Catholic Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain is committed to the Health, Safety and Welfare of all our Priests, parishioners, staff, volunteers and the members of the public that use our premises as we recognises that it is our legal and moral duty to protect their safety.
Our aim is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that our activities are carried out safely and our premises are a safe work and worship environment for all by controlling the hazards in and around our premises and the hazards caused by what we do. We will endeavour to provide the necessary resources to develop and maintain policies and procedures, facilitating a safe and healthy workplace to prevent injury and ill health.
We will make sure that you are kept safe by carrying out routine inspections and performing health surveillance in our premises and equipment as required. Risk assessments have been completed and will be reviewed on a regular basis. We will consult with you about Health and Safety and provide you with the information, instruction, supervision and training that we consider is necessary.
It is reminded that you are responsible for your own safety and the safety of others who use these premises. Hence you are requested to help us maintain a health and safe work and worship environment by reporting hazards, accidents & Incidents and dangerous occurrences and to follow safety instructions and signs.
In this section you can find key policies and guidelines to help us stay safe. Health and Safety is not about preventing people from doing things but is about working together to keep all of us safe and healthy.
Health and Safety is about reducing the chance of someone being harmed by keeping people safe from injury or disease. It is not about eliminating all risk (which is impossible) but controlling it to bring it to acceptably low levels.
Health & Safety law is there to stop you getting hurt at work and stop you getting ill because of work. There are three fundamental reasons for managing Health & Safety in any organisation. They must ensure that their activities do not harm their employees, contractors, visitors, or the public. They are morally, legally and financially obliged to do so.
Similarly, there are three main health & safety legislations in UK.
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
Management of Health & Safety at Work regulations 1999.
Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. (RIDDOR 2013)
Who regulates the Health & Safety Law?
Health & Safety Executive
Local Government
Police
Fire Brigade
Care Quality Commission
Care Inspectorate
As an employee/volunteer / visitor / priest
you need to work in the way you have been trained.
Be careful about your own and other people’s health and safety
Co-operate with your employer / organisation about health & safety
Tell someone if you think you or others are at risk at work.
As the responsible person for the Health & Safety of your church : -
Make sure Eparchy’s Health & Safety policy and procedures are followed
To ensure that reasonable precautions are in place in your church to keep it safe for those who use it.
To ensure adequate supervision is available at all times and safe systems of work / activities are complied with.
To be familiar with Health and Safety Regulations relating to church premises procedures that are intended to keep people safe from injury or disease.
To provide and maintain a healthy working environment including adequate welfare facilities.
To carry out routine health & safety checks / tests in your premises and maintain records of it.
To ensure adequate firefighting equipment is available in your premise and maintained.
To ensure routine maintenance is carried out for equipment / utilities / fixtures in your church and the certificates are either displayed or filed for reference and records.
To ensure all accidents, incidents and near misses are recorded and reported
Ensure training needs are identified and kept up to date.
Include H & S on the agenda of church committee meetings
Separate Risk assessments must be carried out for each area, task or activity and reviewed as required.
Risk Assessment is central to Health and Safety and is a requirement of the law. It is a careful examination of what, in your work / activity, could cause harm to people, so that you can evaluate if you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The people that use our premises could be very young, very old, disabled or have other needs that need to be taken into consideration. Every situation is different, and the needs of every congregation vary.
To appoint at least one competent person to oversee, supervise and assist in all matters of health & safety and complying with legislation.
To appoint people to take charge of First Aid arrangements.
To ensure records of Fire safety, Gas safety, Electrical safety and Water safety are reviewed and maintained.
If you are sharing the premises, it is necessary that you coordinate and cooperate health & safety activities with the other party. Information from risk assessments and preventative measures must be exchanged between.
Consult your Regional Health & Safety Coordinator for any advice and guidance.
For any further information, please contact: -
V Rev Mgr Jino Arikkaatt – Chairman , Health & Safety Commission
Email: syncellusproperty@csmegb.org
Mr. Saji Maliekal, Health & Safety Coordinator
Email : healthandsafety@csmegb.org
