Our Health and Safety Policy is to:

• prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health
• manage health and safety risks in our premises
• provide clear instructions and information, and adequate training, to ensure employees and fitness instructors are competent to do their work
• provide a safe environment for use of the gym for all
• provide and maintain safe equipment
• maintain safe and healthy working conditions
• implement emergency procedures, including evacuation in case of fire or other significant incident
• review and revise this policy regularly

Overall Responsibility

The directors of Reform Gym have overall and final responsibility for health and safety within the gym.

Responsibilities include:

• Ensuring sufficient resources are made available to manage health and safety
• Approving our health and safety policy and procedures
• Ensuring the fitness instructors obtain appropriate health and safety advice and training
• Reviewing how safety is being managed.

Operations Director Responsibilities

The Managing Director, Barry Jacobsz is responsible for facilitating the implementation of the health and safety policy and delegating responsibilities to ensure:

• Risk assessment for the premises are carried out when appropriate
• Computer workstation assessments are carried out when appropriate
• Fitness instructors are informed about the health and safety arrangements
• Liaise with the landlords regarding the fire precautions
• Premises are maintained in good repair and that all statutory inspections are undertaken
• Testing of the electrical equipment
• Cleaning and other contractors have made proper arrangement for health and safety
• First aid facilities are provided
• Arrange for fire drills/evacuations to be done
• Liaise with environmental health officers and other outside bodies as necessary
• Liaise with the building services companies regarding landlord checks (e.g. legionnaires testing), instigated fire drills/evacuations and any H&S checks they wish to do on behalf of the landlords
• Investigate any accidents
• Inform the appropriate authorities of any accident, disease or dangerous occurrence under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

H&S Officer Responsibilities

• Regularly review the H&S policy to ensure it remains up to date. Propose any changes to the Directors for consideration and approval.
• Ensure there are sufficient First Aiders  scheduled to be in attendance at the gym.
• Ensure that the Landlord has a Fire Marshall appointed to the site.
• Conduct a monthly walk round of the gym premises to ensure fire exits are clear and the gym is free from any obstructions which may cause an accident or fire hazard
• Review the accident record books each week and inform the Directors of any accidents and make suggestions as to what the gym can do to help mitigate the risk of a similar accident in the future
• Observe/note our effectiveness of safety during fire drills, help to guide people out of the building. Make proposals for improvements to the Directors for consideration and approval.
• Ensure all electrical equipment is PAT tested annually – which includes electrical equipment provided by the company that is used by colleagues at home.
• Conduct a full annual risk assessment of the gym with support from the Managing Director. Report back on findings and concerns
• Conduct a 6 monthly to review of the policy with Directors and consider any overall improvements we can make.

 Individual Responsibilities

Achieving a good standard of health and safety relies upon everyone playing an active role.  All fitness instructors and employees must

• Take reasonable care for their own health and safety
• Follow any health and safety rules which apply to their job
• Do what is reasonably practicable to ensure that other people including members of the public are not put at any risk by what they do or do not do
• Not misuse anything that has been provided in the interest of health and safety such as propping open a fire door
• Report anything that might present a danger to themselves or anybody else.

Arrangements for carrying out the policy

The nature of our business means users of the gym operate in a moderate to high risk environment when using fitness equipment. As a consequence, we have looked at what we do against the health and safety legislation and identified what we need to do to meet our legal obligations.

All new gym members will be given an initial tour and explanation of the gym and equipment.

All members will be sent a copy of this Health & Safety Policy document.

Individual members of the gym operate equipment at their own risk but are requested to seek advice about the use of equipment if they are unsure as to how it operates or what potential risks exist in doing so. Misuse of equipment by individual members of the gym is not the responsibility of the company, the Directors or the fitness instructors. There will always be a fitness instructor available to explain appropriate use of the equipment, if requested to provide such advice.

Accidents, First Aid, Health

Accidents

Reporting accidents, even if they are near misses, ensures that suitable procedures can be put in place to avoid the same occurrence.  All accidents are therefore to be reported at the earliest opportunity.

Details of accidents at the gym should be recorded in the Accident Book, held in the office/reception area.

The First Aid Kit is in the office/reception area.  All users of the gym should familiarisethemselves with the location of the First Aid Kit. This includes contractors/subcontractors and any other visitors in the gym.

The Accident Book will be completed by the fitness instructor of Director present at the time of the accident.  The H&S Officer should be informed of the completed accident records within 24 hours of any accident.

In the event of an accident, a first aider should be contacted. If the accident is considered serious, the area should be made safe and cordoned off.  It is important that the scene of the accident/incident has not been disturbed until an investigation has been carried out.

All accidents concerning visitors should be reported in accordance with the above.

First Aid

If you have an accident, please alert someone as soon as possible and ask them to contact a first aider if you are unable to do so.  If you have an accident in a communal area, please go back to the office/reception immediately and seek help.  If you are unable to do so, please shout for help to alert someone in the building who can make us aware of your accident.

All fitness instructors are trained as first aiders.

Health matters

If you currently suffer from, or later develop, a medical condition, allergy or such like, and/or are taking any medication, we strongly advise you to notify the fitness instructor at the gym. All fitness instructors should inform the Managing Director. We will keep a record which will remain confidential and will only be referred to if you require first aid treatment. This information may be very important, not only to the First Aiders if they are to deal with you in the event of an accident/emergency but also to the Ambulance personnel should they need to attend to you.

Arrangement for Travelling to Hospital

In the event you or any casualty requires urgent medical attention, an ambulance should be called.

Fire Safety Procedures

We do have a members’ entry system at the gym, meaning that we should know of all members who have attended. However, we do not operate an exit system. It is therefore your responsibility to make sure we know when you are in the building to help us provide for your safety.

Fire Marshals

Fire Marshals are appointed by the Landlord for the gym. The directors have been assured by  the Landlord that the Fire Marshall undertakes  regular inspection to ensure that walkways and fire exits are kept clear from obstruction, extinguishers remain where they were originally located by their Fire and Security firm. They will also guide us in the safe evacuation of the building.

Inspections/Drills

• Fire risk assessments are organised at least every year, or earlier if there have been significant changes in the offices
• PAT is carried out on an annual basis and fixed wiring tests carried out every five years.
• The emergency lighting is tested annually by our landlord
• A landlord fire drill is conducted at least annually.
• The fire alarm is tested.
• Please follow the instructions as detailed in the section ‘On hearing the fire alarm’.

Fire extinguishers

• Fire extinguishers are located across all locations.
• The fire extinguishers should not be removed from their allocated position or used as door stops.

On hearing the fire alarm

• If the alarm is activated you are to immediately stop what you are doing and proceed quickly and calmly to your nearest signposted exit
• Please follow the instructions of the Fire Marshals and make your way out quickly to the evacuation point.
• Do not stop to collect your personal belongings – looking for a coat or bag will not only delay your safe exit, but may also delay others, causing unnecessary risks.
• The Fire Marshal will advise colleagues on which stair case to use to exit the building (where applicable).
• On exiting the building you are to proceed directly to the fire assembly point on Plover Road outside the main vehicular entrance to the courtyard.
• You must not leave the assembly point until you have been marked down as present and received the all clear from the Fire Brigade or your Fire Marshal to either return to the building, or disperse due to other factors.
• If you notice someone is missing at the assembly point, the Fire Marshal should be informed immediately.

For visitors (including contractors)

• If you are hosting a visitor (including a friend who is not a member of the gym), you must ensure that you escort the visitor out of the building, via the nearest fire escape route, to the fire assembly point.
• If you are with a less abled visitor, you must stay with them and safely assist them out of the building.
• If it is safe to do so, additional assistance will be provided. If it is not safe to do so, your protected location will be given to the fire brigade, who will then safely evacuate you and/or your visitor.

If you discover a fire

• Immediately operate the nearest fire alarm call point. Please familiarise yourself with these in each office
• Inform the Fire Marshals  why the alarm call point was operatedand where the fire is located.
• Fire extinguishers must only be used if you are trained, confident and competent to use it and only if it is safe to do so.  If the fire cannot be extinguished immediately, withdraw closing all doors behind you.
• Leave the building by the nearest available exit route.

Genral Safety

Housekeeping

There are certain steps we should all take to help maintain a safer working environment.  Please ensure you follow the procedures/action points as detailed below:

• Cleanliness is the responsibility of everyone. Please keep your training or work area clear of waste and potentially dangerous object (e.g. boxes and cables)
• Fire exits and walkways are to be free of obstructions at all times.
• Turn off all electrical equipment near to you overnight.
• If you notice a fault with a piece of electrical equipment, stop using the equipment and notify the fitness instructors on duty, who will in turn notify the Managing Director.
• Have an awareness of those around you. In the event of a fire, this information may be vital should the fire brigade need to rescue people who are still in the building.

Electrical Installations

The misuse of electricity is a major cause of fire. Should you recognise any fault with a piece of equipment please notify the Directors or a Fire Marshal.  Faults will be repaired immediately by a competent electrician.

Please do not bring in any personal electrical appliances such as radios, heaters and fans etcwithout permission of the Directors.  If it is agreed for you to bring in the equipment, you are responsible for the safety of that appliance and ensuring it is tested by a qualified electrician and has the sticker to show that it has passed the electrical safety test. If such an appliance fails it must be removed from the premises and repaired at your own expense.

Dangerous goods

The careful use and storage of any flammable liquid or aerosols is essential to maintain a safe working environment.

Manual handling

It is our policy to ensure that wherever reasonably practicable the need for manual handling and heavy lifting is avoided (excluding the appropriate use of gym equipment for fitness/training purposes). Anyone involved in manual handling activities on a regular basis, will be given the appropriate training.  Manual handling should be avoided unless you have been shown the correct techniques that would allow you to lift heavy items safely.