Health & Safety

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE SHOULD BE TREATED AS AMATEUR ADVICE and SUGGESTIONS. SEEK EXPERT/PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE TO AVOID INCIDENTS.

Health & Safety may not be the first thing that Millennium Greens thought of when they set up around the turn of the Millennium, but all trusts and other bodies should evaluate these things immediately if they have not got everything in place, including suitable monthly and annual checks etc.

Policy
All organisations should have one- simply writing one out will help us to think about how we do things - but many other organisations, such as those who provide volunteers, will expect our Greens to have one.

SAMPLE>>>


 * The @@@@@@@@@ Millennium Green Trust seeks to ensure that the Green is a safe place at all times.


 * The Trust has a responsibility to ensure the safety of its members, the volunteers, the public and any contractors working on behalf of the trust on the Green.


 * The Trust shall take all reasonable steps to safeguard its activities on the Green by:

·	Ensuring that all volunteers or other visitors are aware of any dangers. ·	Ensuring that only suitably qualified volunteers are doing the jobs they are given on the Green. ·	Suitable equipment, including safety equipment, is available for use by those working on the Green. ·	Necessary first aid and fire equipment is available, in good order and known to volunteers. ·	Doing suitable risk assessments of jobs and areas should be done and keeping records of these.


 * The Trust expects all persons visiting or working on the Green to act in a safe manner with regard to their own safety and that of others. This includes using personal protection clothing etc. provided when appropriate.


 * The Trust and volunteers have a special responsibility for the safety of all young people involved. This means that they should ensure that young people are safe at all times, regardless of the young persons efforts to keep themselves safe.

Checks and surveys
Reasonable steps should be taken to check the Green for hazards from time to time. Lockers, sheds and other places should not be neglected.

Fire Extinguishers and First Aid Kits should be considered, and if present must be checked and replaced at suitable intervals.

Records
Incidents and hazards should be recorded to ensure that problems can be rectified. Any accidents involving visitors and volunteers being hurt should be carefully recorded in case of enquiries later.

Training
Training needs should be considered for all work on the Greens. Various organisations will consider sponsoring training for such things as First Aid and volunteers may consider training to be useful and valuable to them.

All tools are potentially hazardous- whilst chainsaws are obviously dangerous tools and Trusts are advised to think seriously about who operates them, even hand tools can cause serious accidents and Trusts should ensure, for example, that children are supervised by responsible family if they are to use them on the Greens.

Water
Although Greens may already have ponds on them, some Greens, especially the more urban ones, are wary of creating any water features on their Greens for fear of accidents, or, to be frank, liability for accidents. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has recommendations that may be useful there.

Such things as life belts and fencing should be considered for ponds etc.

Personal Safety
As Greens deal with the public, especially at public events, Greens may consider arranging for certain volunteers to have Enhanced Certificate of Disclosure. Greens that are involved with sports events and others relating to children may well be able to get their local authority to arrange and pay for this- as has been done at New Southgate.