HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY

Introduction

The Retinue of his Grace the Duke of Buckingham is a medieval re-enactment society that portrays the martial and social elements of life in a 15^th Century Knight's Household. The society appears as Buckingham's Retinue during its own contracted events but may also appear as part of a larger umbrella organisation such as Livery & Maintenance or other larger invitation events.

Medieval re-enactment is a voluntary hobby where a group of like minded individuals of all ages come together to portray medieval life. It has no parallel outside of the hobby although can be considered to encompass elements in common with camping, the martial arts and contact sports such as rugby.

This document sets out the basic principles for Health and Safety to be implemented during the period of re-enactment, training or whenever members come together to engage in an activity related to the society. It demands that every participant member understands his or her responsibilities for Health and Safety and acceptance of those responsibilities is assumed on signing of the membership application or annual membership renewal form.

Buckingham's Retinue STATEMENT OF POLICY

Buckingham's Retinue is a club run solely by unpaid volunteers and therefore has no statutory responsibility as an employer as defined by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. However Buckingham's Retinue will seek wherever possible to implement the intent of the Act and where practicable will adopt the standards demanded by Health and Safety Legislation. The overriding aim will be to reduce the probability and impact of any risk to a level consistent with the principle of As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).

It should be recognised however that the very nature of the activity means that there will always be Inherent Risks, deemed to be those part and parcel of taking part in a hobby that involves a form of martial arts and includes combat using rebated weapons. Participation in an event is deemed to be a conscious recognition of the hazards and acceptance of the Inherent Risk.

All Committee members recognise that having accepted a position of responsibility they have a duty of care as defined in law and as such must fulfil their duties to the best of their ability without negligence. That is, they must not create a foreseeable risk of injury and must take all reasonable steps to deal with any foreseeable risk of injury, which exists or arises.

Prepared By:  Andrew Horsfield (Chairman)  10/02/2010

 Reviewd By: The Committee  10/02/2010

Next Review Date: 31/01/2011

ORGANISATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Committee

1. Buckingham's Retinue is managed by an elected Committee consisting of the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and an even number of other members, typically two. In addition one member of the committee takes on the additional position of Captain. The Committee has a collective responsibility for ensuring that Health and Safety is addressed and that the Policy stated above is adopted.

2. The Committee will undertake the following specific functions in discharging its responsibilities for Health and Safety:

   1. Review the Health and Safety Policy and supporting documentation at least every three years or following a major incident.

   2. Cause Safe Systems of Work and Risk Assessments to be available to all participants both prior to and during any event.

   3. Review incidents and near misses and provide a report to be admitted as a record at the AGM.

   4. Assess all activities undertaken at events in the light of both site and environmental conditions.

   5. Assess any activities undertaken at events where not covered by existing documentation.

   6. Act as the point of contact for Health and Safety matters at larger multi-group events. This role is normally undertaken by the Captain.

Committee Appointees

3. The Committee may appoint a Health and Safety Officer with responsibility for the maintenance of records of training and drill. If such an appointment is not made the responsibility will fall to a named member of the committee. As such he will, together with certain named individuals, judged by the committee to be suitably experienced, assess the fitness of participants to engage in training, drill or combat for all weapons except those involving Black Powder.

4. For the purposes of training, drill and combat displays there will be an individual identified as Combat Captain, this need not be the same individual as the group's Captain. He is to be watchful of the continuing fitness during any training, drill or combat activity and if in any doubt is to remove a participant from the line; his authority in this matter is absolute.

5. Black powder. The committee will appoint a Master Gunner. The Master Gunner will assess the fitness of participants to engage in training, drill or combat for all weapons involving Black Powder. He is to be watchful of the continuing fitness during any training, drill or combat activity and if in any doubt is to remove a participant from the line; his authority in this matter is absolute.

6. The Committee may make other temporary appointments from time to time and any specific responsibilities for Health and Safety will be briefed to the appointee and the society as a whole.

Participants

7. All participants have a responsibility for Health and Safety. Each owes a ‘duty of care' to their ‘neighbours', not to cause them injury by negligent acts and omissions.

8. A Duty of care is a legal obligation imposed on an individual requiring that they exercise a reasonable standard of care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm others

9. Negligence is a form of legal action which, in essence, amounts to a failure to take reasonable care. It is necessary to show that the situation was one where the common law of negligence imposed a duty, that duty was broken, and that damage was caused by the breach of duty.

10. In order to satisfy that duty of care all must behave as a `reasonable person' would taking into account specific skills, knowledge and experience. The duty of care requires that a participant considers the consequences of acts and omissions and ensures that those acts and/or omissions do not give rise to a foreseeable risk of injury to any other person.

HEALTH AND SAFETY DOCUMENTATION

SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS

Incident Reporting

Minor Incident

11. A minor incident is classed as an injury that requires treatment from the group's first aid kit and nothing more. On every occasion where such first aid items are used the incident must be recorded in the Accident Book and signed by the person injured and the person providing treatment. It is to be brought to the attention of a Committee member who is to countersign that they have been made aware of the incident. This is to establish whether any immediate change to procedure is required or whether this falls within the bound of inherent risk. The action taken is to be recorded. All minor incidents are to be reviewed prior to the annual policy review to ensure that the ALARP principle is being maintained.

Major Incident

12. A major incident is one that requires treatment beyond that provided by group first aid, whether on site or at hospital. This includes anything that develops after the event as a result of injury received during the event. These are to be recorded in the Accident Book and an initial investigation is to be conducted by a Committee member as soon as possible. A written record of the investigation, including action taken, is to be placed in the Accident Book within 30 days of the incident occurring.

Near Miss

13. The nature of the hobby means that the occasional near miss is inevitable. Any such near miss is to be brought to the attention of the Committee and if deemed of sufficient note is to be recorded in the relevant section of the Health and Safety Log. Recorded near misses will be considered as part of the annual review.

First Aid

14. Recognising that qualification as a First Aider is voluntary the group will try to maintain sufficient First Aiders who are prepared to offer treatment and provide cover at events. A list of those qualified and details of their qualification will be held in the Accident Book.

Camp Safety

15. There are a significant number of hazards around the re-enactment camp and these are identified in the relevant hazard analysis. Familiarity breeds complacency, which increases the risk of incident and so everyone must be vigilant at all times. Any member identifying a hazard must either make it safe, or bring it to the attention of a responsible person who is able to do so.

16. If any hazards are identified which cannot be removed they are to be brought to the attention of the group at the morning meeting.

17. The person(s) responsible for planning the layout of the camp must do so with regard to safety requirements. Allowing for access routes and tents, ropes and guys together with consideration for the location of such activities as use of fire, storage and preparation of firewood, etc.

Hygiene

18. The group has an excellent record of food safety and hygiene. This is wholly due to excellent personal hygiene involved in the preparation and serving of food and drink. The highest standards are to be maintained at all times and awareness of this is to be checked by the person in charge of the kitchen with every person involved in the day's food and drink preparation, serving and clearing down including washing up.

Fire Safety

19. Canvas tents, naked flames and open fires present a very real hazard on camp at all times. A fire or flame should only be lit when necessary for warmth, cooking and light or for a specific display such as candle dipping. It is to be attended at all times and by an individual versed in the immediate action to be taken in the event of spillage or spread. Everyone is to be vigilant and to be aware of both the general precautions to be taken around naked flames and the specific precautions to be adopted as detailed in the supporting Safe System of Work or Risk Assessment.

20. Extinguishers are to be checked in date before the start of each season and are to be placed in the kitchen tent for each event.

Weapon Safety

Sharp Weapons

21. Individuals within the group possess sharp weapons for discussing weapon types with the public. Each participant is to be absolutely sure that they exercise the utmost caution when handling sharp weapons. When talking to the public outside of the arena they must never offer the point towards a member of the public. In the arena where the display includes both drill and combat components there must be a clear break between sessions and the sharp weapons are to remain under the control of a non combatant during combat. The individual charged with command is to check that participants line up with only rebated weapons prior to allowing the combat phase to start.

22. Before combat all participants should be checked clear of secondary sharp weapons such as daggers and eating knives/prickers by the Combat Captain.

Rebated Weapons

23. Combat displays involve the deliberate striking of an individual with a mixture of polearms and sidearms and constitutes a contact sport. The risk of injury is managed through a combination of training and the nature of the weapons themselves. Over time the steel parts will build up burrs and edges through contact and the wooden shafts will be damaged, this will increase the risk of harm to all participants in the combat display. All weapons are to be checked, by the individual using them, before each display session for security of the head on the weapon and the condition of stave. If necessary they are to be quarantined until the appropriate repair can be effected. All burrs are to be removed from any weapon edges or the weapon is to be quarantined

Axe Safety

24. The group's axes are to be inspected for damage and security of head mounting before use.

Training

25. Buckingham's Retinue conduct training outside of the season and wherever time allows will undertake drill and combat training at events during the season. Training is not just about drill and combat however and verbal briefings to all group members will be undertaken to raise awareness of hazards and risks associated with all activities taken on camp. This will be supplemented by daily briefings on camp before the days activities start. A log of attendance at training will be kept with a short narrative of the topics covered.

Competence

26. There is much talk of competence in the hobby but at present it remains nothing more than a subjective assessment. The nature of the activities that participants undertake and the dependence on site, weather and opponents means that a single definition of competence is unhelpful. Rather a judgement on suitability to participate in specific activities will be made by the Committee based on an individuals knowledge, skill, ability and experience and will reflect the individual and other participants. Thus the group will adopt the concept of Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP). Noting the presence of a number of SQEP individuals may provide mitigation and allow participants of lesser experience to take part. The Committee decision on suitability is final and without challenge.

Risk Assessment

27. A risk assessment is to be conducted wherever a hazard is deemed to exist. Whilst a number of hazards are identifiable in advance all must be aware that the nature of the site, weather or other participants may generate new hazards, modify the risk or require amendment to existing risk mitigation as identified in the Risk Assessment or Safe System of Work. This will be undertaken by a committee member and recorded as a local amendment in the Health and Safety Log.

28. All Risk Assessments will be reviewed annually. They are to be produced on a standard template held in the Risk Log and will be signed off by the Chairman. The mitigation should be such as to reduce the Risk to Low Probability and Low Impact noting that some risks can only be mitigated when undertaken by Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP).

Safe System of Work

29. Where an activity has a pre-determined repeatable sequence and is supported by a number of Risk Assessments, they will be supported by a Safe System of Work (SSoW). A safe system of work is a procedure that results from a systematic examination of an activity, identifies hazards and specifies work methods designed either to eliminate the hazards or control and minimise the relevant risks.

30. The SSoW will follow a standard template and should comprise three types of control:

    1. Technical - such as equipment to be used and any personal protective equipment (PPE).

    2. Behavioural - how individuals or groups should act in relation to the hazard.

    3. Procedural - specifying the exact nature of the task, including sequence, checks and key safety actions.

31. The system will be developed by an analysis and assessment of the risks inherent within the activity and the requisite controls.  Training is vital to ensure a clear understanding of the task, the system and all its associated requirements.

32. Finally, all safe systems of work need to be monitored regularly to ensure that they are fully observed and effective.  Appropriate supervision is also, as ever, a strict requirement. SSoWs will be reviewed during annual review or following any major incident that occurs during an activity carried out under the control of a SSoW.

Umbrella Events

33. Wherever Buckingham's Retinue attends an event it will operate under its own Health & Safety system unless specifically modified by the Umbrella organisation's own policy. This is to be briefed specifically. If during the event it is felt that the modification increases a risk this is to be brought to the attention of the Committee and the activity should not be continued until the conflict has been resolved. Any modifications to group risk mitigation and/or SSoW is to be recorded in the Health & Safety Log.