Health & Safety Policy

1. Policy Statement

Bountiful Bridges is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of all individuals involved in or affected by our activities.

This includes children, young people, volunteers, staff, participants, and members of the wider community.

We recognise our responsibility to take all reasonable steps to prevent accidents, injuries, and ill health during our activities, events, and programmes.

2. Purpose of This Policy

The purpose of this Health & Safety Policy is to:

Provide a safe environment for all participants and volunteers
Minimise risks during events, activities, and outreach programmes
Ensure clear responsibilities for safety management
Establish procedures for identifying and managing risks
Ensure compliance with relevant UK health and safety legislation

3. Scope

This policy applies to all Bountiful Bridges activities, including but not limited to:

Community outreach events
Youth and teen programmes
Food bank and distribution activities
Training sessions and workshops
Church or partner venue-based activities
Outdoor or off-site events

It applies to all volunteers, coordinators, partners, and participants.

4. Responsibilities

4.1 Overall Responsibility

The overall responsibility for health and safety lies with the leadership of Bountiful Bridges, operating under RCCG Vineyard Chapel, Newport.

4.2 Event Coordinators / Leaders

Event coordinators are responsible for:

Conducting risk assessments before activities
Ensuring safe setup of venues and equipment
Briefing volunteers on safety procedures
Monitoring activities during events
Responding appropriately to incidents or emergencies

4.3 Volunteers

All volunteers are responsible for:

Following health and safety instructions
Acting in a way that does not endanger themselves or others
Reporting hazards or concerns immediately
Participating in safety briefings when required

4.4 Participants

Participants are expected to:

Follow instructions given by leaders and volunteers
Act responsibly during activities
Report any unsafe conditions or concerns

5. Risk Assessments

Risk assessments will be carried out before all events and activities where necessary.

This includes identifying:

Potential hazards
Likelihood of harm
Individuals at risk
Control measures to reduce risk

Risk assessments will be reviewed regularly and updated when activities change.

6. Accident and Incident Reporting

In the event of an accident or incident:

Immediate first aid will be provided where necessary
Emergency services will be contacted if required
The incident will be recorded in an incident log
A review will be carried out to prevent recurrence

All serious incidents will be escalated to RCCG Vineyard Chapel leadership.

7. First Aid Provision

Where appropriate, a designated first aider will be present at events.

A basic first aid kit will be available during activities.

For larger events, additional first aid arrangements may be put in place depending on risk level.

8. Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures

For events held in venues:

Fire exits must be clearly identified and accessible
Emergency evacuation procedures will be communicated
All participants must follow evacuation instructions immediately if required

Volunteers will be briefed on emergency procedures before events begin.

9. Safeguarding and Safety Integration

Health and safety is closely linked with safeguarding responsibilities.

Any concerns involving the safety of children, young people, or vulnerable adults will be treated as safeguarding matters and handled in line with our Safeguarding Policy.

10. Equipment and Materials

Any equipment used during activities must:

Be safe and fit for purpose
Be checked before use where appropriate
Be used according to instructions
Be stored safely after use

Faulty equipment must not be used and should be reported immediately.

11. Event Safety (General Principles)

For all events and programmes:

Adequate supervision ratios will be maintained
Activities will be planned with safety in mind
Venues will be assessed for suitability
Emergency contacts will be available where required

12. Reporting Hazards

Anyone involved in Bountiful Bridges activities should report:

Unsafe conditions
Faulty equipment
Accidents or near-misses

Reports should be made to an event leader or coordinator immediately.

13. Review of Policy

This Health & Safety Policy will be reviewed:

Annually
After any serious incident
When significant changes occur in activities or operations

Updates will be approved by the leadership of Bountiful Bridges under RCCG Vineyard Chapel.

14. Contact Information

For health and safety concerns or enquiries, please contact:

Bountiful Bridges

Email: hello@bountifulbridges.org

Location: RCCG Vineyard Chapel, Newport, UK