2-3 Degrees fully accepts the obligations placed upon it by the various Acts of Parliament covering health and safety.  The Company requires its Chief Operating Officer to ensure that the following policy is implemented and to report annually on its effectiveness.

 

MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION AND ARRANGEMENTS

 

Introduction

 

This policy has been prepared and published under the requirements of Health & Safety at Work legislation.  The purpose of the policy is to establish general standards of health and safety at work and to distribute responsibility for their achievement to all managers, supervisors and other employees through the normal line management process.

 

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Chief Operating Officer

 

The Chief Operating Officer has overall responsibility for the implementation of the Company’s policy.  In particular they are responsible for ensuring that the policy is widely communicated and that its effectiveness is monitored.

 

Managers

 

These managers are wholly accountable to the Chief Operating Officer for the implementation and monitoring of the policy within the area of their specified responsibility.

 

Safety Officer

 

The Safety Officer is a nominated manager responsible for coordinating effective health and safety policies and controls across the organisation.

 

The Safety Officer is responsible for:

 

• The production and maintenance of the Company’s policy and ensuring that Department Guidelines are consistent with policy;
• Its application;
• Monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the policy;
• The provision of general advice about the implication of the law;
• The identification of health and safety training needs.  The Safety Officer also acts on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer, as the Company’s formal link with the Health and Safety Executive, Environment Health Departments and other external agencies;
• The production and maintenance of any health and safety documents or codes of practice as necessary for any relevant area of the Company services where this is required.

 

Responsibilities for Specific Workplaces

 

WORKPLACE	RESPONSBILITY	COMPANY LEAD	ALL STAFF
103 Charing Cross Road	Luke Barrett; 07701 308817; Luke.Barrett@colliers.com	Colliers Office Manager	All are responsible for reporting to Chief Operating Officer
Personal Home	Azzees Minott	Chief Operating Officer	All are responsible for reporting to Chief Operating Officer

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT PROCESS

 

2-3 Degrees believes that consideration of the health, safety and welfare of staff is an integral part of the management process.  The provision of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, associated Codes of Practice and other relevant Directives will be adopted as required standards within the Company.

 

The Company rents working space from The Ministry.  As noted in the Health and Safety Policy, the Ministry recognises and accepts the duty to protect the health and safety of all visitors to its premises, including shared workspace clients, contractors, temporary workers, as well as any members of the public who might be affected by our operations.

 

The Company requires managers to approach health and safety in a systematic way, by identifying hazards and problems, planning improvements, taking executive action and monitoring results so that the majority of health and safety needs will be met from locally held budgets as part of day-to-day management, although many health and safety problems can be rectified at little additional cost.

 

For major additional expenditure, cases of need will be submitted by Directors to the Chief Operating Officer.

 

If unpredictable health and safety issues arise during the year, the Chief Operating Officer must assess the degree of risk, in deciding the necessary resources and actions to commit to addressing these issues.

 

HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE GUIDELINES

 

It is the policy of 2-3 Degrees to require departmental managers to produce appropriate departmental health and safety policies or guidelines.  These should embody the minimum standards for health and safety for the department and the work organised within it.

 

It shall be the responsibility of the manager to bring to the attention of all members of his or her staff, the provisions of the guidelines, and to consult with appropriate Health and Safety Representatives about the updating of these guidelines.  Suggested model contents of a guideline are:

 

• Information about immediate matter of health and safety concern, such as fire drills, fire exits, first aid;
• Training standards;
• The manager responsible for organisation and control of work;
• Accident reporting procedures;
• Departmental safety rules;
• Fire procedures;
• Policies agreed by the Company.

 

SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES

 

2-3 Degrees will support Safety Representatives in carrying out their role and give all reasonable assistance.  Safety Representatives will be encouraged to discuss specific health and safety issues.  They may also formally report hazardous or unsafe circumstances and will be formally notified of the remedial action taken or be given a reason why the action cannot be taken.

 

It is the policy of 2-3 Degrees to require a thorough examination of health and safety performance against established standards annually.

 

TRAINING

 

Health and Safety training shall be incorporated within annual training programmes, as part of the development of a systematic training plan.  Health and Safety training needs will, therefore, be identified and planned for in the same manner as other training needs.

 

These areas of need shall be given special priority:

 

• Training for Safety Representatives to enable them to discharge their function;
• Training for all members of staff to acquaint them with the main provisions of the law and its practical implication, the main features of this policy and key safety rules;
• Induction and in-service training for staff at all levels to acquaint them fully with new requirements and hazards.

 

RECORDS, STATISTICS AND MONITORING

 

The Company will operate systems for recording, analysis and presentation of information about accidents, hazard situations and untoward occurrences.  Advice on systems will be provided by the Safety Officer, in conjunction, where appropriate with specialist advisory bodies, for example, local Environmental Health Departments, and the responsibility for the operation of these systems rests with managers and supervisors at all levels.  Information obtained from the analysis of accident statistics must be acted upon and where necessary bids for additional expenditure made to the Chief Executive Officer.

 

REPORTS TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE

 

The responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR) to the Health and Safety Executive, shall rest with the Chief Operating Officer as delegated to the Safety Officer.

SPECIALIST ADVISORY BODIES

 

Certain bodies and the individual members of those bodies, have always had a Health and Safety role, most notably, the Health & Safety Executive, or local Environmental Health Departments.  If further specialist advice is required, this may be obtained by Managers from expert individuals or bodies outside the Company.

 

THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

It is the policy of the Company to obtain independent Occupational Health advice when required.  Such services can include counselling on health and associated matters, investigation of hazards and accidents, environment studies, health interviews and employment medicals.

 

FIRST AID

 

It is the policy of the Company to make provision for First Aid and the training of ‘First Aiders’ in accordance with the First Aid Regulations (1982).  The Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring the regulations are implemented and for identifying training needs.

 

FIRE

 

The Chief Operating Officer is responsible for ensuring that the staff receive adequate fire training, from the management organisation responsible for the co-working premises that we rent workspace from.

 

In addition the Company will nominate a Fire Officer (this may be the Safety Officer or someone external to the Company) who will:

 

• Report and advise on the standard of fire safety in the Company’s premises and the standard of fire training of its staff;
• Undertake overall responsibility for fire training;
• Assist in the investigation of all fires in the Company’s premises and to submit reports of such incidents.

 

FOOD HYGIENE

 

Those Managers who have responsibility for food acquisition, storage, processing and serving, and staff induction and hygiene training, are responsible for ensuring that these functions are undertaken to the necessary legal standards.  Any suspected outbreak of food poisoning or other unexplained and possibly food related incidents must be reported to the Safety Officer.

LIFTING AND HANDLING

 

Managers are responsible for informing staff of safe lifting techniques.  The Safety Officer will identify specific training needs and ensure training in lifting and handling is provided to staff who require it.

CONTROL OF SUBSTANCES HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH

 

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) require the Company to identify those substances which are in use and which are hazardous to health (as legally defined) and to assess the risk of those substances.  The Company must also provide and use controls to prevent exposure to substances hazardous to health; maintain controls by monitoring exposure, or by health surveillance of employees; and provide information, instruction and training for employees on all these matters.  The Safety Officer is responsible for implementing these Regulations.

COMPUTER INSTALLATIONS AND VISUAL DISPLAY UNITS

 

All new computer installations must adhere to the British Standard Specifications and comply with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.  All new employees operating such equipment are expected to read the Health and Safety Executive guidance entitled ‘Working with Display Screen Equipment’.  New employees who regularly use VDUs will be required to undergo sight screening.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE

 

The Health and Safety at Work Act requires each employee to take reasonable care for the Health and Safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by their acts and ommissions and cooperate with management to enable management to carry out their responsibilities under the Act.  Employees have equal responsibility with the Company for Health and Safety at Work.

 

The refusal of any employee to meet their obligations will be regarded as a matter to be dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure.  In normal circumstances counselling of the employee should be sufficient.  With a continuing problem, or where an employee leaves themselves or other employees open to risk or injury, it may be necessary to implement the formal stages of the Disciplinary Procedure.

 

PEOPLE NOT EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY

 

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

 

The Company wishes to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of members of the public that come into contact with a service from 2-3 Degrees will be of the highest standard.

 

Any member of staff who notices persons acting in a way which would endanger other staff, should normally inform the Safety Officer.  If the danger is immediate, common sense must be used to give warning, call for assistance or give aid as necessary.  It is equally important not to overreact to a situation.

 

CONTRACTORS

 

The Company wishes to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of Contractors working for the Company will be of the highest standards.  In addition, Contractors and their employees have an obligation so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure all equipment, materials and premises under their control are safe and without risks to health.