Health & Safety Policy

Contents 

Part 1          Health & Safety Policy Statement 

Part 2          Organisational Arrangements, People & Resources 

Part 3          Implementation 

                           Premises and Safety Inspections

                           Risk Assessments

                           Fire Safety Precautions

                           Smoking

                           Reporting of Accidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences

                           Cheylesmore Community Centre Safety Rules

                           Housekeeping

                           Access and Entry

                           Instruments and Equipment

Part 1: Health & Safety Policy Statement 

Cheylesmore Music School recognises that its people are its most valuable asset and is unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of all employees, students, and anyone who may be impacted by its operations. We view health and safety as a core component of our business success and are dedicated to continuously improving our standards by setting and achieving rigorous safety targets.

Adherence to the legal requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, along with other relevant statutory provisions, is the absolute minimum standard we accept. This Act mandates that employees must take reasonable care for their own health and safety, as well as that of others in the workplace. It is our duty as an employer to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our employees and all others who may be affected by our activities.

Preventing accidents, injuries, or any form of loss is critical to the effective functioning of Cheylesmore Music School. Our goal is to provide a safe and healthy environment for everyone involved in our programmes—staff, students, visitors, contractors, and members of the public. While our safety arrangements and procedures aim to minimise risks, it is essential to recognise that achieving a safe working and learning environment also relies on the individual actions and vigilance of each person involved. All employees and students must understand that their safety, and that of others, depends on their responsible behaviour and alertness, whether on school premises or in leased or hired locations used for CMS activities.

Part 2: Organisational Arrangements, People & Resources  

Objectives 

Cheylesmore Music School is committed to upholding the highest standards of safety, health, and welfare, in strict compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and other relevant statutory instruments and approved codes of practice. Our objectives are as follows:

- To ensure that our learning and working environments are safe and healthy, as outlined in Part 3 of our Health and Safety Policy.

- To protect everyone involved in our activities—whether they are employees, contracted staff, students, or members of the public—from any foreseeable hazards.

- To provide adequate training, instruction, supervision, and information to all staff, enabling them to work safely to the fullest extent that is reasonable and practicable.

- To maintain a safe and healthy environment for all, with sufficient facilities and arrangements in place for their welfare.

- To foster a culture of safety awareness among all personnel, ensuring that safety is a shared priority.

- To ensure that everyone is aware of their responsibility to take necessary steps to safeguard their own health and safety, as well as that of others, and to cooperate fully in all safety-related matters.

- To promote open and effective consultation on all health and safety issues.

Responsibilities 

The responsibilities of individuals in Cheylesmore Music School are as follows: 

Health and Safety Representative. Jesse Stephen Salalila, has overall responsibility for Health and Safety in Cheylesmore Music School. Stephen is responsible for the effective implementation of the health and safety policy and for encouraging all employees, freelancers, and volunteers, through regular monitoring, to implement health and safety arrangements. 

Team Leaders. CMS team leaders are staff with responsibilities for Cheylesmore Music School, after school ensembles, holiday courses, events and projects. They are responsible for ensuring that the day-to-day requirements regarding health and safety at work are met within their areas of responsibility. Team Leaders are directly responsible to the Health and Safety Representative Jesse Stephen Salalila and Director of Safety Paul Jamieson for the implementation and operation of health and safety policy within premises used by CMS for delivery of its programmes including fire safety (termly fire drills), escape routes, and elimination of potential health and safety risks. They are also responsible for ensuring the implementation and operation of health and safety policies implemented by organisations working in partnership with Cheylesmore Music School. Team Leaders are also responsible for undertaking risk assessments and bringing any concerns to the attention of the Health and Safety Representative Jesse Stephen Salalila and Director of Safety Paul Jamieson. 

Tutors, Teachers, and Music Leaders. The responsibility of applying safety procedures on a day-to-day basis rests with all CMS tutors, teachers, and music leaders in all settings in which they work. All accidents should be reported by them in accordance with current procedures in order that the cause of any accident can be identified and remedial action taken as appropriate. They are to ensure that all pupils under their control are instructed as appropriate and that they frequently make inspections of their area(s) of responsibility, taking prompt remedial action where necessary.

Appointed First Aiders. All appointed first aiders are provided by Cheylesmore Community Centre and are present in the building at opening times. 

Appointed first aiders are involved in supporting projects and programmes. They are first aid trained and are directly responsible to the Cheylesmore Community Centre Director of Safety, Paul Jamieson for the implementation and operation of CMS’s health and safety policy within their relevant areas of responsibility. As part of their day-to-day responsibilities, First Aiders will ensure that first aid is administered when required, ensure first aid kits are checked and resourced, and complete reporting paperwork as required. All CMS staff working on site are required to ensure they are aware of the First Aid procedures in their places of work.  

Part 3: Implementation

Premises Safety Inspections

Cheylesmore Music School believes that regular systematic inspections of the workplace are an important instrument in ensuring that it demonstrates compliance with the Workplace (Health,Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and other relevant statutory provisions. Regular inspections of the workplace will be conducted by Paul Jamieson (Director of Safety, Cheylesmore Community Centre). In addition, inspections will be conducted in the relevant areas whenever there are significant changes in the nature and/or scale of the Association’s operations. 

Health and safety representatives of Cheylesmore Community Centre will be encouraged to participate in conducting such workplace inspections. Workplace inspections will also provide an opportunity to review the continuing effectiveness of the policy and to identify areas where revision of the policy may be necessary.

Risk Assessments 

All risk assessments will be undertaken by Cheylesmore Community Centre to cover all aspects to do with their activities (including fire and security) and methods of work (including manual handling, working at height and lone working). The assessment identifies all defects and deficiencies together with the necessary remedial action or risk control measures. Risk assessments will be carried out by people appointed by Cheylesmore Community Centre staff. 

Risk assessments will be carried out once and then reviewed regularly unless there is occasion to review earlier. Risk assessments (and thus the procedure) will always be reviewed following an accident, change of personnel, building works or other incidents that could point out that procedures are not working. 

Fire Safety Precautions

Fire is a significant risk within the workplace. Cheylesmore Music School will make sure to comply with Cheylesmore Community Centre’s fire safety policy and procedures take account of special fire hazards in specific areas of the workplace and, where appropriate, have been compiled with the assistance of the local fire service.

Cheylesmore Music School staff have a duty to conduct their operations in such a way as to minimise the risk of fire. This involves keeping combustible materials separate from sources of ignition and avoiding unnecessary accumulation of combustible materials. Cheylesmore Music School staff must use electric fires and other heaters with caution and keep flammable materials away from sources of heat.

Cheylesmore Music School staff must report any faulty electric cable or flex or loose connection immediately to the Director of Safety Paul Jamieson. All electrical equipment which does not require continuous operation should be switched off when not in use and plugs removed from socket outlets.

Cheylesmore Music School staff should never attempt to repair or interfere with electrical equipment or wiring themselves, and should not use dual or other socket outlets unless these have been properly authorised by the Director of Safety Paul Jamieson.

Smoke detectors and manually operated fire alarms are located at strategic points throughout the workplace. If a smoke detector sounds, it is the responsibility of any employee present to activate the alarm and evacuate the building. Fire extinguishers are also located at strategic points throughout the workplace. Cheylesmore Music School staff are expected to tackle a fire themselves only if it would pose no threat to their personal safety to do so. If the situation is dangerous or potentially dangerous, the employee should activate the alarm and evacuate the building immediately.

Fire doors designed to slow the spread of fire and smoke throughout the workplace have been installed at strategic points. Fire doors are designed to close automatically after opening and must never be blocked, jammed or tied open. Fire exits are located at strategic points throughout the workplace. Exit doors and corridors must never be locked, blocked or used as storage space.

Emergency lighting has been installed in exit corridors, above emergency exit doors and throughout the workplace in case of power failure. Cheylesmore Music School staff should ensure that they are familiar with the position of the nearest firefighting equipment, alarms and emergency exits.

In the event of the fire alarm being activated, or in any other emergency situation (such as a bomb scare), all Cheylesmore Music School staff must leave the building by the nearest available exit in an orderly fashion and assemble at the designated assembly point. Practice fire drills will be conducted twice yearly and at a whole variety of times to ensure CMS staff familiarity with emergency evacuation procedures.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the workplace at all times. Smoking areas should at all times be kept fire safe. Combustible materials must never be stored or allowed to accumulate in areas where smoking is permitted.

Reporting of Accidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences

The current regulations governing the notification and recording of accidents are the Reporting ofInjuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. These regulations require that certain prescribed events, injuries and diseases be formally reported.

Notwithstanding our legal obligations, Cheylesmore Music School views accident investigation as a valuable tool in the prevention of future incidents. In the event of an accident resulting in injury, a report will be drawn up by the staff of Cheylesmore Music School detailing:

• The circumstances of the accident including photographs and diagrams wherever possible

• The nature and severity of the injury sustained

• The identity of any eye witnesses

• The time, date and location of the incident

• The date of the report.

All eyewitness accounts will be collected as near to the time of the accident as is reasonably practicable.

The completed report will then be submitted to the Director of Safety who will attempt to discover why the accident occurred and what action should be taken to avoid a recurrence of the problem. A follow up report will be completed after a reasonable period of time examining the effectiveness of any new measures adopted.

Cheylesmore Music School Staff are responsible for reporting all cases of accident and disease to the Director of Safety. The Director of Safety is responsible for reporting cases of accident and disease to the relevant enforcing authority under the regulations where applicable.

Cheylesmore Community Centre Safety Rules

• All Cheylesmore Music School staff should be aware of, respect and adhere to the rules and procedures contained in this policy.

• All Cheylesmore Music School staff must immediately report any unsafe practices or conditions to the Director of Safety Paul Jamieson.

• Horseplay, practical joking, misuse of equipment or any other acts which might jeopardise the health and safety of any other person are forbidden.

• Any person whose levels of alertness and/or ability are reduced due to illness or fatigue will not be allowed to work if this might jeopardise the health and safety of that person or any other person.

• Cheylesmore Music School staff must not adjust, move or otherwise tamper with any electrical equipment, machinery or air or water lines in a manner not within the scope of their duties, unless approved by the Director of Safety Paul Jamieson. .

• All waste materials must be disposed of carefully and in such a way that they do not constitute a hazard to other workers.

• No Cheylesmore Music School staff should undertake a job which appears to be unsafe.

• No Cheylesmore Music School staff should undertake a job until he or she has received adequate safety instruction and is authorised to carry out the task.

• All injuries must be reported to the Director of Safety Paul Jamieson. 

• Cheylesmore Music School staff should take care to ensure that all protective guards and other safety devices are properly fitted and in good working order and shall immediately report any deficiencies to the Director of Safety Paul Jamieson. 

• Work shall be well-planned and supervised to avoid injuries in the handling of heavy materials and while using equipment

• Suitable clothing and footwear will be worn at all times. Personal protective equipment must be worn wherever appropriate

Housekeeping

• Work sites must be kept clean and tidy

• Any spillage must be cleaned up immediately

• Waste materials and rubbish must be placed in the receptacles provided and removed routinely

• All combustible waste materials must be discarded in sealed metal containers

• All materials must be properly and safely used and when not in use properly and safely secured.

Access and Entry

Walkways and passageways must be kept clear from obstructions at all times. If a walkway or passageway becomes wet, it should be clearly marked with warning signs and/or covered with nonslip material. Any liquid spilt on the floor should be wiped up immediately. Trailing cables are a trip hazard and should not be left in any passageway. Any change in the floor elevation of any walkway or passageway must be clearly marked. Where objects are stored in or around a passageway, care must be taken to ensure that no long or sharp edges jut out into the passageway in such a way as to constitute a safety hazard.

Instruments and Equipment

• Instruments and equipment owned by Cheylesmore Music School are only to be used by qualified and authorised personnel. It is the responsibility of the Principal Jesse Stephen Salalila to determine who is authorised to use specific instruments and equipment.

• It is the responsibility of all Cheylesmore Music School staff to ensure that any instruments or equipment they use are in a good and safe condition. Any tools or equipment which are in any way defective must be reported to the Principal Jesse Stephen Salalila or to the Director of Safety Paul Jamieson so that they can be repaired or replaced.

• All instruments and equipment must be properly and safely stored when not in use.

• Cheylesmore Music School are prohibited from using any instrument and equipment for any purpose other than its intended purpose.