Review Date: 1/7/19
Policy owner: Ken Bate
Actual Review Date:

Health and Safety Policy Statement

In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the company has prepared this Health and Safety Policy Statement of Intent, which is detailed below.
The company displays its Statement of Intent in a prominent position so that it can be viewed and referred to by its employees, customers, suppliers and others who deal with the business.
This statement and policy are signed by the Managing Director of Ken Bate Associates Limited, who is committed to provide and maintain a working environment which, so far as is reasonably practicable, is safe and without risk to health.

Statement of Intent

Ken Bate Associates Limited supports and encourages the promotion of Health and Safety measures in its workplace. The company intends to maintain a safe and healthy working environment, ensuring that unacceptable risks arising as a consequence of workplace activities are controlled. Ken Bate Associates Limited considers these to be mutual objectives of the management and its employees.
This statement sets out the general policies of the company. These are:

  • As an employer, to commit to the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and to provide a safe access, and egress from the work place, the safe use of equipment, the safe use of any materials or substances and a safe working environment for its employees.
  • To provide safe Offices including learning facilities and paying particular attention to the structure of buildings, electrical installation, draining, glazing, maintenance of floors/ corridors/ steps/ doorways/ fire escape routes whilst ensuring security arrangements in place which minimise the risk of vandalism or acts of violence.
  • To comply with the Health Act 2006 which makes smoking in the workplace illegal. We do not allow smoking within our buildings or anywhere on the Academy premises. All staff and visitors are required to comply with our no smoking policy.
  • To provide and maintain a safe and healthy working environment with effective management of lighting, temperature, ventilation, dust, smoke, fumes, noise, cleanliness and food hygiene and adequate protection against occupational disease and infestation.
  • Provision and maintenance of adequate welfare arrangements such as eating, drinking water, washing and toilet facilities and accommodation for clothing and personal belongings.
  • The company will provide a framework and appropriate resources to support its commitment to Health and Safety in the workplace and will allocate funding, time, and responsibility within the business to meet its obligations, including those of planning, supervision and inspection.
  • The company will undertake to provide its employees with information, instruction and any relevant training in the execution of its duties, and provide all appropriate welfare facilities. Staff and learners will be able to carry out their work activities in a healthy and safe manner and will be enabled to contribute positively to their own health and safety and that of others.
  • To ensure that all employees are competent to carry out their tasks.
  • The company will carry out its duties under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and undertakes to carry out hazard identification, risk assessments and implement control measures to protect its workforce.
  • Where risk assessments identify that Personal Protective Equipment is needed, the company will provide such equipment free of charge together with any necessary training in its use.
  • The company will undertake to consult its workforce on health and safety matters and will arrange and hold safety meetings where such matters can be formally discussed.
  • The main hazards identified in the business are fire hazards, manual handling hazards, light delivery hazards, and hazards arising from display screen equipment, print equipment, office workstations, slips, trips and falls. It is the ongoing aim of the business to take measures to control these and other hazards identified to protect its work force.
  • To ensure safe handling, use, storage and transport of articles and substances ,
  • In the execution of its day-to-day business, the company will pay due regard to the safety of any contractors, customers, learners or members of the public with whom it may come into contact.
  • To review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals.

    • Responsibilities

    The Managing Director of the company is IOSH qualified and maintains overall and final responsibility for health and safety.
    Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring that our policy is put into practice is also vested in the Managing Director.
    In order to ensure that health and safety standards are maintained/improved additional personnel within the business will be assigned specific responsibilities and who will be listed separately.
    All employees have an obligation to:

  • Co-operate with supervisors and managers on health and safety matters
  • Not to interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety
  • Take reasonable care of their own health and safety
  • Report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person (as detailed in this policy statement).

    • The company expects its employees to fulfil their duties under Health and Safety legislation and these include attendance at training events, the use and care of safety equipment that is provided, co-operation and participation in improving safety procedures and taking part in consultation discussions.

    Arrangements: Risk assessment

    Risk assessments will be undertaken by the Directors, either individually or as a team.
    These will detail the measures we will put in place to eliminate or reduce as far as is reasonably practicable the risks posed by hazards in the workplace.
    This approach will ensure that any aspects of our business, processes or workplace that could cause harm to employees or those who come into contact with our business are identified and controlled.
    The findings of the risk assessments will be reported to the Managing Director who will approve any necessary actions required to remove/control risks.
    The Managing Director will check that the implemented actions have removed/suitably reduced the risks identified.
    Assessments will be reviewed every six months or when work activity changes and therefore necessitates review, whichever is sooner.

    Information, instruction and supervision

    Copies of this policy are made available to all Ken Bate Associates Limited staff when they commence work with us. Supervision of Apprentices and Learners will be arranged/undertaken/monitored by the Managing Director.

    Competency for tasks and training

    All new employees will be given health and safety induction training upon commencing work with Ken Bate Associates Limited. This will cover job-specific health and safety training, together with training in areas such as first aid and fire safety.
    Further training will be provided if and when the nature of workplace risks changes.
    Refresher training will also take place on a regular basis to ensure that staff knowledge of health and safety matters is maintained up-to-date and consistency is achieved in the application of this policy.
    Training records will be maintained in staff files and training will consist of both internal and external, professionally-delivered training conducted both on and off site.
    Any first aid training undertaken by our staff shall be through HSE approved courses.

    Accidents and first aid

    Ken Bate Associates Limited will take all possible steps to prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health. However, in the case of accidents, the company employs trained first aiders and therefore complies with its obligations under the Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Where appropriate, first aid may be administered by a trained first aider.
    A fully stocked first aid kit is maintained within the Directors’ Office and may be used by a trained first aider. The names of such will be posted on the Company Notice Board and new employees will be made aware of them through induction training.
    However, it is our policy that anything other than a very minor injury is treated at the local emergency hospital, not on-site. There is always a vehicle available on-site, should this be required for transport purposes.
    An Accident Book is kept in the Directors’ Office and all accidents (no matter how minor) must be recorded and reported to the Health & Safety Officer who will:

  • Investigate the incident and take any action required.
  • Highlight any recurring problems and recommend, following any necessary consultation with staff, corrective action.

    • Any employee who is injured, or who has knowledge of any dangerous occurrence must report the facts to the Managing Director without delay.

    Reportable incidents

    Ken Bate Associates Limited will comply with The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR), notifying any reportable incidents to HSE.
    Reportable incidents include:

  • Work-related deaths
  • Major injuries
  • Over-three-day injuries
  • Work related diseases
  • Dangerous occurrences (near miss accidents).

    • Emergency procedures – fire and evacuation

    A main risk of emergency the business faces is one of fire.
    Fire extinguishers are therefore in place, regularly maintained and positioned in clearly marked locations of which all employees are made aware together with instructions for contacting the Fire and Rescue Service.
    We also have fire alarms/smoke detectors in place and these are tested every month.
    Evacuation procedures are in place and are tested every three months by designated Fire Wardens within the business.

    Policy review

    The success of this policy is dependent upon the commitment and understanding of all employees within the business. We shall, therefore, carry out occasional spot checks to ensure compliance by all, instigating refresher training where this becomes necessary.
    Spot checks will be recorded, together with any refresher training given to staff.
    An annual review is also carried out to ascertain progress made against intended health and safety objectives and effectiveness of this policy. The results of this review are shared with all staff. At that stage, the company will consider how it has embraced any new legislation and ensured compliance.
    The policy will also be reviewed regularly to check on compliance with current legislation, best practice and any modifications necessary due to changed working practices and organisational changes. It will be updated promptly in all appropriate cases.

    Approval

    This Policy carries the authorisation of the Managing Director and is signed as such below.
    THE Managing Director shall ensure so far as is reasonably practicable:

  • All members of staff know, understand and accept their health & safety duties and responsibilities
  • Adequate resources are allocated to facilitate healthy and safe working practices
  • All employees and learners receive adequate health & safety information, instruction, training and supervision.