BURGESS HILL CHORAL SOCIETY
Health and Safety Policy

Approved by the Committee on 16 October 2018
 
 
Introduction and Scope
Burgess Hill Choral Society is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for all those involved in the musical activities it organises.

• This includes, but is not limited to, members, volunteers, musicians and members of the public.
• This includes, but is not limited to, rehearsals, concerts, and social and fundraising events.

 
Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the Committee.
• Practical responsibility for health and safety at events and activities organised by Burgess Hill Choral Society currently rests with the Chair.

 
Statements of General Policy
1.  Burgess Hill Choral Society will seek to prevent accidents and cases of ill-health by managing health and safety at events and activities it organises.
Action to be taken:
Relevant risk assessments will be completed for events and activities.  Where regular venues are used, the risk assessment will be reviewed on an annual basis, or sooner if required.

2.  Burgess Hill Choral Society will provide clear instructions and information to ensure that members, musicians and volunteers are competent to undertake their activities in a healthy and safe manner.
Action to be taken:
Tasks performed by members, staff and volunteers will be risk assessed and appropriate instruction will be provided (e.g. preparing and serving hot drinks, erecting staging).

3.  Burgess Hill Choral Society will engage and consult with members, musicians and volunteers on health and safety conditions.
Action to be taken:

• Members, musicians and volunteers will be briefed on health and safety risk assessments for new venues/activities, and updated on any changes in risk assessment for regular venues/activities.
• Clear lines of communication will be established for members, musicians and volunteers to raise health and safety concerns.

4.  Burgess Hill Choral Society will implement emergency procedures including evacuation in case of fire or other significant incident.
Action to be taken:
The Society will ensure that at least one individual is responsible for knowing fire procedures for hired venues and for communicating them to those present.  Checks will be made to ensure clear access to escape routes.

5.  Burgess Hill Choral Society will maintain safe and healthy conditions, provide and maintain equipment and machinery, and ensure safe storage and use of substances.
Action to be taken:
Burgess Hill Choral Society will ensure satisfactory health and safety conditions at hired venues and for hired equipment, and will ensure that any equipment owned by the Society is stored safely.
 
First Aid

• Burgess Hill Choral Society will ensure it is aware of First Aid procedures, kits and equipment at hired venues.
• Where practical, Burgess Hill Choral Society will recruit members and volunteers with First Aid experience.
• Where appropriate (e.g. for larger events) Burgess Hill Choral Society will arrange the training of members or volunteers in First Aid, or work with professional First Aid organisations.

 
Sound safety
Burgess Hill Choral Society will take responsibility seriously for protecting the hearing of members, staff, musicians and audience members.  The Society will:

• ensure there are open lines of communication for individuals to raise concerns about hearing
• take concerns seriously; the Committee and Musical Director will work with individuals to find ways to minimise risk
• take into account the protection of the audience’s hearing when designing stage and audience layout for concerts.

 
 

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BURGESS HILL CHORAL SOCIETY
Safeguarding Policy

​Approved by the Committee in March 2019
 
Overview
Commitment to safeguarding
Burgess Hill Choral Society believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. The Society recognises that it has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults. The Society is committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of all children, young people and vulnerable adults it comes into contact with and to protecting them from harm.

About this policy

• This policy applies to all members, volunteers, and anyone working on behalf of Burgess Hill Choral Society or taking part in Burgess Hill Choral Society activities.
• The purpose of this policy is to provide members and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide the Society’s approach to the protection of vulnerable people.
• This policy recognises vulnerable people as:
  • children up to the age of 16 and young people aged 16–18
  • adults aged over 18 defined as vulnerable by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; this might include adults with a learning or physical disability, a physical or mental illness, chronic or otherwise, including an addiction to alcohol or drugs, or reduced physical or mental capacity.
• This policy aims to:
  • protect children, young people and vulnerable adults who are members of, receive services from, or volunteer for Burgess Hill Choral Society
  • ensure members and volunteers interacting with children, young people and vulnerable adults understand and accept responsibility for the safeguarding of those vulnerable individuals
  • ensure that safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults is a primary consideration when Burgess Hill Choral Society undertakes any activity, event or project.

How Burgess Hill Choral Society might work with vulnerable people
Membership is open to those aged 18 and over.  Regular rehearsals are held for members, and concerts are presented for the general public.  As such Burgess Hill Choral Society’s involvement with vulnerable people might include, but is not limited to:

• members of the group who attend rehearsals and concerts
• relatives and friends of members who attend rehearsals and concerts in a volunteering capacity
• audience members at public concerts.

Named safeguarding officer
Normally the Chair has responsibility for safeguarding issues.  All queries and concerns relating to safeguarding should be referred to the Chair in the first instance.  Any projects, events or other activities that will involve vulnerable people must be planned with the involvement of the named safeguarding officer and in line with established procedures and ground rules (see below). 

​The BHCS Equal Opportunities Policy confirms that DBS checks are not required provided that no ‘regulated activities’ are carried out.  This also applies to the appointment of a named safeguarding officer.  It is not the usual practice of BHCS to carry out ‘regulated activities’.

Procedures and ground rules
Policy review
This policy will be reviewed and amended if necessary on an annual basis by the Burgess Hill Choral Society Committee.  It will also be reviewed in response to changes in relevant legislation, good practice, or in response to an identified failing in its effectiveness.

​This section includes:​

• ground rules and ways of working regarding the safeguarding of vulnerable people
• procedures for raising safeguarding concerns and reporting incidents of abuse
• procedures for dealing with concerns and incidents of abuse.

Ground rules for working in order to safeguard vulnerable people
If Burgess Hill Choral Society were to organise an activity or event (not part of normal activities) where they would be responsible for vulnerable adults, a nominated safeguarding officer would ensure that:

• planning was carried out in line with this policy and these procedures

• the event was attended by an appropriate number of DBS-checked adults – a minimum of one but more when practically possible

• a main contact for safeguarding on the day was appointed – this would be an individual who had been DBS checked
• the main contact had access to emergency contact details and other relevant details (e.g. information about picking-up arrangements for vulnerable people)
• if vulnerable people of different gender were taking part in activities, adults of different gender would be in attendance too
• a vulnerable person would not be left alone with an adult, unless that adult was DBS checked and was carrying out regulated activity
• two adults (if possible, one DBS checked) would be the last to leave a venue once the activity had finished, and would be responsible for ensuring vulnerable people got home safely.

Working with parents/guardians
If a young person is taking part in Burgess Hill Choral Society activities, written agreement (email is acceptable) should be obtained from a parent/guardian before the activity takes place.  A parent/guardian must be in attendance at all times while the young person is taking part in Burgess Hill Choral Society activities.

Procedures for raising safeguarding concerns and reporting incidents of abuse

• If any member or volunteer in Burgess Hill Choral Society witnesses, suspects or is informed of a witnessed or suspected case of abuse they should immediately report it to the named safeguarding officer.
• If the named person is not available, or is involved in or connected to the abuse, it should be reported to a relevant member of the BHCS Committee.
• If an individual wishes to report an incident of abuse against themselves, they should report it to the named safeguarding officer or an individual they trust.

Procedures for dealing with concerns and incidents of abuse
The named person, or person reported to in their absence, will first make a decision based on the immediacy of the concern and the following two factors:

• If the vulnerable person is in immediate danger or needs emergency medical attention, call the police and/or ambulance service.
• If the person at the centre of the allegation is working with vulnerable people at the current time, remove them, in a sensitive manner, from direct contact with vulnerable people.

If neither of the above applies, the named person will:

• make a note of the concerns reported to them

• speak with Committee members to decide how to handle the reported abuse, excluding any Committee members who are involved in the incident
• escalate the report by one of the following:
  • raising concerns with the police for serious or possible criminal offences
  • requesting an assessment by the local authority social care department about whether a vulnerable person is in need of protection
  • holding an internal investigation for less serious incidents where it is felt internal mediation will be successful.

Where cases are escalated, the Committee will cooperate with the police or local authority in dealing with the reported incident.
Where an internal investigation takes place, the Committee will:

• inform all parties involved of the reported abuse as soon as possible
• inform the family/guardian(s) of the person reported as having been abused
• arrange separate meetings with both parties within 10 days of the reported incident; a joint meeting may be arranged if appropriate.
  • Both parties should be given the opportunity to bring a friend or representative to the meeting.
  • Meetings will be attended by the named safeguarding officer and at least one other Committee member.
  • All parties will also be invited to submit a written statement in advance of the meeting. 

Once meetings have taken place, the Committee will decide on next steps and communicate them to all parties in writing within five days.  The Committee will either escalate the incident to the relevant authority or initiate further investigation with established procedures and timelines to work towards a resolution. 
​
​Resolution and disciplinary action
If abuse is found to have taken place, any final resolution or decision will be taken in the best interests of the person who has suffered the abuse and the best interests of Burgess Hill Choral Society.