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Health & Safety Policy

Section 1: Policy Statement

Our statement of general policy is:

  1. To set standards of health, safety and welfare that comply fully with Health and Safety at work etc ACT 1974 and all other relevant statutory provisions and approved codes of practice.
  2. To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities
  3. To consult  with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
  4. To provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
  5. To ensure safe handling and use of substances
  6. To provide all employees with sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to work safely and efficiently
  7. To ensure all employees are competent to perform their tasks and give them adequate training
  8. To maintain safe and healthy working conditions

To ensure the effective implementation and subsequent monitoring of the health and safety policy throughout the organisation, it is necessary to define the duties and accountabilities of all persons. These are set out in section 2.

Section 2: Responsibilities

  1. The Board of all pumps solutions are responsible for all matters affecting health and safety throughout the organisation. They will monitor the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Policy.
  2. The managing director accepts overall and final responsibility for health and safety
  3. The General Manager is responsible for the execution of the organisation’s Health and Safety policy throughout the organisation, and will:-

– Administer the effective implementation of the Health and Safety Policy throughout the organisation;

– Have an understanding of the Health and Safety at work etc. Act and other legislation relevant to the organisation’s business;

– Arrange for funds and appropriate facilities to be available to meet the requirements of the Health and Safety policy;

– Ensure that risk assessments are undertaken and that control measures are implemented to either eliminate the risk or reduce the risk to its lowest possible level and that such assessments are reviewed on an annual basis;

– Ensure that plant, equipment and personal protective equipment function correctly and safely and that details of any hazards, safety information and health and safety instructions are communicated fully to employees;

– Ensure that details of any hazards, safety information and safe methods of use associated with the substances that are issued to employees are explained fully including aspects of handling, storage, transport and use of such substances;

– Identify, arrange and where necessary undertake adequate training for all employees so that such employees are fully conversant with the work they’re required to do thus enabling them to work safely and efficiently;

– Liaise with the external Health and Safety consultant, where necessary, regarding the implementation of legislation, accident prevention, recommendations, audit reports, etc.;

– Discipline any member of staff failing to comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety Policy;

– Ensure that consultation with employees is undertaken efficiently with employees;

– Set a personal example.

4. The warehouse manager and the customer services manager will in respect of the employees under their control:-

– Have an understanding of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act and other legislation relevant to the organisation’s business;

– Ensure that risk assessments are monitored to ensure that they remain effective;

– Ensure that safe systems of work for their areas of responsibility are operated fully;

– Ensure that plant, equipment and personal protective equipment function correctly and safely and that details of any hazards, safety information and health and safety instructions are communicated fully;

– Ensure that details of any hazards, safety information and safe methods of use associated with substances that are issued are explained fully including aspects of handling, storage, transport and use of such substances;

– Identify and bring to the General Managers attention training requirements for all employees and where relevant undertake such training so that such employees are fully conversant with the work they’re required to do, thus enabling them to work safely and efficiently;

– Take out of service any defective equipment that poses a risk to health and safety and ensure that it is not used until it either has been repaired or replaced;

– Undertake regular inspections of the areas under their control to ensure that the premises are in a safe condition, equipment is functioning correctly and aisles, gangways and fire exits are accessible;

– Investigate fully any accident or near miss that has been reported;

– Set a personal example.

5. Company employees will:-

– Be responsible for their own safety and must not do anything which is likely to cause injury or risks to health and safety of other persons;

– Observe all safety rules, training and safety signs at all times;

– Follow safe systems of work at all times;

– Follow training they have received;

– When using substances in the course of their work use, handle and store them in the prescribed manner;

– Wear appropriate safety equipment at all times;

– Confirm to all reasonable instructions given by persons responsible for health and safety matters;

– Report all potential hazards to the General Manager and/or the Warehouse Manager or Customer Service Manager;

– Report all accidents, which may or may not involve injury to person or damage to property of equipment, immediately to the General Manager and/or the Warehouse Manager or Customer Service Manager

– Ensure that any item of equipment or installation not functioning in the correct manner will be reported to the General Manager and/or the Warehouse Manager of the Customer Service Manager;

– Report any work situation to the General Manager and/or the Warehouse Manager or Customer Service Manager, that might present serious or imminent danger;

– Report any shortcomings in the health and safety arrangements to the General Manager and/or the Warehouse Manager or Customer Service manager;

– Set a personal example particularly the junior members of the workforce.

Section 3: Arrangements:

Fire

In accordance with the safety requirements of the organisation, the following action shall be taken;

  1. All employees shall be made aware of the emergency and evacuation procedures in the event  of discovering a fire or the fire alarm being activated ;
  2. Adequate fire fighting and emergency equipment shall be available and shall be maintained by a competent person;
  3. Fire drills shall be held at least twice a year;
  4. All employees will received adequate information to enable them to use a fire extinguisher;
  5. A fire risk assessment shall be undertaken in accordance with the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations

General Risk Assessments

In accordance with the management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations the following actions shall be taken:

  1. An assessment shall be made of all the tasks for which an assessment has not been made under other legislation identifying the hazards and associated risks and the methods required to eliminate such risks or reducing them to the lowest practical level;
  2. All employees who may be affected by the assessment shall be given adequate information and training regarding the hazards, risks and control measures relative to the task being undertaken;
  3. All assessments shall be reviewed annually or immediately if there is a significant change in circumstances.

Substances Hazardous to Health

In accordance with the Control of Substances hazardous to Health Regulations the following action shall be taken:-

  1. All hazardous substances that are used, produced, handled, stored or transported in a non-packaged form shall be identified and assessed and action taken to either eliminate or reduce the risk created by such hazardous substances;
  2. No hazardous substance shall be used until an assessment has been undertaken and control measures implemented;
  3. All employees will receive adequate training and information relating to the risks and precautions to be taken following an assessment of hazardous substances;
  4. All assessments shall be reviewed at least annually or immediately if there is a significant change in circumstances.

Manual Handling

In accordance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations the following action shall be taken:-

  1. All areas/tasks involving the use of manual handling which includes lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing, pulling and holding of loads shall be identified:
  2. An assessment shall be made of all tasks identified where manual handling cannot be eliminated and such assessments shall take into account the method of the task, the load, the working environment and individual’s capabilities;
  3. Following assessments appropriate action will be taken where identified to reduce the risks posed by manual handling;
  4. All employees involved in manual handling operations shall receive adequate information and training in manual handling techniques relative to the task being undertaken;
  5. All manual handling assessments shall be reviewed annually or immediately if there is a significant change in circumstances.

Personal Protective Equipment

In accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations the following actions shall be taken:

  1. The need for personal protective equipment shall be identified;
  2. Any employee to whom personal protective equipment has been issued shall be given adequate information and training relating to such equipment;
  3. All personal protective equipment shall be checked on a regular basis to ensure that it is not defective;
  4. Where identified,  a regular cleaning/disinfecting/maintenance program for personal protective equipment shall be introduced and records kept accordingly;
  5. Where required suitable storage facilities for personal protective equipment shall be provided;
  6. Where the wearing/use of personal protective equipment is required, then adequate warning signs shall be replaced.

Display Screen Equipment

In accordance with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations the following action shall be taken:

  1. All employees who fall into the ‘user’ category within the scope of the Regulations shall be identified;
  2. An assessment of the ‘users’ workstation shall be undertaken and where remedial action is required then this shall be implemented;
  3. All ‘users’ shall be given a copy of the Display Screen Equipment User Guide;
  4. All ‘users’ shall be advised of their right to request an eyesight test to cost the being borne by the company and where as a result of such a test spectacles are required then the company shall bear the cost in accordance with the N.H.S guidelines.

Work Equipment

In accordance with the Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations the following action shall be taken:

  1. All work equipment shall be suitable for the purpose it is intended;
  2. All work equipment shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and industry good practice;
  3. Records shall be kept of all servicing and maintenance;
  4. All operators of work equipment shall receive adequate instruction, information and training to enable them to operate work equipment safely and without risk;
  5. Any defects shall be rectified as soon as possible and where there is a risk to safety then the equipment will be taken out of service until the fault has been rectified.

Lifting Equipment

In accordance with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations the following action shall be taken:

  1. All lifting equipment shall be suitable for the activity it is to carry out;
  2. Where the lifting of a person is necessary then a recognised working platform shall be used;
  3. All lifting equipment shall be marked with the safe working load (SWL) except where information showing this is kept with the machinery;
  4. Risk assessments regarding the use of lifting equipment shall be undertaken;
  5. All lifting activities shall be adequately supervised;
  6. All lifting equipment shall be inspected by a competent person every six months if it is used for lifting persons and every twelve months if it is only used for lifting goods.

Electricity

In accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations the following actions shall be taken:-

  1. All portable electrical appliances shall be inspected and tested at least annually;
  2. All electrical work including the fixing of plugs and changing of fuses shall only be undertaken by competent persons;
  3. No portable electrical equipment can be brought on site without the prior permission of management;
  4. All fixed electrical installations will be inspected and tested every five years by a competent person;
  5. All electrical switchgear controlling equipment shall be clearly labelled to indicate the identity of the equipment controlled.

First Aid

In accordance with the Health and Safety (first aid) Regulations the following action shall be taken;

  1. Appointed a sufficient number of suitable and trained personnel to render first aid to employees or appointed other employees who, in the absence of a trained first aider, will be capable of taking charge in an emergency, calling an ambulance and looking after first aid equipment;
  2. Provided and maintained suitable first aid boxes in places that can easily be reached by all employees. Such first aid boxes should contain a sufficient quantity of first aid materials and nothing else;
  3. Provided and maintained suitable sterile eye wash facilities where mains tap water is not readily available for eye irrigation;
  4. Notices displayed giving the identity of first aiders and the location of first aid equipment;
  5. A procedure for ensuring that both the contents and the condition of first aid equipment are checked on a regular basis against a specific checklist.

Accident & Dangerous Occurences Reporting Procedures

When an accident has occured involving injury, no matter how minor, the following action will be taken:-

  1. The injured person will report the circumstances of the accident to the General Manager, Warehouse Manager or Customer Services Manager;
  2. Details of the injured person, accident circumstances etc. will be entered into the Accident Book by the Manager the incident was reported to.
  3. The Accident Report Form will be completed by the General Manager, Warehouse Manager or Customer Service Manager who will ensure that the accident is fully investigated and decide what further action to prevent  recurrence is required, if any. Any action taken will be recorded on the Accident Report Form;
  4. A copy of the Accident Report Form will be kept in the injured employees personnel file for a minimum period of at least four years;
  5. The General Manager will ensure that the reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations 1995 are complied with.

Training

  1. Induction training will be undertaken for all new employees;
  2. Specific training will be undertaken for the operation of safe systems of work;
  3. Where employees operate equipment such as forklift trucks then specific training will be undertaken;
  4. Training records will be retained in the employee personnel files.

Employee Consultation

In accordance with the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) regulations all employees shall be consulted about the following matters:-

  1. Any measures at the workplace which may substantially affect health and safety;
  2. Information on the risks to health and safety and any preventative measures that are put in place;
  3. The health and safety consequences of any new equipment that is planned for the workplace;
  4. Consultation will be direct with employees or through the Senior Staff Group.

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