Your Space Your Time Centre

 

Health and Safety Policy

3, Albion Court

72, Attleborough Road

Nuneaton

CV11 4JJ

 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL POLICY

 

1. Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd fully accepts the obligations placed upon it by the various Acts of Parliament covering health and safety. The Company requires its Directors Leanne Bolesworth and Teresa Young to ensure that the following policy is implemented and to report/respond annually on its effectiveness.

MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION AND ARRANGEMENTS

 

INTRODUCTION

2. This policy has been prepared and published under the requirements of Health & Safety at Work legislation. The purpose of the policy is to establish general standards for health and safety at work and to distribute responsibility for their achievement to all managers, team members and staff through the normal line management processes.

 

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

 

3. Leanne Bolesworth and Teresa Young have overall responsibility for the implementation of the Company's policy. In particular they are responsible for ensuring that the policy is widely communicated and that its effectiveness is monitored.
4. The Safety Officer is a nominated manager responsible for co-ordinating effective health and safety policies and controls across the organisation.

 

5. The Safety Officer is responsible for:

• the production and maintenance of the Company's policy and ensuring that Department Guidelines are consistent with policy.
• its application.
• monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the policy.
• the provision of general advice about the implication of the law.
• the identification of health and safety training needs. The safety officer also acts on behalf of the Directors, as the Company's formal link with the Health and Safety Executive, Environment Health Departments and other external agencies.
• the production and maintenance of any health and safety documents or codes of practice as necessary for any relevant area of the Company services where this is required.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT PROCESS

 

6. Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd believes that consideration of the health, safety and welfare of staff, visitors, students and clients is an integral part of the management process. The provision of the Health and Safety at Work Act associated Codes of Practice and other relevant Directives will be adopted as required standards within the Company.

 

7. The Company requires managers to approach health and safety in a systematic way, by identifying hazards and problems, planning improvements, taking executive action and monitoring results so that the majority of health and safety needs will be met as part of day-to-day management, although many health and safety problems can be rectified at little additional cost.

 

8. If unpredictable health and safety issues arise during the year, the Directors must assess the degree of risk, in deciding the necessary resources and actions to commit to addressing these issues.

 

HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE GUIDELINES

 

9. It is the policy of Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd to require its directors to produce appropriate departmental health and safety policies or guidelines.
10. It shall be the responsibility of the Directors to bring to the attention of all staff, the provisions of the guidelines, and to consult with appropriate Health and Safety Representatives about the updating of these guidelines. a clear statement of the role of the department.

• regulations governing the work of the department.
• clear reference to safe methods of working, for example lone worker policy, manufacturers' manuals.
• information about immediate matters of health and safety concern, such as fire drills, fire exits, first aid.
• training standards.
• the role and identity of the Health and Safety Representative.
• names of specialist advisers who can be approached about the work of the department.
• the manager responsible for organisation and control of work.
• accident reporting procedures.
• departmental safety rules.
• fire procedures.

 

IDENTIFICATION OF HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS

ANNUAL AUDIT AND REGULAR RISK ASSESSMENTS

 

11. It is the policy of Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd to require a thorough examination of health and safety performance against established standards in each department, at least The technique to be adopted for such examinations will be the 'Safety Audit'. The Audit requires review of:

 

• standards laid down in the policy.
• departmental guidelines.
• relevant regulations.
• environmental factors.
• staff attitudes.
• staff instructions.
• methods of work.
• contingency plans.
• recording and provision of information about accidents and hazards and the assessment of risk.

12. The information obtained by the Audit will be used to form the basis of the plan for the department for the following year.

 

13. The responsibility for ensuring that audit activity is carried out as part of this policy rests with the Directors and will be carried out by the Safety Officer. Although the Audit remains a management responsibility, managers are required as part of this policy to seek the involvement of the appropriate Health and Safety Representative in the conduct of the Audit.

 

14. It is the management's responsibility to ensure that any deficiencies highlighted in the Audit are dealt with as speedily as possible.

 

15. In addition to carrying out Safety Audits, it is the responsibility of the Directors to have checked, at least quarterly, all portable equipment, including electrical appliances, in their area, and to ensure that all problems are immediately dealt with.

 

16. Directors have a continual responsibility for the elimination of hazards in order to maintain a safe working environment and will also be expected to carry out regular risk assessments in line with the Health and Safety Executive Guidelines; that is follow the 5 steps:

 

1. Identify the hazards.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how.
3. Evaluate the Risks and decide on precautions.
4. Record the findings and implement the precautions.
5. Review the assessment and update when necessary.

 

SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES

 

17. Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd will support Safety Representatives in carrying out their role and give all reasonable assistance. Safety Representatives will be encouraged to discuss specific health and safety issues with the relevant Head of Department. They may also formally report hazardous or unsafe circumstances to the Directors and will be formally notified of the remedial action taken or be given a reason why the action cannot be taken.

 

TRAINING

 

18. Health and Safety training shall be incorporated within annual training programmes, as part of the development of a systematic training plan. Health and Safety training needs will, therefore, be identified and planned for in the same manner as other training needs.

 

19. Four areas of need shall be given special priority:

 

• training for directors, team members and volunteers to equip them with an understanding of the responsibilities under this policy, and the role and purpose of safety representatives.
• training for safety representatives to enable them to discharge their function.
• training for all members of staff to acquaint them with the main provisions of the law and its practical implication, the main features of this policy and key safety rules.
• induction and in-service training for staff at all levels to acquaint them fully with new requirements.

 

RECORDS, STATISTICS AND MONITORING

 

20. The Company will operate systems for recording, analysis and presentation of information about accidents, hazard situations and untoward occurrences. Advice on systems will be provided by the Safety Officer, in conjunction, where appropriate with specialist advisory bodies for example local Environmental Health Departments, and the responsibility for the operation of these systems rests with the directors. Information obtained from the analysis of accident statistics must be acted upon and, where necessary, bids for additional expenditure made to the directors.

 

REPORTS TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE

 

21. The responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR) to the Health and Safety Executive, shall rest with the Directors as delegated to the Safety Officer.

 

SPECIALIST ADVISORY BODIES

 

22. Certain bodies and the individual members of those bodies have always had a Health and Safety role, most notably, the Health & Safety executive, or local Environmental Health Departments. If further specialist advice is required, this may be obtained by Managers from expert individuals or bodies outside the Company.

 

 

 

FIRST AID

 

23. It is the policy of the Company to make provision for First Aid and the training of 'First Aiders' in accordance with the First Aid Regulations (1982). The Directors are responsible for ensuring the Regulations are implemented and for identifying training needs.

 

FIRE

 

The Directors are responsible for ensuring that the staff receive adequate fire training, and that.

nominated fire officers are designated in Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd premises.

 

24. Written documentation and explanation of our evacuation plan including regular fire drills.

 

• Check fire safety equipment, fire alarms and automatic fire doors on a weekly basis.
• Ensure all exits are clearly marked and fully accessible, all signage clear and visible and gives clear instructions to the nearest fire exit.
• assist in the investigation of all fires in the Company's premises and to submit reports of such incidents.

 

CONDEMNATION AND DISPOSAL OF EQUIPMENT

 

25. Procedures for the condemnation and disposal of equipment are determined by the Directors introducing new equipment will be checked by a qualified electrician.

 

FOOD HYGIENE

 

26. Directors have responsibility for food acquisition, storage, processing and serving, are responsible for ensuring that these functions are undertaken to the necessary legal standards. Any suspected outbreak of food poisoning or other unexplained and possibly food related incidents must be reported to the Directors.

 

LIFTING AND HANDLING

 

27. Managers are responsible for informing staff of safe lifting techniques. The Safety Officer will identify specific training needs and ensure training in lifting and handling is provided to staff who require it.

 

NON-SMOKING ON COMPANY PREMISES

 

28. Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd follows legislation set out by law and government policy and there will be no smoking in its buildings. The overall aim of this legislation is to reduce smoking and so save life, reduce risk of fire, prevent unnecessary illness and chronic disability. These rules also extend to e-cigarettes / vaping.

PEOPLE WORKING ON COMPANY PREMISES NOT EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY

 

29. Persons working in Your Space Your Time Counselling Ltd premises who are associate counsellors, teaching staff, admin or employed by other organisations are expected to follow Company Health and Safety Policies with regard to the safety of clients, students, their own personal safety (and that of other parties such as the general public if appropriate) This responsibility will be included in contracts or working arrangements.

 

VISITORS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

 

30. The Company wishes to ensure that the Health, Safety and Welfare of visitors to Company establishments will be of the highest standard.
31. Any member of staff who notice persons acting in a way which might endanger others should inform the directors. If the danger is immediate, common sense must be used to give warning, call for assistance or give aid as necessary.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE

 

32. Health and Safety at Work Act requires each member of the team to take reasonable care for the Health and Safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by their acts and omissions and cooperate with management to enable management to carry out their responsibilities under the Act.

 

CONTRACTORS

 

33. The Company wishes to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of Contractors working in the Company's establishments will be of the highest standards. In addition, Contractors and their employees have an obligation so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure all equipment, materials and premises under their control are safe and without risks to health.

 

34. Contractors must also observe the Company's Fire Safety Procedures. These obligations will be drawn to the attention of the Contractors in the contract document issued to them. In addition, a Company Manager will be identified in the contract as having authority to stop the work of Contractors who are placing themselves, other staff, or visitors at risk. Any member of staff who judges there is a risk where contractors are working, should inform their manager immediately.

 

35. In tendering, Contractors will be asked to confirm they have a written Health, Safety and Welfare Policy. The Directors will be responsible for monitoring the Health and Safety performance of the Contractor and the Contractor's performance will be a factor in deciding whether or not to invite the contractor to tender again.

 

Date Produced	8th June 2021
Date enacted	12th June 2021
Review	January 2022