Statement of Intent

KidsBank is committed to ensuring that its activities are safe, and it will do whatever it can to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all staff, volunteers, service users and visitors ensuring that risks are minimised at all times. It will observe the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (“HASAWA”) and all relevant regulations and codes of practice made under it.  

The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for health and safety on the premises, and for ensuring that KidsBank fulfils its legal responsibilities. KidsBank recognises that it is the duty of all staff and volunteers to uphold this Policy and to provide the necessary funds and resources to put it into practice.

KidsBank Responsibilities
The CEO has responsibility for Health & Safety in practice and reports to the Board of Trustees.  

All accidents or unsafe incidents will be investigated by her as soon as possible. All accidents, incidents and near misses will be recorded in a log, to include the date, time and nature of the event, the persons involved, and any remedial action taken as a result of the event.

KidsBank is responsible for

• Assessing the risk to the health and safety of staff, volunteers, service users and visitors and identifying what measures are needed to comply with its health and safety obligations.
• Ensuring that venues or vehicles used for events and donating are safe and minimising risk to health including safe ways of entering and leaving.
• Ensuring that equipment is safe and well maintained.
• Providing information, instruction, training and supervision to volunteers in safe working methods and procedures as required.
• Encouraging volunteers and service users to co-operate in ensuring safe and healthy conditions and systems by effective joint consultation.
• Establishing emergency procedures as required.
• Putting in place adequate insurance to cover employer’s liability.

Volunteer Responsibilities

KidsBank Volunteers are responsible for ensuring 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 report all accidents, or unsafe situations, and any near misses (things which could have led to an accident), to the CEO or another member of staff at once who should report them in the log.
• They are aware of the precautions they need to take as noted on the relevant risk assessments.
• 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.

Risk Assessments

The CEO will ensure that the premises and tasks are assessed in line with the current relevant legislation. Assessments will be repeated when there is:

• An event to organise.
• A change in legislation.
• A change of premises
• A significant change in work carried out.
• A transfer to new technology.

or any other reason which makes original assessment not valid. 

Training 

To comply with legislation and to promote the health, safety and welfare of volunteers, health and safety training will be provided as follows:

• at inductions
• on the introduction of new technology
• when changes are made to venues
• when training needs are identified during risk assessments.

Fire Risk

KidsBank is committed to maintaining a safe environment. It meets its fire safety requirements by undertaking annual Fire Risk Assessments and following up on any issues identified. It also ensures regular fire equipment servicing and testing undertaken.

Fire evacuation drills are conducted once a year and all new staff and visitors on site are briefed in fire evacuation procedure.

Resolving Health and Safety Problems

Any volunteer with a health and safety concern must first tell the Hub Manager who will inform the CEO.

If after investigation, the problem is not corrected in a reasonable time, or the CEO decides that no action is required but the volunteer is not satisfied with this, the volunteer may then refer the matter to the Board of Trustees.