Health & Safety Policy

1. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

Frantic Assembly is committed to providing adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities and protecting the health and safety of our employees, freelancers, volunteers, members of the public and all others with whom our work brings us into contact.

The Company’s policy is to:

• provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, systems and equipment for all those working with the company

• to ensure all employees are competent to perform tasks safely and to provide them with such information, training and supervision as they need for this purpose.

• to consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety.

• to renew full, comprehensive employer’s liability insurance, public liability insurance and property insurance on an annual basis.

• to review our policy at least every two years or more frequently if legislation, work practises or circumstances change.

All company policies, including the health and safety policy, will be given to permanent and short-term employees, freelancers, volunteers and work experience interns. Where relevant, employees will have their health and safety responsibilities outlined in more detail in their job description or contract. Action may be brought under the company’s disciplinary procedure if there is neglect or abuse of the health and safety requirements.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES

Frantic Assembly recognises its responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and other related legislation and seeks to satisfy its obligations by the adoption of this Health and Safety policy statement. In addition, the Company will abide by the European Health and Safety at work regulations (1992). The final overall responsibility for the safety and well-being of the staff rests with the Board of Directors but the day-to-day management of the policy is delegated to relevant members of staff as outlined below.

2.1 Employees & Freelance contractors

(to include all staff of Frantic Assembly, contractors, subcontractors and unpaid workers):

All staff members are responsible for co-operating with the Company on health and safety matters, taking reasonable care of their own health and safety, their fellow employees and others affected by their actions or omissions at work. They are expected to report any incidents that have or may have led to injury or damage.

If any staff member feels that their personal circumstances have changed in regard to health, home life or their capacity to fully engage with the company’s work (such as stress, pregnancy, incapacity) they should inform their line manager immediately so that a personal health and safety review can be carried out.

All employees should ensure that they use any equipment provided in accordance with the training that they have received, inform their manager or supervisor of any serious or imminent risk and report any shortcomings they have seen in protection arrangements.

All performers and practitioners employed by the company are expected to do their best to prevent injury to themselves. On the first day of rehearsals or workshops the artistic director will give brief guidelines to working safely and if further advice or support is required relevant guidance for performers will be researched and made available.

Any employee who is faced with a conflict between the demands of safety and his or her job, should raise the matter as soon as possible with their manager or supervisor.

If the manager or supervisor is not available, an employee may stop work and immediately proceed to a place of safety in the event of being exposed to serious, imminent and unavoidable danger.

All physical workshops, auditions or rehearsals must begin with a thorough warm up and end with a cool down to prevent injury.

2.2 General Manager

The General Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day Health and Safety compliance in the office in line with current legislation and will brief any new members of staff as part of their induction. The General Manager will investigate accidents and report serious incidents to the National Incident Contact Centre.

2.3 Production Manager

The Production Manager must ensure that all tasks carried out by the technical/production staff are performed with the utmost regard for the health and safety of all those involved.

Accidents must be reported to the Executive Director.

The Production Manager must pay particular regard to:

• Equipment and methods of working to ensure they are safe and so not to endanger health (including risk assessments and the maintenance of appropriate records)

• Providing safe arrangements for the handling, storage and movement of materials, equipment and substances

• Supplying sufficient information, instructions, training and supervision to enable staff to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own health and safety

• The inspection and maintenance, including fire proofing, of equipment such as touring and rehearsal facilities (including lighting, sound, rigging), tools, access equipment, lifting equipment, vehicles, first aid equipment

• Ensure that staff for whom they are responsible are aware of any procedures in place to deal with serious or imminent danger

• To liaise with the venues visited to ensure safe working practices, and the safety of audiences for the Company’s work

• To ensure that productions comply with the local regulations regarding fireproofing, the use of firearms, special effects e.g. laser and strobe, and safety and licensing requirements on the use of children and animals.

2.4 Administrator

The Administrator will be responsible for ensuring that office equipment is safely positioned and not overloaded and that trip hazards are removed.

2.5 Board

A new trustee will be assigned to be responsible for the Health & Safety Policy at Board level.

3. ARRANGEMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR AREAS OF SPECIFIC RISK

3.1 Accidents

The Learning Co-ordinator, a member of Stage Management, the Head of Learning and Participation and the Artistic Director should be trained in Basic First Aid. Training should be renewed every three years.

All accidents must be reported and noted at the soonest possible opportunity in the accident book or (in the case of an accident involving a person under 18 years) on an incident report form. An accident book is kept in the office and another used for Frantic Assembly hosted workshops, rehearsals and on tour.

The Administrator is responsible for ensuring there is an adequately supplied and maintained first aid box in the office and another for use in public workshops, rehearsals and on tour.

The Learning Co-ordinator is responsible for completing the accident book and for administering first aid in workshops hosted by Frantic Assembly.

The Administrator is responsible for completing the accident book and for administering first aid in the office.

The Company Stage Manager is responsible for maintaining the first aid box and accident and incident book during rehearsals and on tour.

All workshop practitioners will be responsible for completing incident report forms when delivering workshops for young people under 18 years old.

The Learning Coordinator will ensure all practitioners are provided with blank incident report forms and will liaise with school teachers to request a statement in response to any incidents that have occurred.

Schools or organisations hosting Frantic Assembly workshops will be responsible for first aid and health and safety. This will be clearly outlined in all contracts and pre-visit information.

All new members of staff shall be made aware of the arrangements for first aid and dealing with accidents as part of their induction.

3.2 Fire

Frantic Assembly is responsible for all fire and safety equipment in the company office, including extinguishers. The Administrator is responsible for checking fire exits and gangways in the office. Any irregularities should be reported to the General Manager who will liaise with the landlord on matters of fire safety.

Fire exits must be unobstructed at all times. One fire extinguisher is located along the corridor and one is located in the lobby. The fire alarm/bell is located on the ground floor of the Carlton Mansions and there are signs for fire exits. In case of evacuation the meeting point is located outside the metal gate of Carlton Mansions on Coldharbour Lane.

All new workers shall be made aware of the arrangements for fire safety as part of their induction.

The Frantic Assembly office is no smoking along with all workshop spaces, rehearsal rooms and backstage areas.