Health and Safety

Health & Safety policy
Risk Assessments
Safeguarding young people from harm
'A Guide for Group Leaders - Safeguarding young people from harm'
Safe and secure
Leader rooms

Health & Safety policy

YHA takes the health, safety and welfare of all customers, staff, volunteers and others who may be affected by our business very seriously. We are committed to making continuous improvements to the arrangements of Health and Safety.

As a minimum, we provide comfortable beds, a good standard of facilities, catering arrangements, written safety information (including fire and first aid), policy information and full risk assessments on all accommodation.

Before you and your group stay with YHA, it is important for you to familiarise yourself with the accommodation arrangements and meet the staff. For every full-board booking made by a group, the centre of your choice will always offer you a FREE bed and breakfast ‘planning visit' for up to two people (subject to availability) prior to your stay.

Risk Assessments

We apply a Quality Safety Audit (QSA) approach to our Health and Safety Management System, which defines how we meet our statutory responsibilities for risk management. This information is summarised and available for you as a ‘Group Risk Management' document (risk assessment).

The Group Risk Management document clearly defines our policies, procedures and practices. For example, it defines how we risk assess every task/job function, provide a safe and secure site through robust inspection, maintain a Safeguarding Policy which is available to you as a ‘Guide for Group Leaders', provide first aid cover, provide health and safety training to staff, work with group leaders and how we report concerns. As the document outlines our policies and practices, you can request specific information as necessary such as our YHA Safety Policy.

Click here to download the document. Alternatively, for a paper copy please contact us

Safeguarding young people from harm

The YHA Safeguarding Policy is maintained and continually under review by our Designated Child Protection Officer. It is their responsibility to ensure that all staff are trained and aware of our safeguarding procedures. We work very closely with the NSPCC and Local Safeguarding Board, to ensure that our safeguarding policy and practice is up to date.

All individuals working with, or having regular contact with young people are checked with enhanced disclosure through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). However, we recognise the requirement to adhere to The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and have aligned our recruitment practices to the ‘Independent Safeguarding Authority' standards and expectations.

'A Guide for Group Leaders - Safeguarding young people from harm'

In order to outline YHA's responsibilities we have created ‘A Guide for Group Leaders - Safeguarding young people from harm'. Click here to download the guide. Alternatively, for a paper copy please contact us.

Safe and secure

YHA will take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety and security of your group and property. YHA staff are trained in, and capable of, handling emergency situations. A member of staff will be available during centre opening hours and at night to help with emergencies.

We operate strict closedown procedures and fire security checks every night. Your group leader will have access to a telephone at all times. The centre manager will brief the group leaders on safety and security both upon arrival and during their stay.

PLEASE NOTE: YHA staff cannot act 'in loco parentis', responsibility for the group rests with group leaders.

For school and youth groups there must be one adult leader of each sex if it is a mixed party, in a ratio of at least 1:15 (YHA recommends 1:10). For school groups YHA accepts teaching assistants, parents or guardians as sub-leaders, where there is a qualified leader assigned to each sex.

We advise that you also check the leader ratios suggested by your Outdoor Education Advisor.

Leader rooms

As a group you will be allocated dedicated bedrooms and will not be expected to share with other customers. If your group comprises of children under 18, your group leaders and any other accompanying adults (including coach drivers), will be allocated separate rooms from the children. These rooms will be located as close as possible to the group to allow effective supervision.