Health and Safety for Churches, other Religious institutions and Charities

Many religious institutions will have unique needs, they may not have many employees but will nearly always have a number of volunteers and helpers.
Religious institutions also have a legal duty to ensure the Health Safety and welfare of all their service users.

All Organisations, regardless of size, must have Health and Safety measures in place. What needs to be in place will depend on the size of the organisation
Organisations that employ 5 or more people should have written a written Health and Safety policy. Although, I would highly recommend all religious institutions have even a basic written Health and safety policy!
You should also have written procedures for dealing with accidents and incidents and other emergencies.

Fire:

All organisations are required by law to have a Fire Risk assessment, including Churches and Other religious institutions.
They are also required to have appropriate systems in place for the detection of fire and a means of raising the alarm, in the event of a fire.
Organisations should also have in place a suitable number of Fire Extinguishers or other fire fighting equipment and ensure that is maintained correctly.
All buildings must have suitable fire exits that are kept clear and accessible, and suitable signage to inform people what to do in the event of a fire and where to go.

Review:
All Health and safety polices should be reviewed at least annually or when there are significant changes to the organisation or its buildings.

I have a great deal of experience in working with Churches and other organisations on health and safety and can offer a best practice approach based on the size and type of organisation. If you would more information, please contact me to discuss your needs or if you require a one-off review.