Contents of the Health and Safety Policy:

·         Policy Summary

·         Aims and Objectives

·         Scope

·         Monitoring and Reviewing Health and Safety

·         Responsibilities

               o   General

               o   Board of Trustees

               o   The Centre Manager

               o   Specific Management Responsibilities Relating to Safeguarding Learners

               o   Health and Safety Responsible Person

               o   All staff

               o   Learners

               o   Supporting policies

​

 

Policy Summary:

 

Abbey Access Training is committed to providing a safe and healthy working and learning environment for staff, learners and visitors. The attached policy details the organisation and responsibilities for health and safety. Below is a summary of the main points.

 

Abbey Access Training through the Board of Trustees and The Centre Manager will, so far as is reasonably practicable:

 

·         Comply with all relevant health and safety legal requirements

·         Actively promote the health, safety and welfare of staff, learners and visitors.

·         Provide a safe and healthy working environment for staff, learners and visitors

·         Provide supervision, information and training as deemed necessary to provide a safe and healthy environment

·         Ensure Health and Safety policies are reviewed on a regular basis

·         Provide safe systems of work and/or safe working practices for all activities

·         Require managers to comply with their legal duties including those relating to occupational health requirements

·         Require staff and learners to co-operate in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment

·         Actively promote the principle of the Safe Learner and the Safe Working Environment whether in the Centre or at another workplace

·         Consult and communicate regularly with staff on matters relating to health, safety and welfare

 

The Health and Safety Responsible Person is required to:

 

·         Ensure risks to the health and safety of staff, learners and visitors are assessed, recorded and reviewed regularly and implement any control measures identified

·         Ensure staff and learners understand and carry out their responsibilities regarding health and safety matters

·         Communicate and discuss health and safety matters regularly with staff

·         Ensure staff are competent to carry out their health and safety responsibilities, arranging further training as required

 

Staff are required to:

 

·         Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions

·         Advise their manager of any danger to health and safety posed by a work activity and if there are any shortcomings in the protection arrangements that have been provided, tell the Centre Manager or H&S Responsible Person

·         Co-operate with the Centre in health and safety arrangements

​

 

Aims and Objectives:

 

Abbey Access Training will, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the health, safety and welfare of all staff, learners and visitors who may be affected by the activities of the centre.

 

This policy is provided to advise the Trustees, managers, staff, learners, contractors and visitors to Abbey Access Training premises of their responsibilities regarding complying with all Health and Safety Legislation, specifically, the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, (HSWA).

 

Abbey Access Training seeks to ensure the integration of health and safety practices into its delivery of all programmes and fully endorses the Learning and Skills Council’s Safe Learner Concept. Through management of the learning environment in the Centre and at employers’ workplaces the Centre will endeavour to ensure the learner:

 

·         Gains an understanding of the importance of health and safety

·         Becomes risk aware not risk averse by learning how to identify hazards, manage risks safely and minimise them and to understand the principles of control measures

·         Develops a set of safe behaviours so that they play an active part in the process and acquire practical transferable skills from their experience

 

The Centre encourages a proactive health and safety culture and actively seeks to continually improve its health and safety performance. This will be achieved by ensuring that the following objectives are met:

 

·         Health and safety is effectively controlled by making sure that staff and learners are made aware of and understand their responsibilities

·         Staff and learners are competent, from a health and safety perspective, by providing appropriate and adequate information, supervision and training

·         Co-operation and consultation is encouraged by promoting and supporting the activities of the Health and Safety Responsible Person and the Centre Manager

·         Communication is clear, understandable and visible to all in relation to health and safety

·         Safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work are provided and maintained at all times

 

Scope:

 

This Policy relates to all Centre activities, including external areas/premises where staff or learners are undertaking approved Centre related activities.

 

The Trustees, Centre Manager, all members of staff, learners, contractors and members of the public, whilst on Centre owned/leased premises, are required to co-operate and assist the Centre in meeting its legal obligations regarding health, safety and welfare.  

 

Monitoring and Reviewing:

 

The Health and Safety Policy can be viewed by asking a member of the team for a copy or can be viewed on the Health and Safety notice board in the main hallway.  

 

The Centre Health and Safety Policy, its aims and objectives are reviewed annually, or as required by change in legislation, by the Centre Manager and approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

The Centre requires health and safety to feature on the weekly team meeting agenda.

 

Any issues arising that cannot be resolved should be actioned/forwarded to the Centre Manager to be resolved.

 

Audits will be carried out regularly. The frequency will depend on the risk level of the area within the Centre or external facilities and how well managed the identified risks are. The audit will follow the procedure laid down in HSG65 – Successful Health and Safety Management published by the HSE. The aims of the audit will be to establish that:

 

·         Appropriate management arrangements are in place

·         Adequate risk control systems exist, are implemented and consistent with the hazard profile

·         Appropriate workplace precautions are in place for learners in a workplace setting

 

The audit may use some or all of the following sources of information:

 

·         Audit questionnaires

·         Interviews with individuals to gain information about the operation of the health and safety management system and the perceptions, knowledge, understanding, management practices, skill and competence of managers and employees at various levels in the organisation

·         Examination of documents, work experience/placement documentation (where appropriate), assessing records, risk assessments, local procedures, safe systems of work etc, to ensure completeness, accuracy and reliability

·         Records of visual observations that have been undertaken

 

 

Responsibilities:

 

General Responsibilities

 

The HSWA and subsequent regulations made under it, places non-delegable legal responsibilities upon, not only the Board of Trustees and Centre Manager, but also upon staff and learners, to ensure the health, safety and welfare of not only themselves but also of others, including contractors and other visitors, who may be affected by their activities.

 

Protecting the health and safety of staff, learners and members of the public is an essential part of risk management and must be led by the Board of Trustees and The Centre Manager.

 

Operational responsibility for health and safety has been delegated, by the Board of Trustees to the Centre Manager although the Board retains overall accountability. There is also a nominated member of staff with responsibility for health and safety. Specific responsibilities are detailed later in this document.

 

In the event of an incident, accident or disaster involving Centre learners, it is the responsibility of the Centre Manager to ensure that the parents or next of kin have been promptly notified of the circumstances surrounding the incident or accident.

 

The Centre will apply its health and safety procedures equally to all contractors and other business partners and adopt rigorous procedures with regard to the selection of competent contractors, including the timely submission of risk assessments and method statements for work to be undertaken on Centre premises, or on other premises accommodating Centre staff and/or learners.

​

Board of Trustees Responsibilities:

 

Members of the Board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety. The Board has ultimate responsibility to take all measures in their power to ensure that a safe working and learning environment is provided but have delegated operational responsibility to the Centre Manager.

 

For effective leadership of health and safety the following principles will be followed:

 

Strong and active leadership:

 

·         visible, active commitment from the Board

·         effective ‘downward’ communication systems and management

·         good health and safety management integrated into business decisions

 

Staff and Learner involvement:

 

·         staff and learners will be engaged in the promotion and achievement of safe and healthy conditions

·         ‘upward’ communication will be encouraged

·         high quality training will be provided as required

 

Assessment and review:

 

·         health and safety risks will be identified and managed

·         competent advice will be sought and followed

·         health and safety performance will be reported, monitored and reviewed regularly

 

Planning the Direction for Health and Safety

 

The Board through the Centre Manager:

 

·         will ensure health and safety is included on the agenda for all meetings

·         has allocated the Centre Manager as the Health and Safety Champion 

·         will set the direction for effective health and safety management

·         will ensure that health and safety is an integral part of the Centre’s culture, of its values and performance standards

·         will take the lead in ensuring the communication of health and safety duties and benefits throughout the organisation

 

Centre Manager Responsibilities:

 

Delivering Health and Safety

 

The Board through the Centre Manager will:

 

·         ensure the Health and Safety Policy is enforced

·         ensure effective management systems are used to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of staff, learners and members of the public

·         ensure that risks are dealt with sensibly, responsibly and proportionately

·         ensure that health and safety arrangements are adequately resourced

·         ensure competent health and safety advice is obtained

·         risk assessments are carried out

·         staff or their representatives are involved in decisions affecting their health and safety

 

Monitoring Health and Safety

 

The Board through the Centre Manager will:

 

·         require the Health and Safety Responsible Person to report on a regular basis on strengths and weaknesses, accident/incident statistics and training records

·         ensure periodic audits of the Centre are carried out

·         ensure procedures are in place to implement new and changed legal requirements and to consider other external developments and events

 

Reviewing Health and Safety

 

The Board through the Centre Manager will:

 

·         establish whether health and safety principles have been embedded across the organisation

·         establish whether the systems are effective in managing risk and protecting people

·         require an annual report from the Health and Safety Responsible Person to be provided, which will include, accident/incident statistics for the previous year, areas for concern, a review of the previous year’s action plan together with a new action plan for the forthcoming year

·         review the Health and Safety Policy on an annual basis to ensure it reflects the current priorities, plans and targets

·         review the Management and Organisation of Health and Safety Policy as and when required

 

The Centre Manager will:

 

·         Ensure there are adequately trained staff who are fully familiar with the requirements of the Centre Health and Safety Policies and legal requirements relevant to their area of work and understand the health and safety risks of the operations and activities for which they are responsible

·         Ensure staff, learners and visitors are familiar with the Centre Health and Safety Policies and that they are fully implemented and coordinated across the Centre

·         Minimise the risk of harm to staff and learners’ health and safety by assessing activities they control, recording significant findings and implementing control measures in proportion to the level the risk demands. A formal record of the risk assessments shall be kept within the areas concerned and are to be available for review by the Health and Safety Responsible Person, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) if requested

·         Ensure risk assessments are regularly carried out or when there is a change to equipment or working practices/methods or following all accidents and any cases of occupational ill-health and dangerous occurrences reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)

·         Ensure all hazardous substances in the Centre are identified; assessments are carried out to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations and review these assessments as required

·         Inform the Board of any instances following risk assessment, where it is suspected that health surveillance of staff may be necessary

·         Monitor and Record all cases of occupationally-related staff absenteeism and/or sickness

·         Identify and arrange health and safety training for staff, identified as a result of risk assessment of their activities

·         Assure themselves all activities are properly planned and resourced, appropriate controls are implemented and the personnel involved are adequately instructed, trained and supervised

·         Ensure safe working practices are adopted and maintained at all times by staff, learners and visitors to the Centre

·         Ensure adequate plant and equipment is made available to secure safe working practices and such plant and equipment is effectively maintained in safe working order, with any statutory logs/registers/records of inspection/ maintenance schedules and testing records kept on file

·         Ensure staff and learners receive appropriate instruction and/or training, in the correct and safe use of all plant and equipment made available to them for use at work

·         Ensure the appropriate use of safety signage, in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996

·         Ensure risk assessments provide suitable and sufficient personal protective clothing and equipment to affected staff, learners and visitors, making periodic checks to ensure all such equipment is being worn

·         Ensure all personal protective equipment provided in the interests of health and safety is regularly cleaned, maintained and kept in clean and separate accommodation

·         Ensure accidents and incidents, including ‘near misses’ and violent incidents or threats, are immediately dealt with, thoroughly investigated and/or formally reported to the Health and Safety Executive and/or the funding organisation. Managers with responsibility for Learners must also be notified of any accidents and/or incidents of violence or threats of violence involving learners

·         In accordance with the requirements of Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1992, Managers must ensure they have nominated a sufficient number of staffs within their area, (to include evening and weekend sessions) to assist them with the efficient emergency evacuation of the premises ‘in the event of serious and imminent danger to persons at work’ such as that resulting from fire, etc. Staff allocated these duties will require appropriate training

·         Ensure all staff, learners and any visitors are made fully aware of the Centre fire and emergency evacuation procedure, accident and incident reporting procedure and first aid arrangements

·         When responsible for organising activities in the Centre premises, managers and staff must assure themselves that the premises being used are safe for staff to work in and for learners to learn in. Managers are responsible for ensuring staff and learners know and understand what to do in the event of an emergency evacuation, accident, incident or if first aid is required

·         Give prompt and appropriate attention to any health, safety or welfare matter brought to their attention by anyone

·         Stop immediately, any process or activity of which they become aware which might place anyone at risk of serious injury or where a breach of statutory requirements has been identified or suspected

·         Seek specialist advice on any health and safety matter for which clarification or assistance is required and meet periodically with the Board, to review health and safety matters affecting their areas of responsibility

·         Undertake periodic safety inspections of the work areas under their control and formally record the findings

·         Ensure all contractor activities are notified in good time to staff so any necessary delivery changes can be properly organised

·         As soon as they are made aware that a member of staff is pregnant, inform the Board and carry out a risk assessment of that person’s activities, record any significant findings and put control measures in place as required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. A further risk assessment will be required for any new mothers returning to work. The risk assessments should be reviewed regularly as circumstances change during the pregnancy. Where a learner becomes pregnant or is a new mother, similar assessments should be undertaken, significant findings recorded and control measures put in place, but these assessments are to be kept in a confidential file within the department

·         Establish and maintain contact with members of staff who are absent due to long-term sickness, advising the Board of the situation and requesting assistance as required. When the member of staff returns to work, a return to work interview is to be carried out. If required a risk assessment review may be necessary before the member of staff restarts the work activity

 

Specific Management Responsibilities - Relating to Safeguarding Learners:

 

Managers and Staff who have responsibility for learners will:

 

Promote the significance of impressing upon learners the importance of following health and safety procedures and adopting any necessary precautionary measures.

 

Ensure learners and especially those with disabilities and/or learning difficulties are able to gain safe access to all parts of the Centre premises, completing Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans where appropriate.

 

In exceptional circumstances, ensure that arrangements are made for the transport of injured learners to hospital and that the parents or the next of kin of learner casualties requiring hospital attention are contacted. Alerting appropriate colleagues about any health and safety matters affecting learners of which she/he becomes aware.

 

In the case of young learners, provide parents with copies of Risk Assessments when required.

 

When Learning Takes Place Away from Centre:

 

Managers and staff are responsible for ensuring the safety of learners when the learners are on work experience arranged by the Centre.

 

Only companies providing a safe and healthy environment for learners should be used for work placements and an assurance visit to the workplace must be undertaken before the learner starts. Standards for assessment of the workplace have been established by the SFA (Heath and Safety Procurement Standards – HASPS) and these standards must be assessed before any learner is placed with an employer. This applies to all Work Experience.

 

The Centre Workplace Assurance Health and Safety Officer must undertake HASPS checks on any employer used for work experience and should ensure that learners are only placed with employers who have met these standards.

 

The Workplace Assurance Health and Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that HASPS Standard 10, which matches the needs of the learner with an employer able to meet these needs, has been completed and fully understands the needs of the learner. A standard HASPS checklist is available and must be used for all workplace assessments. Copies of the completed checklist are to be kept by the Centre.

 

In addition to the above the Centre has a Safeguarding Policy which should be referred to. Any Safeguarding issues must be reported and recorded on the Welfare Reporting Form.

 

 

Health and Safety Responsible Person:

  

The Health and Safety Responsible Person has a central coordinating role in relation to general safety matters and acts as adviser to the Centre about particular safety problems, concerns and issues and the requirements, possible interpretation and application of relevant legislation. He/she has a pivotal role in the development and promotion of the Centre Health and Safety Policies and an effective safety management system.

 

The Health and Safety Responsible Person reports to the Centre Manager who reports to the Board of Trustees and:

 

·         Provides expertise and advice to assist the Centre Managers and staff in the discharge of statutory, moral and ethical health and safety duties

·         Assists with the planning, implementation and monitoring of the organisational arrangements within the Centre, together with the monitoring of health and safety programmes and health and safety performance

·         Prepares reports on health and safety matters as required

·         Advises managers and staff on the implications and application of all relevant health and safety legislation, approved codes of practice, guidance notes issued by the Health and Safety Executive and other Government bodies, etc.

·         Provides advice and guidance on the health and safety aspects of premises, work equipment and personal protective clothing and equipment, etc

·         Provides advice and support to the Centre Manager where necessary, in the fulfillment and discharge of their health and safety management duties and responsibilities

·         Liaises with relevant professional bodies and enforcing authorities as necessary

·         Maintains and update the Centre Health and Safety Policies and Procedures in full consultation with members of the Board of Trustees

·         Ensures all staff and learners receive periodic updates on both the technical and legal developments within the health and safety field

·         Promotes and encourage safe working practices and provide expertise and advice in the creation of safe systems of work together with procedures to ensure safe working environments for employees, contractors, learners and members of the general public visiting the Centre

·         Develops and conduct health and safety promotional campaigns and provide health and safety information for incorporation on the Centre Website

·         Assists with staff and learner health and safety induction as required and design and prepare materials for the delivery of health and safety training programmes to Centre staff

·         Assists the Centre Manager in the thorough investigation of all accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences, occasionally making recommendations for further improvements. Maintain records of all such events and promptly report all injuries, cases of occupational disease and dangerous occurrences reportable under RIDDOR to the relevant enforcing authority

·         Maintains professional competence as required by the professional body

·         Advises on the provision of first aid and ensure sufficient supplies of first aid equipment is on hand and, if required, co-ordinate the training of first aiders

 

 

Health and Safety Responsibilities- All staff:

 

·         All staff are required to co-operate with the Centre to ensure that their workplace is safe for anyone who may be affected by their actions. Staff must take reasonable care not to do anything that might endanger either themselves or others or cause avoidable damage to property or equipment

·         Staff must not knowingly act, or omit to act, in a way that may cause either themselves or the Centre to be in breach of the law or damage the reputation of the Centre. Staff must take account of the potential hazards and risks in everything they do

·         Staff are to make themselves familiar with the contents of the Centre Health and Safety Policies and Procedures

·         Staff must make themselves aware of and comply with the Centre emergency evacuation procedure

·         Staff must make themselves aware of and comply with the Centre First Aid procedures

·         Staff are encouraged to raise health and safety concerns that cannot be addressed through their line manager or Centre Manager

·         If during the course of work staff become injured, unwell, or are involved in or become aware of any situations which are potentially unsafe, including violent incidents, they must inform the Centre Manager at the earliest opportunity

·         Staff are to make themselves aware of all health and safety hazards associated with their work, including the control/preventative measures to be taken

·         Staff may be asked to assist with completing risk assessments of their work activities that have the potential to cause harm, including off-site activities, recording significant findings and implementing all necessary control measures, so far as is reasonably practicable

·         Staff must ensure all health and safety precautions are observed and all health and safety requirements regarding the use of personal protective clothing and equipment, other equipment and hazardous substances, are adhered to

·         Staff are required, where necessary as a result of risk assessment, to wear any personal protective clothing and equipment that has been provided. Such equipment/clothing must be kept clean and maintained appropriately, notifying their Line Manager when repair or new equipment is needed

·         Staff should stop immediately any work equipment, process or activity, which might place any person at risk of serious injury or where a breach of health and safety requirements has been identified or is suspected and promptly report any defects or deficiencies to the Centre Manager

·         Staff are to follow good housekeeping practices by keeping all work areas clean, tidy and free from obstructions

·         When requested staff are to co-operate in health and safety inspections and accident investigations with Managers or the H&S Nominated Person

·         Attend health and safety training sessions and courses, as and when required

·         Periodically check their working areas and promptly report to the Centre Manager, any hazards or problems, which they cannot personally safely rectify

 

Health and Safety Responsibilities-Staff Working with Learners:

 

In addition to the responsibilities outlined, all staff who work directly with learners are responsible for the health and safety of the learners in their charge, whether on Centre premises, other premises used by the Centre, or on an organised visit. It is important that such staff understand their legal responsibilities regarding health and safety.

 

These members of staff are in a special position to influence learners’ attitudes to health and safety and must therefore firmly encourage them to become aware of health and safety issues and to adopt practices that are safe for themselves and others.

 

Such staff must ensure they;

 

·         Inform learners of the risks to their health and safety, together with the proposed control measures to prevent/avert those risks

·         Give clear and appropriate health and safety instructions and warnings to learners and/or others where necessary and ensure that these are understood and followed. Tutors should have a means of assessing whether the learner has understood the Health and Safety information provided, and this assessment should be formally recorded

·         Ensure that effective supervision is carried out when in control of learners and others

·         Ensure learners know and understand the Centre emergency evacuation procedure

·         Ensure learners know and understand what to do if an accident or incident occurs

·         Ensure that specialised equipment and/or substances, etc, are released to or used by authorised and appropriately trained persons only

 

 

Health and Safety Responsibilities-Learners:

 

The Centre is committed to providing a safe, healthy and supportive environment for learners in order to maximise their experience and achievement. Learners occupying, visiting the premises and facilities have duties under the law. By applying the following principles, learners will assist the Centre meets its legal obligations:

·         Learners are required to take care of the health and safety of themselves and others and to co-operate fully with the Centre in the discharge of its duties and responsibilities. It is therefore expected that learners will act in a responsible manner at all times whilst at the Centre and always follow safety instructions and emergency evacuation procedures. Failure to follow these instructions and procedures will result in disciplinary action and may even result in exclusion from the Centre

·         Whenever a learner is made aware of a health or safety hazard, or potential hazard, they MUST IMMEDIATELY inform their class tutor of the matter. Action must be taken immediately to ensure that the hazard is removed

·         Before a learner starts a course of study, they will be given both general safety instructions as part of their induction programme relating to matters such as emergency evacuation procedure and the reporting of accidents to the class tutor, together with more detailed safety instructions and training, relating to the safe operation and handling of machinery, equipment and chemical substances where appropriate for particular courses. Learners must tell their tutor if they do not understand anything relating to health and safety

·         Learners will be made aware of and must follow the Centre emergency evacuation procedures

·         Learners will be made aware of and must follow the Centre First Aid procedures

 

More specific information regarding first aid, emergency evacuation, work equipment and work processes is available in separate policies.

 

Supporting Policies:

 

This policy outlines the Centre’s management and organisation of health and safety, however, there are further policies relating to specific health and safety matters.

 

These include:

 

·         H&S001 Fire and Emergency Evacuation Policy and Procedure

·         H&S002 Accident and Incidents Policy and Procedure

·         H&S003 First Aid Policy and Procedure

·         H&S004 Manual Handling and Lifting Policy and Procedure

·         H&S005 Personal Protective Equipment Policy and Procedure

·         H&S006 Working Alone Policy and Procedure

·         H&S007 Use of a Personal Vehicle for Centre Business Policy and Procedure

·         H&S008 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Policy and Procedure

·         H&S0021 Display Screen Equipment Policy and Procedure

·         H&S0022 Electrical Equipment Policy and Procedure

 

 

In addition, the Health and Safety Manual located in the main office also includes the following supporting documents:

 

·         H&S009   Accident Report Form

·         H&S0010 Incident Report Form

·         H&S0011 Welfare issues Report Form

·         H&S0012 Risk Assessment Action Plan/Programmes

·         H&S0013 Risk assessment form

·         H&S0014 Health and Safety Quality Improvement Plan

·         H&S0015 Health and Safety Training Plan

·         H&S0016 Display Screen Equipment Regulations

·         H&S0017 Electricity at Work Regulations

·         H&S0018 RIDDOR Regulations

·         H&S0019 Work Placement/Work Experience H&S Form (See programme procedures for requirements in the use of this form)

·         H&S0020 Safeguarding Policy and Procedure

·         Abbey Access Training Handbook and Induction Pack

·         Be Safe Booklet