Last reviewed 2025
Health and Safety Policy
Introduction
Windsor & Eton Choral Society (WECS) is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for all those involved in the activities it organises.
- This includes but is not limited to: WECS members, the conductor, rehearsal accompanist, musicians, soloists, WECS Friends, volunteers and members of the public.
- This includes, but is not limited to: rehearsals, performances and social events.
Responsibilities
- Overall responsibility for health and safety sits with the WECS committee.
- Practical responsibility for health and safety at rehearsals and concerts organised by WECS sits jointly with Chair and Safeguarding Officer.
- Practical responsibility for health and safety at social events sits with the designated event organiser.
- All WECS members have a duty to co-operate with others on health and safety matters and to take reasonable care of their own and others’ safety.
Statements of general policy
- WECS will seek to prevent accidents and cases of ill-health by managing the health and safety at events and activities it organises.
Actions to be taken:
- Relevant risk assessments to be completed for events. Where regular venues are used, the risk assessment will be reviewed on an annual basis or more frequently, if required.
- WECS will provide clear instructions and information to ensure that members, conductor and volunteers are competent to do their duties in a healthy and safe manner.
Actions to be taken:
- Tasks to be risk assessed and appropriate instruction to be provided (e.g. arranging seating for orchestra/choir, moving tables)
- WECS will engage and consult with members, staff of host venues and volunteers on health and safety conditions.
Actions to be taken:
- members, staff of host venues and volunteers to be briefed on health and safety risk assessments for new venues/activities and updated on any changes in risk assessment for regular venues/activities.
- Establish clear lines of communication for members, staff of host venues and volunteers to raise health and safety concerns. Have procedures in place to ensure concerns raised are investigated and acted on where appropriate.
- WECS will implement emergency procedures – evacuation in case of fire or other significant incident.
Actions to be taken:
- ensure at least one individual is responsible for knowing fire procedures for hired venues and for communicating them to those present.
First Aid
- WECS will work with professional First Aid organisations to provide First Aid expertise for concerts.
- Where practical WECS will recruit members and volunteers with First Aid experience and WECS will ensure that they work with professional First Aid organisations to train volunteers.
Sound safety
WECS takes the responsibility of protecting the hearing of members, performers, volunteers and audience members seriously. We will:
- Ensure there are open lines of communication for individuals to raise concerns about hearing.
- Take concerns seriously; the Committee and Conductor will work with the individuals to find ways to minimise risk.
- Take into account the protection of our audience’s hearing when designing stage and audience layout for performances.
Policy review
This policy will be reviewed and amended (as necessary) every two years.
Risk Assessments will be reviewed before each event, and at least annually for the rehearsal venue.
This policy was agreed at committee meeting on 4th June 2025
Date of next review: June 2027
