Health & Safety

 at Roots and Shoots Learning

Roots and Shoots Learning is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all children and young people (CYP), team members - including volunteers, and visitors. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety, in line with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations. Louise Sullivan - Director & DSL, holds ultimate responsibility for health and safety and will ensure this policy is implemented and reviewed regularly.

Our health and safety policy is intended to:

• Lessen the likelihood of accidents leading to work-related ill health
• Manage health and safety risks in our workplace
• Provide clear instructions, information, and adequate training to ensure all team members (inclusive of contractors / freelancers / volunteers and/or employees) are competent to fulfill their job roles
• Consult with our team members on matters affecting their health and safety
• Provide and maintain equipment which is safe
• Ensure safe handling and use of substances
• Maintain safe and healthy working conditions
• Implement emergency procedures, including evacuation in case of fire or other significant incidents
• Review and revise this policy annually, and more regularly as may be required.

Responsibilities for Health and Safety

Team Member, Director & DSL (Louise Sullivan):

• Final decision-maker for health and safety policy and procedures.
• Ensures adequate resources and oversight for implementation.
• Receives and acts on incident reports and risk assessments.

Team Member & Health and Safety Coordinators (E.Clarke-Miller & S.Halliday-Chambers), alongside L.Sullivan:

• Oversee day-to-day management of health and safety.
• Coordinate risk assessments, training, and workplace inspections.
• Liaise with external advisors and regulatory bodies.

Team Members incl. Volunteers:

• Follow safe working procedures and report hazards or incidents immediately.
• Participate in risk assessments and safety training.
• Support the provision’s safeguarding and emergency arrangements.

 Children and Young People (CYP):

• Encouraged to follow safety instructions and report concerns.
• Included in age-appropriate safety briefings for indoor and outdoor activities

Arrangements for Health and Safety

Roots and Shoots Learning aims to maintain the highest standards of health and safety, ensuring that every CYP and team members can learn and work in a secure, supportive environment. 

Therefore, at Roots and Shoots Learning we have the following arrangements in place to:

Indoor Spaces:

• Maintain clean, clutter-free work, movement and learning spaces with safe electrical installations.
• Ensure fire exits are clear and emergency lighting is operational.

Outdoor Areas:

• Inspect play equipment, trails, and learning zones before each session and use as required.
• Check weather-related hazards (ice, flooding) and risk assess as required prior to leading outdoor sessions.

Equipment Maintenance:

• Arrange regular servicing of fixed installations (boilers, wiring) by qualified contractors.
• Check portable equipment (ladders, tools) termly, tagging out of use if faulty.

The sections below relate to our commitments. We will:

Risk Assess:

• Conduct written risk assessments for all activities, premises, and off-site visits.
• Review assessments:
  • Annually, or
  • Whenever there is a significant change (new activity, location, equipment).
• Record and communicate control measures to all team members and CYP.
• Use dynamic risk assessment on the day of each activity, especially outdoors.

Follow Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures:

• Develop and display evacuation plans for each indoor and outdoor setting. 
• Appoint trained fire marshals among team members (Erin Clarke-Miller & Sophie Halliday-Chambers).
• Test fire alarms and emergency lighting at least monthly (this may be done outside of working hours)
• Maintain firefighting equipment (extinguishers, blankets) per manufacturer guidance.

Act Appropriately in First Aid and Medical Emergencies:

• Maintain at least one qualified first aider on site during all activities (Erin Clarke-Miller & Sophie Halliday-Chambers).
• Keep fully stocked first-aid kits accessible in indoor bases and mobile outdoor kits at our Equine & Nature-Led Site.
• Record all injuries in our accident log and notify Louise Sullivan of any serious incident.
• For medical emergencies, call 999 immediately and inform parents/guardians without delay.

Conduct Incident Reporting and Investigation:

• Report all accidents, near-misses, and hazardous occurrences to Louise Sullivan, Erin Clarke-Miller and/or Sophie Halliday-Chambers.
• Investigate incidents promptly, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Management will share findings with team members and review relevant risk assessments.

Provide Training and Communication:

• Provide induction health and safety training to all new team members and volunteers.
• Deliver annual refresher workshops covering first aid, fire safety, manual handling, and safeguarding.
• Display policy summaries and key procedures on noticeboards and/or in team handbooks.
• Encourage open dialogue through regular safety briefings and suggestion channels (usually via internal platform/email)