Health and Safety Policy Statement

The River Stour Trust’s Health and Safety Policy is a written statement outlining its legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.  It sets out how health and safety issues are managed within the Trust and shows a commitment to planning and managing health and safety at work.  It is the key document in achieving an acceptable working environment, preventing accidents and provides a framework for recording how health and safety issues are managed within the Trust.

The Policy

The River Stour Trust is a registered charity (No. 257806), led by volunteers dedicated to the restoration and conservation of the River Stour Navigation for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.

This is achieved through a combination of advocacy, education and physical works, including the operation of several passenger vessels to enable members of the public to experience the River Stour and its surroundings at first hand.  We aim to achieve this without adversely affecting anyone’s health and safety or causing harm to the natural environment.

The Trust is committed to protecting the health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable, of its employees, volunteers, members and the wider public when engaged on activities which it manages or promotes.

The Trust is committed to achieving these specific health and safety aims:

  • To prevent accidents and activity related ill-health utilising its risk assessments process to provide adequate control of health and safety risks arising from activities managed or promoted by the Trust.
  • To provide relevant training, instruction and appropriate supervision by a competent person to ensure employees, volunteers, and members of the public are able to carry out activities safely.
  • To promote and clearly communicate health and safety matters throughout the Trust by engaging with employees, volunteers and members using various media including the RST website, email, printed documentation and, where appropriate, videos.
  • To provide equal standards of protection to employees, volunteers and members of the public.
  • To maintain safe and healthy working conditions by controlling physical agents hazardous to health; making available appropriate safety equipment, and ensuring that all plant, vessels, tools and equipment owned by the Trust are in good working order.
  • To collect, consult and analyse information on accidents, dangerous incidents and activity related ill-health in order to review working practices and take action, where practicable, to prevent any recurrence; reporting to the relevant statutory authorities as required.

Whilst engaged in any activity managed or promoted by the Trust, employees, volunteers, members and visitors must, in their own interest and that of their colleagues, take reasonable care of their own health and safety and adhere to the Trust’s health and safety procedures, guidance and operational manuals.   Any matter which those participating in any activity consider may be hazardous to either health or safety must be brought to the notice of the RST Safety Officer, or a member of Council, the Officer of the Day, or other responsible person at the earliest opportunity.

This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that it remains effective in terms of the organisation’s structure and activities.

July 2021