This is the health and safety policy statement of:
The Bosahan Woods Management Group, a working subgroup of Constantine Enterprises Company Ltd. (CEC). CEC is a company limited by guarantee (Company Number 3554035) and is a registered charity (Number 107185).
Our health and safety policy is to ensure that:
Visitors to the woods, and volunteers who work in the woods, are able to enjoy and support the woods in conditions that are as safe as we can reasonably make them.
It has been drawn up with reference to:
a) the Government Health and Safety Executive website (https://www.hse.gov.uk/voluntary/index.htm) ;
b) guidance from the Volunteer Centre (http://www.vces.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Essential-Guide-to-Health-and-Safety-of-Volunteers-NL.pdf)
c) and from The Conservation Volunteers website (https://www.conservationhandbooks.com/health-and-safety/).
The policy will be supported with these processes:
– risk assessment
– regular hazard monitoring
– maintenance of public paths
– induction and training of volunteers
– community working
– provision of appropriate tools and protective equipment
– provision of appropriate first aid.
Responsibilities for Health & Safety
1. Overall responsibility for Health and Safety:
Two members of the Bosahan Woods management group will take particular responsibility for health and safety matters, at least one of which will be one of the CEC nominees to the group.
These are currently:
– Christopher Hussey
– Peter Saverton
2. Routine Monitoring of potential hazards:
A monthly inspection of the woods will be carried out, primarily to monitor features introduced by visitors to the woods, such as swings and dens. The inspection will also note the state of the paths and any obvious damage to trees in the vicinity of the paths.
This inspection is currently carried out by:
– Peter Saverton
3. Responsibilities of volunteers:
Those who volunteer to work in the woods are expected to:
– take reasonable care of their own health and safety;
– co-operate with members of the management group on health and safety issues, particularly with regard to safe working practices and appropriate use of personal protective equipment;
– report any health and safety concerns to one of the relevant members of the management group.
Specific Policies
1. Risk Assessment
There will be two ‘standing’ risk assessments in place:
1. From the perspective of visitors to the woods;
2. For volunteers engaged in routine path maintenance.
For other volunteer activities, risk assessment will be carried out on a project-by-project basis.
2. Hazard Monitoring
The woods form a natural play area, and play is often expressed in the form of den building, swing construction, and similar such activities. In most cases the structures created are reasonably safe, but the purpose of regular hazard monitoring is to identify all such items that appear in the woods, record them (usually by photograph), make an assessment of their safety, and report accordingly to the management group. The management group will then decide whether any action needs to be taken. The assessment is informed by Forestry Commission guidelines on play items in woodland.
3. Public Path Maintenance
It is the intention of the management group that public rights of way should be easily walkable without undue risk of trips, slips or related hazards. To this end the majority of the public paths have, since acquisition, been remade with levelled and well-drained gravel surfaces (a section of one of the public paths remains to be completed). An annual inspection and maintenance process will take place in late autumn to clear accumulations of leaves and restore drainage channels, in order to maintain the finish of the paths.
4. Induction and Training of volunteers
Although specialist contractors will be employed for much of the tree-related work, it is expected that volunteers will make a significant contribution to the maintenance of the woods, and will support specific projects. At the start of each activity, volunteers will receive a briefing on the who / what / where / why of safety matters, in particular with regard to the safe use of any tools provided, the use of personal protective equipment, potential biological hazards, and the availability of first aid materials.
5. Community Working
There are additional risks to which lone workers are exposed, and we also see many safety benefits arising from working together. Lone working by volunteers will not take place; all volunteer activity will involve two or more individuals working in the woods at the same time.
6. Provision of tools and personal protective equipment
The management group maintains a small collection of hand tools, including shovels, rakes, picks, hammers. It also has available a small collection of PPE, including helmets and high visibility vests. Prior to any use, tools will be checked for usability. PPE will be provided, if appropriate to the task in hand. Volunteers must ensure thay have appropriate footwear and clothing, and may be asked to provide further items of PPE, e.g. gloves.
7. Provision of first aid
The management group possesses a first aid box which will accompany all volunteer activities in the woods. Its contents will be checked annually. The management group does not guarantee to offer practical first aid to volunteers, though for large project activities (e.g. involving more than 15 volunteers) the management group will seek to ensure that a trained first aider is on hand. Any accident requiring first aid intervention will be recorded.
Review
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed annually, prior to the CEC Annual General Meeting.
Latest Review
This version of the policy was updated on 11 November 2020 following review by members of the Bosahan Woods Management Group, and to reflect further comments following an additional review on behalf of the CEC board of trustees by:
– Dougal Jeffries
– Tracey Clowes
