The Inland Waterways Association exists to promote a widely-appreciated and well-maintained network of inland waterways available for the benefit of all. This is achieved through a combination of advocacy, education and physical works. We aim to achieve this without adversely affecting anyone’s health and safety or causing harm to the natural environment.  The Association is committed to protecting the health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable, of its employees, volunteers, members and the wider public when engaged on activities managed or promoted by the Association and its subsidiary companies.

The Association is committed to achieving these specific health and safety aims:

• To prevent accidents and causes of work related ill-health, and to provide adequate control of health and safety risks arising from activities managed or promoted by the Association.
• To provide appropriate training, relevant instruction or supervision by a competent person to ensure employees, volunteers, and members of the Association are able to carry out activities safely.
• To promote and clearly communicate health and safety matters throughout the Association by engaging with employees, volunteers and members using various media including IWA’s website, email, printed documentation and videos.
• To provide equal standards of protection to employees, volunteers and members of the Association.
• To maintain safe and healthy working conditions by making available appropriate safety equipment, and ensuring that all plant, vehicles, tools and equipment owned by the Association and subsidiary companies are in good working order.
• To collect, consult and analyse information on accidents, dangerous incidents and work related ill-health in order to review working practices and take action were practicable to prevent any recurrence.

Whilst engaged in any activity managed or promoted by the Association, employees, volunteers, members and visitors are urged, in their own interest and that of their colleagues, to take reasonable care of their own health & safety and observe the Association’s health and safety procedures. Any matter which those participating in any activity consider may be hazardous to either health or safety must be brought to the notice of their line manager, leader or other responsible person at the earliest opportunity.

Due to the diverse nature of the Association and its activities, each part of the organisation will put in place systems appropriate to the nature of the personnel and the complexity of the activities being carried out. Day to day responsibility for ensuring this policy’s aims are achieved is outlined in the ‘IWA Health & Safety – Roles and Responsibilities’ document.

This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that it remains effective in terms of the organisation’s structure and activities.