Health and Safety

Welfare of visitors

Safeguarding

Pendarren House follows Haringey Local Safeguarding Children's Partnership guidance.

All the instructors are qualified first aiders and have attended a 16 hour first aid course as a minimum, which is appropriate for delivering adventurous activities.

All staff have enhanced checks with the DBS and are qualified first aiders.

Activities

The Centre has experienced and qualified instructors who will lead you through the various risk-assessed activities. Your safety is a priority for us.

Pendarren House is regularly inspected by government inspectors for the Adventure Activities Licensing Scheme (AALS), part of HSE, as well as Haringey Council’s Health and Safety Team. These inspections are to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect clients and staff. These teams check documents such as risk assessments and observe sessions to check that safe working practices are in place and are being adhered to, and the safety systems are working effectively.

We hold the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge and Adventuremark accreditation

Instructors hold the relevant National Governing Body (NGB) qualification for the activity or are assessed on a site specific basis by our Technical Adviser.

Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALS)

Pendarren House Outdoor Education Centre is registered with The Adventure Activities Licensing Service as licensed to provide specific climbing, caving, trekking and watersports activities. These are:

• Caving
• Hill walking & mountaineering
• Abseiling
• Rock climbing
• Gorge Scrambling
• Sea level traversing
• Canoeing
• Kayaking
• Improvised rafting

Details can be checked on the Adventure Activities Licensing Service website, license number L10583.

Other activities on offer are not in the scope of AALS, but all activities are subject to risk assessments which are taken into consideration when reviewing Pendarren House's safe working practices.

The numerous risk assessment documents are working documents and it is Pendarren House's policy not to email them out, partly due to their size. They are available for group leaders to view should they wish. Activity equipment is in good condition, subject to regular inspections and is well maintained.

Although Pendarren makes great effort to minimise risk there is some inherent risk in all activities that cannot be entirely eliminated.

Catering

Pendarren has a 5 star rating from the Food Hygiene authority. The catering team can provide nutritious meals for a variety of clientele and have experience of dealing with a wide variety of requests e.g. for religious, cultural and medical reasons.

Catering staff hold Level 2 or 3 Food Safety certificates and have undertaken allergen training. Please notify us in advance of any dietary requirements so the menu can be adjusted accordingly. There is always a vegetarian option.