Health Safety & Security

A child with a wooden rocking seat shaped like a lion.

  • Child safety and building security

    Always be alert to the safety of young children in the building. Challenge anyone you find in a non-public area without explanation, or who is not wearing a lanyard. When doing so, bring a colleague with you whenever possible.

    Lanyards

    Wear your lanyard at all times in the building.

    Securing valuables and storage

    Keep storage areas locked when not in use, and store valuable items in locked cupboards or offices wherever possible. Be vigilant against theft at all times.

    Note that under the company’s insurance policy, theft is only covered if there has been forced or violent entry — opportunistic “walk-in” theft is not covered.

  • Closing time

    The building closes to the public at 5pm, when front-of-house lights are switched off. Most staff leave between 5–6pm.

    Leaving late

    If you need to stay past closing, you must arrange this in advance. A trained keyholder must be present — someone with training in locking up and fire procedures — if you are staying later than the Duty Manager.

    When leaving late, exit through the shop using the door on the right, and make sure it is fully closed and locked behind you. This door cannot be opened from the outside, so if you need to re-enter, make sure you have a contact number for someone inside who can let you back in.

    Working alone

    If you are on site alone at any point, you must have read the Lone Working section of the Health and Safety Policy and signed the agreement.

  • Your responsibilities

    Under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), you are legally responsible for your own safety and that of those around you. This means following all instructional notices in the building and being familiar with the regulations that apply to your specific working area.

    Who is responsible for what

    Heads of Department are responsible for creating and maintaining up-to-date safety rules for their area and sharing relevant information with their teams. Each area has a designated Safety Officer:

    • All public areas — Head of Operations (Woonie Chan)
    • Production, backstage and stage-risk areas — Head of Production (Adam Crosthwaite)
    • Clore Learning Studio — Director of Creative Learning (Polly Simmonds)

    Reporting building hazards

    If you spot a safety hazard caused by damage, poor design or lack of maintenance — whether to the building itself, fixtures or fittings — report it to the Head of Operations as soon as possible.

    Electrical equipment

    All mains electrical equipment must be of an approved type, used only for its intended purpose, fitted with the correct fuse, and have a plug with shrouded live and neutral pins conforming to BS1363A. A qualified person must conduct inspection and maintenance. Any equipment brought onto the premises must be inspected and approved by the Head of Production.

    Hazardous tools and substances

    If your work involves power tools or hazardous substances, make sure you are familiar with the relevant safety guidelines and meet their requirements.

    Accidents

    If you have an accident, report it to the Head of Operations and record it in the Accident Book, kept in the Visitor Services Office.

  • Knowing the procedures

    Read the general evacuation procedure and the guidelines specific to your area. Familiarise yourself with the locations of fire extinguishers, alarm points and fire exits. All team members take part in regular fire drills; Visitor Services team members are also walked through the drill procedure before each performance.

    Incident Chief

    In any emergency, a senior member of the operations team is designated as Incident Chief. Follow their instructions at all times.

    If you discover a fire

    Break the glass at the nearest alarm point to activate the alarm. Only attempt to fight the fire if you have been trained in using fire extinguishers and are confident the fire is small enough to tackle. Contact the Box Office immediately to inform the Primary Responder of the details.

    Fire alarm

    You will always be given advance notice of a planned fire alarm test. If the alarm sounds and it is not a test, evacuate immediately:

    1. Close all windows and doors in your area and switch off electrical appliances
    2. Leave by the nearest safe exit
    3. Go to the staff assembly point at the Garden of Trinity Church
    4. Wait for the roll call and follow all instructions from the Incident Chief, Primary Responder and Emergency Services
    5. Do not re-enter the building until the Incident Chief explicitly says it is safe to do so