HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
Health & Safety Policy Statement
It is the general policy of Capital Theatres to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of our employees and of those other people who could be affected by the operation of our business.
Further to this, we are committed to the following objectives:
- To assess and provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities
- To consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
- To manage health and safety at work and provide the necessary resource to ensure this policy is effective
- To have access to competent advice
- To provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
- To ensure safe handling and use of substances
- To provide information, instruction and supervision for our employees taking account of those persons who do not have English as their first language
- To ensure all employees are competent to do their tasks, and to give them adequate training
- To prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health
- To maintain safe and healthy working conditions, and
- To improve health and safety performance and management through regular review and revision of this policy.
It is the duty of management to ensure that everything is done so far as is reasonably practicable to prevent personal injury in all our activities. We will strive to maintain a safe and healthy place of work for our employees, visitors, contractors, and anyone who will be present on our premises or who could be affected by our business undertakings.
It is the duty of all employees to co-operate with this Policy, act responsibly, and to do everything they can to prevent injury to themselves, colleagues and others through their acts and omissions. Whilst implementation of this policy is a management responsibility, it will rely heavily on the co-operation of all employees.
The Chief Executive has overall and final responsibility for Health and Safety, whose commitment to its achievement is indicated by the signing of this policy statement.
Capital Theatres is committed to promoting safe working at the heart of our activities. The company is committed to exceeding the basic legal requirements where we can and making available appropriate funds to achieve our health and safety objectives.
We think that health and safety is important because:
- We recognise that good health and safety practice reflects our aspirations towards the high-quality targets for everything that we do.
- We believe that getting health and safety right is the responsibility of a good employer.
- Good health and safety practice empowers individuals to achieve common goals in a complex organisation. Rather than restricting activities, having good practice in place means the business is better able to deal with the unexpected.
- We understand our legal obligations to protect the health safety and welfare of staff, customers, visitors, and anybody else affected by our work.
The success of this policy depends on everyone understanding their roles and having the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience to meet their responsibilities in practice. The company will make sure that everyone is given adequate support in achieving understanding and competence by providing suitable information and training.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Board
The Board has ultimate responsibility for health and safety management arrangements and for meeting the legal obligations placed on it by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and other health and safety legislation.
The Board delegates its responsibilities for the operational aspects of the policy as explained below, but remains responsible for ensuring that suitable governance, resources, reporting, and monitoring mechanisms are in place to demonstrate how the various responsibilities that have been delegated are being achieved.
The Board receives regular reports on Health and Safety performance. A Board Member chairs the regular Health and Safety Committee meetings. The Board is responsible, through the Chief Executive, the Executive Team and the Health and Safety Officer, for making sure that any shortcomings are addressed and that adequate resources to support delivery of this policy are in place.
Executive Team
The Chief Executive is accountable to the Board for delivering this policy, and for making sure that resources are used effectively.
The Director of Operations and the Health and Safety Officer are accountable to the Chief Executive for reviewing this policy on a regular basis, monitoring progress on health and safety matters, and reporting performance to the Board to assure them that their good governance objectives are being met.
Managers and Supervisors
All managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that the relevant arrangements mentioned in this policy are adopted, understood, and carried out in their areas of responsibility. Managers are also responsible, so far as is reasonably practicable, for the health, safety and welfare of all staff, customers, visiting staff, contractors, and others within their areas of control and influence. This involves:
- Management of health and safety in the workplace by “walking about” i.e. a regular review of people, areas and processes within their sphere of influence to ensure that health and safety issues are actively managed
- Ensuring that appropriate Risk Assessments are carried out, adhered to, and kept up to date
- Reviewing risk control measures (especially with new staff, new equipment, new processes or following accidents and incidents) to ensure adequacy and compliance
- Reporting and fully investigating accidents, incidents, and near misses to ensure that they do not re-occur
- Providing adequate opportunity for consultation and communication with staff and others
- Ensuring that suitable and sufficient information, training, instruction, and supervision is provided to staff and others within their control
- Monthly monitoring of their own health and safety responsibilities (people, areas and processes under their control or influence) to ensure that that any failings are, or support required is, reported to the Health and Safety Officer
Health and Safety Officer
Capital Theatres has appointed a Health and Safety Officer to coordinate all health and safety information and to assist the Director of Operations in monitoring and reviewing health and safety performance. This includes:
- Monitoring H&S performance, training needs and support required monthly with all managers,
- Maintaining the risk assessment register to ensure all tasks have been assessed and are regularly reviewed,
- Maintaining records of accidents, incidents, and near misses, assisting with investigations where necessary, and
- Reporting RIDDOR accidents and incidents to the enforcing authorities.
The Health and Safety Officer is Nick Brown, also Facilities Manager.
Staff
All staff are required to take reasonable care of their own safety and health and that of any other person who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. In addition, staff are legally obliged to co-operate with their employer so that the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and other legislation can be met.
Staff will:
- Follow safety rules and procedures
- Report all accidents, significant near misses, unsafe equipment and/or any other defects of which they become aware
- Attend training and work in accordance with the training they have received in the use of substances or equipment (including the use of Personal Protective Equipment)
- Make every reasonable effort to maintain high standards of housekeeping in the workplace, and
- Assist in the investigation of accidents where required.
Other organisations, visitors, contractors, customers, etc.
Any people working with us or in our venues from other organisations are expected to share adequate health and safety information and cooperate fully to ensure the health safety and welfare of anybody who may be affected by their actions.
When other people are working in our venues, they are expected to meet the requirements of this policy as well as their own employer’s policies. Capital Theatres’ H&S Policy is on its website.
Monitoring, Training and Support
Managers are responsible for ensuring that all staff and workers under their control receive a suitable and sufficient induction, based on their role and duration of their work at our venues. At the most basic level this induction will include familiarisation to work areas and relevant emergency procedures. It is the manager’s responsibility to deliver first-day health and safety induction (evacuation, roll call, first aid, etc) to new members of staff, or staff who are changing roles or responsibilities. The Health and Safety Officer will deliver a general Health and Safety Induction to every member of staff in due course, but not necessarily on the first day.
Managers are responsible for planning work and ensuring that suitable and sufficient training opportunities are provided to all staff so that they have knowledge and skills to carry out the work safely.
Once training has taken place managers should copy training records to the Health and Safety Officer for file. H&S training is reported to the Board by the Director of Operations. Training is reviewed at each H&S Committee Meeting.
Consultation and Communication
The company is committed to engaging with staff and others who may be affected by our work on health and safety matters. We recognise the benefits of effective consultation in addition to the legal obligations on us to communicate and consult on developments and improvements to health, safety, and welfare in the workplace. To meet this commitment, we have established a Health and Safety Committee. This group meets 5 times a year, approximately 2 weeks in advance of Board meetings. Its members are drawn from across the organisation and its principal aims are to:
- Consult on the introduction of any new working practice, technology, equipment, or services affecting health and safety
- Promote and ensure competency in complying with health and safety legislation and systems across the organisation
- Review information that is available to staff and ensure that they have understood their obligations to reduce or remove risks
- Review the planning of health and safety training
- Encourage all staff to work together in a cooperative manner to improve and develop a healthy and safe working environment
The primary route for health and safety management is through the line management structure. The health and safety committee does not have a management responsibility. Committee members are:
Andrew Neilson, (Chair), Board Member
Nick Brown, (Health & Safety Officer) Facilities Manager
Brian Loudon, Director of Operations
Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive
John Robb, Technical Director
Graham Raith (BECTU H&S Rep) Head of Electrics
Moira McInnes, (deputises as BECTU H&S Rep) Senior Technician
Andy McInnes, Technician
Colin Dunlop, Front of House Manager
Megan McCutcheon, Marketing Account Manager
Emily Hall, Stage Door Receptionist
Lindsay Anderson, Deputy Box Office Manager
tbc , Development and Admin rep
All staff are welcome to attend committee meetings. Minutes are provided on SharePoint and company noticeboards for all staff to access.
Reporting, Audit, Review, and external support
Health and safety is a standing agenda item on:
- Weekly Executive Team meetings
- Fortnightly Management Team meetings
- Technical scheduling meetings
- Bi-monthly Board meetings
The Director of Operations reports H&S performance to the Board. A draft copy of his report is discussed at each H&S Committee meeting to ensure its integrity before being submitted to the Board.
This policy is reviewed annually by the Director of Operations. H&S performance is externally audited at least every 18 months.
The company has appointed WorkNest (previously Law At Work) as the ‘competent person’ required under the Health & Safety at Work, Etc. Act 1974.
Capital Theatres has access to the Safety Committee of UK Theatre Association and Association of British Theatre Technicians.
Last reviewed by Brian Loudon, 11 March 2022
