HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ACT 1974

SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT

3.0 EMPLOYEES OBLIGATIONS

It is the duty of every employee while at work:

1) To take responsible care for the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work.

2) As regards any duty or requirements imposed on his employer or any other person by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions, to co-operate with him so far as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with and no person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health, safety or welfare in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions.  

(Health and Safety at Work Etc., Act 1974, sub-sections 7 and 8).  

3.2 COMPANY SAFETY SUPERVISORS 

The company Safety Supervisors are responsible for:

1) Providing an advisory service for all employees as to their duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc., and other statutory requirements. 

2) Promoting safety and encouraging accidents/incidents prevention, investigating accidents/incidents to determine their causes. 

3) Making regular checks of all sites and areas to ensure that safety rules and practices are being adhered to and statutory obligations are being maintained. 

4) Making regular checks of availability and serviceability of safety/protective equipment.

5) Liaising with health and safety executive/local authorities and with head office on health and safety on sites, keeping sites advised as to any change in  statutory regulations and forwarding to sites information on aspects of safety.

6) Making regular visits to sites to monitor the safety programme and to advise on safety training requirements.

4.00 SAFETY RULES - GENERAL

Certain basic rules are established for the mutual benefit of all concerned.  

Your understanding and observance of these rules and others which may be established in the course of a job are vital in obtaining a successful and accident free job.

The rules are: 

1. Safety shall be your first consideration at work.

2. Report immediately every accident, whether to yourself or plant, to your site foremen/supervisor or safety officer.

3. Wear safety equipment provided for the job.#

4. Where the conditions of the job being performed require it, wear the protective clothing supplied by the company.

5. Do not play or take part in the playing of practical jokes on site; people have been killed or injured as a result.

6. Keep the site in a general tidy condition, good housekeeping is essential in accident prevention.

 7. Do not operate any machines, equipment or vehicles without authority.

8. Do not eat, smoke or drink when handling or using chemicals.

9. Report any defective equipment to your supervisor immediately.

10. Keep all hand tools/equipment in good serviceable condition.

11. Work clear of suspended loads.

12. Obey all warning signs - they are posted for your protection.

13. Enter and leave the site through the specified gates and use only established routes from the gates to your place of work.

14. Observe all vehicle speed limits within the site.

15. Do not enter areas other than those assigned for your specific work.

16. Follow the clients rules/regulations strictly at all times.

17. Maintain the first aid and welfare facilities provided in a clean and orderly condition.

18. Follow explicitly the company’s work procedures for the handling and mixing of chemicals.

19. Ensure a free passage on roads for emergency service vehicles at all times; all temporary equipment must be parked to allow this.

4.1 SAFETY RULES

1) The area in which work is to be carried out should be adequately cleared;combustible materials so far as practical other than those necessary for the job must be removed to a distance of approximately 20 ft from the work area.

2) If work is to be carried out overhead the area beneath should be similarly cleared; and combustible materials so far as is practical other than those necessary for the job must be removed to a distance of approximately 20 ft from the work.

3) A thorough inspection must be made of the area in which work has been undertaken, after the termination of each period of work, by local supervision. 

4) In particular:

a) Inspect all equipment before use  

b) Ensure all hoses and fittings are in good working order   

c) Turn off gas cylinders when not in use  

d) Wear the designated protective clothing and eye protection  

e) All electrical equipment to be checked for faults and breakage  

f) Ensure fire fighting equipment is readily available  

THE POLICY

1) In furtherance of Section 2 Paragraph 1 of the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Director will take all steps within their power to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all it’s employees.  

2) The director also expect that every employee whilst at work, will take reasonable care for the safety of himself, and of others who may be affected by his acts or omissions, and to co-operate with the directors to enable them to carry out their responsibilities in respect of the above.  

COMPANY ORGANISATION

3) The personnel appointed to supervise the Company’s activities on work sites and depots are directly responsible to the Company Director to  

ensure that due regard is paid to Health and Safety, in the work within their control. Responsibility for safety is via line Management.

4) These supervisory personnel are to be treated as “Safety Supervisors” to carry out duties.

5) Arrangements to implement the safety policy of the Company include the following:-

a) When supervisory personnel are given instructions for a job to proceed, a note will be issued giving details of any special precautions which are to be taken in dealing with particular risks.

b) Before work starts on a job there will be liaison by the appointees with safety personnel of the customer, for discussions of any special safety requirements relating to the job.  

c) The appointees are responsibly for seeing that members of the public are not endangered by operations of the company and for seeing that the safety rules of customers are observed by the company’s employees.

d) As and when necessary, safety training will be given on or off the job to the appointees and other employees. From time to time the company will distribute safety information notes to all employees.

e) The appointees are responsibly for the issue of protective equipment as and when conditions call for such issued. Such items may include helmets, eye protectors, head screens, ear defenders, safety boots,  wellingtons, respirators, waterproof clothing, one piece chemical suits,gloves, positive breathing apparatus.  

6) The Company aims at taking precautions against the following principal risks at the work place:  

• Storage and safe handling of chemicals    
• Spillages of chemicals  
• Misuse of chemicals i.e. operators not wearing protective clothing  
• Falls from scaffolding and other working places  
• Accidents in the use of ladders  
• Manual lifting, handling or moving of heavy items  
• Misuse of hand tools  
• Electrical appliances  
• Eye hazards

7) The company welcome suggestions for safer working and will give careful consideration to any that are submitted. It is part of the duty of the appointees to be available to discuss safety matters which are raised by anyone on the job. Regular meetings will be held with employees where safety matters are discussed.

8) It is regarded as important that any dangerous defects in equipment should be reported without delay to the appointees or to any responsible official of the company.

9) In the event of any injury involving loss of time, the immediate supervisor of the injured person is responsible for investigating the incident and for making an adequate report to be forwarded to the local office.

2.0 MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

1) It is the responsibility of the employees to implement as appropriate to their work the General Policy Statement within the company and on all sites.

2) Management will nominate Safety Supervisors for all sites in accordance with the General Policy Statement.  

2.1 RESPONSIBILITIES  

SITE AGENTS/SUPERVISORS (INCLUDING FOREMEN)

1) The senior person who is on site in control of the work is responsible for all matters concerning safety. He must ensure that the provisions contained in the Company Policy Statement are applied.

2) It is the responsibility of management to provide training of supervisors and staff as necessary.

3) It is the responsibility of all supervisors to be aware of any source from which danger is likely to arise and to make recommendations to eliminate or minimise it with special precautions if necessary.

4) Any employee who has any observations to make on safety matters should raise them in the first instance with their supervisor who may in turn refer safety matters to the directors via line management.

5) The accident reporting procedure, must be drawn to the attention of all employees by supervision.