Heath & Safety policy

Date Approved 6th February 2020

Review date 6th February 2021

1.0 STATEMENT OF INTENT

Working Options in Education is committed to ensuring full compliance with all health and safety legislation. We will promote a positive safety culture and ensure the welfare of our staff by adopting policies and procedures which supports the ethos, aims and vision of the Charity as outlined in our Strategic Intents.

This Health and Safety Policy Statement is the lead document for Health and Safety within the Charity and applies to all staff, trustees and volunteers. The objective of this document is:

• to set the general direction for health, safety and welfare throughout the Charity.
• to demonstrate the commitment to health & safety
• to meet the requirement of Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for a written statement of General Policy on Health & Safety.
• to reflect the approach outlined in the Health and Safety Executive publication, ‘Managing for health and Safety’ HS(G)65.

1.3 This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis to sustain its effectiveness and bring changes to the notice of employees

2.0 DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1 Staff and volunteers are to take care of their own safety and that of other staff, volunteers and visitors and to co-operate with the Trustee Board and its officers to enable it to carry out its responsibilities.

In particular staff and volunteers have a duty to:

• work safely, efficiently and without endangering the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues or any other person who has a right of access to the organisation’s premises at any time
• adhere to safety procedures laid down by Working Options in Education, and conform to all instructions given by those with a responsibility for health and safety
• record all accidents, near miss occurrences and hazardous situations in the Health and Safety/Accident book and report to the next meeting
• meet their other statutory safety obligations including that laid down in Section 8 of the Act, which states that “no person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions”.

The Charity will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the welfare, health and safety of all staff and any other person who may be directly affected by its operations by:

• ensuring significant health and safety risks arising from its activities are adequately controlled;
• providing and maintaining equipment and systems of work;
• managing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment;
• ensuring that staff receive appropriate training, and are competent to carry out their Lauren Monk responsibilities;
• providing sufficient information, instruction and supervision to enable all staff to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own welfare, health and safety at work;
• involving employees in health and safety decisions through consultation and cooperation;
• maintaining appropriate health and safety management systems, arrangements and organisational structures, monitoring and reviewing performance against the HSE’s model ‘Managing for Health and Safety’ HS(G)65.

2.2 Lauren Monk shall be given delegated responsibility for ensuring that the Health and Safety policy is carried out within the organisation. In particular s/he will be given delegated responsibility for:

• carrying out regular safety inspections in the offices utilised by Working Options in Education
• ensuring that staff are provided with suitable seating and appropriate computer work stations
• ensuring that floors and aisles are kept clear, as far as reasonably practical, of trailing wires, equipment, stationery, etc.
• ensuring that the general fabric of the offices (including office items & equipment used by staff) is maintained
• investigating and reporting accidents
• ensuring that a Health and Safety Workplace poster on “Health and Safety Law” is displayed
• making staff and office volunteers aware of the specific fire escapes and fire extinguishers within the building
• ensuring staff and volunteers are given a copy of this Policy and understand its contents; ensuring that staff and
• volunteers are made familiar with the alarm systems within the building and action to be taken in the event of a fire
• drawing to the attention of the Trustee Board and staff any new legislation on health and safety relevant to the work of Working Options in Education drawing to the Trustee Board’s attention any matters with which s/he is unable to deal.

2.3 Trustee Board

Overall and final health and safety responsibility within the organisation lies with the Trustee Board. The Trustee Board shall appoint one person who will take the responsibility for drawing to the attention of the Trustee Board, staff and office volunteers any health and safety matters that need to be discussed and/or acted upon.

3.0 GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS

3.1 Reporting of accidents/incidents and near misses

The definition of accidents/incident/near misses are:

Accident – any unplanned event that results in personnel injury or damage to property, plant or equipment.
Incident – an unexpected and usually unpleasant event that has happened, including acts of aggression/verbal abuse.
Near miss – is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage, but had the potential to do so. Other familiar terms for these events are a “close call,” a “narrow escape,” or in the case of moving objects, “near collision” or a “near hit.”

3.2 The Charity will collect personal information on a record form about the injured person(s) in relation to accidents/injuries/diseases/near misses and dangerous occurrences arising out of or in connection with work. The Charity may be required to share personal information with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that it meets our legal responsibilities under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.

Note: The Data Protection Act 1998 requires that employee’s personal information must be kept secure after the form has been completed.

The record form must:

• Be kept safely and accessible to all staff members.
• The accident report form must be completed for all accidents/incidents/near misses with details of any investigation or changes to risk assessment, strategic or operational practice that results.
• Be reviewed to identify any potential or actual hazards and reported

3.3 Accidents, near-miss occurrences and hazardous situations

Working options in Education has a Health and Safety Accident Book located in the office at Stockwood Discovery Centre and all incidents, no matter how small, must be recorded as soon as possible after the incident. The incident should also be reported to Lauren Monk. In addition to reporting accidents it is equally important to report near misses and potential hazards so as to enable preventative action to be taken before it is too late. Once an incident has been recorded in the Accident Book the Sheet must be removed and stored separately, e.g. in the personnel file.

It is the responsibility of Lauren Monk to ensure that any necessary follow up action is taken to reduce the risk of the accident or near accident reoccurring.

A First Aid kit is available in the Stockwood Discovery Park office.

Lauren Monk is responsible for reporting incidents which come within the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), to the Health and Safety Executive. RIDDOR covers the following incidents:

(a) fatal accidents
(b) major injury accidents/conditions
(c) dangerous occurrences
(d) accidents causing more than 7 days incapacity for work
(e) certain work-related diseases.

RIDDOR also requires employers and others in control of premises to report certain
accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences arising out of, or in connection with, work.

3.5 What must be reported under RIDDOR?

Work-related accidents

3.6 For the purposes of RIDDOR, an accident is a separate, identifiable, unintended incident that causes physical injury. This specifically includes acts of non-consensual violence to people at work.

3.7 Not all accidents need to be reported, a RIDDOR report is required only when:
the accident is work-related; and it results in an injury of a type which is reportable (as listed under ‘Types of
reportable injuries’).

3.8 When deciding if the accident that led to the death or injury is work-related, the key issues to consider are whether the accident was related to:

• the way the work was organised, carried out or supervised;
• any machinery, plant, substances or equipment used for work; and
• the condition of the site or premises where the accident happened.

If none of these factors are relevant to the incident, it is likely that a report will not be required.

Types of reportable injury

3.9 Deaths – All deaths to workers and non-workers must be reported if they arise from a work related accident, including an act of physical violence to a worker. Suicides are not reportable, as the death does not result from a work-related accident.

3.10 Specified injuries to workers – The list of ‘specified injuries’ in RIDDOR 2013 (regulation 4) includes:

• a fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes;
• amputation of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe;
• permanent loss of sight or reduction of sight;
• crush injuries leading to internal organ damage;
• serious burns (covering more than 10% of the body, or damaging the eyes,
• respiratory system or other vital organs);
• scalpings (separation of skin from the head) which require hospital treatment;
• unconsciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia;
• any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space, which leads to
• hypothermia, heat-induced illness or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

3.11 Over-seven-day injuries to workers – This is where an employee, or self-employed person, is away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than seven consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident).

3.12 Injuries to non-workers – Work related accidents involving members of the public or people who are not at work must be reported if a person is injured, and is taken from the scene of the accident to hospital for treatment to that injury. There is no requirement to establish what hospital treatment was actually provided, and no need to report incidents where people are taken to hospital purely as a precaution when no injury is apparent. If the accident occurred at a hospital, the report only needs to be made if the injury is a ‘specified injury’.

Reportable occupational diseases

3.13 Employers and self-employed people must report diagnoses of certain occupational diseases, where these are likely to have been caused or made worse by their work. These diseases include (regulations 8 and 9):

• carpal tunnel syndrome;
• severe cramp of the hand or forearm;
• occupational dermatitis;
• hand-arm vibration syndrome;
• occupational asthma;
• tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm;
• any occupational cancer;
• any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.

Reportable dangerous occurrences

3.14 Dangerous occurrences are certain, specified ‘near-miss’ events (incidents with the potential to cause harm.) Not all such events require reporting. There are 27 categories of dangerous occurrences that are relevant to most workplaces.

Reportable dangerous occurrences in schools and offices typically include:

• The collapse or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
• The accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness
• The accidental release or escape of any substance that may cause a serious injury
  or damage to health
• An electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion

3.15 Who should report and who to report to

The RIDDOR reporting system is only for notification of those incidents which require reports as above under the RIDDOR regulations. Reports should only be submitted by the ‘Responsible Persons’ It is not appropriate for injured persons, members of the public or others who do not have duties under RIDDOR to use this reporting system.

You can report all incidents online: http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm where you will find the appropriate form.

There is a telephone service for reporting fatal and specified injuries only: Incident Contact Centre on 0345 300 9923 (opening hours Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5pm).

Any RIDDOR reportable incident must also be reported to the CEO.

Records must be kept for:

• Any reportable death, specified injury, disease or dangerous occurrence that requires reporting under RIDDOR.
• All occupational injuries where a worker is away from work or incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days.
• If a worker is away from work or incapacitated for more than three days
• These records must be kept for at least three years after the incident.

3.16 General fire safety

Lauren Monk is responsible for the maintenance of the firefighting equipment and the arrangement of regular fire safety checks and fire drills. Lauren Monk also undertakes a Fire Risk Assessment for the building in conjunction with the Stockwood Discovery Centre.

All staff must also read and understand the Fire Procedure. A fire notice is located in WOiE office.

3.17 When volunteers or staff are out on location the venue fire procedures will be followed as instructed by school or venue staff.

4.0 PERSONAL SAFETY

• Staff or volunteers who are working on their own should not allow access to casual visitors who have no appointment.
• All windows and entry doors will be lockable.
• Staff should inform the office who they wish to be contacted in the event of an emergency giving contact details.
• Staff who carry money for Working Options in Education have the right to be accompanied by another person.
• Visits to the bank should not be at a regular time.
• Staff should not put themselves at risk on account of Working Options in Education’s property.
• All incidents of aggression or violence and any threat to personal safety should be reported to the Chief Officer and recorded in the accident book.
• Staff should be vigilant with regards to terrorist incident warnings – e.g. unattended bags.

5.0 STRESS MANAGEMENT

5.1 Stress at work is a serious issue: workers can suffer severe medical problems, which can result in under-performance at work, and cause major disruptions to the organisation.

The responsibility for reducing stress at work lies both with employer and employee. Employees should become aware of the causes of stress, and ensure that they do not work in a way which could cause them to suffer an increase in stress, nor cause an increase in stress on others.

If an employee is suffering from stress at work, they should discuss this with their line manager or Lauren Monk at the first opportunity. Where practicable and reasonable, Working Options in Education will seek to provide assistance to the employee.

Working Options in Education will do all it can to eradicate problems relating to stress at work.

6.0 MANUAL HANDLING

6.1 The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR), (as amended in 2002) apply to a wide range of manual handling activities, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying. The load may be either animate, such as a person or inanimate, such as a box. The MHOR establish a clear hierarchy of measures for dealing with risks from manual handling:

• Avoid hazardous manual handling operations, ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’
• Assess any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided
• Reduce the risk of injury, so far as is reasonably practicable.

6.2 Manual Handling Risk Assessment

The responsible person or delegated member of staff is responsible for the following:

• Manual handling risk assessments will be completed for moving loads that cannot be avoided.
• Information, instruction and training will be provided to employees.
• Wherever possible the load to be moved will be reduced e.g., is it possible to split the load into smaller units?
• Use appropriate equipment for reducing the need for manual handling; e.g., trolleys to eliminate/or reduce the risk of injury.
• The following guidelines should not be exceeded and each individual must be aware of their own physical capabilities and should not attempt to move any object that is beyond their capabilities.

Force to stop or start the load Men 20kg, Women 15kg
Sustained force to keep the load in motion Men 10kg, women 7kg

Manual handling problems often come from poor workplace environment or job design. Hazardous activities include:

• Lifting heavy or awkward loads
• Using excessive force
• Repeated handling of heavy loads
• Poor posture and twisting when handling

7.0 DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT

7.1 The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 explains that the employer needs to protect employees from risks associated with DSE i.e., computers and laptops. A user is defined in the regulations as “an employee who habitually uses display screen equipment as a significant part of his/her normal work”. This is usually interpreted as continuous period of an hour or more on most days of the week.

7.2 To comply with DSE regulations the ‘Responsible Person’ or delegated member of staff must:

• Analyse workstations to assess and reduce risks
• Make sure controls are in place
• Provide information and training
• Provide eye and eyesight tests on request and special spectacles if needed
• Review the assessment when the user or DSE changes

7.3 Some DSE users may experience fatigue, eyestrain, upper limb problems and backache from overuse or improper use of DSE. These problems can also be experienced from poorly designed workstations or work environments. The causes may not always be obvious and can be due to a number of factors.

• Changes in activity may help users, the following is advised:
• Stretch and change position
• Look into the distance from time to time and blink often
• Change activity before you get tired rather to recover.
• Short frequent breaks are better than longer, infrequent ones.

8.0 HEALTH AND SAFETY INDUCTIONS– new staff

All new employees will complete a Health and Safety induction. Inductions must include:

• The location of the Health and Safety Law Poster
• Health and Safety responsibilities outlined in their job description.
• How they can access health and safety policies and information?
• Who can they talk to about any health and safety concerns or issues they may have?

New staff must also be made aware of:

First Aid provision

• First aid boxes
• First Aiders

Accident/Incident/Near Miss reporting

• Location of accident/incident/near miss forms
• Reporting procedures

Fire and Emergency Procedures

• What to do in an emergency
• What does the fire alarm sound like e.g., continuous or intermittent sound?
• A walk around the fire escape routes, final fire exit doors and route(s)
• Location of assembly points

Welfare facilities

• Eating, drinking and rest arrangements
• Toilet facilities

On completion of the health and safety induction, the employee should be required to sign a record form to say that they have been provided with, and understand the information provided.

Cross-reference with the following documents:

• Revised Members Handbook – Stockwood Discovery Centre
• Risk Assessment SDC office
• SDC Emergency Evacuation Plan revised September 2019
• Stockwood Discovery Centre Induction
• WOiE risk assessment – office
• WOiE risk assessment – sessions