Freegle Health and Safety Policy
Overview
The Board has overall responsibility for health and safety in our organisation, and for ensuring that it fulfils all its legal responsibilities. The Board recognises that the nature of the way we operate falls outside the usual procedures and policy approaches used by other organisations.
Freegle is an online organisation with no employees. Although the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (“HASAWA”) doesn’t require us to have a Policy for health and safety, that doesn’t mean we don’t take this issue seriously in regard to our volunteers.
The Board can choose to delegate aspects of the work involved in Health and Safety implementation.
Online Volunteering
The Board wishes to ensure that our online volunteering is safe and it will do what it can to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all volunteers, ensuring that risks are minimised.
Volunteer Responsibilities
All Freegle Volunteers will be made aware of safety risks in respect of their online volunteering. They have a responsibility whilst doing online work for Freegle to look after themselves and contact the Board if they have any concerns or problems. See Safe Home Working
Other Volunteering
Occasionally volunteers will arrange events, attend meetings or other activities offline in the name of Freegle. There is Insurance available for volunteers for some activities. There is some guidance on safety issues at Events .
Contractors
Although Freegle has no employees, there is some work which is contracted out. The Contract for Services issued to contractors outlines the health and safety responsibilities.
Resolving health and safety problems
Any volunteer with a health and safety concern should refer the matter to the Board by email. The matter will be entered on the agenda for the next Board meeting.
This policy was approved for adoption by the Board on 24th January 2022.
