Health & safety policy

This is the Health and Safety policy of Leamington and Warwick Musical Society (LWMS). The LWMS Management Committee has overall responsibility for health and safety in the organisation, and for ensuring that it fulfils all its legal responsibilities. It recognises that it is the duty of Committee members and volunteers to uphold this policy and to provide the necessary funds and resources to put it into practice.

The Management Committee is committed to ensuring that all its activities are safe and it will do whatever it can to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all volunteers, members and visitors ensuring that risks to them are minimised at all times.

It will observe the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (“HASAWA”) and all relevant regulations and codes of practice made under it.

LWMS will comply with any health and safety policies for venues in which we operate, and where there is a conflict, the venue policy will take precedence unless agreed otherwise by the HSO.

Health and Safety Officer

The Health and Safety Officer (HSO) is the Management Committee member responsible for the implementation and monitoring of health and safety policies and recommending changes where necessary.

All accidents or unsafe incidents will be investigated by the HSO on behalf of the Management Committee as soon as possible and then to be reported to the Committee at the next available meeting.

The HSO is responsible for:

  • Assessing the risk to the health and safety of volunteers, members and visitors and identifying what measures are needed to comply with its health and safety obligations;
  • Ensuring that venues or vehicles used for trips are safe and without risk to health including safe ways of entering and leaving;
  • Ensuring that equipment is safe and well maintained;
  • Providing information, instruction, training and supervision to volunteers in safe working methods and procedures as required;
  • Encouraging volunteers and members to cooperate in ensuring safe and healthy conditions and systems by effective joint consultation;
  • Establishing emergency procedures as required.

Volunteer responsibilities

All members of LWMS will ensure that:

  • They are aware of the contents of this policy;
  • They comply with this policy;
  • They take care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions or omissions;
  • They will report all accidents, or unsafe situations, and any near misses (things which could have led to an accident), to the HSO or another Committee member at once;
  • They record accidents or near misses in the accident book;
  • They are aware of all fire procedures for the area in which they are working;
  • If they identify anything which they think could be in any way unsafe, they will report it.

Resolving health and safety problems

Any volunteer with a health and safety concern must first tell the HSO.

If, after investigation, the problem is not corrected in a reasonable time, or the HSO decides that no action is required but the volunteer is not satisfied with this, the volunteer may then refer the matter to the Chair of the Management Committee in writing.

If the volunteer is still dissatisfied, the matter will be entered on the agenda for the next meeting of the Management Committee.

This policy was reviewed by the LWMS committee on 4 November 2024, and will be further reviewed at least every 2 years.