BEG Safety Policy

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GENERAL SAFETY POLICY / SAFETY POLICY FOR EXPEDITIONS AND SIMILAR ACTIVITY


INTRODUCTION

This document sets out the general policy of the Brathay Exploration Group Trust on matters of safety in general terms; with more specific reference to safety on expeditions and in similar circumstances “in the field”.

This is a broad policy statement. It is implemented and supported by a very detailed set of procedures. The policy is reviewed regularly by the Board of the Trust.

It is realised that the Trust has particular responsibilities towards minors and vulnerable adults. It has a separate and specific policy relating to children and vulnerable adults.

A separate policy document covers the Trust’s approach to dealing with emergencies and major incidents.

It is recognized that no policy or procedure is exhaustive nor can they cover every possibility and to maintain safety a flexible approach is necessary.  This document therefore is intended to set standards and to act as a framework around which good practice can be built.


GENERAL POLICY ON SAFETY

It is the policy of this organisation that those responsible for management of the Brathay Exploration Group's Trust operations will take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of all the Group's employees, leaders and other persons who may attend the Group's activities. The latter will, in the main, be members of the Group's expeditions, training courses and similar events; participants in social and recreational activities organised by the Group; and users of its Field Quarters - Shackleton Lodge.

The matters to which that duty extends include:

 

  1. ensuring the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work are, as far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health.
  2. ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.
  3. providing such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of employees, leaders, and other persons attending the Group's activities and premises.
  4. so far as is reasonably practicable as regards any place of work under management's control, maintaining it in a condition that is safe and without risks to health and providing and maintaining means of access to and egress from it that are safe and without risk.
  5. providing and maintaining a working environment for its employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risk to health and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work.
  6. within the Group's programmes of activities, employees, staff and participants will be expected to operate to well defined and understood safety procedures that are designed to control and minimise any physical dangers and cope with unavoidable contingencies that may arise during activities.
  7. establishing, reviewing and modifying clear safety procedures relating to health and safety in all aspects of the organisation’s activities, incorporating risk assessment, information, training, quality control and supervision.

 

Notwithstanding the former, all employees, leaders, members and other persons attending the Group's activities have a clear duty to co-operate with management in complying with all statutory regulations, codes of practice and the Group's arrangements relating to health, safety and welfare.


SAFETY POLICY RELATING TO EXPEDITIONS

The following policies apply to the Group’s expedition activity. They cover expeditions of all sorts, in the UK and abroad; training expeditions and activities; recreational expeditions and activities; and any other category of organised event or activity in the field.

 

  1. This policy shall be read in conjunction with the Brathay Exploration Group General Policy on Safety.
  2. The quality of leadership is vital. Experience and sound judgement are the most important constituents. This will be reinforced by careful assessment of qualifications, training and experience of Leaders and potential Leaders, and the use of appropriate nationally recognised and accredited training/qualification schemes. The ratio of Leaders to members on an expedition, and the qualifications, training and experience of the Leadership Team, will be in keeping with the ability and experience of the group and the conditions to be encountered.
  3. Adequate planning is essential. The area to be visited will be carefully researched by whatever method is most appropriate. Where expeditions involve minors, at least one member of the Leadership Team will have recent personal experience of the location, route and sites to be visited. Potential hazards will be clearly identified and contingency plans made, giving due consideration to the availability and reliability of emergency services in the expedition area. This will be supported by systematic risk assessment in accordance with laid down procedures.
  4. There is no short cut to the acquisition of skill, fitness and knowledge by Leaders or group members. Progressive and continuous training will be a vital feature of the group programme and expedition timetable.
  5. The quality of personal and group equipment will be as high as is reasonably possible, and will in all cases conform to any standards recommended by responsible national agencies, and will be appropriate for operating in the conditions anticipated.
  6. This policy and any related aspects of procedures for the conduct of any expedition will be communicated  to all participants (and parents/guardians if under 18 years) in a reasonable and practicable way.
  7. Awareness of danger and potential hazards is developed through experience. Leaders will anticipate the possible risks involved in using particular equipment, in engaging in certain activities, or in using different types of transport. Risks will be reduced by Leaders being familiar with members of their group, their strengths, weaknesses, personalities and previous experiences. Dynamic risk assessment will be undertaken throughout an expedition programme, and steps taken to respond to conditions as they are encountered. Weather changes can dramatically influence an expedition and rapidly alter the nature of a locality, and levels of risk. Leaders will err on the side of caution, with an awareness of the worst-case scenario and the extremes which may be experienced in a given locality. Leaders will continually update and develop their knowledge of appropriate safety and rescue techniques suited to the varying environments in which they work. Practice will  always err in favour of safety where there is any doubt
  8. Supervision arrangements will be clearly specified in relation to the nature of the group, the nature of the terrain and the specific circumstances of the expedition. A vigilant approach will be required of Leaders to ensure that responsible behaviour is maintained at all times..
  9. Procedures, quality control and  accreditation All expeditions will be prepared, conducted and reviewed in accordance with prescribed and rigorous procedures, subject to specified quality control checks which will include a degree of consideration by qualified people from outside BEG and in appropriate cases subject to independent assessment and accreditation.
  10. BS8848/good practice Safety on expeditions will be ensured by close observance of established good practice/guidance in the conduct of expedition within and beyond the UK; and in the case of expeditions outside the UK by observance of the provisions in BS8848 Specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork, expeditions and adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom.

 


RISK ASSESSMENT FOR EXPEDITIONS

By its very nature an expedition must involve an element of risk. To eliminate or think we can eliminate this would be both unattainable and reckless.  Also to have an expedition without a measure of risk would devalue the experience to a meaningless level.

However it is the responsibility the Brathay Exploration Group Trust to ensure that risk is managed to an acceptable level, and this will be achieved by systematic processes of risk assessment.

This process will involve

 

  • identifying hazards relating to the particular activity, location, personnel etc
  • determining how likely this hazard is to cause harm to the group or individual and what consequences might be
  • where consequences are significant and the risk high the activity will be controlled to either reduce the risk or limit the consequences
  • where this is not possible then the activity may be inappropriate for as part of an expedition or any other part of operations.

 

Leaders on expeditions will asses carefully whether the risk involved is worth it for the potential successful outcome in terms of group and individual development.

The difference between actual risk (be it physical or psychological) and perceived risk must also be recognized.  Adventure can often be provided with a high perceived risk but, where in fact the actual risk is low.

 


Brathay Exploration Group Trust

July 2010