Health & Safety Policy

Health and Safety Policy and Procedures

Stretham Players regards the promotion of Health & Safety measures to be a priority for all its members.

Stretham Players safety policy is to do all that is reasonably practical to protect members from

personal injury,
to prevent damage to property
to protect visitors and the general public from foreseeable risk when coming into contact with Stretham Players and its activities.

Stretham Players will take all reasonable practical steps to:

Provide a safe place to carry out its activities.
Review and revise this policy as necessary to deal with changing circumstances and to comply with regulations.
Ensure items supplied are safe and to provide information, instruction and training where necessary.

Responsibilities of Members

There is a general duty on every member to report to a member of the Committee all matters which they consider to be a hazard to health and safety and all members must:

Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions.
Co-operate with the Committee regarding all matters of health and safety.
Correctly use any items provided by the Committee in accordance with training and instructions.
Not to interfere with, or misuse anything provided for health and safety.

Accidents

The designated First Aider(s) should be called immediately

In the event of an accident beyond the ability of any First Aider(s) present to deal with, an ambulance should be called immediately.

All accidents must be recorded in the Accident book at the venue, and be reported to the committee secretary or committee member if present.

First Aid Boxes

A First Aid Box will be available at all times. Either provided by the venue or designated First Aider(s)

Fire Prevention and Emergency Procedures

During performances an appointed member will be responsible for announcing the correct exit procedure in the event of fire and will ensure emergency procedures are followed in conjunction with the Front of House team.

Ladders and Stepladders

Working at heights is inherently dangerous, particularly if both hands are required to complete a job. Work from ladders and stepladders should be light duty and of short duration only, the following key points should be noted:

Before use, ensure the ladder is not defective – check for warping (or distortion of metal), splits, missing treads or rungs.
Ensure the ladder is securely locked and of adequate length to provide safe working.
The ladder must always stand on a firm, level base and have someone securing the foot of the ladder.
Ladder users must never over-reach.
Ladders must be set at the correct angle, i.e. one metre out for every four metres in height.
Access ladders must project at least 1.1 metres (5 rungs) above any landing place.
When using ladders, always be aware of overhead obstructions.
No children under the age of 18 will be allowed to use any ladders
Ladders must be maintained and checked annually

Stage Area

The stage area must be kept as clean and tidy as possible.

Temporary cables must not be run through fire doors, nor must these doors be blocked or prevented from closing.

Cups, glasses, food and drinks are not permitted on stage areas, except when required as part of a performance.

A Committee member or Stage Manager should check the dressing room and any other areas being used to ensure facilities and fixtures are in safe working order.

Practical flame retardant maintenance should be applied to all scenery including cloth, draperies, decorations, hangings, and all textiles

The stage area should not be congested with excessive properties and exits leading from the stage should be maintained free from obstruction

Manual Handling

Before carrying out a task which requires manual handling, the following should be considered:

The nature of the load (e.g. is it heavy, bulky, hard to grasp?)
The nature of the task (e.g. reaching, bending, stooping, stretching or twisting and how often?)
The nature of the working environment (e.g. uneven or slippery floors or stairs? Is it hot, cold or poorly lit?)
Individual capability (e.g. does the job require unusual height or strength? Can it be performed safely, especially if pregnant or with health issues?)

Properties

Any properties used such as weapons, must be locked away after each rehearsal or performance by the Properties Manager or a nominated responsible person. All weapons should be made incapable of causing serious injury.

Risk Assessment

This will be carried out by a nominated member to assess the risks of every performance and the check list will be kept on file by the Secretary.

Risk assessment involves addressing the following questions:

What could go wrong?

How likely is such an event?
What could happen if such an event occurred?
What are the associated risks?
Are the risks acceptable to Stretham Players?
How can the risks be reduced?
If a health and safety problem is noticed that cannot immediately be put right, it must be reported to the committee in order that a further risk assessment may be carried out.