Health and Safety Policy for Space for Men

Introduction

The Space for Men Management Committee has overall responsibility for health and safety in the organisation, and for ensuring that it fulfils all its legal responsibilities. It recognises that it is the duty of Committee members and volunteers to uphold this policy and to provide the necessary funds and resources to put it into practice.

The  Space for Men Management Committee is committed to ensuring that all its activities are safe and it will do whatever it can to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all volunteers, members and visitors ensuring that risks to volunteers, members and visitors 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. 

This policy will be reviewed annually by the management committee. 

1. Space for Men Responsibilities

All Committee members are responsible for the implementation and monitoring of health and safety policies and recommending changes where necessary.

All accidents or unsafe incidents will be investigated by the Committee as soon as possible and then to be discussed at the next available committee meeting.

Space for Men is responsible for

  • Assessing the risk to the health and safety of volunteers, members and visitors and identifying what measures are needed to comply with its health and safety obligations;
  • Ensuring that venues or vehicles used for trips are safe and without 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 members to co-operate in ensuring safe and healthy conditions and systems by effective joint consultation.
  • Establishing emergency procedures as required;

2. Volunteer Responsibilities

All Space for Men 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 a Committee member 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.

3. Risk Assessments

The committee members will ensure that all premises and tasks are assessed in line with the current relevant legislation. Assessments will be repeated when there is a

  • trip or event to organise
  • change in legislation
  • change of premises
  • significant change in work carried out
  • transfer to new technology

or any other reason which makes original assessment not valid.

4. 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.

5. Resolving health and safety problems

Any volunteer with a health and safety concern must first tell a Committee member.

If, after investigation, the problem is not corrected in a reasonable time, or the responsible committee member decides that no action is required but the volunteer is not satisfied with this, the volunteer may then refer the matter to the management committee chairperson. This must be in writing.

If the volunteer is still dissatisfied, the matter will be entered on the agenda for the next meeting of the Management Committee.

This policy was adopted by Space for Men on 1st September 2024

Date that next review is due: 1st September 2024.