It is the policy of Youth Venture Project, to provide and maintain a safe and healthy environment in accordance with Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 regulations. We shall conduct our business, as far as is reasonably practicable, in such a manner as not to expose persons to any risks that may affect their safety or well being.
Specifically we shall provide and maintain:
- Safe systems and practices
- Safe equipment
- Sufficient information, induction, training and supervision to ensure that leaders, volunteers and participants avoid all hazards and contribute positively to their own health, well being and that of others who may be affected by their practices
- Personal Protective Equipment as necessary
- Hazard identification and risk assessments to eliminate or reduce all risks to a persons safety health and well being
- Information on chemicals and dangerous substances and where possible eliminate the use for dangerous or hazardous substances
- An Emergency Action Plan in which all relevant employees are trained so that any emergency is dealt with in a timely and efficient manner resulting in the best possible outcome.
- Procedures for dealing with and reporting any accident that may occur
Safety Officer
YVP has appointed a Safety Officer. The Safety Officer is Robert Hedderman and he may be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 086 313 4422. The roles and responsibilities of the Safety Officer include;
- Advising on all aspects of Health & Safety Fire Safety and Environmental Protection.
- To inspect any equipment and locations in advance of any activity,
- To receive reports of and investigate incidents,
- Organising training in the management and promotion of all Health & Safety, Fire and Environmental Protection aspects. Specific examples include training in manual handling, visual display unit use, basic fire safety, emergency procedures and risk assessment methods.
- To liaise with the Health and Safety Authority inspector.
- To accompany the Health and Safety Authority inspector if the inspector agrees.
- They bring any concerns of leaders, volunteers or participants to the Chief Executive or the Health and Safety Authority.
Responsibility to Report Incidents
Any person becoming aware of unsafe working practices, unsafe equipment or working conditions should report these to the Safety Officer. In the event of an accident the Safety Officer will be notified immediately and an Incident Report Form will be completed.
Leader / Volunteer / Participant Co-operation
All leaders, volunteers, participants and other adults involved in YVP activities are expected to co-operate with all aspects of the Youth Venture Project Health & Safety Statement. Every individual has a personal responsibility to work safely and co-operate with the management in providing a safe environment.
This is a legal requirement. Section 9 of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 sets out the general duties of employees (YVP leaders and volunteers), as follows:
- It shall be the duty of every employee while at work
- to take reasonable care for their own safety, health and welfare and that of any other person who may be affected by their acts or omissions while at work
- to co-operate with their employer and any other person to such extent as will enable their employer or the other person(s) to comply with any of the relevant statutory provisions
- to use in such manner so as to provide the protection intended, any suitable appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided (whether for their use alone or for use by them in common with others) for securing their safety, health or welfare while at work
- to report to their employer or their immediate supervisor, without unreasonable delay, any defects in plant, equipment, place of work or system of work, which might endanger safety, health or welfare, of which they become aware.
- No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse any appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions or otherwise, for securing the safety, health or welfare of persons arising out of work activities
Training / Qualifications
It is a requirement that those who conduct activities have the appropriate training, expertise, accreditation, authorisation, and where appropriate, qualifications to do so.
Group Leaders
The Group Leader must remain on site whilst their group are under instruction from centre staff. They should have in their possession all documentation referring to names, addresses and home contact details of the group under instruction.
Identification of Hazards
- Slips, Trips and Falls; Risk: HIGH
- Control Measures: A fully stocked medical bag and qualified first aider will accompany participants on all expeditions. Emergency communications will be maintained by mobile phone and radio.The medical bag will contain (at a minimum) the following items:
- CPR Filtershield, sterile trauma pads, nitrile examination gloves, antimicrobial hand wipes, and bio-hazard waste bag
- digital thermometer, EMT shears, splinter-picker tweezers, duct tape, safety pins, pain relievers, antihistamine
- sterile dressings, bandages, wound-cleansing irrigation syringe, povidone iodine solution, ticture of benzoin, antibacterial ointment, moleskin, aloe vera gel
- splint, elastic bandage, triangle bandage
- bivi bag, collapsible stretcher
- Control Measures: A fully stocked medical bag and qualified first aider will accompany participants on all expeditions. Emergency communications will be maintained by mobile phone and radio.The medical bag will contain (at a minimum) the following items:
- Fire; Risk: LOW
- Control Measures: The YVP Code of Conduct prohibits the lighting of fires. Fire will only be used to heat food and only after sufficient instruction has been given on the safe use of the cooking equipment. A fire extinguisher and person qualified to use it will be present at all times.
- Manual Handling; Risk: LOW
- Control Measures: All Leaders will complete an manual handling course and renew this qualification as required by the Health & Safety Authority.
- Use of hazardous equipment; Risk: LOW
- Control Measures: Participants will be supervised at all times when using any hazardous equipment. Examples of hazardous equipment that may be used includes ropes, knives, plastic sheeting.
- Drowning due to working at/near rivers, dams, lakes, estuaries and seas; Risk: LOW
- Control Measures: Leaders, Volunteers or Participants will not enter water of any kind that is deeper than knee height.
- Exposure to inclement weather; Risk: MEDIUM
- Control Measures: Leaders are responsible for monitoring weather forecasts. Protective equipment and sleeping systems suitable for the worst conditions are to be brought on each expedition. The medical bag will include thermal blankets and survival bags. A transport plan to remove participants from an activity location due to weather will be prepared in advance of any expedition.
- Lack of emergency procedures; Risk: LOW
- Control Measures: This document identifies specific risks and precautions taken. In addition the Safety Officer will approve an Emergency Action Plan for each new activity or activity location YVP uses.
- Lack of Knowledge of Prior Medical Conditions; Risk: HIGH
- Control Measures: All participants will return a completed Consent Form to YVP in advance of an expedition. This form requires any medical conditions, medications, allergies or dietary requirements to be stated. In addition a medical bag will be carried on all expeditions; a person qualified in first aid will be present at all times; and emergency communications will be maintained.
- Walking late at night or in low light levels; Risk: MEDIUM
- Control Measures: All leaders, volunteers and participants are required to have torches with them at all times (See What To Bring).To reduce the risk of eye-injury from branches while moving around amongst trees in the dark, camp site location will be cleared of hazards up to eye-level. A perimeter will be marked by rope and movement will be restricted to a single path.
- Deer culling; Risk: HIGH
- Control Measures: Deer numbers in Coillte Forests are controlled by shooting, often at dusk and dawn, from 1 September to 28 February. Therefore if camping is during this period the leaders must seek permission from Coillte. In general activities will not be planned from the month of October until February.
Emergency Plans
In case of emergency the following precautions will be taken:
- Volunteers/leaders should carry mobile phones in addition to any radio communications on all activities. However, it can happen if there is an emergency that the mobile phone may not work due to poor reception. Therefore, the reliance on a phone should never replace the skill and competencies required for such activities.
- A person qualified in First Aid (Minimum standard: Occupational First Aid) will accompany each expedition.
- For overnight activities a vehicle will be located close to the camp site to facilitate extraction of participants due to minor injury's or deteriorating weather.
- Specific Emergency Action Plans will be prepared for each overnight location and all activities. These plans will be approved by the Safety Officer and will be carried by leaders on all expeditions.
Youth Venture Project is fully compliant with all the conditions of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Applications) Regulations, 2007.
This statement will be reviewed on a yearly basis (Annual General Meeting) and updated as necessary.
