Health and Safety Policy: Whirlow Grange Limited & Whirlow Spirituality Centre

 The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 imposes far-reaching obligations on employers, employees and volunteers to ensure the safety and welfare of people in the work place by trying to eliminate all practicable risks of injury, damage and waste. 

WGL attaches the greatest importance to the health, safety and welfare of all its employees, volunteers, contractors and all its visitors, members of the public and others who use the premises.

Our policy, so far as is reasonably practicable, is to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and guidelines on safe working conditions for all our employees, casual labour and voluntary helpers, and to provide such information, training and supervision as they need for this purpose.

We will also endeavour to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all who attend or visit the Spirituality Centre.

The allocation of duties for safety matters and the particular arrangements which we will make to implement the policy are set out in our full Health & Safety Principles and Risk Assessment which is displayed at the Centre and available from the Administration and Operations Coordinator.

The policy will be kept up to date, particularly in the light of any changes to our buildings or activities. To ensure this, the policy and the way in which it has operated will be reviewed regularly and the appropriate changes made.

WGL will seek to develop the active co-operation of its staff in improving standards of health and safety and draws the attention of its employees, volunteers and contractors to their legal obligation to act in accordance with health and safety instructions and training given to them: to report any serious deficiency in health and safety arrangements they discover, and to have due regard for the health, safety and welfare of themselves and others.

In order to ensure that health and safety matters are kept under review, an item on health and safety will regularly be on the agenda of Board meetings. Employees and volunteers will be consulted on a regular basis in order to seek their views on health and safety matters.

If you have any health & safety concerns, please report them to the Chaplain or the Administration and Operations Coordinator as a matter of urgency.

Insurance 

The WGL insurance policy covers all events and activities for public liability.  

Fire Regulations and Security 

All staff, worship and event hosts and leaders will be aware of fire regulations and the position of fire extinguishers. They will be vigilant as to the presence of anyone on the premises during activities. They should know whom to contact in an emergency relating to the building. A leader in every activity should have access to a telephone (landline or mobile) in case of an emergency. 

Food and Hygiene 

If any activity involves the preparation or selling of food, at least one leader should have completed a food hygiene and food safety course to ensure good practice is followed. 

First Aid and Accidents 

Members of staff are asked to undertake First Aid at work training and to keep this updated. This will be arranged and funded by WGL. There should be a properly stocked first aid kit accessible to Centre users. In the event of any accident, an incident and accident report form should be completed. This should be kept securely in a marked file.

Contact Details

Our Health and Safety Principles and Risk Assessment are displayed in the Centre and available in folders for users. If you have any queries or concerns or would like to receive a copy please contact the WSC office on 0114 235 3704 or email admin@whirlowspiritualitycentre.org