16 - Health and Safety

Part 1: Statement of Intent

• Prevent accidents and incidents during the course of the BGA’s activities
• Manage health and safety risks at BGA run events
• Provide clear instructions and information to ensure that all volunteers are confident and competent to carry out their activities safely
• Ensure the safe and responsible use and handling of equipment, such as Go boards, Go stones and clocks
• Review and assess the appropriateness of this policy at least once yearly, or whenever deemed necessary by the Board of Directors

Part 2: Health and Safety Responsibilities

1. The Board will appoint a Member of the BGA as “Health, Safety and Environment Officer”. The HSE Officer does not have to be a Board Member.

2. Overall and final responsibility for Health and Safety falls to The President of the BGA
3. Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring policy adherence lies with the HSE Officer
4. The following people have these Health and Safety responsibilities within the BGA:
1. The President of the BGA
   • Consultation with the Board of Directors on amendments to policies and procedures
   • Ensuring that this policy is adhered to at all BGA run events
   • Approving risk assessments
   • Receiving and acting on reports of incidents or concerns received by the BGA in relation to BGA run events
2. HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) Officer
   • Consultation with the Board of Directors on amendments to policies and procedures
   • Writing and approving risk assessments
   • Providing guidance on health and safety for BGA run events
   • Compiling and amending draft policies and procedures related to Health and Safety
   • Being the first point of contact for receiving and acting on reports of incidents or concerns received by the BGA in relation to BGA run events
3. The BGA Board of Directors
   • Considering amendments to, and subsequently approving, health and safety policies and procedures
   • Receiving and acting on reports of incidents or concerns received by the BGA in relation to BGA run events
5. All volunteers must:
• Cooperate with the Board of Directors, the President and the HSE Officer on all matters related to health and safety
• Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of event attendees during the running of events by the BGA
• Report any and all health and safety incidents or concerns to the HSE Officer in the first instance

Risk Assessments:

The BGA will ensure completion of risk assessments for all events for which it has direct responsibility

Risk assessments for BGA run events will be completed by the HSE Officer and signed off by the President (in the first instance) or another member of the Board of Directors if the President is unavailable.

Incident reporting/investigation:

In the event of an incident the HSE Officer will be the first point of contact and will ensure appropriate internal reporting and investigation. Reporting and investigation will ensure that appropriate mitigation measures are put in place in order to prevent re-occurrence of health and safety incidents in the future.

Training:

The need for specific health and safety training for volunteers helping to run BGA events will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, dependant on the specifics of the event.

Health and safety training needs will be continuously kept under review by the Board of Directors, President, and HSE Officer

Consultation:

The HSE Officer will be the main point of consultation for Health and Safety matters, who may refer issues to the Board.

The Board may decide on occasion that consultation with the wider membership of the BGA, or its volunteers may be needed

The Board and HSE Officer will always be open to discussion of health and safety concerns and amendments to policies and procedures suggested by volunteers or its membership.

Evacuation:

Each venue for particular events will have evacuation routes and emergency assembly points listed as part of the individual risk assessments.

Supporting Documents

The Procedures and the Risk Assessment Template should be considered to be part of this policy.