Health and safety policy statement Health and safety at Work (NI) Order 1978 PART A This is the Health and Safety Policy Statement of Business Services Organisation Our statement of general policy is: to provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities; to consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety; to provide and maintain safe plant and equipment; to ensure safe handling and use of substances; to provide information, instruction and supervision for employees; to ensure all employees are competent to do their tasks, and to give them adequate training; to prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health; to maintain safe and healthy working conditions; and to review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals. Signed Chief Executive Date Review date
PART B Responsibilities 1 Overall and final responsibility for health and safety is that of the Chief Executive 2 Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into practice is delegated to the Director of Human Resources & Corporate Services and the Health & Safety Adviser 3 To ensure health and safety standards are maintained/improved, the following staff have responsibility in the following areas Position Director of HR & Corporate Services Health & Safety Adviser Corporate/Support Services Occupational Health Nurse Warehouse manager/supervisors Line Managers/Supervisors Evacuation/Fire Marshalls First Aiders Responsibility Lead Director reporting to Board on Health & Safety issues Chair of Health & Safety Committee, implementation of H&S Action Plan, provision of advice to the Agency Ensure maintenance of Plant and Equipment, Building security etc. Provision of on-site Occupational Health Services Manage Health & Safety risks relating to Warehouse operations Take lead in assessing risks, reporting faults, organising training etc. in their area of work Monitor safety and assist evacuation of buildings in emergency Provide first-response care in the event of accident/work-related illness Health & Safety Committee members Consult on Health & Safety matters affecting the Agency s operations Risk Assessors All Staff Undertake Risk Assessments and report outcomes to H&S Committee - co-operate on Health & Safety matters - refrain from interfering with anything provided to safeguard health and safety - report health and safety concerns - take reasonable care of themselves 2
4. The organisation structure for Health & Safety is 1 Agency Board Remuneration/HR Committee Corporate Services Committee Health & Safety Committee Director of HR Corporate Services Manager/ RSS Director of Logistics Staff Side Officers Directorate Reps Health & Safety Adviser Fire Marshalls RSS Health & Safety Committees (3) The Health & safety Committee is responsible for commissioning, monitoring and reviewing a programme of Health & Safety Risk Assessments throughout the organisation. On the basis of the assessment outcomes, the Committee devises and implements an Action Plan aimed at mitigating or reducing risks which have been identified. Health & Safety matters are reported at Board level through both the Remuneration & Human Resources Committee and Corporate Services Committee. The Director of Human Resources is a member of both, and provides monitoring reports in respect of the Health & Safety Action Plan. 1 The Corporate Services Manager is currently the Health & Safety Adviser for the Agency 3
PART C Arrangements to mitigate health and safety risks arising from our work activities Risk Assessment Integral to compliance with Health & Safety legislation is the provision (so far as is reasonably practicable) of: o safe equipment and systems of work; o information, instruction, training and supervision; o safe place of work with safe access and egress; o safe working environment with adequate welfare facilities. The primary way of determining what is reasonably practicable in relation to the above is by risk assessment. Risk Assessment is also an absolute requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The Health & Safety Committee will oversee a programme of work to develop and publish a range of Health & Safety Bulletins (Appendix I). The Agency s arrangements for Risk Assessment will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 1. Consultation with employees Every employer should have a means of consultation with the workforce on health and safety issues, and if requested by the workforce, set up a Health and Safety Committee. The Agency s arrangements for Consultation will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 2. Safe plant and equipment The Corporate Services Manager, Support Services Officer and Estates personnel will be responsible for identifying all equipment/plant needing maintenance, and for ensuring that all identified maintenance is implemented. The Corporate Services Manager (Franklin Street/Champion House) and the Support Services Officer (Boucher Crescent) will be responsible for ensuring effective maintenance procedures are drawn up. Any problems found with plant/equipment are reported to the Corporate Services Manager (Franklin Street/Champion House), Support Services Officer (Boucher Crescent), or the Warehouse Manager (for Warehouse Machinery faults) In the first instance, Line Managers in the respective departments/locations will check that new plant and equipment meets health and safety standards before it is purchased. Estates personnel will undertake these checks for larger or common plant and equipment. 4
Safe handling and use of substances Integral to the provision of a safe working environment is the control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) in the workplace. The legislation requires employers to undertake a COSHH Assessment and maintain/review records, make suitable and adequate arrangements to minimise risks, and provide information regarding the safe use of substances. The Agency s arrangements for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 3. Information, instruction and supervision The Health and Safety Law poster is displayed on Noticeboards in all Premises at every location. The Poster and leaflets are issued by the Corporate Services department. Health and safety advice is available from Noticeboards and Leaflets Staff Induction Pack and Handbook Health & Safety Adviser, Franklin Street (ext. 5549) Occupational Health Nurse Directors and Line Managers Health & safety representatives Health & Safety Executive (Northern Ireland) website The Nominated Officer (Fire)/Health & Safety Adviser is responsible for ensuring that our employees working at locations under the control of other employers, are given relevant health and safety information. Competency for tasks and training Induction training will be provided for all employees by the Human Resources Directorate, and Job-specific training will be provided by Line Managers. The Agency s arrangements for the identification, provision and recording of Health & Safety-related training will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 4. 5
Accidents, first aid and work-related ill health Anyone can report accidents and cases of work-related ill health by contacting their Line Manager completing an Accident/Adverse Incident Form contacting the Corporate Services department completing the Intranet Form page All accidents and cases of work-related ill health are to be recorded by the Corporate Services Department, 7th Floor, 2 Franklin Street The Health & Safety Adviser is responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the Health & Safety Executive The Agency s arrangements for the provision of first-aid and Occupational Health services will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 5. Monitoring To check our working conditions, and ensure our safe working practices are being followed, we will devise and implement an Annual Programme of Health & Safety Inspections, under the leadership of the Health & Safety Committee Monitor and report Complaints and Adverse Incidents to the Board, recording corrective action as required Investigate and report accidents and incidents of work-related illness Inspections will be undertaken using a Form designed to capture the relevant information, and training will be provided in its use. Lead investigators and teams appointed by the Health & Safety Adviser are responsible for investigating accidents. The Occupational Health Nurse, in liaison with the Health & Safety Adviser, is responsible for investigating work-related causes of sickness absences. The Health & Safety Adviser, Directors and Line Managers are responsible for reporting and acting on investigation findings to prevent a recurrence. Emergency procedures fire and evacuation In order to ensure a safe place of work with safe access and egress, legislation requires employers to take measures to mitigate specific risks associated with fire. The Agency s arrangements for Fire Safety and evacuation will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 6. 6
Warehouse Health & Safety management Workplace and transport operations at warehouse sites present additional hazards to those in administrative/office environments, therefore the Agency will produce and implement arrangements for Warehouse Health & Safety covering the following issues: Health and Safety training Machinery Fault reporting Housekeeping Pallet Specification and delivery conditions The Agency s arrangements for Warehouse Health and Safety will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 7. Homeworking Under Health and Safety at Work Act, employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees, including homeworkers (those employed to work at home). Most of the Regulations apply to homeworkers as well as to employees working at an employer's workplace. The Agency s arrangements for Homeworking will be set out in Health & Safety Bulletin 8. 7
Appendix I List of Health & Safety Bulletins The following list is not meant to be exhaustive and is subject to amendment by the Health & Safety Committee. The Health & Safety Adviser will hold the records of Health & Safety Bulletins issued. Reference H&S Bulletin 1 H&S Bulletin 2 H&S Bulletin 3 H&S Bulletin 4 H&S Bulletin 5 H&S Bulletin 6 H&S Bulletin 7 H&S Bulletin 8 Name Risk Assessment Consultation Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Health & Safety Training First Aid and Occupational Health Services Fire Safety and Emergency evacuation Warehouse Health & Safety Homeworking 8