Health and Safety Policy - Perth Community Farm

Health and Safety Procedure – Volunteers (the necessary boring bit)

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Legal Requirements
3. Management Responsibility
3.1 Responsibilities of the Farm
3.2 Responsibilities of volunteers
4. Supervision
4.1 Practical Activities
4.2 Indirect Supervision
4.3 Lone working
5. Standards of Behaviour
6. Reporting Accidents, Incidents and Issues
7. Volunteer Induction sheet (to be completed, signed)

1. Introduction
Perth Community Farm Ltd (PCF) works directly with a wide range of different individuals and groups.
We must ensure that the farm environment is a safe place to work and visit and that all visitors and site users are fully aware of any health and safety hazards on site.

2. Legal Requirements
All workers, including volunteers, have a right to work in places where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled.
PCF conducts specific risk assessments for the activities we carry out and the environment in which we are working.
Volunteers should ensure that they are familiar with the risk assessment for whatever task they are undertaking and should ask the lead volunteer co-ordinator if they are unsure about anything.
All risk assessments are reviewed and updated annually and in the event of any significant accident or incident.

3. Responsibilities
3.1 Responsibilities of the Farm
• To undertake risk assessments and to implement any necessary controls.
• To communicate health and safety procedures and risk assessments.
• To consult and work with lead volunteer co-ordinator and volunteers to protect everyone from harm in the workplace.
• To provide appropriate health and safety training.
• To provide any necessary personal protective equipment.
• To provide toilets, washing facilities and drinking water.
• To provide adequate first-aid facilities.
• To report and record accidents and incidents at work.
• To provide insurance that covers staff and volunteers in the event of sickness or injury caused by work.

3.2 Responsibilities of volunteers
• To follow any training received when using any work items and equipment provided by Perth Community Farm.
• To follow the instructions of the lead volunteer co-ordinator when undertaking projects and activities at the farm.
• To take reasonable care of their own and other people’s health and safety.
• To co-operate with Perth Community Farm in compliance with and development of health and safety procedures and practices.
• To inform the lead volunteer co-ordinator of any known medical conditions, illness, injury, or medication which may exacerbate the risk of accident or injury.
• To report any potential hazards on site and any instance whereby the work or inadequate precautions present a risk to health.
• To ensure that any tools or equipment are returned to the correct place, following use and any breakages or problems with equipment are reported to the lead volunteer co-ordinator.
• To ensure that the site and buildings are left tidy and safe after a work activity has taken place.

4. Supervision
4.1 Practical activities
All practical activities will be supervised by the lead volunteer co-ordinator who is fully competent in delivering that activity and who is a first aider. The lead volunteer co-ordinator is responsible for communicating relevant risk assessments, ensuring volunteers are adequately equipped and dressed for the task, and monitoring the safe progress of the task. In the event of an emergency involving injury or illness staff are responsible for administering first aid, contacting the emergency services as necessary, ensuring that any potentially dangerous situation is made safe, and subsequently for reporting the incident appropriately (i.e. in the accident book). In the event of a fire they are responsible for following fire procedures.
4.2 Indirect Supervision
Key volunteers may undertake practical activities on site provided they are competent in that activity, have read and understood the risk assessment for the activity, and have made the lead volunteer co-ordinator aware. In the event of accident or injury this should be reported to the lead volunteer co-ordinator. Practical activities should not be undertaken by volunteers outside of office hours when there is no first aider on site.
4.3 Lone working
Volunteers should not undertake any practical work alone, except for watering the grounds and should ideally carry a mobile phone or ensure that someone knows of their whereabouts and expected time of return.

5. Standards of Behaviour
1. All volunteers are responsible for their own personal safety and that of any children or vulnerable adults in their care whilst on site. Volunteers should observe health and safety instructions displayed on site. The lead volunteer co-ordinator of Perth Community Farm will provide appropriate supervision and care of volunteers. Volunteers are responsible for reporting potential hazards on site and all accidents and incidents.
2. All volunteers are considered as representatives of Perth Community Farm by visitors, clients and visiting groups.
3. Swearing, foul language and offensive subject matter will not be tolerated.
4. Volunteers must not attend sessions under the influence, or still under the effects of alcohol or drug use or take such substances whilst on site.
5. The farm operates a no smoking policy in the communal and work areas.
6. It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to dress appropriately for activities and tasks on the farm, and refrain from wearing clothing containing offensive slogans or those deemed to be of a revealing nature. Nudity will not be tolerated.
Staff and volunteers must understand that other staff and volunteers may have their own roles and responsibilities to undertake which may be different to their own. If it is felt that there is a need to question an action of another, volunteers must do so to the lead volunteer co-ordinator in the absence of visitors, clients and visiting groups so that explanation can be given if necessary whilst maintaining a professional image.
7. All volunteers must respect the lead volunteer co-ordinator and fellow volunteers time and efforts as they would their own.
8. All volunteers are responsible for looking after equipment and facilities for others to use in the future.
9. Never leave any tools, equipment, or keys unattended and always return to the tool room or storage at the end of use.
10. Keep all communal areas, for example, kids muddy play area, field pathways, educational polytunnels, free from materials and equipment as these are high traffic areas used by children and visitors on a daily basis.
11. Please be respectful of any closed sessions that may be in progress by refraining from interrupting or distracting staff and volunteers conducting them, entering designated areas in use or distracting participants within the group during activity, for example care farm sessions or visiting school groups.

6. Reporting Accidents, Incidents and Issues
Any volunteers who discover a hazard on site, including fire or items that could cause increased risk of injury, should report this to the lead volunteer co-ordinator. Any volunteers who have concerns about a specific health and safety issue on site should speak to the lead volunteer co-ordinator.
Accidents and incidents, including acts of aggression, should be logged in the accident book. The report should include a brief account of the incident and, where possible, an outline of any measures put in place to prevent recurrence of the incident. The lead volunteer co-ordinator on site should be informed of all incidents and is responsible for logging the accident report in the accident book.

7. Volunteering
Hopefully after absorbing all our health and safety information you will still want to sign up to volunteer with us.
There is just a short form to complete now.