INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE
This Policy:
§ Describes the requirements for the Health and Safety Management of Clothing Coventry
§ Defines the duties of the Board of Trustees, the paid staff and the volunteers.
§ Aims to help all above to understand their responsibilities and duties, and the benefits of adopting a proactive approach to health and safety.
§ Demonstrates that Clothing Coventry is committed to the health and safety of all employees, and all others affected by our work.
This Policy is central to an understanding that health and safety must feature prominently in all aspects of the operation of Clothing Coventry. We will establish and adopt procedures to ensure that health and safety objectives and priorities are set, monitored and delivered to the highest standard, and that a pro-active health and safety culture is maintained throughout Clothing Coventry.
There are four parts to the Policy:
1) Policy
Declaration of intent by the Trustees of Clothing Coventry on behalf of Clothing Coventry.
2) Organisation
The management structure and the defining roles and responsibilities within Clothing Coventry.
3) Arrangements
The procedures and systems necessary for implementing the Policy.
4) Monitoring
The system for measuring the effectiveness of the arrangements for reviewing health and safety performance.
POLICY
1.1 Clothing Coventry Health and Safety Policy Statement.
Clothing Coventry’s Board of Trustees requires the paid staff and the volunteers to show a high regard for all measures to secure a high standard of health and safety at work.
Good health and safety management should be an integral part of the operation of every activity within Clothing Coventry. Clothing Coventry recognises that safety is the responsibility of everyone within the organisation and is not just a function of management. Managers have specific duties and responsibilities to comply with the letter and spirit of this policy. Employees have specific responsibilities to take reasonable care of themselves and others who could be affected by their activities and to co-operate with management in achieving the standards required. Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees will ensure that health and safety management is an integral part of the manager’s function, and that of the providers and will monitor their performance along with their other duties.
Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees will ensure that health and safety is fully integrated into the management and decision-making processes and will actively work towards reducing risks to employees, non-employees and users of Clothing Coventry programmes.
It is furthermore the policy of Clothing Coventry to:
1) ensure that there are arrangements put into place for the effective planning, development and review of this policy statement.
2) ensure the maintenance of the sites, buildings, layout, plant and equipment to a safe level.
3) maintain safe systems of work and a safe working environment.
4) apply appropriate policies and procedures, and adhere to requirements established under statute or approved codes of practice.
5) implement best practice in the absence of legal minimum requirements.
6) make all within the organisation aware of their health and safety responsibilities.
7) provide where necessary, information, instruction, training and supervision to all within the organisation, to ensure their competence with respect to health and safety.
8) ensure that no charge is levied on anyone within the organisation in respect of anything done or provided in pursuance of any specific requirements or relevant statutory provisions, and to ensure the use of approved equipment and protective clothing, where required.
9) encourage discussion between all within the organisation on health and safety matters.
10) Clothing Coventry requires that all users of Clothing Coventry activities and services be encouraged to develop a positive attitude to health and safety issues.
ORGANISATION
2.1. RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1.1. Clothing Coventry’s Board of Trustees
Clothing Coventry’s Board of Trustees is responsible for achieving the objectives of the health and safety policy within the sphere of their control. The specific responsibilities are as follows:
1. ensuring that satisfactory health and safety standards are maintained;
2. ensuring that all personnel under their control know and accept their responsibilities regarding health and safety, and that they are adequately trained to discharge those responsibilities;
3. assuring the implementation of the Health and Safety Policy by establishing in their own areas of responsibility an adequate programme:
§ to ensure the reduction of accident potential;
§ to conform with statutory Regulations, and by the formulation of suitable procedures for reporting accidents, communicating information, and the identification, reporting and elimination of hazards, including suitable and sufficient risk assessment;
§ take account of personal requirements, particularly those of people with special needs such as the disabled, non English speaking etc.
§ liasing with other users of buildings in which their Service is provided such that, communication routes are established, common good practice and hazard awareness is shared and systems established to maintain and improve the environment for all users and employees;
4. obtaining adequate financial resources to maintain health, safety and welfare, and to manage these resources on a risk priority basis;
5. ensuring that health and safety arrangements and performance are formally evaluated, monitored and reviewed at least once a year;
6. providing such information, instruction, training and supervision as may be necessary to ensure the health and safety of those under his/her direction.
7. ensuring health and safety training programmes are introduced so that persons employed by Clothing Coventry are fully instructed and trained in safe methods of work. Such training must ensure that persons are fully and carefully instructed in:
§ the specific duties to be performed;
§ the dangers arising in connection with particular operations, including the use of chemicals, toxic substances and corrosives;
§ the types and use of appropriate protective equipment and clothing;
§ the operation of any code of practice or similar instructions;
§ the precautions to be adopted and the procedure to follow should an incident occur;
§ the administration of first aid.
The trainer may be a training officer, specialist, or supervisor who is deemed by Clothing Coventry Trustees to be sufficiently competent to perform such training
8. keeping under constant review the effectiveness of Clothing Coventry ‘s policy and making any changes which they think may be necessary;
9. ensure that all workplaces within their control are regularly inspected;
Clothing Coventry Manager
1. provide an effective risk assessment process to:
· eliminate accident potential as far as is reasonably possible;
· ensure that accident, assaults, near miss incidents and ill health conditions are investigated and reported;
· regularly review and update risk assessments as appropriate, including post accident risk assessment;
· conform with statutory regulations;
· take account of personal requirements, particularly those of people with special needs such as the disabled, non-English speaking etc;
· pay particular regard to Clothing Coventry users and occasional volunteers, who may be unaware of dangers and risks;
2. provide and maintain adequate communication channels to ensure all relevant health and safety information is delivered to all within the organisation.
3. provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to secure the health and safety of those under their direction;
4. evaluate, monitor and review health and safety arrangements and performance formally once a year;
5. ensure regular fire evacuation drills are conducted, fire fighting equipment is made available, fire alarms tested with required frequency, and that all employees are aware of the emergency procedure
6. ensure that the Board of Trustees are informed of any breach of health and safety statutory requirements.
7. Keep under constant review the effectiveness of the health and safety policy and bring to the attention of Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees any changes they may think necessary.
8. Show due care for the health and safety of users and visitors of Clothing Coventry activities and services and bring to their attention the need for reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS
These arrangements describe the systems and procedures necessary to ensure that Clothing Coventry’s Board of Trustees, fulfill their responsibilities and provide the foundation for securing the health and safety of employees, and all users of Clothing Coventry programmes.
3.1. Setting Health & Safety Objectives
The Board of Trustees will specifically review progress of health and safety objectives at each of their meetings.
3.2. Provision of Effective Health & Safety Training
Health and safety training requirements for employees will be established by an audit of training needs and the outcome of risk assessment. A Health and Safety Training Plan will be produced on an annual basis and will be submitted to the Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees for approval.
Training courses provided will reflect potential risk factors and legislation requirements. In addition, various requirements for the provision of certain types of training exist in numerous sets of regulations and Approved Codes of Practice. Some examples of these are:
· Manual Handling
· Display Screen Equipment
· Fire Safety
All employees, including temporary and inexperienced staff and volunteers, will receive formal induction training that must include health and safety awareness.
Attendance on all health and safety courses will be recorded by Clothing Coventry.
3.3. Financial Resources
Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees will review resource allocations to determine, in the light of past performance if adequate resources are being deployed and if not, to take appropriate action.
3.4. First Aid
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide appropriate first aid equipment and facilities. The extent to which such equipment and facilities are required will depend upon such factors as the hazards, risks and the location of the workplace. An assessment will be carried out to determine the first aid needs of the Service.
3.5. Fire and Emergency
The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 place duties on employers to safeguard the safety of employees and others in case of fire.
The measures needed to comply with these duties will be identified by carrying out a risk assessment, as required by the Management and Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This fire risk assessment is a separate exercise to other risk assessment. Measures used to control fire risk will be grouped into the following categories:
· measures used to prevent fires occurring;
· measures used for giving warning of a fire and for fire-fighting;
· measures used to enable people to escape from the premises;
· fire emergency procedures and fire training.
3.6. Accidents, Incidents, Ill Health Conditions and Assaults
In order to comply with the requirements of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) all Clothing Coventry user accidents, incidents and assaults will be reported on the appropriate system. Where appropriate, local investigations as to the cause of accidents and dangerous occurrences will occur. Reports will be made to the board of trustees, and risk assessments will be amended where appropriate.
Investigations may be initiated by Trustees on receipt of an accident form; where this occurs, every assistance will be offered to ensure an efficient and thorough investigation is performed.
3.7. Risk Assessment
It is a requirement of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, that risk assessments are carried out and recorded.
The Board of Trustees will ensure that this process is followed for all areas of work within Clothing Coventry.
3.8.Trips and Visits
It will be the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to prepare the appropriate risk assessments for all such visits.
3.9.Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
It is recognized that Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees, have duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999, towards employees and also, so far as is reasonably practicable, to others who could be affected by their work activities.
Clothing Coventry Trustees must ensure that safety is considered for all:
· Storage of chemicals
· Storage of cleaning materials
· Information to employees
· Staff training
3.10. Manual Handling
It is recognized that as employers Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees, have duties under the Manual Handling Regulations 1992 to reduce the risk of injury from manual handling.
Guidelines for the lifting and moving inanimate objects have been approved by the Board of Trustees and Clothing Coventry will adopt these guidelines wherever manual handling is encountered during part of the working practices of every location. The risk assessments conducted as part of the responsibilities defined in 3.7 will identify any activities that contain a manual handling risk. Once identified, the responsible managers will carry out a specific manual handling assessment.
3.11. Equipment and Plant Maintenance and Inspection
Where Clothing Coventry has direct responsibility for any equipment, maintenance will take place in accordance with manufacturers or installers instructions, or statutory requirements such as the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 or The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
This may include:
· Local Exhaust Ventilation (workshops)
· Gas installations
· Showers, water installations etc, for legionella
· Playground equipment
· Workshop machinery
· Electrical installations and wiring circuitry
Any contractors used to perform these inspections or maintenance functions will be assessed to determine that they are sufficiently competent. Reference will be made to section 3.11.0 to ensure that this process takes place appropriately.
3.12. Site Inspections
Regular site inspections will take place to a pre-determined checklist to ensure the continued safety of the environment.
This will occur at a local level involving all levels of staff whenever possible or where specific hazards have been identified that require specialist assistance to correct.
Action plans will be generated during this process to remove any hazards identified.
3.13. Portable Electric Equipment
All portable appliances used by staff or users of Clothing Coventry, will be PAT tested at required intervals.
3.14. Dealing with Violence
Clothing Coventry has adopted a no-tolerance policy for Dealing with Violence and any incidents will be communicated to the Police.
3.15. Security
The day to day security of Clothing Coventry staff team at their office base at Napier st will be ensured by following the security procedures included in the Warehouse Risk Assessment
3.16. Driving, Transport
All drivers of Clothing Coventry’s van will be informed of the safety procedures included in the Van Risk Assessment. All members of staff and volunteers using their own car whilst carrying out Clothing Coventry duties need to show their
driving licence, car insurance and MOT to the administrator. Copies of these will be kept in Clothing Coventry records.
3.17. Working Alone
When working alone at Napier st, ensure the door is locked at all times. If at any time the lone worker is uncomfortable with their position they should call for assistance or remove themselves from the risk.
Be aware of the environment
• Know what measures are in place where you work: check out exits and entrances, and the location of the first aid supplies.
• Make sure that your car and mobile phone are in good working order, and that electrical and other mechanical equipment is safe to use. Check the instructions for use, and ensure that faults are reported /dealt with. • Arrange to check in when the lone working is over with your line manager
• If a potentially violent situation occurs, be aware of what might be used as a weapon against you, and of possible escape routes.
MONITORING
The contents of this Health and Safety Policy and its effectiveness in terms of health and safety performance will be reviewed regularly throughout Clothing Coventry’s activities and services. Monitoring will take place at Clothing Coventry Board of Trustees level.
Clothing Coventry believes in constantly improving health and safety standards and performance and to this end will be both proactive and reactive, incorporating;
a) Spot checks by members of the Board of Trustees.
b) And response to particular issues;
c) Statistical analysis of accident, assault, ill health and near miss incident reports;
d) Accident investigations
e) Examinations of issues discussed in forums such as staff meetings and volunteer meetings.
The monitoring will establish whether;
1) Health and safety responsibilities are being properly identified and discharged correctly.
2) Health and safety codes of practice, procedures and policies are being applied and adhered to.
3) Employees are aware of, and complying with, health and safety rules, and are health and safety conscious.
4) Accidents are reducing and trends are showing improvement.
5) Employees are receiving appropriate health and safety training.
6) Statutory requirements are being me
Clothing Coventry 