...... Talking Newspaper/Magazine
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Organisation : (name) ......
HEALTH
AND
SAFETY
Address :......
......
......
......
Trustees/Committee members :
......
......
......
Member responsible for co-coordinatingHealth and Safety : ......
revision : April 2012
Caring for your volunteers, staff and listeners
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has stated that:
‘In general, the same health and safety standards should be applied to voluntary workers as they would to employees exposed to the same risks. HSE considers it good practice for a volunteer user to provide the same level of health and safety protection as they would in an employer/employee relationship, irrespective of whether there are strict legal duties’.
TNF has drawn up a Health and Safety Manual for each local TN to use in a simple and straightforward way. You need the local committee to raise this at each meeting for a year and someone to spend a little time carrying out a bit of admin. Unless there are significant changes to a particular aspect the end of the year, from then on the forms need only to be reviewed once a year. By doing this the trustees will have a strong defence IF they are ever sued. As trustees, you should look after your biggest asset and that is your volunteers and listeners. Equipment can be replaced!!
It is unfortunate that more responsibilities are placed on volunteers but if they are addressed in a logical and timely manner the situation can be resolved with some careful thought.
Mike Wood
TNF Chairmanrevision April 2012
HEALTH AND SAFETY FRAMEWORK
SECTIONCONTENT
1POLICY STATEMENT
2SAFETY FRAMEWORK Safety "Coordinator" role
3RISK ASSESSMENTS (Generic sample assessments, Forms and Log of Assessments
General, Manual Handling, VDU, COSHH, Work at Height) *
4ACCIDENTS/FIRST AID/Reporting* first aid kits/contents, Procedure in case of accident,
accident book form, RIDDOR requirements
(how to report an accident, if necessary).
5USE OF VEHICLES Policy for use, breakdown/accident procedure,
vehicle accident report form
6FIRE PRECAUTIONS* Fire Action Notice/Procedures, Fire Risk Assessments,
Extinguisher types, Inspection/Testing Log sheets.
7EQUIPMENT SAFETY (including electrical) Policy, arrangements.
8VDU Use.(DSE Regulations) Policy, sample User assessment form
9LONE WORKING
10ASBESTOS/Legionella *(New section)
11INFORMATION/ADVICE/TRAINING Information sources.
* Sections are either new or have had major revisions in 2012. Please read these.
STEPSC. 19/04/2012
1GENERAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT
At ………………. Talking Newspaper we will provide, maintain and develop working conditions which secure the health and safety of all volunteers, paid employees and any other persons who could be affected by our work, as far as is reasonably practicable.
We also provide basic Health and Safety information, procedures, documents and generic Risk assessments to help us fulfil our legal obligations towards all workers, whether volunteers or paid employees.
We assess all significant risks which are reasonably foreseeable within our undertakingto provide a regular audio News service for those with impaired sight. We also provide information, training, equipment and safe systems as needed to maintain and develop the safety knowledge and awareness of workers.
We are committed to the principle that Health and Safety is a practical, everyday part of ALL work, which should be proportionate to the risks.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Executive Committee holds ultimate responsibility for Health and Safety within the organisation.
All supervisory staff are responsible for Health and Safety within their own areas.
All staff, whether Volunteers or paid employees have the same rights and obligations, under Health and Safety Law. We are all responsible for taking reasonable care for our own safety and that of anyone else who could be affected by our actions. To do this we should :
- Follow any safety training or instructions given, and follow any safety rules.
- Avoid damaging, interfering with or losing any safety equipment.
- Tell a trustee if they believe something is dangerous.
ARRANGEMENTS
Competent Assistance in Safety.
We do not have a full time safety adviser within our organisation. Where assistance or information is needed, and it is not available internally, we seek advice from the Talking News Federation, or use the services of competent external advisers and specialists.
Safety Management.
We have a nominated person responsible for coordinating and ensuring necessary Health and Safety related activities are carried out and records kept. These can include reviewing Risk assessments, carrying out fire safety or electrical safety checks on premises.
Within this organisation, the nominated person is: ......
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND SYSTEMS.
We have this Health and Safety Policy Statement, and a simple H&S Folder, which provides information on basic legal requirements and advice on actions needed and taken to ensure our volunteers, staff and others are kept safe and legal requirements are fulfilled. The folder also contains records of any assessments or inspections required.
If any member of staff, paid or voluntary, believes there is a safety risk connected with the work they should in the first instance address this concern to :
signed:...... (position held) ...... September 2006 (reviewed 04/12)
2SAFETY FRAMEWORK
Whilst the size of this organisation and the nature of its work does not warrant a full time member of staff allocated to Health and Safety (H&S) work, we do have in place a framework of simple operational procedures designed to deliver our service to the best possible standard to our users. At the same time we will secure the health and safety of all our staff and volunteers, as far as is reasonably practicable.
The member of staff nominated to co-ordinate H&S related activities is :
...... (name)
To fulfil this task he/she ensures:
- Any additional Risk Assessments needed are written, beyond those generic ones already held
- Copies of these assessments are kept in the H&S folder in the office along with other records
- All fire extinguishers and alarm systems are maintained and/or tested, as needed
- All portable electrical equipment (e.g. recording equipment, media recorders) is tested regularly, and records kept of these Inspections/tests
- Any accident or incident is recorded in the accident book
- Any formal accident/incident reports required under R.I.D.D.O.R. are made online. A hardcopy of the report will be passed to the Trustees and a copy kept on file
- That walk through inspections of our offices/studio and copying areas are done at least once a year and any shortcomings or concerns are reported to the Trustees
- He/she seeks advice from the Talking News Federation or specialists when needed to clarify any safety related query.
.
3RISK ASSESSMENTS
Explanation.
These are required, by the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999, for any activities which present "significant" risks, “associated with your undertaking”. Additionally, IF an organisation has more than 4 staff (employees or volunteers) these assessments must be recorded. IF fewer than 4, they do NOT have to be recorded, unless you wish to do so.
The aim is NOT to produce a huge amount of unnecessary paper. It is to identify activities or situations which can create "Significant" risks to people, and make a succinct note of what and how these occur - and what is done to reduce those risks. (called Control measures, or precautions!)
These control measuresare the most important thing - that is what keeps people reasonably safe, not having a pile of paper identifying risks and then doing nothing about them.
The Federation has produced a series of Generic assessments for activities commonly carried out in this sort of work. These can be adopted and used by any member organisation whose activities are similar.
Where an activity is carried out which is NOT covered in these, and you believe it presents a significant risk, you will need to use the blank form provided and draft your own assessment. (Not rocket science, just good, common sense following the style of the sample generic assessments. (It is best if at least 2 people are involved, to bounce ideas around and come up with simple, sensible solutions to problems).
Copies of these Generic assessments are provided as Appendices to this section. Also included as appendices are copies of the blank form and other forms for the assessments needed, and mentioned below. This is to enable you to document your own additional assessments, where needed. It may look a lot, but they are very straightforward to use - distilled common sense!
Other types of Assessments
Different H&S Regulations (effectively sub-laws, which are still a legal requirement, usually on more specific issues) require assessments to be done and recorded (where more than 4 staff) on other areas of work which are known to be particularly problematic. These include :
- Manual Handling,
- Display Screen Equipment (usually Computer Screens/ keyboards)
- Hazardous substances use (C.O.S.H.H.) (usually, but not only, chemicals such as cleaning materials)
- Work at Height.
- Fire Precautions Risk Assessment (see section 6 for more detail about this)
Given these Regulations require slightly different factors to be considered, it is easier to use a slightly different form to record an assessment. All the forms we use are based on those provided by the H.S.E. (which are usually the best and easiest to use!)..
As with general assessments the Federation has drafted sample Manual Handling, C.O.S.H.H. and Work at Height assessments for common activities or situations which occur in a Talking Newspaper organisation. These can be adopted, and modified as needed by individual member organisations.
Again, these assessments are quite straightforward to do for yourself if you wish, simply follow the instructions on the blank forms and refer to the generic assessments for advice.
IF you write your own assessments, and would like them to be looked at by the Federation's Safety Advisor, and to receive advice or feedback on them, please forward a copy to them.
However, do be aware they are YOUR assessments as it is your operation and your responsibility to carry them out- you know your organisation, and what really happens, better than anyone else!
The sections on Fire Precautions and VDU use (DSE regulations) give forms and instructions on how you can do a simple assessment , as these must be specific for individual premises and individuals, respectively.
Fire Risk Assessments and their adequacy have been the subject of much discussion in recent years, following changes to the legislation. We recommendyou read Section 6, which gives more information on this topic.
Carrying out a Risk Assessment.
Assessing the risks means systematically looking at an operation (or process) and establishing WHAT can happen which will cause injury to ANYONE, and what we do about it.
We have to consider two main factors:
- HOW LIKELY is it to happen?
- HOW SEVERE is the likely outcome?
The terms HAZARD and RISK are critical to an understanding of the principle of Risk Assessment.
- A HAZARD IS `something with the potential to cause harm’.
- A RISK is the `likelihood that the harm will be realised’.
FIRST WE IDENTIFY WHAT THE HAZARDS ARE, and what the significant associated RISKS are.
e.g. We are fixing a noticeboard on a wall, and need to drill and fix a hook, using a mains power drill. The most “significant” risk arises from using the power drill. i.e. the whole process of using drill is the Hazard.
The significant risks from using it are i) electrocution (if it is faulty/or we drill through the cable!!)
ii) injury from the drill bit, when it is rotating.
ii) injury to eyes from debris thrown up when drilling.
Next consider what precautions do we already intend to take?
e.gfor risk i) above -we visually check that the cable and plug are OK before we use it,
we PAT test the drill periodically (say every year).
for risk ii)we train people how to use it unless they are already experienced,
for risk iii)we wear protective glasses or goggles if drilling into hard material.
Thirdly, we decide if there is anything MORE we need to do to make it reasonably safe.
In the above case, we decide there is nothing more we need to do - or, perhaps, if the material to be drilled is softer, we use a battery powered drill, (so no mains electricity)..
***
There is NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT to rewrite an Assessment often, UNLESS the situation changes in such a way that the original Assessment no longer accurately reflects the situation and the associated risks. (e.g. different people carry out a particular task, or the task changes – then it makes sense to review and possibly modify it – IF needed).
A periodic REVIEW of the Assessment IS, however, needed.
For example, annually run through your list of Assessments and ask three questions of each:
- Has the operation changed at all?
- Have we changed the people who do it?
- Has anything else changed?
If the answers to these questions are NO, THERE IS NO NEED TO REPEAT THE ASSESSMENT. Asking these questions has performed the necessary Review.
Make a note on the Risk Assessment record, such as Reviewed on 10/01/12.
If the answer to one of the questions is YES, time should be taken to consider the changes and what effects they will have on the situation. Make a note of these on the original Risk Assessment record and note any alterations or further actions needed, and date it.
ONLY if the situation has changed should it be necessary to re-do and re-write an Assessment.
The important issue here is that IF something HAS changed, and the review decides on action which needs to be taken to address this, that THE ACTION IS ACTUALLY TAKEN.
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Log of Risk Assessments (Generic)
Area / Date of assess / Activity / Review dates1 / Recording interviews in recording studio
2 / Recording Interviews on location
3 / Wiping and Copying tapes/CDs/memory sticks revised 19/04/12
4 / Use of electrical equipment for taping, wiping
5 / Sorting, handling tapes/CDs /memory sticks, in bulk revised 19/04/12
6 / Lone working
7 / Office admin work - in TN office
8 / Working late (evenings) in office, studio, or on location
9 / Delivering tapes/CDs/memory sticks (in bulk), to Post Office
revised 19/04/12
10 / Delivering /collecting mediaplayers from Users (in vehicle).
revised 19/04/12
TNF Health & Safety Manual revised 240412jb supplied by The Talking News Federation Page 1 of 54
...... Talking Newspaper/Magazine
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TNF Health & Safety Manual revised 240412jb supplied by The Talking News Federation Page 1 of 54
...... Talking Newspaper/Magazine
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RISK ASSESSMENT Register Number 1 , 2….Assessors:..N Short......
HAZARD / RISK(significant) / PEOPLE / Existing Control Measures
(precautions) / Risks NOT adequately controlled + Recommendations (incl. Residual Risk rating)
Recording Interviews, in recording studio / Electric shock/electrocution
Verbal abuse
Physical assault / TN staff undertaking interview / Electrical equipment checked and maintained
Names/identities of interviewees known before interview.
More than 1 member of TN staff present
(sound engineer + interviewer)
Interviewers experienced and aware of contentious issues.
able to call police if ever warranted
Recording Interviews, on location / Verbal abuse
Physical assault
Slips/trips/falls
(in unfamiliar location)
Road traffic accident / TN staff undertaking interview / Names/identities of interviewees known before interview.
Interviewers experienced and aware of contentious issues.
able to call police if ever warranted
alertness and attention to environment by interviewer.
TN interviewers (or driver) have driving licence and insurance covers occasional business use. / Recommendation
1 have system of informing another member of TN staff of interviewee and location before interview.
2 If contentious issue, or hazardous location - send 2 members of TN staff.
Date of Assessment :...... 24/08/06...... ………. Date of Review:...... Page No…….
RISK ASSESSMENT Register Number: 3 , 4Assessors:..N Short.
HAZARD / RISK(significant) / PEOPLE / Existing Control Measures
(precautions) / Risks NOT adequately controlled + Recommendations (incl. Residual Risk rating)
Use of other electrical equipment for recording, cleaning recording media(tapes/CDs/memory sticks) / Electric shock
Chemical injury from using tape head cleaning fluid / TN staff performing wiping and/or media copying / Only trained staff use the equipment.
Experience of TN staff in using equipment.
Equipment regularly PAT tested for electrical safety.
Non hazardous cleaner used for tape head cleaning, OR manufacturer’s instructions for use followed. (including good ventilation) / Recommendation:
Keep a list of mains powered electrical equipment and ensure regularly PAT testing.
(e.g. annually)
Use of other electrical equipment for other tasks
e.g. vacuum cleaners, kettles. / Electric shock / TN staff using equipment.
Unauthorised persons using equipment
Users using TN media players / Equipment PAT tested for electrical safety.
Equipment kept secure in TN office/ premises, unless in use.
Equipment regularly visually checked, before use.
Training and/or experience of TN staff in using the equipment.
All media players always checked before loan. / Recommendation:
Ensure regular PAT testing done, and labels affixed to equipment with date of PAT test.
Adopt a system of recalling ALL loan players every 3 years and PAT testing - OR use Low voltage players
OR donate player to User after, say 3 months.
Date of Assessment :...... 24/08/06revised 19/04/2012. Date of Review:...... Page No…….
RISK ASSESSMENT Register Number 5, 6Assessors:..N Short.
HAZARD / RISK(significant) / PEOPLE / Existing Control Measures
(precautions) / Risks NOT adequately controlled + Recommendations (incl. Residual Risk rating)
Sorting, handling recording media in bulk (tapes/CDs/memory sticks) / Injury through lifting or dragging large mail sacks of envelopes containing recording media.
Injury from repetitive lifting/bending. / TN staff engaged in this activity
" " / TN staff have experience to undertake this task.
Heavy sacks are split down before moving.
Trolleys etc are used whenever possible to reduce manual handling risks.
Sacks are delivered or collected to TN offices by PO staff , whenever possible.
Sacks are filled/emptied on benches or desks, whenever possible. (to minimise bending).
Lone working / Assault, verbal abuse.
Fire, if in TN premises / TN staff / TN staff engaged in delivering media or media players have record of name and address of User/potential User.
Names and addresses are recorded.
2 person visit, IF new, unknown potential user, in known dangerous areas.
Mobile phone carried, with number stored of other TN member.
See assessment 7. / Recommendation.
Have a visit log (see Section9, Lone working).
Staff/Volunteers to carry a mobile phone when undertaking travelling tasks.
Have a "call in" system, for TN staff, when delivering to new locations, or visiting known problem locations.
(Ring a designated member of staff, after return home to confirm all is OK).
Date of Assessment :...... ………. revised 19/04/12 Date of Review:...... Page No…….