For the purposes of this policy:
- The term Employee includes any volunteer, defined as any person who performs any activity that involves spending time, unpaid (except for travelling and other approved out-of-pocket expenses), doing something for the benefit of someone (individuals or groups).
- The term Employer refers to the Management Committee.
1: General Policy Statement
- The Trustees of Gateway Wheelers recognise their responsibility to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees; and further that a duty extends to all other persons whilst they are on Gateway Wheelers' premises.
- It is Gateway Wheelers' policy to do all that is reasonable to prevent personal injury and damage to property and to protect all persons, including members of the general public, from foreseeable work hazards insofar as they come into contact with Gateway Wheelers.
The Trustees recognise that it is their duty to:
- Provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, taking into account any statutory requirements;
- Provide appropriate instruction and training to enable employees to perform their work tasks safely and efficiently;
- Make available to employees all necessary safety devices and protective equipment and to supervise their use;
- Maintain a constant and on-going interest in health and safety matters which are applicable to Gateway Wheelers' activities; in particular by consulting and involving employees;
- Provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practical, safe access and egress to the place of work;
- Provide and maintain a working environment that is, so far as is reasonably practical, safe, without risk to health and safety, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for welfare at work.
The Trustees further recognise that employees equally have a duty under the law to exercise personal responsibility and to do everything practical to prevent injury to themselves and others by:
- Working safely and efficiently;
- Using the appropriate protective equipment provided and meeting all statutory obligations;
- Immediately reporting incidents that have led or may lead to injury of persons or damage to property;
- Strictly adhering to Gateway Wheelers Policies and Procedures, directions and safety instructions for securing a safe work place;
- Assisting in the investigation of accidents with the objectives of upgrading existing measures or introducing new measures to prevent a recurrence;
- Fulfilling the duty to refrain from the wilful misuse or interference with protective equipment which has been provided by Gateway Wheelers in the interest of health and safety and welfare, and to take reasonable care in any action which might endanger themselves or others.
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY - DUTY OF CARE
2: Duties of Employer
As outlined in the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974, it shall be the duty of Gateway Wheelers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees. This duty requires:
- The provision and maintenance of plants and systems at work that are safe and without risk to employees health;
- Arrangements for ensuring the safety and absence of risks to health, in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;
- The provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the health and safety at work of the employees;
- The maintenance of any place of work under Gateway Wheelers control in a safe condition and without risk to health, and the provision of safe means of access to and egress from the place of work;
- The provision and maintenance of a working environment for employees that is safe, without risk to health, and is adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for them at work.
3: Duties of Employees
It shall be the duty of every employee whilst at work to:
- Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves;
- Take reasonable care for the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work;
- Cooperate with their employer, or any other person, or any of the relevant statutory provisions so far as is necessary, to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.
4: Duties of Other Persons
It is the duty of persons designing, manufacturing, importing or supplying articles or substances for use at work to:
- Ensure they are safe without risk to health when properly used;
- Carry out tests or examinations as may be necessary to ensure they are safe and without risk to health when properly used;
- Provide any information necessary to ensure they are safe without risk to health when properly used;
- Enable anyone erecting or installing articles for use at work to ensure they are safe and without risk to health when properly used.
5: Duties of the Management Committee
The duties of the safety officer include:
- Advising staff and volunteers in order to assist the fulfilment of the responsibilities for health and safety;
- Advising on safety aspects in the design and use of plant and equipment and where necessary, the checking of new equipment before commissioning;
- Carrying out periodic inspections to identify unsafe plant, unsafe working conditions and unsafe working practices, to report the results of such inspections and make recommendations for any remedial action;
- Promoting and, where appropriate, participating in safety education programmes to raise the level of safety awareness within the organisation;
- Investigating accidents, assessing possible causes of injury and circumstances likely to produce accidents, and the tendering of reports and advice to prevent recurrence;
- Developing, revising and, when necessary, updating the organisation's policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all relevant health, safety and environmental legislation.
6: Statutory Provisions
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 there is a common duty on all persons at work to operate in a safe manner, and this duty is enforceable at law. The breach of the relevant statutory provisions is a criminal offence. Employees may be liable to prosecution as may other persons (e.g. manufacturers) who are in breach of any duty imposed upon them by such statutory provisions.
Gateway Wheelers and any employee who endangers the health and safety of any other person is liable to prosecution, irrespective of whether their conduct is a breach of any specific rule or not.
7: Collective responsibilities
The effective implementation of the Gateway Wheelers Health and Safety Policy requires a participation of all employees although the overall responsibility lies with Gateway Wheelers' Management Committee. The Management Committee accepts that this accountability forms an integral and essential part of their executive responsibilities, ranking equally with all other Gateway Wheelers commitments and objectives.
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY - IMPLEMENTATION
8: Management Committee
The Council of Management of Gateway Wheelers are responsible for the effective implementation of the Health and Safety Policy by:
- Keeping themselves informed of all the incidents of accidents occurring on Gateway Wheelers premises, both to Gateway Wheelers' employees and to other persons;
- Keeping under review all safety measures, instructions, training and to ensure the health and safety and welfare of all employees and other persons whilst on Gateway Wheelers premises or on or about its vehicle(s);
- Being available to receive safety delegates and to attend safety meetings as required;
- Making available such resources as are required in order that Gateway Wheelers may execute its statutory duties under all health and safety legislation.
9: Gateway Wheelers Development Officer
The Gateway Wheelers Development Officer is responsible for the effective implementation of Gateway Wheelers' Health and Safety Policy within his/her area of control by:
- Keeping himself/herself informed of all incidents and accidents within premises under his/her control and any other situation which involves staff on duty anywhere else;
- Inspecting the premises under his/her control to check that the safety measures are being maintained and that safe systems of work are being followed in the method of work and in the work place generally, as determined in Gateway Wheelers' Policies and Procedures;
- Instructing those under his/her control and within premises under his/her control, precisely and clearly as to their duties with regard to the safety of themselves and all other within their areas of control;
- Informing employees of any hazards to health and safety encountered in the course of their work, the precautions to be taken and their duties to safeguard their health and general well-being;
- Making himself/herself readily available to receive and discuss health and safety queries raised by employees under his/her control;
- Maintaining an up to date knowledge of legislative and statutory requirements relevant to his/her area of responsibility and ensure they are complied with;
- Ensuring that all new plant and equipment meets the acceptable safety standards prior to final purchase and commission;
- Ensuring that any Contractors employed are conversant with Gateway Wheelers' Safety Policies and Procedures and adopt safe methods of work, and see that all written commissions are correctly completed and signed.
10: Gateway Wheelers Employees
All Gateway Wheelers employees have a duty of care to themselves and to all other persons in the workplace and therefore must:
- Observe all health and safety rules at all times;
- Familiarise themselves with all safety operating procedures and instructions applying in any work place and in any job to which they may be allocated;
- Use appropriate safety devices and equipment to ensure compliance with statutory regulations and appropriate Gateway Wheelers Policies and Procedures;
- Immediately upon detection report any defects or health hazard to their immediate manager or the Director;
- Assist in the maintenance of good housekeeping standards at all times;
- Report any accidents or plant damage immediately to their immediate manager or the Director, whether injuries are caused or not, and assist in the investigation of the accident;
- Co-operate in the work of the Council of Management and in the inspections of the work place as required.
11: Responsibilities of Contractors
All the tender documents and contracts for service that are agreed between Gateway Wheelers and contractors will set out the contractors' responsibilities to Gateway Wheelers for the safety of its employees, those for whom Gateway Wheelers provides a service, and the public. The responsibility of the contractors when working on Gateway Wheelers premises will be to provide adequate supervision and monitoring by:
- Ensuring reasonable care for the protection of their own employees;
- Ensuring that all reasonable care is taken for the protection of Gateway Wheelers' employees and those for whom Gateway Wheelers provides a service;
- Ensuring that their employees abide by any health and safety arrangements for the premises where the work is being undertaken;
- Ensuring safe access and egress;
- Providing that any such equipment, articles or substances provided for use at Gateway Wheelers premises is safe and maintained as such;
- Ensuring that prior arrangements are made with Gateway Wheelers relevant to create a safe place of work.
12: Health and Safety Arrangements
The following arrangements are in place for Gateway Wheelers to ensure that all systems, procedures and policies in respect of health and safety are designed to ensure the provision of a safe working environment and to prevent any personal injury and damage to property, and to protect all persons, including employees and members of the general public, who may be present on Gateway Wheelers premises.
- 12.1 Safety Inspections
These will be undertaken at regular intervals with the Management Committee.
- 12.2 Electrical Safety
This will be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
- 12.3 Health and Safety Training
Gateway Wheelers will provide adequate and appropriate Health and Safety training for all employees including induction training and skills training and maintain the appropriate training records.
- 12.4 Accident Statistics and Reporting Procedures
Gateway Wheelers will maintain all necessary accident statistics and monitor and, where appropriate, improve existing reporting procedures.
- 12.5 Waste Policy
Gateway Wheelers will ensure that its waste is dealt with according to the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
- 12.6 Staff Medicals and First Aid Arrangements
Gateway Wheelers will ensure that all members of staff are provided with medical inspections where appropriate and that all the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 are complied with.
- 12.7 Health and Safety Annual Review
Gateway Wheelers authorise the Development Officer to undertake an annual review of all work currently undertaken in the workplace and to report findings and recommendations to the Management Committee.
Last updated: February 07
Gateway Wheelers
Bullion Hall, Bullion Lane, Chester le Street, Co. Durham, DH2 2ES
Registered Charity No: 1084149
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