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Legal Requirements

  • The Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve will be related as ‘Friends’ in this document.
  • ‘Friends’ takes the safety of volunteers very seriously. However, as an volunteer organisation with fewer than five employees. ‘Friends’ does not need to comply with the reporting requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Specifically ‘Friends’ does not need to: have a written Health and Safety Policy; document Risk Assessment; or report serious injuries and diseases under the “Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations”.
  • Lewisham Council Conservation Section has a written genetic Risk Assessments also the ‘Friends’ have written Risk Assessments for each task performed.
  • Task Leaders must: Listen to any health and safety concerns raised by volunteers; take appropriate action to minimise the adverse health effects of any part of the work in progress; pass on information on any Health and Safety related issues for post task reviews.
  • This is the statement of general policy and arrangements for Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve.
  • The overall and final responsibility for Health and Safety rests with London Borough of Lewisham but day to day responsibility for ensuring that this policy is put into practice is delegated to individual Task leaders.
Statement of general policy ResponsibilityAction / arrangements
To prevent accidents and cases of work related ill health and provide
adequate control of Health and Safety risks arising from work activities.		 Task LeaderThe Task Leader must:
• Consult clients to ascertain specific site /task related hazards;
• Carry out a risk assessment in advance of the task;
• Include instruction on hazards, risks and risk minimising actions in the Tools and Safety Talk’ at the beginning of each task;
• Update their risk assessment on the basis of any unexpected or changing conditions on site and issue further instructions to volunteers if required.
To provide adequate
training to ensure
volunteers are
competent to do their
work.		 Task LeaderThe Task Leader must:
• Give a ‘Tools and Safety Talk’ at the
beginning of each task.
• Ensure that new / inexperienced /
vulnerable volunteers are adequately
supervised.
To engage and consult with volunteers on day to- day Health
and Safety conditions and provide advice and supervision on
occupational health.		 Task LeaderTask Leaders must:
• listen to any health and safety concerns
raised by volunteers;
• Take appropriate action to minimise the
adverse health effects of any part of the
work in progress;
• Pass on information on any Health and
Safety related issues for post task
reviews.
To implement
emergency procedures
evacuation in case of
fire or other significant
incident.		 Task Leader,
any Volunteers		• The Task Leader must ensure that there is no obstruction of the emergency exits from the site.
• In the event of an emergency on task the Task Leader should take appropriate action.
• In the event of an emergency in the
tool shed the Task Leader or, in the
absence any volunteer then present
should take appropriate action.
To maintain safe and healthy
working conditions, provide and maintain plant, equipment and
machinery, and ensure safe
storage / use of substances.		 Task Leader and
Lewisham Council		• The Task Leader must: work with the council client to ensure that safe and
healthy working conditions are maintained during tasks.
• Monitor volunteers and adjust working practices if they pose a health and safety risk.
• Ensure that tools and equipment are
serviceable and are used and stored
properly
• Report any tool defects to the Task leader
The Task leader must:
• Arrange for tool repairs / replacements
• Maintain the tool store in a
safe state
Health and safety law leaflet:Friends volunteers can access the leaflet version of the Health and Safety
Law poster here http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/law.pdf
First-aid box and
accident book are
located:		First Aid Kits are available on each task and in the Friends Tool store. These kits are maintained by the Friends Task leader. Friends does not need to maintain an accident book.
Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve Health & Safety Policy 2020.