Health and Safety Policy Statement

Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd
Safety Management System

This Policy document was revised and agreed by the Director with responsibility for Health and Safety for Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd  on:    5th August 2016.

Director responsible for Health and Safety:       Jim Gyere

INDEX
1.     Foreword

2.     Policy Statement on Health and Safety Matters

3.     Revision to Safety Policy

4.    Safety Management Structure, Obligations and Responsibilities

5.     Competent Personnel

6.     Staff Responsibilities and Duty of Care

7.     Safety Committee and Safety Liaison

8.     Issue and Approval

9.     Core Procedures and other arrangements index

Appendices
A       Safety Structure Overview

B        Roles and Responsibilities of Staff with Safety Related Duties

C       Training Needs Analysis for Competency

1.       Foreword

1.1     Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. will seek to deliver high quality, safe services  and secure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees, and others, who are on our premises, so far as is reasonably practicable.

1.2     Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. as an organisation also acknowledges the requirement to manage its activities in order to identify, assess and prevent events that may give rise to injury or ill health.

1.3     To assist organisations in achieving such aims the Health and Safety Executive have produced a Guidance Note (HS(G)65) entitled “Successful Health and Safety Management”, laying out the framework of a safety management system. This framework has also been stated in BS EN 8800 – “Guide to Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems”. Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd.aims to reflect the guidance laid down in these two documents in this Safety Management Policy.

1.4     The sequence of the Safety Management System (SMS) represents the requirement of Section 2 (3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974:

  • A written statement of company general policy with respect to the health and safety at work of employees;
  • The organisation (responsibilities and organisational topics) and,
  • The arrangements (procedural guidance incorporating the core procedures) for carrying out the policy.

2.     Policy Statement on Health and Safety Matters

2.1     Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. recognises and accepts responsibility as an employer for providing, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe and healthy work place and working environment for all its employees and visitors.

2.2     Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. will take all reasonably practical steps within its powers to meet this responsibility, paying particular attention to:- Section 2 (2) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (”The Act”) and all subsequent legislation from it. It recognises that compliance with the regulatory statutory provisions is a minimum standard only and will endeavour to achieve best practise. Furthermore, it believes that a successful health and safety culture is dependent upon effective collaboration between employer and employees. Therefore, Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. will endeavour to establish a climate in which the positive aspects of safety are encouraged and developed.

2.2.1  The provision and maintenance of equipment and conditions of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health.

2.2.2  arrangements for the use, handling, storage, disposal and transport of articles and substances which are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health.

2.2.3  the provision of sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to enable all employees to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own safety and health at work, so far as is reasonably practicable.

2.2.4  the provision of a place of work and access to it and egress from it which are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health.

2.2.5  the provision and maintenance of a working environment which is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, and without risk to health and adequate as regards the facilities and arrangements for the welfare of employees at work.

2.3     Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. advises all its employees of their own duties under Section 7 of The Act, to take care of their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work, and to co-operate with Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. so as to enable it to carry out its own responsibilities successfully.

Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. will ensure that risk assessments as required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 3 and other specific legislation, are undertaken in all areas and that reasonably foreseeable hazards and risks are removed or managed. The risk assessments will be reviewed annually or sooner in the light of changes in legislation or new knowledge. Modifications will be made as necessary and as new activities, likely to give rise to risks are identified, risk assessments will be completed or updated and “safe systems of work” will be introduced. Staff will be required to assist Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. by following company rules and “Safe Systems”.

3      Revision to Safety Policy

3.1     Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. will review its written policy statement on an annual basis and bring any revisions to the attention of all employees and interested parties. Any revisions to the policy or procedure documents must be approved, ratified and signed off by the Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. Directorwho has health and safety responsibility.

4.     Safety Management Structure, Obligations, Responsibilities and Arrangements

4.1      The Board of Directors of Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. is responsible for setting the Health and Safety Policy and for making arrangements to ensure its effective implementation. The Board has appointed a Board member to be responsible for Health and Safety in the organisation. See 4.2

4.2     The nominated Director is named as being responsible for ensuring that this Policy is implemented and operated through senior managers (refer to Appendix A).

4.3     The Director responsible for health and safety will instruct each manager as to his / her responsibilities under the Policy (refer to Appendix B – Roles and Responsibilities of Staff with Safety Related Duties).

4.4     The Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. safety management team have defined and implemented the system and means for the identification, on-going management and recording of risk issues. It will be the responsibility of the Director and Senior Engineers to ensure that risks are identified and dealt with appropriately.

5      Competent Personnel

5.1     Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. will, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure that competent persons are appointed to manage the Safety ManagementSystem and that where necessary, external competent professional services are available when internal resources require specialist support.

5.2      Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. shall in entrusting tasks to its employees take into account their capabilities as regards health and safety and fire safety. It will require that employees are provided with adequate training to undertake delegated duties competently. Training will be specifically focused on the responsibilities of each individual; it will be provided prior to the individual assuming the responsibilities and repeated at regular intervals as necessary. Refer to Appendix C – Training Needs Analysis for Competency.

6.     Staff Responsibilities and Duty of Care

6.1        Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. recognises that no Health and Safety Policy is likely to be successful unless it actively involves all Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. employees. Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd., via its staffing structure, will ensure employee safety in the full development of proactive safety awareness among all grades of staff and in the implementation of this Policy.

6.2       Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd recognises and accepts responsibility for its staff working in or around premises managed by others. A risk assessment system is in place to ensure that risks posed to our staff by environments out of our control, and indeed risks posed to others due to our activities are assessed and managed.

6.3     Staff in all grades and at all levels of responsibility, whether or not in managerial or supervisory positions, have individual obligations as employees of Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd..

6.4     All employees of Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. are required, as part of their conditions of service/contracts of employment to abide by the Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. safety policy and, in particular, they are required to observe the provisions of The Act and regulations and codes of practice governing their operations on the company premises, and all applicable requirements of the enforcing authority inspectors, as may be brought to the attention of the company.

7.     Safety Liaison (Communication and Consultation)

7.1     The Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations, which came into force on 1st  October 1978, affect Health and Safety arrangements and activities at the site.  Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd.have established a Health and Safety Risk Forum (monthly staff meetings) at which theDirector and Senior Engineers will represent the company together with other representatives as appropriate and necessary. The Health and Safety Advisor will report to the meeting on all health & safety issues and actions taken.

7.2            All staff will through regular staff meetings consult and communicate on issues arising from health and safety and fire safety occurring within Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. controlled building areas.

8.     Issue and Approval

8.1     A copy of this policy statement must be issued to all members of staff with their joining instructions. Further copies of this statement can be obtained from the Director or via the intranet (H: Drive, Data/H&S Policy and Procedures).

9      Core Procedures and other Arrangements Index

9.1     This Health and Safety Policy document is enacted through a series of controlled Procedures. Each Procedure deals with specific health and safety and fire safety risks with explicit measures to identify, manage and control risk. The procedures also provide guidance in the response to incidents should they occur and in keeping safety records.

SMSP  001   Accident / Incident Reporting – RIDDOR
SMSP  002   Control of Contractors
SMSP  003   Control of substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
SMSP  004   Display Screen Equipment and New Technology
SMSP  005   Fire Safety Management
SMSP  006   First Aid
SMSP  007   Manual Handling
SMSP  008   Personal Protective Equipmetn (PPE)
SMSP  009   Portable and Fixed Electircal Equipment
SMSP  010   Risk Assessment
SMSP 011   Safety Audits and Inspections
SMSP 012   Training – Health and Safety

 

APPENDIX A

TO BE INSERTED

APPENDIX B 

Roles and Responsibilities of Staff with Safety Related Duties

Introduction

The Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd. Safety Management System (SMS) comprises this Policy Statement supported by a series of Core Procedures and Other Arrangements. Appendix A defines the general structure of devolved responsibility for health and safety and fire safety within the organisation. Each individual Core Procedure or Procedure Statement defines devolved responsibility specific to that risk area.

Headline Roles and Responsibilities

Board of Directors – An appointed Director represents the Board of Directors on health and safety and fire safety matters. The Director has ultimate responsibility for the safety and welfare of staff and visitors to Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd.

QA Manager – Acts as deputy to the appointed Director on health and safety matters.

Health and Safety Advisor – Key facilitator and Associate to the company who provides advice on statutory duty, undertakes risk assessments and delivers training as required.

General Staff – A general duty of care for their own safety and those that share their working environment.