In the UK, 750,000 people work in the voluntary sector and approximately 15.2 million people volunteer at least once a month. When working with that many people accidents can happen and charities need to make sure they are prepared for when incidents are reported.
When employees of third sector organisations work outside or in dangerous situations – such as Save the Children delivering aid in war-torn countries – it is key that precautions are taken to mitigate the potential of a claim. Below are some top tips:
1) Provide regular company training
Due to the nature of their work, we often see charities working in temporary workspaces rather than a formal office environment. Health and safety is equally as important in this type of environment as it is in an office.
While most charities offer health and safety training to help prevent workplace casualties, many don’t provide staff with refresher courses, which are essential to minimising accidents. Charities of all sizes need to keep staff and volunteeers up-to-date with their training and provide refresher courses to prevent accidents. A lack of understanding on behalf of employees or volunteers is one of the main reasons why workplace casualties occur.
2) Take extra precautions during summer charity events
Research from Zurich has found that the number of casualties claims from our charity customers increases in the month of July. This is important for leisure-based charities who have increased footfall during the summer months which can potentially lead to more incidents. Charities in this area must be sure to reasonably adjust their procedures to accommodate this.
3) Make sure you have the correct cover to protect your organisation
With a variety of insurance covers including public and products liability, employers’ liability, libel and slander, professional negligence, personal accident and travel insurance, it is essential that organisation’s have the correct type of insurance to protect them.
4) What charities should do in the event of a liability claim
Liability claims must be put forward in writing from the claimant or their representative. As soon as the organisation is aware of a loss that could lead to a claim, they should be looking at preserving records such as inspection and maintenance documents, any available CCTV or telephone recordings, and any photos and the accident report. Once an organisation has received a claim in writing, they should forward the letter of claim to their insurer with records mentioned above. If the records aren’t instantly available – forward them as soon as they are.
5) What claimants should do in the event of a liability claim
On the other hand – those who have experienced an accident while working or volunteering at a charity will need to write a letter or fill out a claim form. The letter or form will need to include the name, contact details and date of birth of the charity worker or volunteer, along with the charity’s contact details. Similarly, those involved in an incident with a charity that has caused any damage to property should provide the charity with a cost estimate for the repair or replacement. In addition, the claimant should state why they believe the charity is at fault.
6) When making a claim, be sure to have the relevant documents to hand
For charities, there are a variety of documents that can help ease the process of making a claim. According to experts at Zurich, third sector organisations must be sure to provide their overarching policy for the charity premises regarding maintenance, repairs and risk assessments.
Charities involved in a claim will also need to provide the inspection, maintenance, repairs and complaint records for the last 12 months prior to the incident. Likewise, if a social or voluntary organisation has a defect relating to the incident, details and dimensions of the defect will need to be provided.
Other documents which will assist the process include: an accident book, accident report form, first aiders report, any minutes of health and safety committee meetings, and any pre or post-accident risk assessments carried out. If an organisation experiences an employers’ liability claim, they will also need to produce: a RIDDOR report, details of any earnings for 13 weeks before the incident, any recent periods of absence from the employee, and the employee’s training records.
Employee and public casualties are a tragedy for any charity, however by preparing for incidents and gathering the information outlined above, the stress of the claims process for both charities and claimants can be eased.
For more information on insurance and risk management visit Zurich’s charity and community webpage.
Content on this page is paid for and provided by Zurich Insurance sponsor of the Guardian Voluntary Sector Network’s Charity Leadership hub.
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