Health and Safety Manual

Contents

Health and Safety Policies/Related Documents

Health and Safety Statement

Worker Health and Safety Policy

Discomfort Pain Injury (DPI) Prevention Policy

Stress at Work

Fatigue at Work

Alcohol, Smoking/Vaping and Drugs Policy

Lock up Procedures

Safe Driving Policy

Disruptive Persons

First Aid

First Aid Policy

First Aid Procedures

First Aid Register

Risk Management

Hazard Identification

Risk Assessment

Hazard Notification Form

Risk Identification Table

Working Bee Checklist

Activities Checklist

Activities Notification Form

Evacuation Plan Testing Record

Incident and Emergency Management

Accident and Emergency Procedure

Contacting Emergency Services

Incident Management

Notifiable Event, Incident, Injury or Illness

Hazard/Incident/Near Miss/Complaint Report

Building Safety

Church Evacuation Plan and Procedure

Building Safety Checklist

Contractors and Subcontractors

Contractors and Subcontractors Overview

Health and Safety Statement

St Peters Presbyterian Church believes that an effective health and safety management system is the key to a successful organisation; ethically, morally, spiritually, legally, and financially.  Through our active commitment to legislative compliance and most importantly, ensuring our workers and Church are safe, we will continuously look for opportunities to improve our performance and system whilst still following our Church values.

We aim to actively promote improvement by ensuring our staff, volunteers and leadership are equally committed, involved, and supportive of our health and safety practices.

To achieve this we will ensure all workers and visitors are:

• Working together; taking reasonably practicable steps to ensure that any significant risks or hazards to workers are minimised, and workers are protected, where elimination is impracticable
• Involved in identifying and controlling new and existing hazards and regularly monitoring these hazards within our facilities
• Informed about accident and emergency procedures
• Aware of their responsibilities to themselves, their fellow workers and the general public
• Utilising the systems in place to record all incidents, near misses or injury
• Promoting the provision of advice, information, education and training in relation to work health and safety

Worker Health and Safety Policy

Policy Statement

St Peters Presbyterian Church is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for all workers, and to provide the information, training and supervision needed to achieve this.

Purpose

St Peters Presbyterian Church will take responsibility for health and safety procedures; however, workers need to be aware of their responsibilities and comply with the churches health and safety policy.

Definition

Worker: St Peters Presbyterian Church is committed to supporting paid staff and volunteers equally, therefore all references to workers include both paid staff and volunteers unless stated otherwise.

Responsibilities

Each worker is encouraged to play a vital and responsible role in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace through:

• Being involved in the workplace health and safety system
• Abiding by the correct procedures and using the correct equipment to carry out tasks
• Reporting any pain or discomfort as soon as possible and ensuring all accidents and incidents are recorded on a register held in the office
• Helping new employees, trainees and visitors to the workplace understand the right safety procedures and why they exist
• The immediate reporting of any health and safety concerns to the office who will in turn pass them on to the Health & Safety Team to be addressed
• Keeping the work place tidy to minimise the risk of any trips and falls

Your participation is much appreciated.

Our Health and Safety Representative is:      Keith Campbell – Chairman of the Board

Our Health and Safety Team is:                       Enosa Auva’a – Senior Minister, Corlia Knipe – Office Manager

Discomfort Pain Injury (DPI) Prevention Policy

Policy Statement

Discomfort Pain Injury (DPI) is a collective term for a range of conditions (including injury) characterised by discomfort or persistent pain in muscles, tendons and other soft tissues.  Every case of DPI has the potential to be classified as a significant hazard because the condition may cause ‘Serious Harm’.  Therefore, the risk factors for DPI need to be controlled by eliminating the hazard if at all possible, or else by isolating or minimising the hazard.

Purpose

To provide systems and procedures for proactively managing the risk factors that may contribute to a range of occupational overuse type conditions.

Responsibilities

The leadership team is responsible for:

• Taking all practical steps to ensure that there is compliance with the ‘WorkSafe NZ Code of Practice (COP) for Computer Use (*see ACC Guidelines for using computers)
• Ensuring all workers at risk are made aware of the potential of DPI and its causes within their first month of employment
• Encouraging workers to report any work-related pain to the Health and Safety Representative as early as possible
• Ensuring the work environment of any workers who do develop symptoms is monitored and all practicable steps are taken to remedy any deficiencies
• Facilitating an early return to work for any worker who has been absent through a DPI related injury where possible

Workers are responsible for:

• Reading the DPI awareness information and attending training (where required)
• Adjusting workstation equipment to maintain a comfortable body position
• Taking breaks away from the workstation and practicing micro-pauses as appropriate
• Reporting early symptoms to the leadership team – preferably before visiting a doctor
• Participating in an early return to work program if applicable

Procedure

Individual workers should adjust their own workstation to maintain a comfortable working position, vary tasks, practice micro-pauses and take other breaks.  They must report any problems to the Health and Safety Representative, who in turn may request a full workstation assessment from a properly trained workstation assessor.  The workstation assessor will work with the worker to recommend changes or adjustments and will provide a brief summary of findings to the worker and the leadership team.

Early warning symptoms should not be ignored in the hope that the pain will go away.  If discomfort during work activities persists for more than a few days, action should be taken.  By taking action, individuals will be making important progress with regards to stopping the symptoms from worsening and developing into a possibly serious and long-term condition.

Guidelines

*ACC Guidelines for using Computers

Stress at Work

Overview

St Peters Presbyterian Church recognises the responsibility of the PCBU (Leadership Team) to actively reduce and manage stress in the workplace.  Stress may arise from both personal and organisational sources.  St Peters Presbyterian Church clearly has a degree of control only over the latter, and these guidelines provide a framework for stress management in the workplace.

Purpose

To assist all workers to understand the causes of stress, and work together in ways that encourage positive responses to work demands.  To enable workers to identify indicators or symptoms of stress and to assess the extent to which they or other individuals are responding positively or negatively.  To encourage the leadership team and workers to seek information and early assistance in managing their own stress in a constructive way.  To provide information and advice regarding the causes and impact of stress in the work environment, and offer ways for managing stress positively.  To have procedures for dealing with negative stress or distress effectively.

Responsibilities

The leadership team is responsible for:

• Facilitating training and information from the leadership team in effective management practices and styles, covering the nature of stress, and promoting responsible prevention and rehabilitation attitudes towards it as determined by the leadership team
• Providing up-to-date and accessible information on stress
• Adjusting the physical environment, the workload, task design, pacing of work and work schedules to alleviate significant stress/distress for an individual, in full consultation with the individual concerned

All workers are responsible for (where applicable):

• Managing your time and realistically prioritising tasks
• Taking regular, necessary breaks during the day
• Taking your annual leave
• Taking leave accrued as time in lieu as soon as practicable
• Not working excessively long hours
• Discussing with the leadership team the issues that are causing you stress, along with any suggested solutions
• Seeking advice and help from others – talk to spouses, friends, colleagues, a professional counsellor or the leadership team where possible.

Background information for workers

“Stress arises when a person’s capabilities are overwhelmed by demands”

Every day, individuals are confronted with a variety of demands or ‘stressors’.  These may arise from either personal sources (e.g. ill-health, marital discord, family problems, financial uncertainty, or from institutional sources such as work overload or under-load, role conflict, lack of control or physical environment).  Stressors produce a biochemical response in the body which prepare the body to do what is essential during a stressful situation (in preparation for fight or flight).

The stress response is highly functional and can lead to elevated performance, through constructive and creative responses, increased and well-directed energy, improved morale and motivation, and increased efficiency and effectiveness.  Where an individual is exposed to demands that are too intense, frequent or chronic, the stress response can create unhealthy, destructive outcomes (e.g. cardiovascular disease or depression).

There are wide individual differences in the way we each respond to stressors, and therefore the optimum stress load that maximises performance varies by individual and by task.

Common signs

Some common signs of stress in individuals:

• Headaches, feeling tired, or having difficulty sleeping
• Worrying a lot, feeling anxious and tense for no explained reason
• Having difficulty concentrating, finding it hard to make decisions
• Lower level of confidence, making mistakes, forgetting things
• Feeling impatient and irritable

Categories

Organisational stressors can be grouped into four categories:

Physical: The physical environment in which one works (e.g. temperature, office design, noise, lighting).

Task: The nature of the work itself, the specific activities assigned to the worker.

Role: The expectations that others have of one’s role and its function within the organisation.

Interpersonal: The social, personal and working relationships that exist.

Prevention

• Allow workers to participate in collaborative decision making
• Allow workers to exercise as much autonomy and control as is practical
• Provide training to enable work to be done most effectively
• Consider job design, job descriptions and performance targets with the aim of reducing unnecessary stressors
• Consult with workers to identify stressors in the workplace
• Promote activities that make the workplace healthier, more stimulating and more fun
• Carefully match people to jobs by considering their individual skills, capabilities and needs

Early intervention

• Act immediately if a worker seems overly stressed
• Explore whether their stress is in any way job related, discuss ways of alleviating it in the short term initially, and then focus on the sources of stress to consider long-term solutions
• Short-term solutions could include sharing tasks amongst other workers, taking leave, or adopting flexible or reduced hours
• Long-term solutions should aim to eliminate or minimize the cause of stress where possible – the preventative strategies outlined above should be used

Guidelines

Worksafe NZ Stress in the Workplace

Employment New Zealand Stress Leave

Fatigue at Work

Overview

St Peters In the City Presbyterian Church is responsible for providing safe systems of work.  All workers share in the responsibility to minimise and manage the adverse effects of work related fatigue.

Purpose

Ensure a safe and healthy working environment free of work-related injury or illness; establish appropriate steps to manage persons who are affected by fatigue; and encourage persons affected by fatigue to seek assistance.

Responsibilities

The leadership team is responsible for:

• Establishing and maintaining a fatigue management framework to ensure that personnel are fit for duty
• Preventing or minimising the effects caused by workload
• Maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of those participating in fatigue management programs

Workers are responsible for:

• Workers at all levels are responsible for the implementation of this policy
• Workers, contractors and all others described as workers are responsible for ensuring they are fit for duty by complying with this policy and the procedures
• Ultimately, to successfully control the risks associated with fatigue in the workplace, it is up to each individual to recognise the symptoms of fatigue, obtain adequate sleep and ensure they and others affected by fatigue seek assistance
• Workers are obligated to let the Health and Safety Representative or the leadership team know if fatigue is occurring at any given time

Information for workers

Fatigue, also referred to as tiredness, exhaustion, lethargy, and listlessness, describes a physical and/or mental state of being tired and weak.  Although physical and mental fatigue are different, the two often exist together – if a person is physically exhausted for long enough, they will also be mentally tired.  When somebody experiences physical fatigue, it means they cannot continue functioning at their normal levels of physical ability.  Mental fatigue, however, is more slanted towards feeling sleepy and being unable to concentrate properly.

Types of fatigue

Physical fatigue: Physical fatigue is when a person’s muscles cannot do things as easily as they used to.  Climbing stairs or carrying laden supermarket bags may be much harder than before.  Physical fatigue is also known as muscle weakness or lack of strength.

Psychological (mental) fatigue: Psychological fatigue makes concentrating much harder.  When symptoms of mental fatigue are severe, the person affected might not want to get out of bed in the morning or perform his/her daily activities.  Mental fatigue often appears together with physical fatigue, but not always.  People may feel sleepy, have a decreased level of consciousness, and in some cases show signs similar to that of an intoxicated state.  Mental fatigue may be life threatening, especially when the sufferer has to perform tasks, such as driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery.

Contributing factors

A person’s level of fatigue may be compromised or heightened by:

• Spending long periods of time awake
• Inadequate or insufficient quality of sleep over an extended period
• The type of work performed and work environment
• Workload, length of the shift and previous shifts worked
• The time of day or night worked
• The time taken to travel to and from work
• Their general level of fitness and/or medical condition
• Stress

Alcohol, Smoking/Vaping and Drugs Policy

Policy Statement

St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church recognises that the abuse of alcohol and the use of tobacco, vaping and non medical drugs presents a health hazard that can have serious implications and may result in life-long adverse consequences, addiction, diseases and greatly impair the ability and judgement of the individual.

Purpose

St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church supports and encourages a safe and healthy environment for all.

Responsibilities

This policy is applicable to all persons involved in church activities/events held both on site and offsite, as well as groups hiring the church premises for personal use.

The leadership team is responsible for:

• The maintenance of smoke and vaping free signage

All workers and visitors are responsible for:

We will ensure all workers and visitors are aware of the following:

• Medication should be taken only by the person for whom it has been prescribed.  Written consent to administer medication to children (if required) should be sought from parents/guardians
• [Church] is committed to maintaining a drug, smoking/vaping and alcohol free environment within the church premises and its grounds
• All reasonable and practicable steps are to be taken to ensure that no person consumes drugs or alcohol within St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church or its grounds at any time or any day; nor at any official church activity such as worship events, camps or organised outings.
• Organisations or individuals using church facilities must agree to comply with this policy as a condition of use

In the case of breaches to this policy, then in the first instance notify the designated leader in charge.  The leader is required to report this matter to leadership.

All church buildings and grounds are strictly NO SMOKING OR VAPING.

Lock Up Procedures

Overview

St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church is responsible for providing a safe working environment and protecting the assets of the church.  All workers share in the responsibility to minimise and manage theft or damage.

Purpose

To provide consistent procedures for securing the premises when locking up.

Responsibilities

Workers are responsible for:

• Check windows are closed in each room – any blinds should be set in such a way that (from the outside) the interior cannot be seen
• Ensure individual heaters and lights are switched off in each room
• Lock all internal doors (if applicable)
• Check that the toilets are vacated windows are closed, all taps are properly turned off and lights are off
• Check that all external doors are locked.
• Turn the main heating off.

It is deemed that the last person leaving the building holds the responsibility of ensuring that the above stated procedure is followed to a complete and satisfactory manner.

Following a Sunday morning service, St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church is responsible for ensuring that someone has been delegated to see that the above procedure is followed.

Safe Driving Policy

Policy Statement

St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church is responsible for providing a safe environment for all workers and any one engaging in activities or events run through the church.  All workers share in the responsibility to adhere to safe driving procedures to support this.

Purpose

To ensure that workers who drive vehicles for church activities or events demonstrate safe, efficient driving skills and other good road safety habits at all times and to maintain all vehicles in a safe, clean and roadworthy condition to ensure the maximum safety of the drivers, occupants and other road users as well as reduce the impact of the vehicles on the environment.

The policy is applicable to all workers driving personal vehicles for church activities or events.

Responsibilities

The driver is responsible for safe driving by:

• Not using mobile phones in vehicles while driving, except when using hands free devices
• No smoking or vaping in the vehicle while taking passengers
• Taking regular breaks while driving
• Holding a current drivers licence for the class of vehicle they are driving and this licence is carried when driving
• Paying for any speeding or infringement fines obtained
• Never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription and over the counter medication if they cause drowsiness
• Avoiding distraction when driving – the driver will adjust car stereos/navigation devices/mirrors etc before setting off, or pull over safely in order to do so
• The car must be legally registered, warranted and insured – the driver must show evidence of this on request
• The driver must not carry loads for which the vehicle is unsuited, nor may they carry more passengers than for whom there are seat belts

Disruptive Persons

Overview

St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church is responsible for providing a safe working environment and protecting all users of the church facilities, activities and events from physical, emotional and spiritual harm.  All workers share in the responsibility to minimise and manage disruption.

Purpose

Workers are to understand how to protect themselves if a situation, beyond their control, arises.

Responsibilities

The leadership team are responsible for:

• Ensuring workers are aware that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated and they are to feel that their safety and health is paramount to the church
• Taking reasonably practicable steps to ensure workers are aware of what to do to protect themselves should the need arise
• Providing assistance as required at the time of an incident and during rehabilitation, as required

Workers are responsible for:

• Ensuring their own actions or inactions do not harm themselves or others
• Being aware of policy and who to gain assistance from when required
• Providing information if they feel unsafe with any one within the context of their work or at a premises associated with their work
• Reporting any incident that occurs and completing incident forms for the Health and Safety register and advising the leadership team as soon as practicable

Information for workers

Workers are not expected to take verbal or physical abuse from any person.  If a situation arises within the workplace boundaries, you are to follow the procedures outlined below:

• Remove yourself from the incident and get into a safe position; and/or
• Call for help; and/or
• Call 111 for Police assistance (or ambulance if required)

Guidelines

Active Armed Offender Plan

First Aid Policy

Policy Statement

St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church has a responsibility to take reasonably practicable steps in providing effective first aid arrangements.

Purpose

To ensure safe, consistent and immediate care is taken when first aid may be required.

Responsibilities

The office manager is responsible for:

• Ensuring appropriate first aid supplies are provided at the St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church.
• Ensuring that first aid supplies are accessible to workers at the office
• Being the designated first aid representative for St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church.
• Holding a current and appropriate first aid certificate or other equivalent qualification
• Ensuring a first aid register form and incident and accident register is completed in the event that first aid is rendered

First Aid Procedures

A copy of these procedures should be placed in all first aid kits.

• Wash hands and lower arms thoroughly before and after treating patient
• Surgical gloves must be worn before dealing with any wound involving blood
• Gloves and other materials that have come into contact with blood should be placed in a plastic bag, sealed and placed in appropriate rubbish bin
• Wash wounds
• Cover wound as necessary
• Record all first aid administered in the first aid notebook (one in each kit)

First aid kits are kept up to date by the church office.  Please let the office know if supplies are low.  A stock take will be completed every 6 months.

Risk Assessment

A risk assessment category (critical, high, moderate or low) for each hazard is compiled by using a chart. If this chart is needed, ask the office manager. Hazards with the highest rating are given priority.

Any risk scale greater than moderate is deemed to be a significant hazard.

Impact x Likelihood = Priority

Hazard Notification Form

Please ask office manager for this form if necessary.

Any worker who identifies a risk should complete this form, for example a new risk that is not entered into the risk register or an existing risk that has been entered into the risk register that has not been correctly managed to eliminate or mitigate risk.

Risk Identification Table

Please ask office manager for this form if necessary.

Working Bee Checklist

Prepare before the day:

• What work is required to be done?
• Do you have sufficient people?
• Do you have the correct tools for the jobs?
• Is any special protective gear required?
• Do you need specialist tradespeople – are these in your volunteers?
• How long will each job take?
• How skilled do volunteers need to be?
• Is there equipment being used that requires training (e.g. cherry picker)?
• Is there a skip for rubbish disposal or some other means?
• Is there a need for Police Vetting?
• Is supervision of children necessary and if so, has this been arranged?
• Is food and refreshments to be provided and if so, has this been arranged?
• If the working bee is cancelled, how will you communicate this?

On the day:

• Have all volunteers been briefed?
  • Thanking them, advising jobs required, advising safety requirements; including any hazards, what is required for the day, who to report to, how to fill out incident reports, where the first aid kit is and who is first aid trained.
• Have you ensured volunteers are fit for the job they are doing?
  • E.g. the oldest volunteer shouldn’t be lifting the heaviest table/equipment
• Have you ensured volunteers understand what is required?
• Have supervisors been delegated to ensure their training, safety and understanding?
• Are regular breaks scheduled and are fluids available?
• Has sunscreen been provided for those working outside?
• Are you consulting, cooperating and coordinating with volunteers throughout the day?

End of day:

• Has a debrief been organised with volunteers?
  • E.g. talk about what was achieved, any issues etc
• Review practices – what could be done differently?
• Has a record been kept so improvements can be made next time?
• Continuous improvement is the catch phrase and needs to be documented

Activity Checklist

Purpose

The following checklist is to be used in the process of organising all activities onsite and offsite for all ages and ministries.

Prepare before the day:

• Will suitable people be leading the activity?
• Will there be any vehicles/drivers involved – if so, are they aware of the Safe Driving Policy?
• Have all leaders been Police Vetted if needed?
• If the activity involves minors, have all leaders read the Child Protection Policy?
• Have you told someone of your intentions?
• Have you entered your activity of event onto the notification form in the office?
• Have you informed parents that they are welcome to be present for activities?

On the day:

• Do you have a sensible adult/child ratio and suitable gender ratio?
• Have you got a means of communication?
• Is there a first aid kit available?
• Does everyone have suitable gear for the activity?

Activities and Events Notification

All activities or events need to be recorded on this list prior to the starting. The list can be provided by the office manager if necessary.

Evacuation Plan Testing Record

This plan can be provided by the office manager if necessary.

Accident and Emergency Procedure

Contacting Emergency Services

For emergency services dial 111 and ask for the service you require:

FIRE                      AMBULANCE                          POLICE

Stay calm, give your name, details of the emergency, and street address.

You are at the address:

130 Spring Street, Tauranga

FIRE

If you discover a fire:

• Activate the alarm and dial 111
• Alert people in your area and the warden, worship leader or person in charge of the event
• Do not extinguish the fire unless there is no personal danger to you or anyone else
• If time permits and there is no danger, close all doors and windows
• Evacuate the building following the evacuation procedure
• After evacuation, meet at the assembly point in the St Peters house carpark.

If the fire alarm sounds:

• Walk quickly to your nearest exit
• Make sure any visitors leave the building with you
• Do not stop to take personal items with you
• Meet at the assembly area – St Peters House car park

Incident Management

Overview

Incident Management covers the process to record and investigate any incidents that have occurred.  These incidents may be accidents, incidents or near misses.

Accident

Any unexpected, unplanned or undesired event or circumstance that has a negative implication; it results in harm to people, loss of life (notifiable events), or damage to property.

Near Miss

An unexpected and unplanned event or series of events that did not result in injury, illness, or damage to property, equipment, materials or the environment – but had the potential to do so under slightly different circumstances.  Only a fortunate break in the chain of events prevented an injury, fatality or damage.

Incident

An event or series of events that has taken place or occurred which may or may not have resulted in a near miss or accident.

Key different

All accidents are incidents, and all near misses are incidents, but not all incidents result in near misses or accidents.

Summary

All incidents, including the near misses must be investigated and followed up.  Research has proven that near misses, can result in the build up to an incident that causes incidents to become a higher risk, with higher damage or more severe injuries.

Notifiable Event, Incident, Injury or Illness

Overview

A safe and healthy church environment is fostered through a partnership where all involved combine their efforts and share the responsibility for personal injury prevention and management.  Early reporting is essential to this process and St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church has a specific accident reporting and investigation form (Hazard/Incident/Near Miss/Complaint Report) that must be used in the event of all accidents and incidents.

Purpose

To provide consistent procedures for recording and investigating church related incidents and accidents.

Responsibilities

The leadership team are responsible for:

• Preventing accidents and injury by providing a safe and healthy environment
• Taking all reasonable practicable steps to see that all congregation members are aware of this accident reporting system, know where to obtain the appropriate form and how to report such events when they occur
• Acting as the health and safety representative, including liaison with ACC and investigation of an injury or accident if required

All workers are responsible for:

• Observing any established health and safety procedure
• Participating in relevant health and safety training (if required)
• Accurately reporting and documenting all accidents, incidents and observed risks to the Health and Safety Representative

Procedures

Record of Accident/Incident/Serious Harm

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 places requirements on PCBUs to record and investigate accidents.  “Serious harm” accidents must be reported, in writing, using the prescribed form, to the Occupational Safety and Health Service of WorkSafe NZ as soon as possible.

The purpose of the investigation procedure is to determine actual causes of an accident/incident and to put in place procedures or controls to minimize the chances of a recurrence.

The St Peters In The City Presbyterian Church ‘Hazard/Incident/Near Miss/ Complaint Report’ form acts the same as the WorkSafe NZ Notification of Accident form and either may be used.

Accident/Incident Reporting Investigation

In the event of “serious harm’ or a significant hazard the Health and Safety Representative must be advised immediately and WorkSafe NZ must also be advised.

The Leadership team should:

• Ensure receipt of all relevant information (incident forms, ACC forms and medical certificates as applicable)
• Initiate and carry out an investigation.  This must commence within 12 working hours of the event concerned
• Ensure any hazard that is identified as the cause of the event is eliminated or minimised in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• Ensure all corrective actions that have been identified are carried out within the specified timeframes
• The investigation report will be reviewed by leadership to ensure that the corrective actions have been carried out as indicated and to check, if applicable, that significant hazards have been controlled in accordance with the requirements of the Act

When events result in “serious harm”, take the following steps:

• Make sure anyone injured or suspected of injury has received medical attention if necessary
• Contact WorkSafe NZ, as quickly as possible, as per their requirements
• Isolate and protect the scene.  Do no interfere with the accident scene without the permission of an inspector from WorkSafe NZ

Hazard / Incident / Near Miss / Complaint Report

A report must be completed when a hazard is identified that cannot be immediately eliminated; or when an accident/incident occurs; when a near miss occurs; or when a complaint is received. The report can be supplied by the office manager.

The report must be returned to the Health and Safety Representative as soon as possible.

Church Evacuation Plan and Procedure

In the case of an emergency such as fire, earthquake or other event requiring evacuation, all occupants of any buildings or related facilities shall cease activities immediately and move to the evacuation area, via the safest route.

IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY PLEASE ASSEMBLE IN THE: St Peters House carpark YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF AN EMERGENCY BY THE SOUNDING OF THE FIRE ALARM

The Fire Warden will contact the emergency services.

 

The Worship Leader or Person in Charge of Event

Please note: visitors are the responsibility of the person they have called in to see.

Responsibilities

The leadership team are responsible for:

• A PCBU with management or control of the workplace must ensure that a written plan is prepared and stored alongside this Health and Safety Manual
• This plan must be made available for both workers to read and understand and contractors or PUBU’s to view prior to carrying out work on the building

Workers are responsible for:

• Avoiding, if reasonably practicable, any opportunity that may disturb the asbestos identified
• Reporting to the Health and Safety Representative when an incident occurs that may disturb the asbestos

Building Safety Checklist

This checklist is set in place to maintain compliance with Part 1 of the Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 1992.  This checklist is not intended to be used to satisfy the requirements of the building Compliance Schedule.

This checklist can be provided by the office manager if necessary.

Contractors and Sub-Contractors

Overview

Contractors are incorporated in the ‘Worker’ definition.  Further checks are required to be taken to ensure reasonably practicable steps are taken for safety in the workplace.

Steps to a successful contractor relationship

1. Pre work safety checks
   • Health and safety considerations, check their safety record, assessing their health and safety management plan
2. Correct licenses
   • Certificates/membership for registered professions, working at height permits
3. Inductions
4. Safety and Health Performance Assessment
   • Are they doing what they said they were doing, is correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gear being worn, are your workers in any danger from their work, are your workers aware of safety issues?

Health and safety considerations when dealing with contractors

Church personnel who are responsible for ensuring the safety and health provisions of a contractor should consider the following points as a guideline, however, for large projects, always gain professional advice.

• Have we clearly identified the nature of the project and the type of contractors that we will require?
• Will the contractor be wholly or partly dependent on the person in charge of the project’s knowledge and experience?  If so, have we provided the contractor with all the relevant information?
• Does the contractor know and understand the organisation’s safety, health and environmental policies and practices?
• Have we satisfied ourselves of the contractors ability to carry out our requirements in those fields?
• Have all environmental hazards and health and safety hazards, associated with the contracted activity been identified and communicated to the contractor?
• Have suitable arrangements been made for the disposal of waste products, effluents and similar?
• Have suitable arrangements been made to deal with emergencies that may arise during the contract?

Have we taken into account the possible cost to the church that might arise from negligence or incorrect action by the contractor, bearing in mind:

• • Whether it is likely that liability will be assigned to the person in charge of the project
  • Any insurance cover afforded to the contractor by the company; and
  • Whether the contractor carries adequate insurance against his/her own liabilities
  • Have suitable safety and health standards been established for the contract and have they been communicated to the contractor?
  • How can we motivate the contractor to provide good performance in safety and health management?
  • Have effective means of monitoring and assessing the contractor’s performance been established and are these covered in the contract?
  • Have clear reporting lines been established for all specified events and health and safety activity reports

The extent of control required for contractors and subcontractors will be dependent on the level of risk related to the type of work being performed:

Low risk: Contractor/subcontractor to sign in/out with emergency and hazard briefings. (E.g. The person replacing the water cooler, photocopier). 

Induct low risk people

Medium risk: Completion of a Safe Work Permit – this includes any working at heights, confined space entry or minor construction works where employee/workers and the general public may be at risk. (E.g. trades people, repairs and maintenance).

Complete induction process and request health and safety plan for work involved and approved licenses/permits

High risk: Formal safety plan to be submitted by the contractor and/or formal contract document put in place – this can include major construction work.

Seek professional advice during the planning stages of the project, well before work is commenced