Health and Safety Policy

Eskdale Parish Council

Health & Safety Policy

Adopted by Full Council on 17 July 2019
Revision date 18 February 2025

Introduction

Eskdale Parish Council recognises that under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 it has a legal responsibility to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employee and volunteers (including councillors). It is also keen to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that members of the public who use council owned public areas do so in the safest way possible.

Responsibilities

The council recognises and accepts its responsibility as an employer for providing safe and healthy working conditions for its employee and volunteers, paying particular attention to the provision and maintenance of:

• equipment and systems of work designed and maintained to operate and function safely;
• sufficient information, instructions, training and supervision to enable its employee and volunteers to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own safety and health at work;
• to promote safety awareness among its employee, volunteers and members of the public;
• to provide a safe environment for all visitors and members of the public, bearing in mind that these persons may not be aware of health and safety risks which arise from using some council facilities;
• the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment if required;
• any contractors engaged by the council will be required to submit a suitable Method Statement and to adhere to such health and safety issues as the council may deem compulsory;
• risk assessments will be carried out as necessary and retained on record;
• Electrical Portable Appliance Testing on parish council equipment will be conducted annually to conform to current legislation.

The Clerk to the parish council assumes the day to day responsibility of ensuring the Health and Safety Policy is reviewed, maintained and adhered to.

Health and safety will be kept under review by the council but the employee and volunteers are reminded that they also have a duty of care for their own safety and that of other persons who might be affected by council activities and to co-operate with the council so as to enable it to carry out its own responsibilities successfully.

Eskdale Parish Council

Health & Safety Policy

Adopted by Full Council on 17 July 2019
Revision date 18 February 2025

The final level of responsibility is, however, that of each and every individual.

Volunteers should:

• seek advice on safety and health matters from the Clerk, and follow advice given;
• use, in a correct and safe manner, all equipment including machinery, tools and Personal Protective Equipment if required;
• report immediately to the Clerk, or Chairman any defects in plant, structures, equipment which come to their notice;
• report promptly to the Clerk, or Chairman, any incidents which have led or might lead to injury or damage and co-operate with any investigation which might be undertaken with the object of preventing accidents or re-occurrence of incidents;
• to record any such accidents in an Accident Book, held by the Clerk.

A copy of this statement will be issued to the employee and volunteers of the council. This policy will be revised, added to or modified when required and reviewed annually.