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Posted By John Battye
Has anyone any experience with risk assessment for activities in churches, preferably non - conformist churches or "free churches" which are not encumbered with ancient buildings to look after.
I have been appointed health & safety officer for my Church and think I will have to start from "scratch"
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Posted By Mark Sims
John
There's a health and safety guidance note that you can download from the Ecclesiastical Insurance website: www.ecclesiastical.co.uk but this is biased towards ancient buildings. There's also one about fire safety and one on functions.
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Posted By John Murgatroyd
A true believer should put their trust in the Lord.
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Posted By Homer
No where's an interesting thread that could run and run. If an accident did occur who would be liable would it bge the church or god himself? I am sure Billy Connolly did a film about this.
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Posted By Arran Linton - Smith
John,
I have been involved with a major project for one diocese.
When I looked at the risks associated with a church. The worship was only one activity.
Other risk areas should include:
Church maintenance (maintenance service areas are usually quite interesting)
Lone working
Church paths and car parking facilities
Fire safety (particularly arson)
Electrical safety
Food safety
Child safety
In this list I have not included church towers which I have a lot of experience with or even grave yards.
I believe the two highest risk areas are church paths (for claims) and food safety.
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Posted By Geoff Burt
I don't really understand why a church would be looked at any differently from, say, a village hall, a youth club, a small business premises, retail units etc.
If you are familiar with the H&S issues of any of the above then why not apply those principles?
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Posted By Ken Taylor
The major denominations have produced various guidance documents on health and safety issues so it could be worth contacting them. We have three Anglican chapels among our premises but the risks there have tended to vary from insignificant through general repair and maintenance issues to the performance of plays, musical events and the like. When it comes to any needed work to our historic buildings, the published guidance of English Heritage and requirements of the Planning Authority are major considerations - along with constructive thinking aiming toward modern standards with the constraints of history and duties of H&S legislation.
However, when it comes to modern non-conformist churches, there seems to be a considerable range of activities within their buildings, in hired premises (eg schools) and elsewhere (eg baptisms in swimming pools). I have found lunch clubs, creches, computer workshops, offices, woodworking, line-dancing, etc, etc. In such circumstances, I would suggest using the range of check-lists applicable to other workplaces as quite a lot could be relevant - not forgetting accessibility, of course.
Ken Taylor
(Confirmed non-conformist)
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Posted By Karen Todd
Don't forget about the unexpected hazards of the job - ghosts!
I was at a church being refurbished and I was taking some photos with my digital camera whilst up a ladder of the work going on in the roof (yes, I still had 3 points of contact).
I noticed at the time that some of the photos hadn't turned out, so I just took more which were okay.
However, lets just say that if I had seen what I seen when I looked at the photos on the computer when I was standing on the ladder, I think I would have fallen off the ladder!!! One photo appears to show an angry face (you can make out a big mouth and teeth) and the other photo appears to show a small face and part of the arm...
I was wearing a high visibility jacket at the time and there was polythene to my left at a window with strong sunlight coming in, so it could be some kind of cast on the photo (I sometimes get fluorescent yellow casts).
Regards,
Karen
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Posted By Geoff Burt
And was there a vertical line on the photo?
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Posted By Karen Todd
No! But I was made to delete the photos off the computer and my boss refused to go to the site.
Karen
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Posted By Ian Bruce
Not much experience of safety provision within churches, but do have some experience within a "multi-faith" centre in a prison. Modern building, single storey, lots of chairs rather than pews, alters etc.
Big issues were:
Fire safety - use of candles, josh sticks etc.
Lone working of the "priests" while they prepared services etc.
Violence (surprise, surprise), but this is an issue "on the out" as well where you have all sorts of people accessing the building or grounds.
First aid.
If you have a grave yard, I seem to remember reading somewhere that graves/cripts can hold viral infections or spores that pose a threat to health - this was a feature in SHP about 3 years ago, I think.
Question - is a ghost a hazard, or the result of the realisation of hazard upon an employee or a person affected by your work?
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Posted By Robert Paterson
Hi John
If you go to the HSE website and put churches in the search box (to the left of the screen). It should bring up a HELA circular about places of worship. According to the circular it is dated September 2000 and due for review in 2005.
Hope that gives you a starting point in your search.If you have not done so, might I suggest you contact your national body who might have information. It might also be good if you take some formal training in health and safety that is if you have not already done so.
Kind Regards
Robert Paterson
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Posted By Arran Linton - Smith
For church towers which have bells that are rung, there must be a safe system of work in place to prevent any one going in to the bell chamber whilst the “bells are up” and if the bells are left up, the ropes must be raised secured with a locking mechanism to prevent non-bell ringer accidentally touching the ropes.
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Posted By Mike Muscroft
For some useful advice and excellent free resources that are being used by many church's already, go to my web site.
http://www.church-osh.org.uk
I am the Health & Safety Adviser / Property Steward / Church Council member for Sprowston Methodist Church. Joining for the free resources is free and painless.
If you require any guidance or help give me a shout admin@church-osh.org.uk
Regards.
Mike.
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