What is it?
The Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST) has established a new service providing the Scottish theatre industry with competent and professional health and safety advice. FST has employed a dedicated H&S Advisor with the aim of helping organisations to:

1. Keep people safe and healthy
2. Meet legal obligations
3. Meet standards of good management and governance practice
4. Develop a positive health and safety culture

The Advisor will also ensure that the interests of FST members are represented at a national level through activities such as:

• Working with Local Authorities to ensure consistency of enforcement, particularly in relation to touring productions.
• Working with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure the industry’s needs are considered in the development of new legislation, codes of practice and guidance.

What services are available?
FST will be providing a wide range of training and development opportunities for the industry. During 2008/09 this will include IOSH Managing Safely, the nationally accredited training course for managers and supervisors, and free regional surgeries where members can share issues and solutions with the Advisor. From 2009 onwards, FST will also be running a development project to build health and safety capacity within the industry. This will involve training and mentoring people from within the industry to become H&S professionals and expanding the services that can be provided to members.

FST will also develop an on-line H&S advice centre providing industry specific H&S news, advice and guidance to members.

Organisations can also choose from a number of professional services to help them individually:

• Management Systems – Designed for larger organisations having a greater need for ongoing support, this is a long term partnership with the Advisor to work with your organisation on a regular, planned basis to develop and implement robust systems for the ongoing management of health and safety and provide ongoing support on an ‘on call’ basis.
• Health Check – Aimed at the smaller or less complex organisation with less capacity for resourcing an ongoing support arrangement, this consists of an independent audit to review the management of health and safety in an organisation and provides a written report with recommendations for improvement. Further support to carry out these recommendations can then be obtained through the General Consultancy arrangements if required.
• General Consultancy –a demand-led service where an organisation can employ the advisor on a daily basis to address any aspect of health and safety management for them.

How much does it cost?
For FST Members
Representation and the regional surgeries will be delivered as part of the FST membership services, i.e. at no extra cost to members.

Training courses are offered at the members’ day rate. Reductions are available for multi-day courses, block bookings providing a venue. Please contact the Training Officer for further details: Kirsty Bichan e kirsty.bichan@scottishtheatre.org t 0131 220 6393 Professional services are offered at the members’ day. To take advantage of these,
please contact the H&S Advisor: Euan Turner e euan.turner@scottishtheatre.org t 07854 915874

The table overleaf outlines the range of services available. The Health and Safety Advisor will be happy to discuss your organisation’s specific requirements with you. These services are also available to non-members – for availability and rates please contact the FST office: e fst@scottishtheatre.org t 0131 220 6393

For non Members
All of these services are also available to non members. For availability and rates, please contact the Health and Safety Advisor: Euan Turner e euan.turner@scottishtheatre.org t 07854 915874