Church Safety

This is the Health & Safety Policy Statement of St Mary the Virgin Parish Church, Mellor

1. General policy

Responsibility for parish church health and safety rests with the Parochial Church Council PCC. It is our policy to ensure that our church activities and premises are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health. It is also our policy to consult with relevant persons on matters affecting their health and safety; and this is done by means of the parish website www.mellorparishchurch.org. The policy is implemented by the organisation and arrangements set out below.

2. Organisation and responsibilities

The Churchwardens are responsible for ensuring that health and safety matters arising from risk assessments, and day to day, are dealt with as appropriate. The Churchwardens can call upon such advice and assistance as necessary to implement the arrangements.

All those entering or using the church premises shall take reasonable steps to ensure their own health and safety, and the health and safety of others who may be affected by what they do. No person shall interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of Health & Safety. Significant hazards must be reported to a Churchwarden as soon as possible.

Contractors carrying out work on our church premises are responsible for the health and safety of themselves, their employees, and any subcontractors engaged in the work; and for the health and safety of church users who may be affected by the conduct of their work.

3. Arrangements for implementing the policy

The general arrangements are set out below. The detailed arrangements are set out in documents published in the “Safety” folders on the parish website www.mellorparishchurch.org .

3.1 Risk Assessment

The PCC shall ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health and safety arising from our church activities and premises is made and reviewed as necessary.

3.2 Fire and Evacuation

The PCC shall ensure that a fire safety risk assessment is undertaken, implemented and reviewed as necessary; and that appropriate fire safety measures and evacuation procedures are in place. The fire safety risk assessment forms part of the church’s general risk assessment.

3.3 Injuries, Dangerous Occurrences & First Aid

A first aid box is kept in the Narthex. All injuries and case of work-related ill health shall be recorded in an Accident Book. The book is kept with the first aid box in the Narthex. The Churchwardens are responsible for notifying/reporting injuries & dangerous occurrences to the Local Authority where there is an obligation to do so.

3.4 Management of Asbestos

The PCC’s asbestos risk management plan has been implemented by means of a professionally conducted asbestos survey which revealed no asbestos present in the areas accessed during the survey. Although the inaccessible areas must be presumed to contain asbestos unless proven otherwise (as stated in the survey), we consider there is no significant risk from asbestos during the normal use of the premises. The non-accessed areas are listed in the survey report, which should be referred to before construction or maintenance work is carried out involving the listed areas of the premises.

3.5 Use of Narthex

All those who use/hire the Narthex for meetings, events, etc. are required to take steps to ensure that their activities are safe so far as reasonably practicable. The Narthex Health and Safety Rules shall apply to the use of the Narthex. Group leaders and members of groups are required to comply with these rules as a condition of using/hiring the Narthex.

Signed: [Signed copy in Safety - Policy folder below]

Reverend Paul Rolfe

Priest in Charge of St Mary the Virgin Parish Church, Mellor.

On behalf the PCC.

Date: 12 July 2010