HEALTH AND SAFETY

1. HEALTH AND SAFETY For Rotary District 1220 and its Member Clubs

2. HEALTH AND SAFETY Oh No!

3. Tony Petitt BA CEngCMIOSH Chartered Safety & Health Practitioner [Rotary Club of Bretby] District 1220 Health & Safety Officer

4. My Job • To ensure that you are aware of the Law and of the requirements of RIBI and District 1220. • To provide advice to you, and to your Clubs, on Health & Safety matters. • To provide you with the tools to enable you to comply with the Law, the advice and best practice.

5. My Job The District Website will soon contain a Health and Safety page [look under ‘District’]

6. My Job You will be able to access the following: • The District H&S Policy • District Risk Assessments [for Conference, Assembly etc.] • Draft Club H&S Policy for download and use by your H&S Officer • Club Risk Assessment form for download and use by your Club H&S Officer or designated member(s) • Topical advice for you and your H&S Officer • A copy of this presentation

7. Your Job:

8. Your Job As President of your Club, is to ensure that you comply with the requirements of RIBI and with the advice provided by RIBI and District 1220 by having in place. A Health & Safety Policy Risk Assessments covering each activity that could present a risk to your members or others affected.

9. Your Job You must also appoint a Club H&S Officer, or take on that role yourself, to head the Club’s H&S activities.

10. Your Job • Through me: • you must notify District of the name of your Club H&S Officer. • you must send District a copy of your Club Health & Safety Policy.

11. The Law:

12. The Law There is a danger that a Club, or the District could find itself being made an example of, if it did not have in place what was considered by the HSE, or insurers, to be sufficient training and safeguards.

13. The Law The main piece of Health & Safety legislation is: The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act - 1974 This sets out the general duties that employers and others have towards employees and those affected by their work activities.

14. The Law But wait a minute, I hear you say! That was the Health & Safety AT WORK Act and referred to employers, employees and work.

15. The Law You will say that my Club is not an employer, our members are not employees and we do not participate in ‘work’ And you would be quite right, but:

16. The Law The Health & Safety Executive [HSE] with The Charities Safety Group have published a guidance document: Charity and Voluntary Workers This sets out HSE advice that is applicable to us and to the activities that we undertake. It states:

17. The Law “In general, the same health and safety standards should be applied to voluntary workers as they would to employees exposed to the same risks…. HSE considers it good practice for a volunteer user to provide the same level of health and safety protection as they would in an employer/employee relationship, irrespective of whether there are strict legal duties.”

18. The Law There is still a grey area, where organisations such as ours are concerned, but it seems unlikely, in my opinion, that a Rotary Club and/or its Officers would be prosecuted by the HSE under the Act in the case of an accident causing injury or death to a member of a Rotary Club or to a member of the public. HOWEVER:

19. The Law In this litigious world, there is still the possibility that we could be faced with a claim for damages, or at worst a prosecution brought by an individual or their family. HOWEVER:

20. The Law There is good news. If we organise our Clubs’ Health & Safety in line with “Charity and Voluntary Workers” we would be held to have taken all possible precautions to avoid injury or death to our members and others affected by our activities.

21. RIBI Requirements

22. Health and Safety Policies Risk Assessments covering Rotary Activities It is a requirement of RIBI that Districts and Clubs have in place:

23. Club H&S Policy A H&S Policy is a statement of a Club’s intention with regard to the Health & Safety of its Members and those affected by its activities. What is a Health & Safety Policy?

24. Club H&S Policy

25. The Club’s Statement of General Policy is: • To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our activities • To consult with our members on matters affecting their health and safety • To carry out Risk Assessments for all activities affecting members and others • To provide and maintain (where appropriate) safe items of plant and equipment • To ensure (where appropriate) safe handling and use of substances • To provide information, instruction and supervision for members • To ensure that all members are competent to carry out any tasks assigned to them by the Club, and to provide them with appropriate guidance • To prevent accidents • To maintain (where appropriate) safe and healthy working conditions for members and others • To appoint, annually, a Club Health & Safety Officer • To annually review and revise, where necessary, this Policy. Club H&S Policy

26. Club H&S Policy

27. Club Risk Assessments • A Risk Assessment is a careful examination of all aspects of an activity, as they affect the health & safety of those taking part. • What are the potential hazards? • Have we taken enough precautions to control the risk from those hazards? • Could we do more to prevent harm from happening? What is a Risk Assessment?

28. Club Risk Assessments

29. Hazards and Risks

30. WHAT IS A HAZARD? Something or someone with the potential to cause harm Working at height

31. WHAT IS A RISK? The likelihood that a particular hazard will give rise to harm. Risk reflects both the likelihood and severity of the harm Injury/death after fall – very likely!

32. WHAT IS A HAZARD? Something or someone with the potential to cause harm Working at height

33. Same hazard as before Injury/death after fall – very unlikely! WHAT IS A RISK? The likelihood that a particular hazard will give rise to harm. Risk reflects both the likelihood and severity of the harm

34. WHAT IS A HAZARD? Something or someone with the potential to cause harm Heathrow, Terminal 3, 1st floor Not very apparent

35. WHAT IS A RISK? The likelihood that a particular hazard will give rise to harm. Risk reflectsboth the likelihood and severity of the harm Heathrow, Terminal 3, 1st floor Still not very apparent!

36. In fact: a man was killed here WHAT IS A RISK? The likelihood that a particular hazard will give rise to harm. Risk reflectsboth the likelihood and severity of the harm Heathrow, Terminal 3, 1st floor

37. Benefits of compliance

38. protection First & foremost Benefits

39. protection Benefits Protects District, Protects Club and Officers, Protects Club Members, Protects the Public.

40. protection Benefits Protects against: Injuries from our activities, Insurance claims, Bad publicity for Club, District and RIBI.

41. protection Benefits Helps compliance with Health & Safety Legislation Removes or reduces hazards or risks Promotes safe working practices

42. protection Benefits Improves image • [good PR for Rotary] Improves confidence • [in the Club] Improves reputation • [of Club, District & RIBI]

43. and finally

44. remember HAZARD & RISK

45. remember HAZARD I can’t be bothered with this Health & Safety business – too many more important things to do.

46. remember RISK • Someone injured • The Club, and you, prosecuted or sued • You bring the names of your Club, • District 1220, RIBI and Rotary into disrepute

47. HEALTH AND SAFETY

48. HEALTH AND SAFETY OH YES!

49. Thank you for your attention Tony Petitt