Posted By jackw. Hi some assistance please. Local social club that frequent has been asked by their insurers to prepare an H&S policy and undertake risk assessments etc. I really don't wish to get to involved in this but have said i would see what I could dig up. Does anyone have any experience of this with perhaps a H&S proforma or policy document I could have a look at and pass on to them. Also I assume the committee as the custodians and in effect the managers of the club will have the primary responsibilities in this document. What then would be the role/place in this for the full time club manager. Thanks in advance for your assistance. Cheers

Posted By Bob Shillabeer Hi JackW, I was, until February this year, a secretary of a social club in South Wales employing more than five persons on a part time basis, you don't say what your role is but in simple terms you need to remind the management committee that they are effectively the employer and must comply with the whole range of duties under H&S legislation that is relevant to its activities both as an employer and those duties owed to persons who are non-employees and of course contractors and visitors. The need to appoint someone as a safety advisor in-house or external applies. Beware if you are taking on that role it's almost a full time job. The main problem is getting lay persons such as management committee members to take hold of the fact that they are responsible and that the secretary is the guy in line for section 37 stuff! The varous risk assessment stuff must be completed, COSHH, Fire, Management Regs etc. Even when the dray delivers or the fruit machine maitenance guy calls you need to be aware they are working on your premises and therefore need to be covered by your risk assessments and relevant control measures. There is also of course the fact that members for H&S requirements are members of the public and you owe a duty toward thier safety as well. I guess what I'm saying it's a job that must be done fully and properly even though it's a place where most people have the attitude of it's only a club afterall so why must we bother! In short its the law and the full effects must be catered for. Good luck with it its not the compliance that will get you its the why both and its too much trouble bregade that will wear you down, been there and done it.

Posted By Robert Paterson Hi Jack As previous posting I to was involved with writng the safety policy. An Introduction to health and safety leaflet - indg259 as previously posted, is an excellent document and there is a sample policy for you to adopt to the needs of the club. My biggest problem was the why and do we need to brigade who didn't understand the full implications of the law. Became to much for me dealing with H&S on a fulltime basis at work and also in the club - the brick wall won on this occassion. Will think twice about doing that again. Still available to give advice when asked though. I may have the original document that I drafted up for the club on the home computer. Will send you copy if it is still there. Good luck with this. Regards Robert Paterson

Posted By jackw. Hi Bob thanks for your response. Basically I don't have any remit as I only a member. I was asked for some advice and just wondered what was out there. It is not my intention, for the reasons you stated, to get involved to any great depth, again as you point out it could be an never ending story.. also the issues re my professional status liability etc. etc. if i let my self become the "main man" One thing you have brought to my attention is perhaps the need to bring the club manager up to speed on H&S. He is relatively new. I believe he has been in the trade with a major brewer managing pubs for a number of years so would assume that he has some awareness and prior training in H&S. Additional issue is the food side of the business as they do a lot of catering, funerals weddings, parties etc. and offer a catering service (mostly snacks), to members. Cheers

Posted By Robert K Lewis The problem here is that as a professional Chartered? person you are advising even on a friendly one to one basis. If you do not have PI insurance do not even go there. Your advice will be assessed when something goes wrong and if you miss something and someone suffers injury then somebody will look for who advised. When the chips are down how many of the committee will stand up to say they decided on the basis of your advice? I do undertake work with a local action group but only until my current PI runs out early next year. It is becoming a minefield out there I am afraid. Bob

Posted By Bob Shillabeer Ah I remeber those days well. It was always the injured parties fault the idiot he should have know better or at leaste taken more care didn't he know it was dangerous? Never mind his wife will get a good lump sum from the pension. Oh dear he wasn't a member, never mind something will turn up. Oh by the way have they found another dummy I mean replacement yet? Sinical I know but that's how it used to be.