Health & Safety Policy
Purpose
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The purpose of this policy is to set a clear direction for the organisation to follow and to promote the health and safety “safe learner concept;” to contribute to all aspects of the health and safety of the business and promote a continuous cycle of improvement to fulfil the legal obligations in respect of the laws and legislation applicable for health and safety at work.
It is everyone’s responsibility to be committed and to promote this policy. This includes working in a safe manner; this applies to learners and all staff and sub-contractor staff members. Good housekeeping practice should be applied to the storage of items and cleanliness around the organisation. Areas of work should be kept tidy, and all access ways, egress, and exits are clear.
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To ensure there is documentary evidence setting down the framework and implementation of the company’s Health & Safety Policy, the following criteria are covered
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• Advise the Board of Directors and all current and future members of staff of these policies
• Ensure all members of staff and subcontractor staff are aware of and comply with the health & safety at work legislation, relevant statutory duty and approved codes of practice, and any current and subsequent legislation relevant to health & safety
• Ensure a safe working environment for all learners, employees, visitors, sub-contractors, and the public
• Specify the roles, responsibilities, implementation, and monitoring for compliance with all relevant statutory duties
• Have documentary procedures that can be quickly updated, to take account of amendments and changes in government or company Health & Safety legislation and policies
• Ensure that all locations display mandatory and legal signage
Scope
This document covers the management of risk to promote a safe working environment for all: to ensure that all processes and systems are updated when legislation, organisational or contractual obligations, dictate.
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Management of Health & Safety
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General Policy
It is management policy to ensure the Health & Safety at Work Act current, subsequent, and future, is implemented by staff and subcontractors at all levels, and that all are aware of hazards and risks that may be encountered in a training and/or workplace.
Management will be responsible for the maintenance of the Company’s Health & Safety policy and will ensure all reasonable steps are taken to meet the requirements of
legislation. It is the role of the Management to ensure implementation, monitoring, and compliance.
This will include: -
• Places of work or training are maintained in a safe and healthy condition to meet the requirements of statutory regulations
• Information, instruction, training, and supervision to all employees and learners are provided to enable them to undertake their work and training safely and without risk to health
• Promote to any staff member or learner of YTP if they have cause for concern in respect of health & safety, that they must immediately notify the Designated Individual for Health and Safety
• Suitable and sufficient risk assessments are carried out following the management of Health & Safety
• Designated personnel undertake a risk assessment for each task or project activity in their area of control before commencement and the findings recorded using the risk assessment worksheets. Assessment will be similarly undertaken where there is a significant change to any existing task or project activity
• Risk assessments are carried by sub-contractors before any agreement to provide training or workplaces for learners. Control measures for areas of considered risk will be discussed and documented. Adequate records must be maintained by sub-contractors
Training
• A copy of the company’s Health & Safety policy, which outlines areas of responsibility, is part of the terms & conditions, which is explained to each new employee on the appointment, and learner within induction. The learner’s signature and date are obtained for receipt of the above and retained on the Learner’s file
• All staff are required to be fully aware of the statutory regulations, which apply to their occupational area.
• Operational staff will be kept up to date with information regarding changes in current legislation or the introduction of new legislation. This will be by formal meetings. Training can be provided for any individual who identifies an area of unfamiliarity or doubt
• All staff who undertake placement pre-vetting and monitoring will be competent personnel
• All new learners on any of YTP Ltd.’s contractual funded programmes will undertake a period of induction before commencing their training or work experience activities in all relevant issues of health & safety
• Staff will be consulted on health & safety issues by being asked to provide updates at all internal meetings
• Learners will be refocused on health & safety via questioning within the review process
Procedure For Reporting Accidents
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Any Personnel Identifying an Accident
• Any accident involving learners or employees should be reported immediately, verbally to the Designated Individual for Health and Safety
• The accident should be recorded, in the first instance, in the Accident Report Book
• Where accidents result in learners or staff being off work or away from the programme for more than seven (7) days, it will be necessary for appropriate additional reporting to be carried out. This will be the responsibility of the Designated Individual for Health and Safety
• If there are any witnesses, then these must be asked to complete a witness statement.
The Designated Individual for Health and Safety:
• Investigates the accident and completes a report making appropriate recommendations as to further actions needed.
• If accidents result in learners or staff being off work or away from the programme for more than seven (7) days, not counting the day on which the accident happened, or sustain a “major” injury (see RIDDOR definition as updated by HSE October 2013) it will be necessary for the Designated Individual for Health and Safety to complete an on-line RIDDOR report (F2508 or F2508A) by accessing www.hse.gov.uk/riddor a telephone service remains for reporting fatal or major injuries only. Call the Incident Contact Centre on 0845 300 9923 (Monday - Friday. 8:30 am – 5:00 pm). A duty officer is available for out-of-office hours communication – details are found on www.hse.gov.uk/contact/outofhours.htm. For learners, it will also be necessary to inform the SFA of injuries and diseases falling within the scope of RIDDOR
• Copies of all documents relevant to the accident are presented to the Designated Individual for Health and Safety for presentation to the Board of Directors at their meetings.
First Aid
• There are appointed first aiders at YTP offices
• First aid boxes are provided at YTP offices
• First aid boxes are checked by the designated personnel every eight weeks, or more frequently if notified by the centre that replacement materials are required.
Fire & Evacuation
• All members of staff, learners, and visitors will be required to adhere to all fire action notices, and instructions by responsible members of staff, including evacuating the premise, in line with the procedures of that location and assembling at the specified assembly point
• A signing-in register will be kept at the YTP office, and it will be the responsibility of the Designated Individual for Health and Safety to ensure all visitors, and learners sign in and out
• Members of staff will also be responsible for recording their arrival and departure from the building by completing attendance sheets
• Appropriate fire and evacuation notices will be posted on all premises, and the Designated Individual for Health and Safety will be responsible for ensuring these are maintained in a position
• All new learners and staff will be made aware of the fire evacuation procedure
• Identification of portable firefighting equipment will be covered by a member of staff within the induction process with learners
• Fire evacuation drills will be carried out as per the guidelines set out by the Landlord of the YTP Premises
• If there is a possible bomb threat suspected, the following would apply. In the event of a package or item being suspected of being a bomb, then the fire evacuation procedure would be applied. The package/item should not be tampered with, and the building should be evacuated immediately. Contact with the emergency services should be made away from the building.
Covid-19
All members of staff, learners, and visitors will be required to adhere to government guidelines to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Updated details can be located at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Key points to be aware of are as follows:
• Social Distancing
• Ventilation
• Hand Washing
• Face Coverings – Provided by YTP
• Lateral Flow Tests – Provided by YTP with records kept by Admin team
Pre-Vetting of Sub-Contractors
• Before any learner commences learning activity, Health & Safety pre-vetting will be carried out by a competent and responsible subcontractor staff member to ensure each establishment complies with the relevant statutory regulations. Records of this pre-vetting should be maintained and made available to YTP staff upon request
• Workplace providers must demonstrate evidence of a company risk assessment showing sufficient control measures to minimise the dangers
• A periodic programme of monitoring and review based on risk banding will take place by competent sub-contractor staff to ensure ongoing compliance
Electrical Equipment
• The Management will have responsibility for ensuring safe installation and maintenance of equipment in compliance with current legislation through qualified tradesmen.
• All portable electrical appliances must be tested following the Electricity at Work Regulations at least once each year, using a portable appliance tester
• All test results must be kept by Management; items that do not meet compliance testing will be removed
• Portable electrical equipment, which is used within the organisation or sub-contracted provision must meet legal requirements
• Any equipment hired by the organisation, will not be used unless it has been confirmed that it is covered by an appropriate certificate.
Smoking
• Smoking, (including the use of electronic/electric substitute cigarettes), is not permitted on Company premises
• A designated smoking area has been agreed upon; this is externally located
Risk Assessment
• The organisation will ensure that adequate and suitable risk assessments have taken place, as required by the management of health & safety regulations. These will take place annually or if necessary, as a need is identified
• Risk assessments will assist in identifying all hazards ensuring the risks from such hazards have been removed, minimised, or reduced. Hazards are something with the potential to cause harm. A risk could be described as that harm being realised. Where hazards cannot be eliminated, suitable control, precautionary, preventative measures will be provided to minimise the risks i.e., training and instruction, informing individuals affected, supervision of the work activities
• The hazards, risks, and control measures will be brought to the attention of the employees and other persons affected by the work. This will be done either by instruction, information, or training
• The risk assessment will also include risk assessment in the event of a fire.
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Manual Handling
• Individuals will be trained in manual handling and the correct way to undertake activities that involve pushing, pulling, lifting, putting down, carrying, moving by hand or bodily load
• Consideration must be given by an individual before undertaking the activity. Does the task have to involve manual handling, and does it have to be done in the first instance?
• Does it have to be manually handled in that way e.g., lifting from the floor instead of from waist height
• Can loads involved be substituted for lighter/less cumbersome loads
• Can the activity be carried out in more accommodating circumstances, e.g., not in a cramped or awkward condition?
• Can mechanical aids be used, trolleys, lifting appliances
• Will the provision of personal protective equipment assist in reducing the risk of injury?
• Are the individuals capable of manual handling the load or tasks
• If the individual is in doubt the activity must not be undertaken.
Sub-Contractors and Employer Engagement
• Before any sub-contractor delivers training on behalf of YTP Ltd, YTP will ensure that the organisation has the appropriate Health & Safety procedures and policies in place.
• Agreed methods of safe working practices and safeguarding will be part of the contract signed between both parties. The organisation will need to comply with the appropriate legal requirements
• Once a contract has been agreed, health and safety will be monitored through contract performance reviews and quality monitoring activity
• Should any staff member of YTP visiting a sub-contracted premise have cause for concern in respect of health & safety, they must immediately notify the Designated Individual for Health and Safety
Records
• It is the responsibility of Management to keep all records, which legally as an organisation need to be kept, and be maintained, this relates to.
• Accident details.
• Portable Appliance Testing registers.
• Liability insurance certificates.
• Equipment by law, which must be legally maintained e.g., boilers.
• Any current, future, or subsequent documents, which are legally required to be kept and maintained.
• Display screen equipment records.
• These documents are held in a secure location.
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Display Screen Equipment
• The organisation will perform a suitable and sufficient analysis of workstations in use, and those which have been assessed but have been moved.
• The purpose of the workstation assessment is to reduce risk the principle of which relates to physical (musculoskeletal) problems, visual fatigue, and mental stress.
• The risk assessment should first identify any hazards, and then evaluate the risks and their extent. A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm.
Vibration
• The organisation does not excessively use equipment, which will create undue vibration. However, should equipment have to be used which may give cause to such a hazard then this policy will apply.
• Before the use of any vibrating equipment, a suitable risk assessment should be undertaken, and contact made with the Designated Individual for Health and Safety.
• No individual should use equipment without the correct guidance and instruction for use.
Welfare
• Toilet facilities will be provided for both males and females. These will be cleaned regularly and adequate soap, towels, hot and cold water will be supplied.
• Workplace areas will have a healthy and safe working environment.
• Heating will be maintained at the required levels for staff.
• Sufficient working space will be provided to ensure access and egress and working room.
• Office areas will be maintained in a safe working manner.
• Electric cables are routed and covered to ensure that tripping hazards are minimised.
• Floor coverings will be repaired or replaced where damaged, and other tripping hazards, boxes, or materials will be stored away appropriately.
• Chairs, and in particular swivel chairs, shall not be used to reach upper levels; purpose-made steps should be used.
• Electric supply sockets will not be overloaded.
• Suitable furniture, office seating, and desks will be supplied for work activities.
Signs
• Health & safety signs will be displayed throughout the organisation in compliance with the legal requirements.
• Signs will be monitored for display by Management and are usually of a pictogram, symbol, written and coloured format.
• The use of a sign is not a substitute for controlling risks.
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Stress
The Company notes that stress is now a recognised illness and is becoming the largest cause of long-term absence from work.
Whilst recognising stress may be a problem in the workplace, it is the individual
employee’s responsibility to bring to the attention of senior management any situation, which they feel could affect their health.
Review
The Health & Safety Policy will be reviewed and updated formally on an annual basis or whenever there is an introduction of new legislation.
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Induction and training methods on Health & Safety procedures will be subject to ongoing review to test their effectiveness.
Both staff and sub-contractors will be consulted on the effectiveness of the company's Health & Safety provision.
Review and monitoring of Health & Safety will also be undertaken as part of the meetings held within the organisation, commencing at senior level, following which this policy may be subject to amendment.