Whether it’s a young intern learning the ropes or an older person helping out in their spare time, volunteers play a vital role in the workplace. A good volunteering relationship is a win-win, providing an extra pair of hands for the business and valuable experience for the volunteer.
When it comes to health and safety, though, volunteers can be challenging. Many employers are unsure of their obligations, and this can lead to vital precautions being overlooked. To mark Volunteers’ Week 2024, here’s a look at what the law says about H&S for volunteers, and the steps you can take to keep them safe.
What does the law say about volunteer health and safety?
Every employer has a general set of obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. As well as protecting your employees, this law states that you must do everything “reasonably practicable” to ensure the safety of volunteers, members of the public and anyone else who could be harmed by your work. It also requires you to provide the necessary information to allow volunteers to perform their duties safely.
The other relevant piece of legislation is the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This makes it mandatory to carry out a risk assessment for any potentially dangerous activity, taking into account anyone who could be at risk. This includes volunteers and members of the public as well as employees.
It’s worth noting that H&S law doesn’t apply to volunteers with no employer. An example of this would be a self-organised community litter picking group. Since these volunteers don’t report to anyone, they are responsible for their own safety.
How can I keep volunteers safe?
While most volunteering roles are low-risk, some can involve greater danger. Depending on your business, a volunteer’s duties may include working at height, lifting heavy objects, operating machinery or working alone, all of which require specific safety measures.
As a general rule, you should provide volunteers with the same level of protection as employees when carrying out these tasks. If your risk assessment recommends a safety precaution, it should apply to both volunteers and employees. If your risk assessment has led to the creation of a safe system of work, this should also apply to everyone.
However, there may be times when standard precautions aren’t enough to keep volunteers safe. If volunteers are elderly or disabled, young or inexperienced, or have received less training than employees, your risk assessment should make special provisions for them.
These could include:
- Ensuring that elderly volunteers aren’t expected to work at height or lift heavy objects
- Making sure that volunteers are always supervised by experienced employees
- Providing a full induction session for volunteers before they start work.
Don’t forget the basics
Even if volunteers aren’t carrying out high-risk tasks, their lack of familiarity with the workplace can leave them vulnerable. Make sure that all volunteers are familiar with your building’s GEEP (General Emergency Evacuation Plan), including evacuation routes, fire exits and assembly points. If a volunteer is unable to follow this plan because they are elderly or disabled, ensure that a PEEP (Personalised Emergency Evacuation Plan) has been drawn up for them
First aid is another area to consider. Check that volunteers know the locations of first aid kits and who’s in charge of first aid on the premises. If they have any special first aid needs, make sure that first-aiders are aware of these.
Finally, ensure that volunteers can access your business’s health and safety policy, and that they feel comfortable asking for clarification if they are unsure of anything.
Do I need to report accidents involving volunteers?
Under RIDDOR, certain accidents and injuries need to be reported to the HSE. These rules are less strict when it comes to volunteers, but they still apply in some cases. Incidents involving volunteers must be reported if they result in a fatality or require immediate hospital treatment. Other injuries don’t need to be reported, even if they lead to an absence of seven days or more.
Here to help
These are the basics, but there’s plenty we haven’t covered. Volunteers are a broad category, and best practice can vary greatly depending on the situation. If you have any questions about keeping volunteers safe, or about any other aspect of workplace health and safety, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
