Charities that are employers have a duty of care to ensure volunteers can work in a safe and suitable environment and that they have the proper training or equipment to carry out their duties.
When volunteering for an organisation without employees, civil law will apply. Voluntary organisations and individual volunteers have a duty of care to each other and the beneficiaries in their care. If there is a breach, individuals can sue for damages under civil law due to illness or injury caused by the negligence of the organisation or other volunteers.
- Write a health and safety policy (legally required if you have 5 or more employees)
- Include volunteers in risk assessments (also legally required to be written if you have 5 or more employees). Risk assessments provide a mechanism to manage risk with controls proportionate to those risks. It will not eliminate the risk entirely. Many will be straightforward, like slips and trips, but working at height, construction, lone working or using machinery are high-risk activities. They may require a separate policy or risk controls. HSE provide advice and templates on this here.
- Consult with volunteers on health and safety issues- Include the same level of protection for employees and volunteers carrying out identical or similar activities
- Ensure volunteers can do the activities required and are properly informed, trained and equipped to carry out those tasks
- Monitor and record accidents- Take out appropriate insurance covers such as public or employer’s liability and any other insurance depending on activity and organisation structure
.- Check your responsibilities under RIDDOR 2013 to report certain incidents as an employer or person in control of work premises which are further detailed in HSE’s manual.