Health and Safety Policy

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• Introduction
• Implementation of Lesniak Swann’s Health & Safety Policy
  • Statement of General Policy
  • Organisation
  • Arrangements
• Corporation Policy Statement
• Joint Managing Director
• Joint Managing Director (Account Handling)
• Leaders and Support Managers
• Other Staff
• External Contractors, Hirers and Others

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Introduction

This Health, Safety and Welfare Policy has been issued by Lesniak Swann, the Employer, to comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 2 (3).

This organisation is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of its employees, so far as is reasonably practical. We also fully accept our responsibilities for other persons who may be affected by our activities. We will take steps to ensure that our statutory duties are met at all times. It is the duty of management to ensure that all processes and systems of work are designed to take account of Health and Safety, and that employees are given such information and training as is necessary to enable the safe performance of all work activities.

Every employee must co-operate with us to enable all statutory duties to be complied with. The successful implementation of this policy requires total commitment from staff, at all levels within this Agency. Each individual has a legal obligation to take reasonable care for his or her own Health and Safety, and for the safety of other people who may be affected by his or her acts/omissions.

This Policy, will be regularly monitored to ensure that the objectives are achieved. It will be reviewed and, if necessary, revised in the light of legislative or organisational changes.

This Policy, although written to comply with a statutory requirement is intended to be an easy to use working document that will promote and encourage safe working practices for the benefit of all employees and others affected by our activities.

Implementation of Lesniak Swann’s Health & Safety Policy

The Health & Safety Policy has been produced in consultation with recognised trade unions representatives and Lesniak Swann’s Board of Directors.

Everyone has Health & Safety duties as described by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The policy is intended to assist all of us in complying with those duties.

Effective communication and a clear description of individuals’ roles is essential if we are to do all that is reasonably practicable in ensuring that the activities of Lesniak Swann are carried out in a healthy and safe manner.

The Policy statement is divided into three parts:

• the statement of the employer’s General Policy with regard to Health & Safety
• the Organisation for implementing the policy including allocation of functions to individuals
• the Arrangements for carrying out the functions allocated to individuals

Statement of General Policy

The Statement provides a general reference to the employer’s commitment to the Health and Safety of all persons who are affected by its activities. All employees and other relevant persons will receive a copy of the Statement.

Organisation

• Management Structure
  The Management Structure has been devised to ensure effective communication on Health and Safety matters, all persons are requested to comply with the structure and to use the lines of communication whenever it is reasonable and appropriate to do so.
• Individual Responsibilities
  The employer has statutory duties to ensure that all reasonable practicable measures are taken in ensuring the Health & Safety of employees and others. Employees have a duty to co-operate with the employer in complying with their duty under the Act.

Arrangements

The Arrangements relate to the policies and procedures and codes of practice devised by the Agency following consultation with both trade unions representatives and those competent in advising on best practices.

The Arrangements have and will continue to be devised in response to the Agency’s commitment to do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all persons who are affected by its undertakings and to track any change in our risk profile.

The Arrangements will be monitored, audited, reviewed and amended if necessary to ensure their effectiveness.

All staff are invited to raise any matters they consider will improve the effectiveness of the Agency’s Health and Safety activities.

Corporation Policy Statement

The members of the Corporation of Lesniak Swann recognise and accept their responsibility as an employer to provide safe and healthy working conditions for its employees and will conduct its affairs in such a way as to protect persons not in its employ who may be affected by its activities.

In the discharge of its duty the Corporation, via its Principals, will take all reasonably practicable steps to meet their responsibilities with particular attention being given to:

• the provision and maintenance of a safe place of work, safe systems, and safe arrangements for work
• arrangements for ensuring safety in the use, handling, storage and transport of objects and substances
• the provision of sufficient Health and Safety information and training for employees
• a safe and healthy working environment with adequate facilities for welfare
• ensuring effective employer/employee consultation in accordance with current regulations and specific consultation with persons allocated Health and Safety functions
• obtaining expert advice necessary to determine specific risks to Health and Safety which might arise and the precautions required to deal with them

It is essential that all persons play their part in ensuring the Health and Safety of all those who are affected by Agency activities, Agency staff will therefore take steps to meet their responsibilities with particular attention being given to:

• the care of themselves and others, including visitors
• co-operating with the Principals/Agency Directors on any matters necessary to ensure that their statutory duties are complied with
• observing safety instructions, procedures, codes of practice, regulations and safe systems of work

Joint Managing Director

On the behalf of the Members of the Corporation the Joint MD will:

• ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the Health, Safety and welfare at work of all Agency employees, and visitors and any other person who may be affected by the Agency’s activities,
• provide a facility which can ensure the provision of suitable and sufficient assessment of the Health and Safety risks to which employees and visitors of the Agency may be exposed,
• make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of Health and Safety,
• appoint competent persons to assist in undertaking the measures necessary to comply with statutory regulations,
• provide employees with comprehensible and relevant information on:
  • the risks of their Health and Safety identified by assessment
  • the preventative and protective measures to minimise risk
  • procedures relating to matters of serious and imminent danger
• make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate for the co-operation and co-ordination of other visitors who share the Agency workplace,
• allocate budget needs sufficient to ensure that regulations and Agency procedures can be complied with,
• manage in a manner which ensures compliance with European and British Health and Safety legislation.
• take all necessary and appropriate action to ensure that the requirements of the above legislation, codes of practice and guidelines are met at all times.

Joint Managing Director (Account Handling)

The Joint Managing Director responsible for the Account Handling team will:

• ensure that the Agency systems for Health and Safety are communicated effectively to all relevant persons,
• report to the Board of Directors on any matters which require their input in ensuring the effective Health and Safety of employees, visitors and others,
• ensure the Board is appropriately briefed on the Agency’s Health and Safety provision
• ensure effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring, review and auditing of the Agency Health and Safety provision,
• ensure the effective co-operation and co-ordination of Health and Safety matters in relation to contractors,
• convene and chair regular meetings of the Health and Safety Committee,
• undertake appropriate training and briefings on Health and Safety matters,
• carry out any other reasonable Health and Safety duties when directed by the Board.
• identify appropriate training for all staff

Leaders and Support Managers

The above will:

• carry out effective day-to-day management of all Health and Safety matters relating to the activities they manage in accordance with the Agency Health and Safety Policy,
• liaise with Line Manager on any problems or shortcomings in implementing the Agency Health and Safety Policy,
• liaise with line manager on Health and Safety matters whenever employees and others are subjected to unacceptable risks,
• ensure that managed employees act in accordance with the Agency Health and Safety Policy,
• support colleagues who request reasonable responses to their Health and Safety concerns,
• assist the senior managers in the investigation and preventative action in response to accidents and dangerous occurrences,
• liaise with line manager on the requirement for Health and Safety training,
• ensure that risk assessments and premises/resource audits are carried out and implemented in accordance with the Agency Health and Safety Policy,
• assist line manager in ensuring Health and Safety procedures are drawn up and reviewed for area/activities managed,
• carry out regular area inspections in accordance with Agency Health and Safety Policy and respond to their findings,
• act upon Health and Safety information received from appropriate persons,
• carry out any other reasonable Health and Safety duties when directed by the Board.

Other Staff

All other staff, daytime and evening, will:

• carry out effective day-to-day control of Health and Safety in accordance with the Agency Health and Safety Policy,
• liaise with the relevant Line Manager on any problems or shortcomings in implementing the Agency Health and Safety Policy,
• advise students of the risks to their Health and Safety and if necessary liaise with the relevant Line Manager whenever employees or others are subjected to unacceptable risks,
• assist the Line Manager in the investigation and preventative action in response to accidents and dangerous occurrences,
• check work areas are safe,
• check equipment is safe to use by staff,
• ensure safe procedures and codes of practice are followed,
• ensure protective equipment is used when needed,
• ensure that effective supervision is carried out when in control of employees and others,
• assist with and implement the response to risk assessments and premises/resource audits and liaise with Line Manager on any difficulties,
• co-operate with Line Managers in implementing the Agency’s statutory duties,
• ensure unsafe matters are rectified or brought to the attention of the Line Manager,
• request further information or updated training as required,
• carry out any other reasonable Health and Safety duties when directed by the Board.

External Contractors, Hirers and Others

The above will:

• use the Agency’s premises, conduct themselves and carry out their operations in such a manner that all statutory and advisory safety requirements are being met at all times,
• will plan, co-ordinate, control and monitor their on-site activities to effectively minimise the risks presented to employees, or any other member of the public,
• will ensure that any construction, or maintenance work, is planned in accordance with relevant standards or statutory provisions and that the Board and Senior Management Team of Lesniak Swann are provided with the necessary information relating to any risks arising out of the work, the preventative or protective measures to be taken and the procedures required in the event of risk, or imminent danger,
• will ensure that any Health and Safety file prepared in relation to any work to be undertaken at the Agency is kept readily available for inspection by Agency Managers or other relevant agencies,

When the premises are hired to persons outside the employ of the Board, it will be a condition for all hirers, contractors and others using the Agency premises / facilities that they are familiar with this policy. That they comply with all safety directives of the Governing Body and that they will not, without prior consent:

• introduce equipment for use on Lesniak Swann’s premises or alter fixed installations
• remove fire or safety notices or equipment
• take any action that may create hazards for persons using the Agency, or employees of Lesniak Swann (section 8 of Health & Safety at Work Act)
• When Lesniak Swann’s premises or facilities are being used outside of normal Agency hours, for the purposes of this policy, the organiser of that activity, even if an employee, will be treated as a Hirer, and will comply with the requirements of this section.

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