Winston Joinery Ltd is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of their employees, so far as is reasonably practicable. This responsibility extends beyond our employees and includes any other person who may be affected by our activities such as contractors, visitors and members of the public. Steps are taken to ensure that our statutory obligations are met at all times.
Winston Joinery Ltd recognises that the promotion of excellent standards of health and safety at work is an essential function of good management. With commitment from all directors and managers the company objective is to continually improve and maintain health and safety standards. All personnel must accept that their responsibilities for health and safety rank equally with all other responsibilities.
Adequate facilities and arrangements will be implemented and maintained to enable employees and contractors to raise and discuss pertinent health and safety issues. Competent persons will be appointed to assist in enabling our organisation to meet our statutory obligations, including where appropriate, specialists from outside the organisation.
Every employee will be given relevant information, instruction and training as necessary to enable the safe performance of their work activities. Management will ensure that all processes and systems of work are practically designed to take account of health and safety issues and that all activities are adequately supervised at all times.
The Company will provide and maintain safe plant, equipment and materials and will ensure that the working environment is healthy and safe by implementing and maintaining suitable and adequate controls.
All individuals have a legal obligation to take reasonable care of their own health and safety, and for the safety of other people who may be affected by their acts or omissions. This policy will be regularly monitored to ensure that objectives are achieved and in the light of organisational or legislative changes, the policy will be reviewed and, where necessary revised to reflect those changes.
Every employee must co-operate fully with management on issues of health and safety to enable and assist the Company to meet our statutory obligations. The successful implementation of this policy requires total commitment from all levels of employee, from the shop floor to the boardroom.
Date
Name Mr A Wagg
Signature
Position Managing Director
To ensure the successful management of health and safety issues within
Winston Joinery Ltd, the following responsibilities have been allocated;
The Managing Director has overall responsibility for all matters including health, safety and welfare. Also included is the responsibility for ensuring adequate insurance cover to protect the Company against unforeseen incidents, which cannot be controlled by reasonably practicable risk assessment or by competent management systems. The managing Director is also responsible for the implementation and maintenance of all matters in respect to health and safety. Responsibility extends to providing adequate resources, to enable continual improvement and effective safety/job training where a requirement has been identified to improve the Company’s health and safety performance. In addition, responsibility includes the appointment of external support as and when a need arises.
The Directors and Managers are responsible for setting an example in safe behaviour and providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. They are to ensure that all systems and equipment are working and being used correctly and should report immediately, any issues, which may have a detrimental effect on health and safety. All accidents, incidents, near misses and injuries are to be investigated and working practices and standards reviewed in the light of those investigations.
The Production Manager is responsible for the safe design, construction, installation and maintenance of all buildings, plant and machinery and for ensuring that the requirements of relevant legal regulations are met. Responsibility also extends to co-ordinating with the enforcing authorities and the reporting of accidents and incidents to those authorities. He will ensure that current health and safety legislation is complied with and will assess performance and recommend relevant improvements. In addition, he is also responsible for the control and recording of external health and safety documentation.
The Construction Manager is responsible for the company’s health and safety on Client and construction sites. Responsibility also extends to co-ordinating with the enforcing authorities and the reporting of construction site accidents and incidents to those authorities. He will ensure that current health and safety legislation is complied with and will assess on-site performance and recommend relevant improvements. In addition, he is also responsible for the control and recording of construction site health and safety documentation.
The Production Co-ordinator is responsible for the day to day supervision of health and safety. He will monitor and report on the effectiveness of the health and safety policy and its implementation. In addition, he will identify training needs required, to secure the continual improvement in health and safety performance. In addition, he is also responsible for the control and recording of internal health and safety documentation.
Employees are responsible for taking reasonable care of their own health and safety whilst at work and consider the safety of others that may be affected by their acts or omissions. They should work in accordance with information and training provided and refrain from intentionally misusing or recklessly interfering with anything supplied for health and safety reasons. Employees should report any hazardous plant or equipment, or shortcomings in existing safety arrangements to a responsible person without delay. They should not undertake any task for which authorisation or suitable training has not been given.
Competent persons have been appointed to assist Winston Joinery Ltd in meeting our health and safety obligations. These persons have sufficient knowledge and information to ensure that statutory provisions are met and that the safety policy is being adhered to.
The organisation recognises that there may be occasions when specialist advice is necessary. In these circumstances, the services of competent external advisors will be obtained.
Accident Reporting
When an accident occurs, it is important that the details are reported whether or not an injury to persons or plant has occurred. Details of the incident should be reported to the nearest first aider and the individual’s manager/supervisor.
The incident will need to be supported with an entry in the work’s accident book, which is located in the production co-ordinators office.
In reporting accidents sufficient detail is required to identify the root cause of the accident. Where practicable an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the accident will be carried out by the manager or supervisor.
In the case of a serious accident, the Production/Construction Manager will carry out a thorough investigation and ensure that the relevant authorities are informed.
Asbestos
Winston Joinery Ltd will ensure that a site register is maintained detailing any asbestos containing materials. Relevant information will be provided to those employees or contractors who may come in to contact with asbestos containing materials during their daily activities.
Company Safety Regulations
All employees and contractors must be familiar with and comply with the site safety regulations.
It is a function of the production co-ordinator to revue these rules and regulations to ensure that they are practical, up to date and are being complied with.
Contractors
Winston Joinery Ltd will plan, co-ordinate, control and monitor the activities of contract companies appointed to carry out work on site to effectively minimise the risks presented to employees, other persons on site and the public.
The organisation will only use contractors who have proved able to discharge their primary responsibility to safeguard their employees and other persons who may be affected by their undertakings.
The organisation will develop a list of approved contractors, which will be reviewed and sanctions applied as a result of poor health and safety performance. Sanctions may take the form of written warnings, suspension, financial penalties and removal from the approved list.
Contractors must be able to supply the appropriate documents upon request i.e. their insurance details, their health and safety policy, health method statements and risk assessments.
Contractors will be made aware of the clients’ organisational safety rules and will be controlled by Winston Joinery’s company safety regulations. Contractors will be expected to adhere to those rules and regulations where reasonably practicable.
Emergency Procedures
Emergency procedures are designed to give warning of imminent dangers and allow personnel to move to places of safety. The manager of each department is responsible for ensuring that all employees, contractors and visitors within the area are informed of and are fully conversant with the relevant emergency procedures.
Departmental emergency procedures are posted on company notice boards and on all fire exit routes. Employees will undergo induction training on commencement with the company to familiarise themselves with emergency procedures. This training will be supported by regular emergency evacuation drills.
Fire
Winston Joinery Ltd will ensure that all fire procedures are documented and communicated to all employees. Information will also be displayed in prominent locations around the building and at every fire alarm call point.
On discovering a fire, the alarm will be raised immediately, the fire brigade summoned and the building will be evacuated. Attempts to extinguish the fire will only be made if it is safe to do so by trained and competent personnel.
Re-entry of the building is strictly prohibited until the all clear is given and it is safe to re-enter the building. Employees are expected to report any concerns regarding the fire procedures, in order for the organisation to investigate and take remedial action as necessary.
The organisation will appoint specific persons to be responsible for reviewing the Company Fire Risk Assessment, summoning the fire brigade, organising building evacuations and liaison with the fire authority. This will be endorsed by the provision of adequate fire safety training for those responsible persons.
To monitor the systems in place, regular fire evacuation drills, inspections of means of escape, test and inspections of fire fighting equipment and fire warning systems will take place and be documented in the fire log book located in the Production Co-ordinators’ office.
First Aid
The organisation will maintain an adequate number of first aid personnel to deal with minor accidents and emergencies in the workplace. These personnel will have sufficient training and qualifications in accordance with statutory requirements. Identities of first aiders will be displayed throughout the workplace.
Fork Lift Trucks
Where reasonably practicable, Winston Joinery will segregate fork-lift truck routes from personnel traffic. These routes will be clearly identified and demarcated.
Through fork-lift training and regular refresher training the organisation endeavours to implement and maintain a safe system of operation in the use of fork lift trucks on and around the site. At all times only trained personnel with the appropriate certificates will be allowed to drive company fork lift trucks.
Health and Safety Inspections
Site health and safety inspections are carried out at regular intervals to systematically identify and remove potential hazards where reasonably practicable. These inspections will provide essential information to improve health and safety performance standards and will help in the prevention of accidents.
Health Surveillance
Health surveillance of individuals will be provided as required under statutory provisions or where there is a benefit to maintaining health, safety and welfare. This will be organised through the Production/Construction Manager, who will maintain adequate records and documentation.
Information and Communication
Suitable and relevant information relating to health, safety and welfare at the workplace will be disseminated to all staff and employees. Statutory notices and health and safety information will be displayed throughout the workplace on designated notice boards. Matters arising in connection with health and safety issues can be discussed at any time with your supervisor, who will ensure that these matters will be considered at the appropriate level and will provide feedback as to the action to be taken.
The Health and Safety Policy will be issued to employees on their first day of service and, in addition, will be displayed at suitable positions around the workplace. The policy will be issued to contractors prior to commencement of any site work and re-issued to employees following any significant amendments or revisions.
Noise Control
Winston Joinery Ltd will take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure that the risk of hearing damage to employees who work with noisy equipment or in a noisy environment is reduced to a minimum. The organisation also recognises that, noise levels below those which are known to cause damage to hearing, can still cause other problems such as disturbance, interference with communication, and stress. Therefore all reasonable steps will be taken to reduce noise levels as far as is reasonably practicable.
Every effort will be made to reduce high noise levels in order to reduce employee exposure to those noise levels. Noise hazard areas will be identified by the appropriate signage. The provision of hearing protection and relevant information will be supplied to those individuals who are likely to work in noise hazard areas. Records of hearing protection issued will be kept in the Production Co-ordinators’ office.
Personal Protective Equipment
Winston Joinery Ltd will provide personal protective equipment when the risk presented by a work activity cannot be adequately controlled by other means. All reasonable steps will be taken by the organisation to secure the health and safety of those employees working with personal protective equipment.
Where health and safety hazards have been identified in the workplace, the organisation aim to ensure that through the proper use of personal protective equipment, any risks are reduced to a minimum.
Following risk assessments, a selection of personal protective equipment will be provided along with the relevant instruction, information and training in its use, storage and replacement. The organisation will not accept the intentional misuse of personal protective equipment provided for the safety of their employees.
Adequate supplies of personal protective equipment will be maintained in order for replacement equipment to be available.
Risk/COSHH/Manual Handling/DSE Assessment
The organisation accepts that some of its operations may unless properly controlled create risks to employees and others. Therefore reasonably practicable steps will be taken to reduce those risks to an acceptable level. Risk assessments are carried out and documented to identify the range of hazards associated with working operations, together with any remedial control measures.
Employees identifying working hazards should report those hazards to management in order that further risk assessments can be carried out and remedial action identified.
Assessments will then be reviewed and performance monitored to identify if further controls are required. Documented risk assessments will be located in the Production Co-ordinators’ office and are freely available on request.
Training
The importance of effective health and safety training for all employees can never be overstated in all working areas. The organisation will endeavour to provide adequate information, instruction and training in order to minimise the risks to employees, contractors, visitors and the public.
The organisation will provide training on recruitment, change of job or responsibilities and on the introduction of new working methods or equipment. Training will also be provided periodically, where appropriate and adapted to take account of any newly identified risks. Training records will be kept for all company personnel.
Training will be provided to all personnel including directors, managers, supervisors and employees. Training needs analysis will identify those employees selected for training programmes. The main aim is to work towards increased competency to undertake tasks and improve on an already safe and healthy working environment.
Work Equipment
Winston Joinery Ltd uses heavy plant, equipment and machinery to manufacture its products. Along with this type of equipment are associated high risks to health and safety for operators and maintenance staff.
The Production Co-ordinator will ensure that the design, operation and maintenance of all equipment, plant and machinery is intrinsically safe and complies with relevant legal requirements.
All new equipment will be assessed for operational safety prior to commission and identify that essential service and maintenance requirements are recorded.
The Production/Construction Manager will ensure that service requirements are adhered to along with the keeping of appropriate records. Existing equipment will be subject to regular inspections to ensure that all requisite safeguards are in place and equipment is operating effectively.