Health and Safety Policy
Prepared By: Date:
Chris Howell (Chairman)
Reviewed By: Date:
Paul Hadfield (Health and Safety Officer)
Reviewed By: Date:
Darren Brown (Treasurer)
Effective Date: 01/03/2005
Review Date : 01/03/2007
Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Responsibilities
3.0 Procedure
3.1 Training
3.2 Maintenance
3.3 Assessment of Risk
3.4 Insurance
3.5 Alcohol and Drugs
3.6 Under 18’s
3.7 Fitness to participate
1.0 Introduction Buckingham’s retinue is committed to ensuring the Health and Safety of its own members and members of the public attending its events.
The group undertakes to ensure that its members are adequately trained in the activities they undertake on behalf of the group, that equipment is adequately maintained and that risks are adequately assessed for key activities.
Furthermore the group recognises that particular members may be at greater risk than others and take account of this in its policies.
2.0 Responsibilities The Committee
Responsible for ensuring that Buckingham’s Retinue adheres to its own health and safety policies. It is responsible for ensuring that all activities are assessed for potential risk and that the findings of that assessment are recorded. The committee is responsible for updating the policies at periodic intervals.
Nominated Health and Safety Representatives
Responsible for completing their health and safety responsibilities as defined from time to time by the committee.
All Members
All members are responsible for ensuring that their actions meet the requirements of the groups health and safety policies. Outside the scope of the policies the members must ensure that their actions ensure the safety of the general public and other re-enactors as far as is reasonably practicable.
3.0 Procedure Buckingham’s Retinue accepts that is has certain responsibilities to its members, other re-enactors and the general public who attend their events. It seeks to minimise the risk to all of these groups by ensuring that its members are adequately trained, its equipment is in good order and the risks of its activities have been adequately assessed.
3.1 Training All members who will be involved in public displays will be adequately trained by the group to ensure they are competent to participate. The purpose of this training is to ensure that they are adequately competent and have understood their responsibilities. Members are encourage to improve their skills as far as possible but must attain a basic level of competency before being allowed to participate in specific activities. Certain activities are considered to be in scope for the purpose of this policy. They include drill, battlefield fighting, archery and use of black powder weapons. Any activities that members would normally encounter in their lives outside re-enactment are considered to be out of scope. These include but are not limited to wearing costume, preparing food, erecting tents, etc.
The committee will nominate certain individuals to undertake the training on behalf of the group and they will record that it is completed on behalf of the group.
Members will not be allowed to participate in the activities listed above until they have been trained and their training recorded.
Training is outlined in procedure 002.
3.2 Maintenance All key equipment that represents a potential hazard will be catalogued, inspected and maintained by the group. Where equipment is found to be defective it will not be used until it is repaired or replaced.
This policy applies to group equipment used in any of the activities listed above and personal equipment used specifically in the activities listed above, including but not necessarily limited to weapons and armour.
A register of equipment will be maintained and regularly assessed in terms of its fitness for purpose.
Equipment that is defined as representing an insignificant risk to re-enactors or the public is considered out of scope for this policy. This will include but is not limited to group clothing, flags, storage bags, etc.
Maintenance is outlined in procedure 003.
3.3 Assessment of Risk Activities that represent a potential risk are to be assessed and the risk minimised as far as is reasonably practicable. A record of these assessments will be maintained. When new activities are added to the groups events they will be assessed before implementation. Sites will be assessed for potential risks before each event is opened to the public. Where the event is not organised by Buckingham’s Retinue the group will assess the risks of its own activities but the assessment of the overall site may need to rest with the organising group.
Risk assessment is outlined in procedure 004.
3.4 Insurance
Buckingham’s Retinue will ensure that its events are ensured for public liability, in accordance with any prevailing legislation. The individual members of the group are not insured and by joining the group and signing the membership form they accept that re-enactment carries potential risks. Individual members are responsible for their individual conduct in regard to other re-enactors who are not members of Buckingham’s Retinue and ensuring that their safety is accounted for as far as reasonably practicable.
Individuals bringing live animals to events must hold a valid certificate of public liability insurance that relates to the animal in question and be able to present it if requested. If the animal is to be used as part of the event then a copy of the certificate must be presented to the treasure prior to the event.
3.5 Alcohol and Drugs Buckingham’s Retinue adopts a position relating to recreational drugs that is in line with current UK legislation. No member may participate in any event when they are under the influence of drugs. The membership of any member who is suspected of being under the influence of drugs during and event will have their membership reviewed by the committee. Any member of the group suspected of being under the influence of drugs during an event will be assumed to have brought the name of the group into disrepute and will be dealt with on a case by case basis by the committee. The committee’s decision is final.
Any member is deemed as unfit to participate if they have drunk sufficient units of alcohol to make put them over the legal driving limit. All members must bring to the attention of the committee any member who they think is unfit to participate in any of the groups activities. The groups policy is that drinking should be left until the official end of groups participation in the event. For example the end of the battle at Tewkesbury or the official end time of our own events.
3.6 Under 18’s Persons under the age of 18 must be accompanied to events by a family member or a person who has agreed to act on behalf of their parents for the duration of the event. The individual’s parents must consent to their attendance in writing and must be made aware of the groups activities by an active member.
Refer to the groups policy on under 18’s for further details, procedure 004.
3.7 Fitness to Participate
Any member who wishes to participate in the activities of the group listed above in section 3.1 must ensure that they are sufficiently fit and healthy. General fitness is left to the individuals own judgement, however if they appear to be unwell during events the committee will ensure that they seek medical advice or improve their physical fitness before further participation. All members are required to complete a medical form prior to joining the group. This form will be confidential but the individual responsible for maintaining these forms can draw any condition that may represent a risk to the individuals health to the attention of the committee. The committee reserves the right to seek medical advice before allowing members to participate in any of the activities listed in section 3.1
Refer to procedure 005 for further details.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 29 January 2006 )
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Health & Safety 
