Health & Safety Policy

Reviewed: February 2022

We fully accept the obligations placed upon us by the various statutory legislation covering health and safety. The safety and wellbeing of our staff and customers, as well as the general public, are paramount in everything that we do. This policy solidifies our commitments to health and safety and also provides guidance to staff and contractors as to how we manage health and safety within our organisation.

Scope & Purpose

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 for health and safety at work and to distribute responsibility for their achievement to all managers, supervisors, and other employees through the normal line management processes.

Designated 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 this policy and ensuring that Guidelines are consistent with policy;
• the application of this policy;
• 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 company director and acting as a formal link between the organisation, the Health and Safety Executive, Environmental Health Departments within the local authority and other external agencies;
• the production and maintenance of any health and safety documents or codes of practice as necessary.

Health & Safety Management Process

We believe 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. Responsibility for health and safety matters shall be explicitly stated in management job descriptions.

We require 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.

If unpredictable health and safety issues arise during the year, these must be assessed along with the degree of risk, in deciding the necessary resources and actions to commit to addressing these issues.

Health, Safety & Welfare Guidelines

It is the policy of A Hill Sport LTD to require managers to produce appropriate health and safety policies or guidelines that are relevant to their areas within the organisation. 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:

• a clear statement of the role of the department;
• regulations governing the work of the department;
• a clear reference to safe methods of working;
• information about immediate matters of health and safety concern, such as fire drills, fire exits, first aid;
• training standards;
• the role and identity of the Health and Safety Representative;
• names of specialist advisers who can be approached about the work of the department;
• the manager responsible for organisation and control of work;
• accident reporting procedures;
• departmental safety rules;
• fire procedures;
• policies agreed by us.

Risk Assessments & Audits

It is our policy to require a thorough examination of health and safety performance against established standards in each department, at least annually. The technique to being adopted for such examinations will be the ‘Safety Audit’. The Audit requires a review of:

• standards laid down in the policy;
• departmental guidelines;
• relevant regulations;
• environmental factors;
• staff attitudes;
• staff instructions;
• methods of work;
• contingency plans;
• recording and provision of information about accidents and hazards and the assessment of risk.

The information obtained by the Audit will be used to form the basis of the plan for the department for the following year.

The responsibility for ensuring that audit activity is carried out as part of this policy rests with the company director and will be carried out by the Safety Officer. Although the Audit remains a management responsibility, managers are required as part of this policy to seek the involvement of the appropriate Health and Safety Representative in the conduct of the Audit.

It is the management’s responsibility to ensure that any deficiencies highlighted in the Audit are dealt with as speedily as possible.

In addition to carrying out Safety Audits, it is the responsibility of the department manager to have checked, at least quarterly, all portable equipment, including electrical appliances, in their area, and to ensure that all problems are immediately dealt with.

Managers have a continual responsibility for the elimination of hazards in order to maintain a safe working environment and will also be expected to carry out regular risk assessments in line with the Health and Safety Executive Guidelines; that is follow the 5 steps:

1. Identify the hazards
2. Decide who might be harmed and how
3. Evaluate the Risks and decide on precautions
4. Record the findings and implement the precautions
5. Review the assessment and update when necessary

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.

Four areas of need shall be given special priority:

• training for managers, to equip them with an understanding of the manager’s responsibilities under this policy, and the role and purpose of safety representatives;
• 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 and Monitoring

We 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 company director. All injuries and applications of first aid will be documented in an accident log kept in the first aid kit which will be available at all times.

Health and Safety Executive Reporting

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 company director as delegated to the Safety Officer.

First Aid

 It is our policy 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

All staff will receive adequate fire training, and that nominated fire officers are designated in all premises we use.

Food Hygiene

Those 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

Staff will be adequately trained in lifting and handling. The Safety Officer will identify specific training needs and ensure training in lifting and handling is provided to staff who require it.

Smoking

There is a No Smoking policy implemented across all of our sessions and events and this is to be observed by all members of staff, contractors and the public. This is to set a good example for our younger consumers and also to reduce the risk of harm to the health of staff and those around us, reduce the risk of fire and prevent unnecessary illness and disability. These rules also extend to e-cigarettes / vaping.

Control of Substances that are Hazardous to Health

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) require us 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. We 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.

CONTROL OF WORKING TIME

We are committed to the principles of the Working Time Regulations. No member of staff is expected to work more than 48 hours per week (including overtime) unless there are exceptional circumstances. Similarly, all other requirements of the regulations will be complied with.

Health and Safety and Individual Employees

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 omissions’ and co-operate with management to enable management to carry out their responsibilities under the Act. Employees have equal responsibility 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 themself or other employees open to risk or injury, it may be necessary to implement the formal stages of the Disciplinary Procedure.

People working for the company who are not employed by us

People working for us who are employed by other organisations are expected to follow this health and safety policy and adopt it as though they were employed by us. They must take responsibility for their own employees, their personal safety and that of other parties including the general public and their method of work. This responsibility will be included in contracts and arrangements either explicitly or implied. This also applies to any subcontractors, visitors or volunteers working for those working for us who are not directly employed by us. We offer no liability to those injured or who suffer damages as a result of failing to comply with this policy.

Visitors and Members of the Public

We want to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable that the health, safety and welfare of visitors and members of the public are held to the highest standard. Any member of staff who notices someone acting in a way that would endanger themselves, staff or other members of the public should immediately inform a senior member of staff if it is not practicable to intervene and ask that such behaviour is ceased. Common sense must be used to give warnings and to call for assistance as is necessary if there is an immediate risk. No person should overreact or become panicked in any situation.

Contractors

Contractors and their employees, visitors and volunteers have an obligation so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure all equipment, materials, premises and actions under their control are safe and without risks to health and safety and they must observe all fire safety procedures and other procedures and policies set by A Hill Sport LTD. It is the contractor’s responsibility to make their subordinates aware of such policies and procedures and retain any and all liabilities relating to their failure to observe such policies and procedures. We reserve the right to stop the work of contractors we deem to be acting in a way that is unsafe or presents a risk to any member of the public or staff member, including themselves.