Risk Assessments

Hughenden Valley Village Hall

 

Generic Risk Assessment

 

March 2007

 

 

Introduction

 

The Village Hall is run as a community facility enabling local groups, of a diverse nature, to hire local facilities for their activities at reasonable rates. It is run as a non-profit making charity. The management committee are volunteers. There are two people who regularly work for the village hall; the handyman cum manager and the cleaner. They both work on a self employed basis. It is part of the ethos of the village hall that users look after the facilities and clear up after themselves. They are also expected to respect our neighbours and other users and generally behave in a responsible manner. All occasional users are required to sign a booking form in which they acknowledge their acceptance of their responsibilities. All regular groups using the hall are invited and encouraged to send a representative to be part of the management committee so that they are aware of their responsibilities.

 

This risk assessment has been prepared to cover all aspects and areas of responsibility for the management committee of the village hall including:

The sports field

Football pavilion

Additional wildlife area on adjoining the field

The Hughenden Allotment and Garden Society

Both village halls including toilets and kitchens

The car park

Children’s play area

In short everything.

 

1. Identify the Hazards.

 

1. Access and Egress
2. Electricity
3. Fire
4. First Aid Provision
5. Food Hygiene
6. Gas Appliances
7. Hazardous Substances (CoSHH)
8. Heights (ladders scaffolding)
9. Lone Working
10. Manual Handling; Storage
11. Noise Exposure
12. Normal Village Hall Activities
13. Play Area
14. Playing Field
15. Slipping, Tripping, Falling
16. Special Events (Village Day, Discos etc)
17. Sports Pavilion
18. Transport (vehicles)
19. Vandalism
20. Weather extremes
21. Wildlife Conservation Group

 

2. Identify those who might be harmed.

 

1. Members of the public including especially vulnerable, children and individuals with disabilities
2. Handyman/manager and cleaner
3. Committee members, volunteers
4. Contractors

 

3. Assess the risk.

 

 

Risk Analysis Grid

 

 

Risk analysis grid for interpretation of numbers – likelihood: severity

 

 

1. Access and Egress                    2:2

 

Doorways are clearly positioned and lighting, including emergency lighting, is provided. Obstructions are not allowed to block access routes. We have made considerable changes to accommodate disabled users and comply with current legislation. We take pride in the facilities we offer. Level access is provided at two of the entrances from the car park and to the disabled toilet area. 

 

1. Electricity                                 1:1

 

The electrical installation, including appropriate trip switches and RCD safety devices are inspected on a regular basis in accordance with the regulations and licensing requirements. Certification records are held by the secretary. PAT (portable appliance testing) is carried out on an annual basis where necessary.

 

1. Fire                                          1:1

 

The whole village hall complex is a no smoking area and appropriately signed. Emergency exits, clearly marked are included in the building design. The illuminated exit signs are inspected as part of the electrical inspection and the fire inspection. The premises are inspected by the fire authorities on a regular basis to ensure compliance with the appropriate regulations. As part of the fire precautions fire extinguishers are provided at agreed points in both halls. These are routinely checked by Chubb. All curtains in the hall are treated to make them fire retardant. Certification records are held by the secretary.

 

1. First Aid Provision                    1:1

 

Appropriate first aid kits are provided in both the large and small halls, together with an accident reporting book. Signs are displayed in the halls to indicate where the first aid kits are located, together with numbers for the local doctors’ surgery and the nearest accident and emergency hospital.

 

 

1. Food Hygiene                           2:1

 

The premises include kitchens which comply with the food hygiene regulations as applied by the local authority. Users are advised by the bookings secretary to ensure any caterers they use are licensed.

 

1. Gas Appliances                        1:1

 

All gas installations are installed, maintained and inspected annually by CORGI registered contractors.

 

1. Hazardous Substances (CoSHH)                      2:1

 

All cleaning materials are stored in a locked cupboard in the boiler room, including any substances subject to CoSHH regulations. An appropriate warning sign is displayed inside the cupboard. Normal use of the cleaning materials is solely by the cleaner who is made aware of the warning signs. Access to this room is made childproof by use of a top sliding bolt.

 

1. Heights (ladders scaffolding)                             2:3

 

Working from ladders is only permitted when at least two people are present. A scaffold tower is used only by competent people. All major decoration is undertaken by contractors who use their own equipment and abide by their safe methods of working. A ladder inventory is provided with inspection dates for the steps and ladders owned by the village hall.

 

1. Lone Working                                                  1:1

 

The handyman/manager and the cleaner are the only people who regularly work on their own in the hall. Both halls have telephones which could be used in any emergency. The halls are well used so there are nearly always people arriving for a booking following the cleaning times (afternoons twice a week).

 

1. Manual Handling; Storage                                 2:2

 

Most cupboards are fitted floor to ceiling and steps are available for access to the higher ones. Many regular users of the hall store equipment for their activities at the hall. Users are expected to be sensible in the way they store and handle their own heavy or awkward objects. All step ladders should be inspected before work commences – checks to include, treads, cross-bracings and stiles for damage, defects and dents (rung to stile connections), locking treads and rivets. A list of “Do’s and Don’ts” for step ladders is displayed in the storage area. A ladder inventory is provided with inspection dates for the steps and ladders owned by the village hall.

 

1. Noise Exposure                                                1:1

 

There is a PA system installed where the volume controls are not generally accessible for users to prevent excessive audio levels. Users hiring the hall are made aware of the conditions of hire, one of which requires consideration for our neighbours in the level of noise. Users for discos or parties are expected to be aware of their responsibilities for their activities.

 

1. Normal Village Hall Activities                2:2

 

The hall complex is purpose built and well maintained for the varied activities which take place. All users are expected to use the facilities responsibly and report any problems or damage to the handyman/manager or a member of the committee. We have a policy of repairing or correcting faults as speedily as is possible.

 

1. Play Area                                                         3:2

 

The play area is a purpose built exterior facility for children. Responsibility for maintenance rests with the Parish Council who inspect weekly. The village hall committee have a representative who liaises with the Parish Council as necessary.

 

1. Playing Field                                                     2:2

 

Hughenden Football Club organise regular league games on the playing field in accordance with their club and league rules. Trained and approved referees are used. All referees are trained in first aid. In addition every team has at least one member trained in first aid. Other activities are purely ad hoc occasions when groups gather to play together. The field is a normally open facility, indeed closing it would be nigh impossible, not to mention unpopular. The field and surrounding area is frequently used by dog walkers who are encouraged to remove any dog faeces. There are appropriate bins and signs provided.

 

1. Slipping, Tripping, Falling                                  1:1

 

The hall is well maintained, cleaned and has adequate lighting and signs, including emergency lighting. It is particularly suitable for disabled users, with level access provided to the exterior and to the disabled toilet facilities.

 

1. Special Events (Village Day, Discos etc)           2:2

The committee have sub-committees which organise special events from time to time. All events are considered carefully and risks realised and minimised.

 

1. Sports Pavilion                                     2:2

 

Hughenden Football Club and visiting teams are the only users of the pavilion which is kept locked when not in use. They are used for changing and showering after matches.

 

1. Transport (vehicles)                                          2:2

 

Access to the car park is through a wide entrance from Coombe Lane. The car park is large and adequate under normal circumstances. Speed ramps are installed to control vehicle speed. These are marked with paint lines to ensure they are visible to pedestrians. The car park can be secured by a locked gate to prevent unauthorised use of the facilities outside normal hours of use.

 

1. Vandalism                                                        2:1

 

The village hall complex is in a central position in the village and in general open to the public and difficult to secure, if that were desirable. It is an area where children and youngsters gather to play. Inevitably, though regrettably, we suffer from vandalism at times. The roof was a particular target for youngsters so anti-vandal paint has been applied to the high gutter boards and soffits to prevent access and warning signage has been displayed. We always attempt to repair any damage and clean graffiti or mess as soon as possible. Notices are prominently displayed inside the hall advising users how to contact the Police if they should witness vandalism.

 

1. Weather extremes                                             3:1

 

The village hall does not have caretaker provision so removal of snow or ice from pathways is the responsibility of users of the hall. In particularly severe icy conditions bookings can be cancelled. Users of the hall can also cancel their activities if necessary. The hall has central heating which copes with all normal winter cold spells.

 

1. Wildlife Conservation Group                             2:3

 

A group of volunteers work to manage and conserve the natural wildlife grass and wooded areas which form part of the village hall land. Working parties from the volunteer group work on a schedule of dates and times arranged throughout the year, but mainly over the winter months. The group is led by several experienced conservation volunteers who agree the tasks to be undertaken for each working session. Less experienced members of the group are supervised by the more experienced. Only those who have received instruction and are wearing the appropriate protective clothing operate power equipment. A buddy working system is operated such that no one works on their own. The team is composed of volunteers who are expected to act responsibly in regard to their own safety, their fellow volunteers and other users of the village hall and playing fields including all members of the general public.

 

4. Decide control methods and put them in place.

 

All parties involved in the preparation and implementation of this risk assessment will be made aware of their responsibilities. The only effective sanction the committee have in the event of users deliberately flouting safety guidelines is to cancel their future bookings. This is our normal practise, although thankfully such action is extremely rare.    

 

5. Monitor and re-assess the risks.

 

This will be done on an annual basis and whenever an incident provides evidence that a re-appraisal is necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

EP 2007