It is the policy of the AGA to promote the health and safety of the committee members, volunteers, staff and of all visitors to the AGA’s premises (“the Premises”) and to that intent to:

• Take all reasonably practicable steps to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of all personnel on the premises;
• Provide adequate working conditions with proper facilities to safeguard the health and safety of personnel and to ensure that any work which is undertaken produces no unnecessary risk to health or safety;
• Encourage persons on the premises to co-operate with the Organization in all safety matter, in the identification of hazards which may exist and in the reporting of any condition which may appear dangerous or unsatisfactory;

• Ensure the provision and maintenance of plant, equipment and systems of work that are safe;
• Maintain safe arrangements for the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;
• Provide sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to enable everyone to avoid hazards and contribute to their own safety and health;
• Provide specific information, instruction, training and supervision to personnel who have particular health and safety responsibilities (eg a person appointed as a Health and Safety Officer or Representative);
• Make, as reasonably practicable, safe arrangements for protection against any risk to health and safety of the general public or other persons that may arise for the AGA’s activities;
• Make suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of employees and of persons not in the employment of the Groups/Organization arising out of or in connection with the AGA’sactivities;
• Make specific assessment of risks in respect of new or expectant mothers and young people under the age of eighteen;
• Provide information to other employers of any risks to which those employer’s workers on the AGA’s premises may be exposed.

This policy statement and/or the procedures for its implementation may be altered at any time by the AGA’s Management Committee (“the Committee”). The statement and the procedures are to be reviewed each year by the Health and Safety Sub-committee or by other persons appointed by the Committee. A report on the review, with any other proposals for amendment to the statement of procedures, is to be made to the next following ordinary meeting of the Management Committee.

1.2 Statutory Duty of the Organisation

The AGA will comply with its duty to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of its workers and of visitors to its premises and, in general, to:

• Make workplaces safe and without risks to health;
• Ensure plant and machinery are safe and that safe systems of work are set and followed;
• Ensure articles and substances are moved, stored and used safely;
• Ensure articles and substances are moved, stored and used safely;

In particular, the AGAwill:

• Assess the risks to health and safety of its volunteers/workers;
• Make arrangements for implementing the health and safety measures identified as necessary by this assessment;
• Record the significant findings of the risk assessment and the arrangements for health and safety measures;
• Draw up a health and safety policy statement; including the health and safety organisation and arrangements in force, and bring it to the attention of its workers;
• Appoint someone competent to assist with health and safety responsibilities;
• Set up emergency procedures;
• Provide adequate First Aid facilities;
• Make sure that the workplace satisfies health, safety and welfare requirements, eg for ventilation, temperature, lighting and for sanitary, washing and rest facilities;
• Make sure that work equipment is suitable for its intended use as far as health and safety is concerned, and that it is properly maintained and used;
• Prevent or adequately control exposure to substances that may damage health;
• Take precautions against danger form flammable or explosive hazards, electrical equipment, noise or radiation;
• Avoid hazardous manual handling operations and, where they cannot be avoided, reduce the risk of injury;
• Provide health surveillance as appropriate;
• Provide free any protective clothing or equipment, where risks are not adequately controlled by other means;
• Ensure that appropriate safety signs are provided and maintained;
• Report certain injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the appropriate health and safety enforcing authority.

1.3 Statutory Duty of the AGA’s Workers

Employees also have legal duties, and the Organization confidently requests non-employed (voluntary) workers also to observe these. They include the following:

• To take reasonable care for their own health and safety, and that of other persons who may be affected by what they do or do not do;
• To co-operate with the AGA on health and safety;
• To use work items provided by the AGA correctly, including personal protective equipment, in accordance with training or instructions;
• Not to interfere with or misuse anything provided for health, safety and welfare purposes;
• To report at the earliest opportunity injuries, accidents or dangerous occurrences at work, including those involving the public and participants in activities organised by the Group/Organisation;
• Health and Safety law applies not only to employees in the workplace, it also applies to organisations and people who occupy or use community buildings to which members of the public have access.

1.4 Policy for Visitors and Contractors

On arrival all visitors should be directed to the duty representative of the Management Committee, or a representative of the user/hirer of the building. This person is to take responsibility for the visitor(s) and assist in their evacuation from the building during an emergency or arrange help in the event of an accident.

On arrival, all visitors, including contractors and/or their workers, must sign a record of the date and time of their arrival and, before leaving, should further record their time of departure.

Contractors working in the building should report any concerns relating to their own safety or suspected unsafe working practices to the Duty representative of the Committee.