MFCS Health & Safety Policy
1. Introduction and scope
Mayfield Festival Choir is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for all those involved in the activities it organises.
This includes but is not limited to: members, staff (including freelance), volunteers and members of the public.
This includes but is not limited to: rehearsals, performances and fundraising events.
2. Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for health and safety sits with the Mayfield Festival Choir Committee.
Practical responsibility for health and safety at events and activities organised by Mayfield Festival Choir sits with the Health & Safety Officer (currently Jane Bolger)
3. Statements of general policy
Mayfield Festival Choir will seek to prevent accidents and cases of ill-health by managing the health and safety at events and activities it organises.
Actions to be taken: relevant risk assessments to be completed for events and activities. Where regular venues are used the risk assessment will be reviewed on an annual basis or sooner if required.
Mayfield Festival Choir will provide clear instructions and information to ensure that members, staff and volunteers are competent to do their work in a healthy and safe manner.
Actions to be taken: tasks performed by members, staff and volunteers to be risk assessed and appropriate instruction to be provided (e.g. preparing and serving hot drinks, erecting staging). (Note 2)
Mayfield Festival Choir will: engage and consult with members, staff and volunteers on health and safety conditions; establish clear lines of communication for members, staff and volunteers to raise health and safety concerns; and have procedures in place to ensure concerns raised are investigated and acted on where appropriate.
Actions to be taken: members, staff and volunteers to be briefed on health and safety risk for new venues/activities and updated on any changes in risks for regular venues/activities.
Mayfield Festival Choir will implement emergency procedures – evacuation in case of fire or other significant incident.
Actions to be taken: ensure at least one individual is responsible for knowing fire procedures for hired venues and for communicating them to those present. (Note 3)
Mayfield Festival Choir will maintain safe and healthy conditions for the transport safe storage of equipment
Actions to be taken: ensure satisfactory health and safety conditions at hired venues and for hired equipment. Ensure that any equipment owned by Mayfield Festival Choir will be stored safely.
4. First Aid
Mayfield Festival Choir will ensure they are aware of First Aid procedures, kits and equipment at hired venues.
Where practical Mayfield Festival Choir will recruit members and volunteers with First Aid experience
Where appropriate (e.g. for larger events) Mayfield Festival Choir will train members or volunteers in First Aid or work with professional First Aid organisations.
5. Sound safety
Mayfield Festival Choir takes the responsibility of protecting the hearing of members, staff, volunteers and audience members seriously. We will:
Ensure there are open lines of communication for individuals to raise concerns about hearing
Take concerns seriously; the Mayfield Festival Choir Committee will work with the individuals to find ways to minimise risk.
Take into account the protection of our audience’s hearing when designing stage and audience layout for performances.
Notes:
This policy has been prepared following the guidance provided by Making Music “How to approach Health & safety” and their “Health & Safety policy template vApril2022
Separate Risk Assessment documentation exists for this.
There is a separate Evacuation Procedure on which the stewards are briefed before all events
Document Last Updated 5th February 2026