Policies | The Fressingfield Shed

Health & Safety Policy

THE FRESSINGFIELD SHED HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members other than its Charity Trustees)

Adopted: 3 March 2023 version 1

Scope of this policy

The Fressingfield Shed operates from The Goodwin Hall, New Street, Fressingfield, IP21 5PG. Within the premises are hand tools and machine tools as well as other hazardous materials such as paint, chemicals and solvents. This policy will apply when members of The Shed are engaged as volunteers on community projects, Shed projects or personal projects where Shed and/or personal tools and materials are used.

Our statement of general policy is to:

Encourage and support a culture whereby all members may identify, report, assess and control safety risks in The Shed;

● Attempt to reduce the health and safety risks arising from our activities;

● Provide and maintain safe plant and equipment;

● Ensure safe handling and use of materials and substances;

● Ensure all Members are competent to do the tasks they wish to undertake, and to give them adequate guidance;

● Encourage all Members to work to prevent accidents and cases of ill health;

● Encourage all Members to maintain safe and healthy conditions in the Shed.

Responsibilities

Overall and final responsibility for Health and Safety lies with every individual member of the Fressingfield Shed.

A member of the Management Committee will be appointed and act as Health and Safety Officer.

The Management Committee of The Fressingfield Shed shall, as far as reasonable, provide notices and guidance of a general nature for Members.

All Members of The Fressingfield Shed are required to:

● Cooperate with the Health and Safety Officer and other members on health and safety matters;

● Not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety (such as machine tool guards);

● Take reasonable care of their own health and safety; and

● Raise any and all health and safety concerns related to the Shed and its activities with The H&S Officer, or deputy.

Information and Guidance

Information on Health and Safety will be shared informally between members as well as at meetings, through newsletters and the website when appropriate.

Guidance for new members, if required, will be provided by those with experience. Manuals and guidance on Health and Safety practice for particular equipment will be retained in a filing cabinet in the Shed.

Health and safety risks arising from our activities

Risk assessments for any activity, use of hand and power tools, are the responsibility of each individual Member.
Look and check.
If in doubt ask.
If advice is offered, listen.

Safe Equipment

All Members are responsible for identifying tools, equipment and machinery they use that requires maintenance and either undertake it themselves, or find someone who is able to undertake it. Dust extraction systems should be utilized whenever machinery is used. Testing of all electrical equipment will be undertaken by competent and qualified personnel on an annual basis.

Competency for use of equipment / machines

Members may not use any tools and equipment not previously used without guidance and supervision by members experienced in the use of those tools or equipment. Tools and equipment that pose particular risks are to be plug locked and may only be operated by those who have undertaken specific training. Records are to be kept and available to key holders.

Power tools must not be utilized when members are alone in the Shed. (Minimum of 2 people must be present).

Accidents, first aid and work-related incidents

A First Aid Kit will be available and prominent notices will detail its location. An Accident Book will be kept with the first aid kit. All accidents, however minor, must be recorded.

The H&S Officer is responsible for the provision and maintenance of the First Aid kit.

A number of members are emergency first aiders and a list of these persons will be displayed prominently. If none are available assistance should be sought at the nearest doctor’s surgery or the A&E Department at either The Norwich and Norfolk or Ipswich Hospitals. If necessary, call 999.

Emergency procedures – Fire and Evacuation

The Fire Safety Officer is tasked:

● To ensure that fire extinguishers are maintained and checked annually.

● That emergency evacuation procedures are operable

● That appropriate signage is in place.

● Regular drills are carried out.

● Ensuring that all members are familiar with the use and operation of the fire extinguishers

● All Members must ensure that they are aware of escape routes and fire exits, together with the location of extinguishers. All Members should ensure that fire exits are kept clear and unobstructed.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

On discovering fire, a member shall alert all others in the Shed immediately by shouting FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!

All members in the Shed will evacuate the building by the nearest exit to them (leaving personal belongings behind).

Members will assemble outside at the designated Fire Assembly Point.

The published, designated Duty Member / Management Committee Member present, will be responsible for:

a. Phoning the Emergency Services.

b. Checking that the building is clear of members

Members should only attempt to tackle any fire if trained and competent in the use of the extinguishers, but must not knowingly put themselves or others in danger.

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDANCE

All Shed Members are required to undertake activities in the Shed with their own, and others, Health and Safety uppermost in their minds. Health and Safety is the responsibility of each individual Member.

All Members should provide their own PPE equipment (e.g., masks and eye protection) and:

● Visually check all hand, power tools, equipment and installed machinery before use.

● Not use hand, power tools, equipment or installed machinery when not previously used (without training /guidance by experienced members)

● Not use power operated tools when there are less than two members present in the Shed.

● Adequately secure any materials being worked upon

● Use any and all machine guards and safety equipment provided.

● Acquaint themselves with the location of the First Aid Kit and Accident Book

● Not bring into the Shed any hazardous substances liquids or chemicals that may be harmful

Look and check. If in doubt ask. If advice offered, listen.

Code of Conduct Policy

THE FRESSINGFIELD SHED CODE OF CONDUCT

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members other than its Charity Trustees)

Adopted Date 3 March 2023 version 1

Purpose of The Fressingfield Shed

To provide a venue for men and women to talk and connect with others while participating in group or individual projects.

To provide opportunities for friendship and socialising in a safe environment while at the same time providing the space, expertise and facilities for members to pursue hobbies, crafts and other creative activities.

To undertake projects, acceptable to the group, which are of benefit to individuals, other groups and the broader community.

To achieve this, we will:

Maintain an open-door policy and will not reject any person on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion or age, though some conditions may apply.
Certain restrictions may be placed on participation for physical safety reasons or if a participant needs the assistance of a carer (which must be provided by the participant).
Provide a safe physical environment.
Provide a safe and supportive social environment.
Provide referrals to other services or agencies when appropriate or requested.
Respect the rights and decisions of participants.
Respect the confidentiality and privacy of participants.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT IN THE SHED

We will not tolerate abuse, violence, anti-social behaviour or infringements of the rights of others - persons indulging in this type of behaviour will be asked to leave the Shed.

Neither Alcohol nor drugs are allowed in the Shed - Any person arriving at the Shed obviously suffering from alcohol or drug use, will be asked to leave immediately.

Alcohol will be permitted at designated social events.

Participants are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous manner towards Duty Managers, Management Committee members, key holders and other users of “The Shed” - this includes being considerate of other persons need for space, tools, materials and equipment.

Each and all of the members will be responsible for implementing health and safety requirements and ensuring they are adhered to at all times. Each member is responsible for the safety of his fellow members. Everyone is a safety officer. This would normally mean a common-sense approach. See attached the Health & Safety Policy for The Fressingfield Shed.

We will share learning, celebrate success and acknowledge and recognise participants.

Have respect and consideration for life outside the shed.

GENERAL SHED RULES

Always clean equipment after use and return tools to the appropriate place.
Remember to sign in on arrival and out upon leaving
Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitise hands regularly.
Always ensure tools and equipment are in safe working order.
If a fault with any equipment is noticed you must immediately notify the Shed Duty Manager.
Ensure your immediate work area is free of obstructions and your operations shall not interfere with other shed activities.
No smoking is permitted in the Shed area.

CODE OF PRACTICE

The Shed resources are to be used for collective profit not for personal profit.

To commence a community or major project, a brief written proposal needs to be submitted to “The Shed” Committee who will assess the proposals for suitability.

The Shed identifies that it is necessary to make a profit from events and some projects and activities to ensure future financial viability.

Privacy Policy

The Fressingfield Shed website is owned by Fressingfield Shed, which is a data controller of your personal data.

We have adopted this Privacy Policy, which determines how we are processing the information collected by The Fressingfield Shed, which also provides the reasons why we must collect certain personal data about you. Therefore, you must read this Privacy Policy before using The Fressingfield Shed website.

We take care of your personal data and undertake to guarantee its confidentiality and security.

Personal information we collect:

When you visit the The Fressingfield Shed, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including information about your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the installed cookies on your device. Additionally, as you browse the Site, we collect information about the individual web pages or products you view, what websites or search terms referred you to the Site, and how you interact with the Site. We refer to this automatically-collected information as “Device Information.” Moreover, we might collect the personal data you provide to us (including but not limited to Name, Surname, Address, payment information, etc.) during registration to be able to fulfill the agreement.

Why do we process your data?

Our top priority is customer data security, and, as such, we may process only minimal user data, only as much as it is absolutely necessary to maintain the website. Information collected automatically is used only to identify potential cases of abuse and establish statistical information regarding website usage. This statistical information is not otherwise aggregated in such a way that it would identify any particular user of the system.

You can visit the website without telling us who you are or revealing any information, by which someone could identify you as a specific, identifiable individual. If, however, you wish to use some of the website’s features, or you wish to receive our newsletter or provide other details by filling a form, you may provide personal data to us, such as your email, first name, last name, city of residence, organization, telephone number. You can choose not to provide us with your personal data, but then you may not be able to take advantage of some of the website’s features. For example, you won’t be able to receive our Newsletter or contact us directly from the website. Users who are uncertain about what information is mandatory are welcome to contact us via info@thefressingfieldshed.co.uk.

Your rights:

If you are a European resident, you have the following rights related to your personal data:

The right to be informed.
The right of access.
The right to rectification.
The right to erasure.
The right to restrict processing.
The right to data portability.
The right to object.
Rights in relation to automated decision-making and profiling.

If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us through the contact information below.

Additionally, if you are a European resident, we note that we are processing your information in order to fulfill contracts we might have with you (for example, if you make an order through the Site), or otherwise to pursue our legitimate business interests listed above. Additionally, please note that your information might be transferred outside of Europe, including Canada and the United States.

Links to other websites:

Our website may contain links to other websites that are not owned or controlled by us. Please be aware that we are not responsible for such other websites or third parties' privacy practices. We encourage you to be aware when you leave our website and read the privacy statements of each website that may collect personal information.

Information security:

We secure information you provide on computer servers in a controlled, secure environment, protected from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. We keep reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect against unauthorized access, use, modification, and personal data disclosure in its control and custody. However, no data transmission over the Internet or wireless network can be guaranteed.

Legal disclosure:

We will disclose any information we collect, use or receive if required or permitted by law, such as to comply with a subpoena or similar legal process, and when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.

Contact information:

If you would like to contact us to understand more about this Policy or wish to contact us concerning any matter relating to individual rights and your Personal Information, you may send an email to info@thefressingfieldshed.co.uk.