Health and Safety Policy & Procedures
Introduction
This section of the Health and Safety Policy sets out the systems and procedures which have been established to ensure satisfactory administration of Health and Safety at Work in the Company. In establishing these procedures, due regard has been paid to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
General health and safety procedures are contained in this part of the Health and Safety Policy. Detailed health and safety procedures for risk control, including engineering standards and working practices, are included in the separate Health and Safety Manual. Also, general safety rules for employees are outlined in the separate Safety and Accident Prevention Handbook.
Health and Safety Legislation
The Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that the Company is kept up to date with changes in Health and Safety at Work legislation. Details of changes should be discussed with the Operations Manager, as appropriate.
When appropriate, the Company will obtain copies of new Health and Safety at Work publications. These publications will be added to the basic library of health and safety publications held by the Safety Officer.
The reference documents held by the Safety officer are available to all Heads of Departments for inspection. Individual employees may also have access to these reference documents, on request to the appropriate Supervisor.
Arrangements for Undertaking Risk Assessments
The responsibility for ensuring that suitable and sufficient Risk Assessments have been undertaken has been allocated to the Supervisor for Work Activity Risk Assessments and to the Operations Manager for Workplace Risk Assessments.
The Work Activity Risk Assessments should be undertaken within each department by a small group, typically made up as follows:
Supervisor
Occupational Nurse (if appropriate)
Safety Supervisor
Safety Representative
The draft Work Activity Risk Assessments should then be handed to the Safety Officer to be checked and validated. The Safety Officer is then responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Risk Assessment with the Supervisor and Operations Manager, as appropriate.
The Safety Officer will then ensure that the validated Work Activity Risk Assessments are explained to employees by way of appropriate safety training. The Safety Officer will also ensure that adequate Record Keeping systems are put in place.
In relation to the Workplace Risk Assessments, the Operations Manager will co-ordinate the Risk Assessment exercise by means of a small group comprising:
Supervisor
Safety Officer
Safety Representative, when appropriate
The Operations Manager and the Safety Officer will jointly ensure that the Workplace Risk Assessments are implemented and adequate record keeping systems are put in place.
Safety Training
Adequate instruction will be given to all employees on the safety systems and procedures relevant to their own work activities. Supervision is responsible for ensuring that due regard is paid to the health and safety capabilities of employees when allocating work tasks.
The Company has produced a Safety and Accident Prevention Handbook. A copy of the handbook will be handed to each employee and basic instruction on the contents of the handbook will be given. Each employee will be required to sign stating that they have received a copy of the Safety and Accident Prevention Handbook and have been instructed in the contents of the handbook and in their obligations under Health and Safety at Work legislation.
Safety Notices and Communications
A copy of the General Statement of Policy on Health and Safety at Work will be displayed on appropriate notice boards. Also, the minutes of the latest Safety Committee Meeting will be posted for the information of employees.
The Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that all statutory and other safety notices and placards are displayed. Also, the Safety Officer will co-ordinate safety campaigns, including the display of safety posters, when necessary.
Employees will be encouraged to report safety concerns to Supervision and/or the Supervisor. Reporting of safety concerns is a legal responsibility placed on employees and the Company will ensure that all such reports receive due consideration.
Safety Committees and Safety Representatives
The Company recognises the important part played by Safety Representatives in ensuring that adequate standards of Health and Safety at Work are achieved and maintained. Appropriate facilities will be made available to Safety Representatives and adequate time will be allowed so that they can fulfill their functions successfully.
Routine meetings of the Safety Committee will be held and the membership of the Safety Committee will be as follows:-
Operations Manager (Chairman)
Safety Officer (Secretary)
Supervisor
Safety Representatives
The Safety Committee will meet on dates set by the Committee Chairman. Minutes of the meetings will be circulated to members of the Safety Committee with additional copies displayed on appropriate notice boards.
Disciplinary Procedures
As part of ensuring that employees adhere to the safety rules and procedures established by the Company, the established Disciplinary Procedure will apply to Health and Safety at Work matters.
Any employee, irrespective of seniority, failing to follow established safety standards and procedures will be liable to disciplinary action. This will include formal verbal warning, written warning, and other appropriate disciplinary measures. Records will be kept of all disciplinary warnings and the Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring the correct and consistent application of disciplinary procedures to safety matters.
Records and Registers
The Supervisor for any area is responsible for keeping necessary records for matters under his control. Each Supervisor should ensure that all the records for which he is responsible are kept up to date and all safety posters and safety notices are not defaced and are kept clearly visible.
The Safety Officer and the Operations Manager each have responsibilities for the safety records that relate to the site as a whole. Precise allocation of Record Keeping responsibilities will be clearly specified in the separate Health and Safety Register. The Safety Officer is responsible for fulfilling his own record keeping obligations and is also responsible for auditing other records on a routine basis. Failure to maintain adequate records is a serious matter that will be subject to disciplinary action in appropriate cases.
Records will be kept up to date and distributed to appropriate personnel for completion and/or for information, as applicable. In particular, the Safety Officer or the Supervisor will retain relevant records, including the following, as detailed in the separate
Health and Safety Register:
Appointment to change Abrasive Wheels
Appointment to drive machinery
Examination and test of portable electrical equipment
Examination and test of pressure systems
Examination and test of hoists, ladders and lifting machines
Examination and test of chains and lifting tackle
Fire and emergency drills
First Aid training
Inspection of fire extinguishers
Inspection of machinery
Inspection of electrical installation
Issue of Personal Protective Equipment
Noise measurements
Record of fire training
Testing Fire Alarm
Thorough examination and test of Respiratory Protective Equipment
Training in use of Personal Protective Equipment
Waste disposal records
Fire Safety Standards
The Operations Manager has overall responsibility for fire safety at work, including organising fire drills, organising testing of the Fire Alarm, checking fire extinguishers and ensuring full compliance with the Fire Certificate.
Supervision are appointed as Fire/Emergency Marshals. They should be aware of fire risks and report matters of concern to the appropriate Supervisor. Supervision should also assist the Operations Manager with the maintenance and checking of fire extinguishers and the Fire Alarm, as requested.
In the event of a fire or Fire Drill, Supervision will ensure that established fire procedures are followed. This will include ensuring that the building has been evacuated in the event of fire or a Fire Drill. Any difficulties encountered during a fire evacuation or drill should be reported to the Operations Manager, as soon as possible after the event.
Only the appointed Fire/Emergency Marshals are trained and authorised to use fire fighting equipment, including hoses and fire extinguishers. Due regard should always be paid to training in use and personal safety when tackling a fire.
First Aid at Work
Nominated persons will be trained as qualified First Aiders. Volunteers from amongst the workforce are always invited. In particular, Supervisors and The Safety Officer will be encouraged to train as First Aiders.
First Aiders should ensure that all accidents and First Aid treatments are recorded in accordance with company procedures.
A list of current First Aid personnel will be posted at each First Aid Box and a copy will be kept by the Safety Officer. The Safety Officer will also ensure that refresher training of First Aid personnel takes place, as appropriate.
Accident and First Aid Procedures
It will be the responsibility of the First Aider providing first aid treatment to ensure that details of the treatment are recorded. Employees are obliged to report every injury (no matter how minor) to Supervision or to a First Aider for treatment.
Details of First Aid treatments will be recorded and will be analysed by each Supervisor on at least a monthly basis. He is responsible for ensuring adequate investigation of all accidents, after discussion with the Operations Manager when appropriate.
In the event of a serious injury that results in lost time, the Operations Manager should be advised as soon as possible. If the accident results in a Major Injury, then immediate telephone notification to the Director is required. This immediate telephone notification will be made by the Supervisor, after liaison with the Operations Manager.
Written notification of accidents which cause more than 3 days absence from work will be prepared by the Supervisor on the appropriate record form. The form will be checked and approved by the Operations Manager before despatch to the HSE.
Accident investigation will be undertaken in the case of every accident that is reportable to the Health and Safety Executive. The Operations Manager may, at his discretion, initiate a more detailed investigation of certain accidents. He will invite appropriate persons to assist in the investigation, so that the circumstances of the accident can be established and necessary actions taken to prevent a recurrence.
Certain Dangerous Occurrences are reportable to the HSE, even if no injury has occurred. Health and Safety Executive leaflet HSE17 contains details of reporting procedures. A copy is held by the Operations Manager.
Generally speaking, reportable dangerous occurrences are serious events that would, in any case, be reported to the Operations Manager for appropriate action. If a Supervisor believes that a reportable incident may have occurred, then the Operations Manager should be advised, before work resumes – if possible.
Employee Medical Arrangements
The Company has a policy of ensuring that all new employees complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire. Where practicable, a pre-employment medical examination/assessment will also be undertaken. The examinations and the completion of the questionnaire will be undertaken under the rules of medical confidentiality and only non-clinical information will be kept on personnel files.
The nominated Medical Officer will handle all medically confidential information and liaise with the employee's own General Practitioner, if necessary.
For some employees, routine health surveillance procedures will be necessary. Employees will be required to present themselves for these routine medical surveillance procedures as part of the main Terms and Conditions of Employment.
Visitors and Contractors on Site
Visitors on site are the responsibility of their host. Visitors to the offices should be accompanied at all times and they remain the responsibility of their host during fire evacuation or other unusual or unplanned circumstances.
Visitors who also require access to production areas must make use of suitable eye protection, hearing protection etc as necessary. The host should ensure that visitors are not placed at risk during factory visits. In particular, visitors should be kept out of the foundry and away from noisy areas, as far as possible.
Contractors who are employed to undertake work in office and production areas cannot be accompanied at all times. The satisfactory conduct of contractors on site is the responsibility of the Operations Manager. He should ensure that contractors are aware of the hazardous areas in the Company. The Operations Manager should also ensure that contractors have appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, such as goggles and ear muffs, available for their use. Contractors are required to advise the Operations Manager of any accidents and injuries to their employees on Company premises.
Contractors arriving on site should report to the Operations Manager. Contractors will then be briefed by the Safety Officer and he should confirm what plant and equipment is to be used by the contractors. The Safety Officer should obtain assurances that the plant and equipment is in good condition and he should advise the contractors whether it is acceptable for the contractor to use Company services, such as electricity and compressed air.
The Operations Manager should inform the appropriate Supervisor when contractors have been authorised to work in his area. The co-operation of the Heads of Department, Supervision and all employees is necessary, so that any dangerous contractor practices will be identified, reported and eliminated for the benefit of the contractors and all persons who work on Company premises.
Contractors found to be disobeying Company safety rules, failing to make use of necessary Personal Protective Equipment, using defective or dangerous equipment or working with disregard to their own safety or that of others may be dismissed from site.
Visits to Other Locations
From time to time, employees will be required to visit locations under the control of another employer. In these circumstances, the host employer is responsible for ensuring the safety of Company personnel.
Company employees should ensure that they are given sufficient information by the host to protect their own health and safety at host premises. Safety problems should be reported to the host so that suitable remedial action may be taken.
The Company personnel who are on host premises must obey the safety standards laid down by the host. This will include the items set out under the Visitors and Contractors on Site section of this Health and Safety Policy, when appropriate.
If the standards set down by the host are lower than normal Company standards, then the Company standards and procedures should be followed. If this gives rise to difficulties which cannot be resolved locally, then the matter should be referred to the appropriate Supervisor, for action.
Enforcing Authority Visits
Various enforcing officers will visit the Company from time to time. HSE, Environmental Health Officers and Fire Officers all have statutory authority to visit the Company to enforce legislation under their control.
The fullest co-operation with all visiting enforcement officers will be ensured and the Company will always be responsive to recommendations and advice received. The Safety Officer will liaise with visiting enforcement officers and ensure that they are accompanied during their visits. In his absence, the Operations Manager will be responsible for appropriate liaison.
In the event of a night visit, or if none of the above officers of the Company are available, then the appropriate Supervisor should meet the visiting enforcement officer. The Supervisor should co-operate fully with the visiting inspector.
A visiting card should always be obtained from the visiting enforcement officer and this card should be passed to the Operations Manager as soon as possible. The Supervisor should give a verbal report of matters discussed and actions required to the Operations Manager as soon as possible after the visit.
Monitoring and Auditing of Health and Safety at Work
Safety standards for all work activities undertaken at the Company have been established. Appropriate Risk Assessments have been undertaken, as required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 and other legislation.
In order to ensure that satisfactory standards of Health and Safety at Work continue to be achieved within the Company, routine safety checks and inspections will be undertaken. Each Supervisor will be required to undertake a weekly safety checklist inspection and ensure that all items referred to in the checklist are satisfactory