Health and Safety Policy

Health and Safety policy: The Feminist Library

Statement of intent

1. The policy of the Feminist Library is to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions and environment for all our staff, volunteers and users, plus any other people who are directly affected by our activities, such as members of the public at our events.

Responsibility

1. Overall and final responsibility for health and safety at all events and activities organised by the Feminist Library lies with the management committee. This responsibility will be delegated to a named staff member/volunteer for each event or activity. This staff member/volunteer will be responsible for ensuring that this policy is upheld.
2. For our management meetings the responsible person is: Emma Thatcher.
3. For all other events the responsible person will be named in advance and their name will be noted on all relevant risk assessments. All staff/volunteers involved will be made aware of who is responsible for health and safety.

General arrangements

1. The Feminist Library will do monthly risk assessments of Health and Safety within the library, office and kitchen space. We will make sure the spaces are clear from trip hazards, the equipment is safe and areas are kept clean.
2. A risk assessment will be carried out before every public event. This will include assessing risk as it relates to all aspects of the event including: equipment; venue; volunteers; attendees. Appropriate precautions will be taken to minimise hazards at all events and activities.
3. We will have a trained first aider present at all events which are open to the public.
4. All volunteers and staff will be made aware of the precautions they need to take as noted on the relevant risk assessment.
5. No volunteer or employee will run an event or activity on their own, including library evening opening hours, and at least two volunteers or employees should stay at an event until it is finished and the last attendees have left.
6. We will train all new staff/ volunteers when they start work in the Fire Evacuation procedure and are are aware of the location of fire exits and meeting point.
7. We will carry out one fire drill every six months and record the results.
8. The Feminist Library will hold Public Liability Insurance.

Review

This policy will be reviewed every yea