regulations and codes of practice made under it. 

This policy will be reviewed regularly by the Trustees. 

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1. Trustee Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for the implementation and monitoring of health and safety policies and recommending changes where necessary.  They should also ensure that the provisions of the policies are brought to the attention of volunteers when appropriate;

All accidents or unsafe incidents will be investigated by the Trustees as soon as possible and be reported back to members at the next available meeting;

They are responsible for assessing the health and safety risks to members in the execution of projects and for identifying what measures are needed to comply with health and safety obligations;

They must ensure that venues or vehicles used for meetings and projects are safe and without risk to members’ health including safe ways of entering and leaving;

In particular, when working on projects,

• Ensuring that any equipment used is safe and well maintained;
• Providing information, instruction, training and supervision to volunteers in safe working methods and procedures as required;
• Encouraging volunteers working on projects to co-operate in ensuring safe and healthy conditions and systems by effective joint consultation;
• Establishing emergency procedures as required;
• They ensure that any accidents or near misses are recorded in the accident book kept by the Secretary.
• They will carry out risk assessments when (a) there is a change of venue or some other relevant change of circumstance (b) there is a change in legislation or (c) a new project is being started or planned
• Where training needs are identified during risk assessments, the Trustees will arrange for such health and safety training to be carried out

2. Volunteer Responsibilities

All Matlock Civic Association members / volunteers will ensure that:

• They are aware of the contents of this safety policy
• They comply with this policy
• They take care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions or omissions
• They will report all accidents, or unsafe situations, and any near misses (things which could have led to an accident), to the Secretary or another Trustee at once.
• They are aware of all fire procedures for the area in which they are working
• If they identify anything which they think could be in any way unsafe, they will report it
• No member should take a physically active part in a project unless they are completely satisfied that they can do so without an adverse effect upon their health, and nor should the Association expect them to do so

Signature of chair:

Date of signature/ratification of policy (or what date was this policy adopted by the membership)

Date that next review is due: August 2025

Date policy reviewed: