Health & Safety

All electrical equipment will be tested annually and passed as safe by a qualified electrician.

We will ensure that all office furniture and equipment complies to set standards, as well as other environmental and good practice concerns e.g. frequency of breaks, ventilation etc. 

PVCSE staff will ensure that, at the start of the session, someone – ourselves where appropriate – informs all present of the fire procedure for the building, any security arrangements, and any hazard to be aware of.

All electrical leads will be placed away from the thoroughfare.

Where it is unavoidable to have leads spanning the thoroughfare or in other exposed, vulnerable places, they should be taped to the floor, wall or furniture using tape with hazard warning design (eg. black and yellow stripes).

Wherever PVCSE is located and hiring desk space there will be at least one First Aid Box, provided by the landlord. Where/if this is not the case PVCSE will ensure that the First Aid Box, Health & Safety at Work Act poster, incident reporting book and accident book are all provided. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

All Managers must have local procedures for ensuring personal safety of lone workers. This will be proportionate and relate to the type of activity that the worker is involved with, eg meeting POP ideas clients in work premises or public spaces; meeting BBO clients in work spaces or in public places, such as cafes, parks – again think about time of day. A worker working anywhere new should always familiarise his/herself with exit routes. 

1. Guidelines for lone working visits or meetings in non-public places
2. Guidelines for Staff that attend meetings alone
3. A buddy system for staff who are lone working
4. Guidance: action to be taken after an incident involving a personal ‘attack’​​​​​​​
5. Procedures to follow if concerns are raised regarding a staff member who is Lone Working 
6. Checklist: Standard Responsibilities for lone working staff 

It is essential for all staff to be risk aware within their working lives therefore it is an essential and fundamental part of any activity to undertake robust risk assessments in their usual course of work, and particularly when they are lone working. 

PVCSE Commitment to Staff 

No-one shall be required to work alone if to do so presents an unacceptable level of risk.  

No-one is ever expected to enter into or to remain in a situation in which s/he feels vulnerable, intimidated and/or in which s/he is threatened or verbally abused. 

PVCSE accepts its duties as an employer, however also expects that staff will contribute to the management of their own safety while at work 

All those who are expected to work alone as part of their duties shall be provided with appropriate means (e.g. safety equipment, communications, procedures, guidance and training) to reduce and manage identified risks. 

Reducing Staff Vulnerability 

Staff that work alone are sometimes at risk of accusations, including allegations of abuse. When lone working, PVCSE requires that staff seek to avoid putting themselves in situations where we may be vulnerable to such accusations. If you are concerned at any time please report any incidences to your line manager or the H&S rep. 

Risk Assessment and Risk Management 

PVCSE will produce and review every 2 years appropriate risk assessments for lone workers in different environments (office based and community based), and identify measures to reduce the identified risks.  

If there is ever an incident then this will result in an immediate review of policy and procedures, ensuring that PVCSE as an employer is acting within its ‘duty of care’ towards staff and to ensure that appropriate actions were taken at all stages. 

All incidents are to be reported and recorded in the Incident Book, which is kept in the office with the Accident Book. Monitoring incidents and potential incidents ensures effective management in reducing potential risks in the future. Monitoring incidents will be the joint and shared responsibility of the staff member and Trustee with an H&S lead/role.  

Staff are expected to stop and think, before entering a lone-working situation, and  identify risks. On the basis of this lone-working risk assessment they must identify adequate measures and necessary actions – a plan – to minimise these risks, consulting other colleagues as necessary. 

It may be the case that a risk assessment concludes that it is unsafe for a staff member to work alone in a particular context. In such cases, until the risk has been satisfactorily addressed, the staff member must not work alone. This will require alternative solutions such as joint working or attending meetings in public spaces and offices.  

Much of our work lone working  therefore contingency plans with appropriate back-up arrangements are then put in place.