Putting on a Play or a Show????? – How safe are you?
Now, I am a man, who is steeped in theatre, and as a chairman of a theatre group myself, I know that the pressures that people can come under in what is only supposed to be their hobby. I write this article with two hats on….one as a theatre practitioner and the other as an H&S professional. Now, don’t get me wrong, the purpose of this piece, is not to scare everyone - or indeed to get everyone rushing out to do massive amounts of work (although that could be the case….)
Readers of the Daily Mail will know that there is a perceived ‘Health & Safety’ culture in the UK – that basically revolves around organisations and local authorities saying – ‘Thou Shall Not’! In some instances, though not all, this is fully justified – as there have been countless cases whereby people have been seriously injured.
So, what does H&S mean to me? Well, ask yourself these questions…..
• Do I take part in amateur theatre – as a director, stage manager, producer, chairman or committee member?
• Do I have members / actors / performers that take part in this with me?
• Does the society have a constitution (if you have a bank account then you should have one)?
• Does the society have its own building?
• Do you hire venues and/ or equipment?
• Does the society include vulnerable persons – such as children?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes – and I am sure that most could answer ‘yes’ to more than one, then I am afraid that the laws of the land do apply to you. The sharp amongst you would say, well the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (and subsequent regulations) refers to ‘employees’ and we don’t employ anyone….however, in the context of amateur theatre, when you part take in such an activity, the HSE looks upon those persons as ‘at work’.
I can almost smell the seething and angst that is emanating from you reading this article – nothing makes the blood boil more than reading about this sort of stuff….stuff that will get in the way of your love and passion for performing / building sets / directing / messing about with the lights etc!! I couldn’t agree more, and I feel your frustration – but it isn’t all doom and gloom…..in fact, things are pretty simple. There isn’t a massive amount to do, but you have to tackle them - you cannot just ignore them, that would be silly. I would wager that most amateur theatre groups are a very sensible lot – who don’t do too many daft things, and go about their business in a cautious and safe manner. If this is the case – you are well on your way to being sorted in this area….if you are not (not that I would get many people to admit to being reckless), then read on anyway…..
So, what is it that you need to do??? Well, there are some options….the law says that companies with more than 5 employees should have a written H&S policy and undertake risk assessments. From my previous comment, you could argue that we don’t pay anyone – therefore we have no employees – but remember that this is a situation whereby, if the worst should happen, that the law sees it in a different way. At the very least companies / societies should look to having some sort of written policy in relation to H&S and risk management. This doesn’t need to be extensive – nor does it need to cost you a fortune to do it!! A policy should include a statement of intent - showing that you are serious about your members, your patrons and others, safety & welfare; responsibilities – so who does what within your society; and organisation, so how you manage the whole process.
The majority of work that societies need to undertake – which should be ongoing, is to assess the risks for your society. Written risk assessments, caution and objectivity are good benchmarks – and putting pen to paper on these matters can be a very prudent measure. In order to carry out risk assessments – you first must look at the hazards and the types of activities that you are undertaking. As a for instance, each production should have some form of risk assessment completed. This should be objective and list clearly all the regular and significant activities that could go on….such as erecting scenery, staging, rigging, rehearsal spaces, working at height (with lighting and sound), Fire, Manual Handling, painting, working in the dark, working with electricity, working with children etc.
The object of completing a risk assessment is to identify the hazards, which persons will be at risk, note what precautions (controls) you are undertaking already, and note new & further precautions that you need to take. From this some form of method statement can be produced – a guide if you like. This might seem a lot of work, but there are some positives here – many of the things listed will be the same for most productions – however, there may be a production that involves some further technical shenanigans that you would need to consider – so reviewing your risk assessments for each production is a very good practice – as it ensures that you look at things freshly and with an objective eye. One specific piece of guidance for theatre buildings – is that you need, if you haven’t already done so, to carry out (or get one carried out for you) a Fire Risk Assessment. Fire certificates are no longer issued (in most cases) and therefore an FRA should be completed if you own your building.
I hope that I haven’t made you too miserable and spoiled your reading of DAWN, but please remember this – when you go on stage or to a rehearsal, is would be nice to think that you would return home triumphant at your artistic achievements but also that you were safe, and injury free.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Be Safe at Christmas
Be Safe at Christmas Be Cool at Yule!!
Isn’t this a great time of year? The busy shops, the decorated houses, the excited children and the feel good factor that life will be great in the year to come! Well, that’s how I feel, but there is a shadow that sometime hangs over Christmas both in the workplace and at home – the shadow of “THOU SHALT NOT” which is based on the myth that health and safety rules, regulations or guidelines are there to stop you from having fun. Yes, it’s the old “Bah humbug” syndrome! Now, I am a happy-go-lucky sort of chap – someone who enjoys good company and loves seeing others having a laugh at this time of the year. I am not part of the “thou shalt not” brigade – even though I am a Health and Safety consultant! You won’t hear me saying:“don’t put up those decorations without first doing an in-depth and detailed method statement!” or :”before we have the office party, a full and extensive risk assessment should be done on every party game or activity that might happen!” Why, I hear you ask ? Can this be true? – a H&S professional being so lax in his duties to protect and serve, to uphold subsection 46 of the obscure “thingamabob” regulations, and to generally stop anyone and everyone enjoying themselves. It’s not that I don’t take my job seriously or that I don’t give two hoots – but I live in the real world – where people have accidents, take risks and things do go wrong. The difference is that what I, and the vast majority of H&S professionals do is take a measured approach advising the use of reasonable and sensible precautions. By all means put up those decorations in the office, but use a step ladder instead of your unstable and fully rotational office chair! People have often said to me – ‘Oh, you’ll need to be doing a risk assessment for that’ – and sometimes that has been the case. Many people can get hung up on these words – risk and assessment, as a perceived metaphor for longwinded, pointless bits of paper. I would have to disagree with that viewpoint – they are necessary – in a written format for all sorts of issues such as Fire, DSE, Manual handling and many process-driven activities but they are not necessary for everything. I once trained some student nursery nurses who told me that they didn’t have a clue about how to risk assess and had never done it before. I proved to them that they had been doing just that every day of their lives from a very young age - all they hadn’t been doing was writing it down. I guess that’s where H&S professionals come in - helping people to record on paper what the hazard is, who might be harmed, what is done already to prevent harm, additional steps required. We make sure everything is recorded in such a way that it is easy to read and we aim to set up a review process to check that all remains in order. So, when looking at your activities over the Christmas period, THINK: do I need to assess and plan this activity? Do I need to complete a written assessment? In the case of those office decorations, most of the time the answer would be no – but, if you are attaching a huge inflatable snowman, with the words “SANTA PLEASE STOP HERE” on the side of your two- storey building using a cherry picker, perhaps it’s time to either put your H&S training to good use and complete a risk assessment / method statement or call in the experts and we at PES would be only too happy to assist you. Have a happy, safe and accident-free Christmas and we wish you, your families and your businesses every success for 2010.
Top Tips for a Safe Yuletide – for at home or in work
Decorations
• Take care of your fairy lights. Check the wire is undamaged and the plug has been attached properly. Replace any blown bulbs as soon as possible and consider fitting a Residual Current Device (RCD) to protect against electric shocks.
• When putting up decorations, take care not to stand on anything unstable. If you're decorating an office, don't stand on swivel chairs. If you're using a stepladder ensure it has an even base and is not damaged. Even falling from a small height can cause serious injury. Be aware of what you are attaching your decorations to, some office ceiling tiles still contain asbestos, which should not be disturbed.
• NEVER leave a burning candle unattended. Keep them away from curtains, Christmas cards and any other combustible materials.
• If you're decorating an office, remember to keep all fire exits clear of obstructions. Take care not to obstruct fire alarm sensors as this may result in false alarms or no alarms at all.
• Only use fairy lights outside if they are made for such use; indoor lights will not be safe outdoors. Always switch off fairy lights before you go out or go to bed, they're not intended for continuous use. Make sure that they are completely off before leaving work on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Trees
• Try to locate Christmas trees near to electrical sockets so that fairy light wires do not trail across the floor and present a trip hazard. Don't overload electrical sockets with extra multi-point plugs and ensure all appliances have the correct fuses fitted.
• Tinsel and artificial trees should be fire retardant and kept at least three feet away from open fires.
• If you're going to have a real tree, ensure it doesn't dry out, as it will become easily flammable. Cut an extra inch from the bottom of the tree to allow it to "drink" easily. Stand it in water but make sure it is stable and won't fall over.
General tips
• Keep small decorations away from young children. Take care with wrapping waste and balloons as these can present a choking hazard.
• Be careful storing and opening presents. Do not store any heavy items on high shelves or on top of wardrobes. Don't use kitchen knives to open presents and only use the proper tools to assemble toys and other gifts.
• Take care if you are cooking this Christmas. Try to keep work surfaces clear, be careful with boiling water, hot fat and sharp knives. You may wish to ask other people to stay out of the kitchen while you're cooking.
Neil Maidman – Consultant PES South West Wales
Isn’t this a great time of year? The busy shops, the decorated houses, the excited children and the feel good factor that life will be great in the year to come! Well, that’s how I feel, but there is a shadow that sometime hangs over Christmas both in the workplace and at home – the shadow of “THOU SHALT NOT” which is based on the myth that health and safety rules, regulations or guidelines are there to stop you from having fun. Yes, it’s the old “Bah humbug” syndrome! Now, I am a happy-go-lucky sort of chap – someone who enjoys good company and loves seeing others having a laugh at this time of the year. I am not part of the “thou shalt not” brigade – even though I am a Health and Safety consultant! You won’t hear me saying:“don’t put up those decorations without first doing an in-depth and detailed method statement!” or :”before we have the office party, a full and extensive risk assessment should be done on every party game or activity that might happen!” Why, I hear you ask ? Can this be true? – a H&S professional being so lax in his duties to protect and serve, to uphold subsection 46 of the obscure “thingamabob” regulations, and to generally stop anyone and everyone enjoying themselves. It’s not that I don’t take my job seriously or that I don’t give two hoots – but I live in the real world – where people have accidents, take risks and things do go wrong. The difference is that what I, and the vast majority of H&S professionals do is take a measured approach advising the use of reasonable and sensible precautions. By all means put up those decorations in the office, but use a step ladder instead of your unstable and fully rotational office chair! People have often said to me – ‘Oh, you’ll need to be doing a risk assessment for that’ – and sometimes that has been the case. Many people can get hung up on these words – risk and assessment, as a perceived metaphor for longwinded, pointless bits of paper. I would have to disagree with that viewpoint – they are necessary – in a written format for all sorts of issues such as Fire, DSE, Manual handling and many process-driven activities but they are not necessary for everything. I once trained some student nursery nurses who told me that they didn’t have a clue about how to risk assess and had never done it before. I proved to them that they had been doing just that every day of their lives from a very young age - all they hadn’t been doing was writing it down. I guess that’s where H&S professionals come in - helping people to record on paper what the hazard is, who might be harmed, what is done already to prevent harm, additional steps required. We make sure everything is recorded in such a way that it is easy to read and we aim to set up a review process to check that all remains in order. So, when looking at your activities over the Christmas period, THINK: do I need to assess and plan this activity? Do I need to complete a written assessment? In the case of those office decorations, most of the time the answer would be no – but, if you are attaching a huge inflatable snowman, with the words “SANTA PLEASE STOP HERE” on the side of your two- storey building using a cherry picker, perhaps it’s time to either put your H&S training to good use and complete a risk assessment / method statement or call in the experts and we at PES would be only too happy to assist you. Have a happy, safe and accident-free Christmas and we wish you, your families and your businesses every success for 2010.
Top Tips for a Safe Yuletide – for at home or in work
Decorations
• Take care of your fairy lights. Check the wire is undamaged and the plug has been attached properly. Replace any blown bulbs as soon as possible and consider fitting a Residual Current Device (RCD) to protect against electric shocks.
• When putting up decorations, take care not to stand on anything unstable. If you're decorating an office, don't stand on swivel chairs. If you're using a stepladder ensure it has an even base and is not damaged. Even falling from a small height can cause serious injury. Be aware of what you are attaching your decorations to, some office ceiling tiles still contain asbestos, which should not be disturbed.
• NEVER leave a burning candle unattended. Keep them away from curtains, Christmas cards and any other combustible materials.
• If you're decorating an office, remember to keep all fire exits clear of obstructions. Take care not to obstruct fire alarm sensors as this may result in false alarms or no alarms at all.
• Only use fairy lights outside if they are made for such use; indoor lights will not be safe outdoors. Always switch off fairy lights before you go out or go to bed, they're not intended for continuous use. Make sure that they are completely off before leaving work on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Trees
• Try to locate Christmas trees near to electrical sockets so that fairy light wires do not trail across the floor and present a trip hazard. Don't overload electrical sockets with extra multi-point plugs and ensure all appliances have the correct fuses fitted.
• Tinsel and artificial trees should be fire retardant and kept at least three feet away from open fires.
• If you're going to have a real tree, ensure it doesn't dry out, as it will become easily flammable. Cut an extra inch from the bottom of the tree to allow it to "drink" easily. Stand it in water but make sure it is stable and won't fall over.
General tips
• Keep small decorations away from young children. Take care with wrapping waste and balloons as these can present a choking hazard.
• Be careful storing and opening presents. Do not store any heavy items on high shelves or on top of wardrobes. Don't use kitchen knives to open presents and only use the proper tools to assemble toys and other gifts.
• Take care if you are cooking this Christmas. Try to keep work surfaces clear, be careful with boiling water, hot fat and sharp knives. You may wish to ask other people to stay out of the kitchen while you're cooking.
Neil Maidman – Consultant PES South West Wales
Monday, 30 November 2009
Health and Safety - is it all a load of nonsense??
Well - I would (obviously) disagree with that question!! And as Uncle Bryn of Gavin and Stacey might say - I will tell you for why!
Whatever sort of business you are, the underlying aim of good health and safety management is to make sure that people's safety is not put at risk and that their health is not damaged.
Whatever sort of business you are, the underlying aim of good health and safety management is to make sure that people's safety is not put at risk and that their health is not damaged.
Remember, attention to health and safety is not just about obeying the law and being socially responsible. This is a big point for me - it's about treating people fairly - as you would want to be treated! It also makes good business sense.
Action on health and safety can:
- reduce your accident losses;
- cut absenteeism;
- improve your profit and loss statement;
- help you become more efficient; and
- improve your business profile with customers, clients, insurers, enforcers etc.
The key to ensuring the safety and health in the workplace is having a good health and safety management system which protects everyone. I guess that is where PES comes in - taking the stress out the situation -as it were. So, if you are an SME in South West Wales - then give me a call....or an email - or look me up on Twitter (NeilMaidman) or have a look on Facebook for PES South West Wales....join the fanpage!
Stay safe until next time.
Neil
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Becoming a Consultant - So what's it all about?
I am about to embark into the world of being a H&S consultant.....a world of boring bureaucrats that basically say THOU SHALT NOT!! Well - no, actually....the reason I am doing this is to a) do something I love, that will secure my family's future and b), to be able to provide competent advice to small / medium businesses and for them to be a safer place.....all the rest of it, is stuff that is all very necessary to do that.....I know people say 'B><)(*% Health and Safety!!!!'....but we would all be in a right pickle without it!!
Health and Safety professionals are getting fed up with the bad press they have been receiving over the past months and years. This poor publicity has portrayed health and safety as being bureaucratic and lacking in common sense.
The truth of the matter is that good H&S systems, when properly applied will add huge value to a company, and that it can save lives; reduce wastage(in terms of misery encountered to personnel), reduce loss and damage to equipment, and reduce the loss of skills and productivity to a business.
The trouble is that business owners can see it only as a drain and not as a profit driver....whereas the opposite can (and should) be true.
Until next time - stay safe.
Neil
Saturday, 17 October 2009
A New Start
This is the first posting for my new blog. As many people know, I am, for my sins a H&S Manager - and soon I will change(slightly) to become a H&S consultant. The world of H&S is one that is a necessary evil of both modern society and the business world in general. We all need to be safe, we all need to come home to our loved ones each night, without the risks, that we undertake in our daily working life, being so overwhelming, that of lives are put at risks.
This coming week is European Safety week - and this serves as a reminder to all people in the world of work - and in the general populous, that staying safe is a right - not and aspiration. We all have duties - we all have things that we can do - we all have a part (however small) to ensure that we (and I mean everyone) stays safe.
Have a read of this http://snipurl.com/skhe4
Until next time - stay safe.
Neil
This coming week is European Safety week - and this serves as a reminder to all people in the world of work - and in the general populous, that staying safe is a right - not and aspiration. We all have duties - we all have things that we can do - we all have a part (however small) to ensure that we (and I mean everyone) stays safe.
Have a read of this http://snipurl.com/skhe4
Until next time - stay safe.
Neil
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