We aim to:

• Provide a safe and healthy environment for all participants.
• Prevent accidents, injuries, and work-related ill health.
• Identify and minimise risks associated with performing arts activities.
• Ensure compliance with relevant UK health and safety legislation.
• Promote a culture of safety awareness and responsibility.

YSBD Workshops Ltd will meet its obligations under relevant legislation including:

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013
• Fire Safety Order 2005
• Children Act 1989 & 2004 (where activities involve young people)

This policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary.

Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to:

• All employees of YSBD Workshops Ltd
• Freelance teachers and workshop leaders
• Volunteers and assistants
• Students and participants
• Visiting artists and facilitators
• Parents, guardians, and audience members attending events
• Any venue or location used by YSBD Workshops Ltd for activities

The policy covers:

• Classes
• Workshops
• Rehearsals
• Performances
• Public events
• Off-site trips and performances
• Administrative activities

Organisation and Responsibilities

Directors / Senior Management

The directors of YSBD Workshops Ltd hold overall responsibility for health and safety within the organisation.

• They are responsible for:
• Ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation.
• Developing, implementing, and reviewing the health and safety policy.
• Ensuring suitable risk assessments are carried out.
• Providing appropriate awareness, information, and supervision.
• Ensuring safe equipment and facilities are provided.
• Maintaining appropriate insurance cover.
• Investigating accidents and incidents where necessary.
• Ensuring safeguarding responsibilities are upheld.

Workshop Leaders / Teachers / Staff

All staff, workshop leaders, and freelance practitioners must:

• Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others.
• Follow all health and safety procedures and guidelines.
• Conduct activities in a safe and responsible manner.
• Ensure participants understand safety instructions.
• Carry out warm-up and cool-down exercises where physical activity is involved.
• Ensure rehearsal and workshop spaces are safe before activities begin.
• Report hazards, accidents, near misses, or unsafe conditions immediately.
• Ensure equipment and props are used safely.

Volunteers and Assistants

Volunteers and assistants are responsible for:

• Following instructions from staff or management.
• Helping maintain safe working environments.
• Reporting hazards or incidents to workshop leaders.

Students and Participants

Students and participants are expected to:

• Follow instructions given by staff and workshop leaders.
• Behave responsibly and respectfully.
• Use equipment safely and appropriately.
• Wear suitable clothing and footwear.
• Inform staff of any injuries, medical conditions, or discomfort during activities.

YSBD Workshops Ltd. are committed to the health and safety of everyone involved at YSBD Theatre Academy.

Risk Assessment

The Parish Rooms and Nevill Road Junior School are responsible for the building maintenance, maintenance of safety appliances such as fire extinguishers, electrical safety, maintenance of toilet and kitchen areas, maintenance of heating systems and general cleaning of the facilities.

Even though The Parish Rooms and Nevill Road Junior School carry their own risk assessment, YSBD Workshops Ltd. have their own risk assessment of The Parish Rooms and Nevill Road Junior School. A risk assessment is carried out weekly by the Principal or a designated member of staff (overlooked by the Principal) before the arrival of parents, students and staff.

If staff are aware of any issues that they consider a risk they should immediately inform the principal who will notify The Parish Rooms and Nevill Road Junior School.

YSBD Workshops Ltd. will ensure that classes are of a size appropriate to the levels and techniques being taught and the space being used. Students in each class will be of compatible age and/or standard.

YSBD Workshops Ltd. will be aware of developments in Child Protection legislation and undertake Criminal Records Bureau enhanced disclosure as required.

Fire

YSBD Workshops Ltd. will ensure that all fire regulations are displayed clearly and adhered to. The Academy will have a fire drill once every year to ensure both students and staff know the procedure in case of an emergency. Fire evacuation drills are arranged by the Principal and records of the evacuation time will be kept. The Principal, or in her absence a member of staff, will complete a roll call and liaise with Fire Service personnel.

YSBD Workshops Ltd. will ensure that the Fire assembly points are clearly sign posted and all employees are made aware of the correct location to go to in the event of an evacuation. This information is posted around the building and is included in employee inductions.

First Aid and Accident / Injury Reporting Procedures

YSBD Workshops Ltd. have designated members of staff who are qualified in Emergency First Aid at Work and Pediatrics First Aid.

Our schools first aid certificate holders are:

• Hannah Curran (Principal)
• Amy Goodwin (Vice Principal)
• Elaine Davies (Teacher)
• Alicia Fowler (Teacher)
• Courtney Henderson (Teacher)
• Grace Rider (Assistant)
• Gaynor Goodwin (Staff)

In the case of an injury first aid boxes with basic supplies are available.

First aid boxes are checked on a regular basis by the Principal and where necessary the contents replenished. The minimum legal provision of a suitably stocked first aid box will always be met.

All staff will be made aware of the location of the first aid boxes and equipment each week.

YSBD Workshops Ltd. will ensure that the correct medical assistance will be carried out, dependent on the extent of the injury.  A minor injury may be looked at by our First Aider but if the injury is major than the emergency services will be called too.

If the injured person has been checked by the first aider, and given permission to move by the appropriately qualified member, they may be escorted to receive medical treatment. Parents will be notified if their child is injured no matter what the extent of the injury.  Accidents will be recorded in our Accident report book located in the main reception area. When the reception is closed it will be located in the main hall.

Where the Local Authority requires notification the Principal will complete the necessary forms online at www.riddor.gov.uk within the required timescale.

The list of ‘specified injuries’ in RIDDOR 2013 replaces the previous list of ‘major injuries’ in RIDDOR 1995. Specified injuries are (regulation 4):

• fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
• amputations
• any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight
• any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
• serious burns (including scalding) which:
  • covers more than 10% of the body
  • causes significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs
• any scalping requiring hospital treatment
• any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
• any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which:
  • leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness
  • requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

Accidents involving students shall also be reported to their parent or legal guardian. The First Aider who has attended the incident should complete the Student Accident Form and pass it to the Principal. The relevant YSBD team member will ensure that the original copy of the form is forwarded to the parent/legal guardian of the child/young person in question and a copy kept on file.

If a student needs to be taken to hospital YSBD Workshops Ltd. will ensure they are accompanied by their parent/guardian. Where this is not immediately possible, a qualified first aider will attend and the parent/guardian will be immediately notified.

Parents are required to fill in our Medical/Health form as soon as they begin to receive any service from YSBD Theatre Academy. It is their responsibility to make sure they inform the Principal if any medical/health issues change.

Slips, Trips, and Physical Injury Prevention

Due to the physical nature of performing arts activities, extra precautions are required.

Measures include:

• Keeping floors clean and free of obstacles.
• Ensuring adequate lighting in rehearsal spaces.
• Removing hazards such as loose cables or equipment.
• Cleaning spills immediately.
• Ensuring participants wear suitable footwear.
• Ensuring warm-up exercises are carried out before strenuous activity.

Infection Control and Hygiene

To reduce the spread of illness:

• Participants should avoid attending sessions if experiencing contagious illness.
• Hand hygiene should be encouraged.
• Shared equipment should be cleaned where necessary.
• Adequate ventilation should be maintained in workshop spaces.

Safeguarding and Welfare

YSBD Workshops Ltd is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable individuals participating in activities.

Key safeguarding measures include:

• Adhering to safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Ensuring appropriate supervision ratios for children.
• Reporting any safeguarding concerns to the designated safeguarding lead.
• Maintaining professional boundaries between staff and participants.

Safeguarding procedures operate alongside this health and safety policy.

Mental Health

At YSBD Workshops Ltd, the mental health and well-being of our students and staff are a top priority. We are dedicated to fostering a safe, supportive, and positive environment where everyone can flourish. To uphold this commitment, we focus on:

• Creating an atmosphere where students and staff feel comfortable expressing concerns.
• Supporting children in forming meaningful friendships and social connections.
• Encouraging healthy body awareness and positive self-image.
• Identifying and responding to early signs of mental health challenges.
• Maintaining a warm, nurturing, and secure environment for all.

Our schools mental health first aiders are:

• Hannah Curran (Principal)
• Laura Pendlebury (Staff)

Mental Health and Wellbeing Procedures operate alongside this health and safety policy.

Parental Responsibility

Parents/Carers have the prime responsibility for their child’s health and must provide schools with all necessary information about their child’s medical condition, obtaining details from the GP or paediatrician if needed.

Ideally it is preferable that parents/carers, or their nominee, administer medicines to their children; this could be achieved by the young person going home during a suitable break or the parent/carer visiting YSBD Workshops Ltd.  However, on some occasions, this may not be appropriate.  In such cases, parents/carers can submit a request for medicine to be administered to the young person at YSBD. All requests must be submitted in writing to the principal, prior to the medication needing to be administered. Each request for medicine to be administered to a young person in school will be considered on its merits.  Where it is thought necessary for medicines to be administered in school, the Principal and First Aiders will ensure that this school policy and guidelines are followed carefully.  All staff will be made aware of the school policy and practices with respect to administering medicines.

The written request from the parent/carer, must give clear instructions regarding required dosage, timings and storage of medications.  A doctor’s (or Health Professional’s) note must also be received stating that it is necessary for the medicine to be administered during school hours.  The YSBD standard request form must be completed by the parent/carer on each occasion that a request is made for prescribed medicine to be administered.  This request will be reviewed termly.

School’s Responsibility

There is no legal duty that requires school staff to administer medicines. However, all staff have a common law duty of care to act like any reasonable prudent parent.  Where necessary, members of staff will only administer medication once they have received appropriate training and support from parents or health professionals where necessary. YSBD Workshops Ltd will ensure that there are robust systems in place to manage medicines safety.

Prescribed Medicines

The school will only accept medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor, dentist or nurse prescriber.  Medicines must always be provided in the original container as dispensed by a pharmacist and include the prescribers instructions for administration.  YSBD Workshops Ltd. will never accept medicines that have been taken out of the container as originally dispensed nor make changes to dosage on parent’s/carer’s instructions.    Ideally if medicines are prescribed in dose frequencies which enable it to be taken outside school hours, parents/carers will be encouraged to ask their prescriber about this.

Non- Prescribed Medicines

Staff will never give a non-prescribed medicine to a young person unless there is a specific prior written agreement from parents/carers which is also accompanied by a doctor’s (or Health Professional’s) note for medicine to be administered during school hours.  For example, if a young person suffers from frequent or acute pain, or other ongoing symptoms, the parents/carers should be encouraged to refer the matter to their GP.

Electrical safety

YSBD Workshops Ltd will ensue that all portable electrical appliances are checked on an annual basis for electrical safety by the correct personnel.

YSBD Workshops Ltd will ensure that all electrical appliances are marked clearly stating they have passed the required tests and are safe to use. Only appliances that have been checked and have passed will be use at YSBD premises.

Premises safety

Anyone wishing to enter the premises must be escorted by a member of staff.

Any unidentified person seen on the premises must be reported to the Principal or staff immediately.

YSBD Workshops Ltd will only use qualified personnel and engage in safe practice.

YSBD Workshops Ltd has Public Liability Insurance and Employers Liability (where applicable). Insurance documentation will be reviewed annually.

YSBD Workshops Ltd has a Lockdown Procedure in the event of an emergency.

YSBD Workshops Ltd will only use premises that have been risk assessed and qualify with our health and safety procedures.

Equipment and Props

YSBD Workshops Ltd will ensure that all equipment used in workshops and performances is safe.

Procedures include:

• Regular inspection of equipment and props.
• Ensuring equipment is used only for its intended purpose.
• Safe storage of equipment when not in use.
• Immediate removal of damaged or unsafe items.

Examples include:

• Dance mats
• Stage props
• Set pieces
• Costume accessories
• Technical equipment

Monitoring and Review

The Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed:

• Annually
• Following significant incidents
• When organisational activities change
• When legislation changes

Staff and facilitators will be informed of any updates.

Policy Approval

This Health and Safety Policy has been approved by the management of YSBD Workshops Ltd.

Signed: H.Curran

Name: Hannah Curran (YSBD Company Director)

Date: January 2026

Next Review Date: January 2027