Health & Safety 2009
1. Policy The Northwest Regional Development Agency is firmly committed to achieving and maintaining high standards of health and safety in respect of: • • • • •
Employees of the Agency Tenants of the Agency’s property Contractors working on the Agency’s property or projects Visitors to the Agency’s property Members of the public who may be affected by the Agency’s activities.
The Agency is fully aware of its obligations under health and safety legislation and is committed to meeting its demands in relation to: • • • •
NWDA’s own offices Premises and sites owned or managed by NWDA Employees of NWDA visiting or working in other locations Projects in which NWDA has an interest.
NWDA supports the concept of consultation with employees on matters of health and safety, and has a Health and Safety Committee, which provides a forum for such consultation. This policy will be made available to all employees and will be reviewed on an annual basis. 2. Organisation Responsibilities Responsibility for the effective implementation of the health and safety policy is as detailed below.
2.1. Chief Executive The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for health and safety within the Agency, and in particular for ensuring that adequate resources are available to implement the policy. The Chief Executive carries the principal functional responsibility for the implementation of the policy and in particular for: • • • •
The allocation of resources to implement the policy Delegating specific health and safety responsibilities to others within the Agency Monitoring their effectiveness in carrying out those responsibilities Ensuring that suitable arrangements are in place to implement the policy.
2.2. Executive Directors Directors are expected to actively support the Chief Executive in the implementation of the policy. The Executive Director of Resources has operational responsibility for ensuring that the H & S policy is implemented on behalf of the CEO as detailed above. Each Director however, has primary responsibility for the effective management of health and safety within their own Group. Their responsibilities specifically include: • • • • •
Where appropriate , delegating administrative responsibility for health and safety within an outlying office to a clearly identified member of staff Ensuring that the identified member of staff liaises fully with the Facilities Management Team for the delivery of health and safety Ensuring staff within their group follow health and safety procedures Fully support health and safety training delivered by the Agency Monitoring the effectiveness of these staff in carrying out their duties
2.3. The Executive Director of Resources The Executive Director of Resources carries the operational responsibility for developing and maintaining administrational arrangements for the effective management of health and safety. In particular this includes: • • • • • • • •
Ensuring that adequate competent health and safety advice is available to the Agency Ensuring that every office of the Agency has at least one copy of the risk assessment manual and that the information is available on the Agency intranet web site. Making arrangements for the periodic review of the Agency’s risk assessments and for review or revision where this is identified as being necessary Ensuring consultation takes place with the Agency’s employees on health and safety matters, particularly through the forum of the Health and Safety Committee Arranging for monitoring of the Agency’s health and safety standards through audits and inspections Arranging for the effective reporting, investigation and notification of accidents and incidents involving the Agency’s employees or within its offices, sites or property Arranging for the review and, where necessary, revision of this policy at least every year Making administrative arrangements to deal with identified health and safety training needs which cannot be met in-house.
2.4. All Members of Senior Management Team All members of management are expected to actively support the Board and Directors in the implementation of the policy. They are expected to demonstrate their commitment to health and safety by setting a good example themselves and through their effective management of health and safety issues within their own areas of control. Their responsibilities include: • • • • • • • •
Supporting the Facilities Management Team so that health and safety in the Agency’s Headquarters and outlying offices is implemented. By overseeing Team members to ensure compliance with Agency health and safety policy and procedures Monitoring the effectiveness of the above arrangements Identifying health and safety related training needs and liaising with Facilities Management and Human Resources, to ensure these needs are met Ensuring that new members of staff (including temps) are made available for suitable health and safety induction training Making Team members available for ongoing health and safety training Taking appropriate action to deal with risks reported to them Following health and safety policy in respect of working away from Agency offices, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
2.5. All Employees All employees carry a legal obligation to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for that of others who may be affected by their acts and omissions. As well as including their colleagues, this duty also extends to the care of tenants, contractors, visitors and members of the public. Their specific responsibilities include: • Behaving in a responsible manner • Following Agency procedures and safe working practices • Complying with standards set by the Agency or others (e.g. tenants or contractors) in respect of personal protective equipment • Identifying risks and other health and safety concerns and either rectifying them or reporting them to relevant staff (this includes those relating to the activities of tenants) • Reporting accidents and incidents as required by the Agency’s procedures or instructions • Suggesting improvements to procedures or practices • Attending training courses provided by or on behalf of the Agency 3. Arrangements The Agency has established a variety of arrangements for ensuring the effective implementation of its health and safety policy. These include: 3.1 The Risk Assessment Manual A copy of this should be available in every NWDA office. It contains details of the precautions in place or available to deal with risks: • •
In NWDA’s own offices In NWDA activities outside its offices
3.2. The NWDA Site Safety Management Manual This document is primarily concerned with the effective management of health and safety at sites and property within NWDA’s control. Health and Safety Procedures Several health and safety related procedures have been established including procedures for: • • • • • • • • • •
The reporting, investigation and notification of accidents and incidents Health and safety inspections of NWDA offices Providing health and safety inductions to all new staff members New and expectant mums guidelines Workstation risk assessment Working at heights Fire Risk Assessments of NWDA offices Fire Evacuation Lone working Manual handling
3.3. Health and Safety Committee NWDA has established a Health and Safety Committee, which has a written constitution and terms of reference. Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive, June 2009