Health and Safety Policy

HEALTHY & SAFETY POLICY

The purpose of this Health and Safety Policy is to outline the procedures and strategies to make Anchor Community Church a safe and healthy environment for all who attend and run the church.

Anchor Community Church is dedicated to:

  • Ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals within our premises

  • Complying with applicable health and safety laws and regulations

  • Continuously improving our safety practices and procedures

Objectives

  • Preventing accidents and injuries whilst individuals are on the premises

  • Minimizing health risks

  • Promoting a safety-first culture throughout the organisation

Responsibilities

A. Leadership Team: The Leadership Team at Anchor Community Church are responsible for setting the overall direction and priorities for health and safety within the organisation. This includes:

  • Ensuring that health and safety objectives align with our vision for the church

  • Providing the necessary resources to implement safety measures

  • Demonstrating commitment to safety through their actions and decisions

  • Investigating and reporting incidents promptly

B. Health and Safety Officer: Our supervisors play a crucial role in implementing health and safety policies. Their responsibilities include:

  • Ensuring that volunteers receive adequate safety training.

  • Enforcing safety rules and procedures in their respective areas.

  • Investigating and reporting incidents promptly.

  • Collaborating with management to identify safety needs.

  • Conducting regular safety inspections and audits

  • Reviewing incident reports and recommending improvements.

 

C. All Church Members: Every attendee and member at Anchor Community Church is responsible for their own safety and the safety of their families. This includes:

  • Complying with safety policies, procedures, and guidelines.

  • Reporting hazards, incidents, and near-misses promptly.

  • Taking proactive steps to prevent accidents.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

A. Hazard Identification

Hazard identification involves a systematic process of identifying potential hazards. At Anchor Community Church, this process includes:

  • Regular church inspections and audits.

  • Members reports of hazards or unsafe conditions.

  • Review of incident reports to identify root causes.

B. Risk Assessment

Risk assessment at Anchor Community Church involves a detailed evaluation of identified hazards. This includes:

Assessing the likelihood and severity of potential incidents.

Prioritizing risks based on their impact.

C. Control Measures

To mitigate risks, we implement control measures designed to eliminate or reduce hazards. This includes:

  • Administrative controls (e.g., work procedures).

  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.

Safety Training and Education

At Anchor Community Church, training needs are identified through:

  • Job hazard analysis.

  • Health and Safety Officer feedback and suggestions.

  • Regulatory compliance requirements.

A. Training Programs

We offer a safety training program for General Health and Safety which includes use of hazardous chemicals:

B. Continuous Education

Our commitment to safety education extends to ongoing learning and skill development. We provide:

  • Regular refresher courses.

  • Access to resources and materials for self-paced learning.

Incident Reporting and Investigation

A. Reporting Procedures

Reporting incidents at Anchor Community Church is essential for timely response and prevention. Our reporting procedures include:

  • Encouraging immediate reporting of all incidents, injuries, and near-misses.

  • Providing clear reporting channels and methods.

  • Ensuring confidentiality and non-retaliation for reporting.

B. Corrective Actions

Following investigations, we determine corrective actions, which may include:

  • Implementing immediate corrective measures to address hazards.

  • Developing preventive actions to avoid similar incidents.

  • Communicating findings and actions to all affected parties.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations

Anchor Community Church is committed to complying with health and safety laws by:

Staying informed about legal requirements.

  • Conducting regular assessments to ensure compliance.

  • Collaborating with relevant authorities for guidance.

A. Regulatory Updates

We stay up-to-date on changes in regulations by:

  • Subscribing to regulatory updates and alerts.

  • Training our Health and Safety Office on new regulatory requirements when they arise.

B. Policy Review and Updates

To ensure the policy's effectiveness, it is reviewed:

  • Documenting revisions and changes.

  • Communicating updates to all members of the church via our website www.anchorcommunitychurch.com

  • Training the Health and Safety officer alongside the Leadership team and Trustees on policy changes when necessary.

 

Reviewed January 2025      Review January 2026      Signed   Nicky Davies/Ben Davies/Brian Gale