Organisational responsibilities for the management of health and safety
Introduction
ESYC will endeavour to achieve the highest standards of health and safety as are reasonably practicable and ensure that all staff and volunteers carry out their activities in a safe and healthy manner. ESYC is committed to continuous improvement of health and safety in the following ways:
Conducting and changing risk assessments
Creating safe and inclusive environments
Applying the principle of prevention
Compliance with other policies as and when requested
Ensuring when agreeing contracts that health and safety considerations are noted and applied
However, whilst it is a management responsibility to ensure that appropriate health and safety management systems, policies and procedures are established and implemented, this cannot be achieved without the full co-operation and support of our staff. The Council of Management will endeavour to promote a positive safety culture by a visible and active commitment to health and safety issues and by helping to motivate staff and volunteers to work safely. We expect all staff and volunteers to take an active part in ensuring that they work safely and do not put others at risk.
In order to demonstrate our commitment and to comply with health and safety regulations and best practice, we will ensure that each member of staff receives a copy of our Health and Safety Policy on employment and signs to show that they have read and understood the policy. The Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed annually and updates will be provided as and when necessary.
Our Policy may be provided to outside organisations on request and as approved by the Chair of the Council of Management. It must be provided to enforcing authorities such as the Local Authority, Health and Safety Executive or the Environmental Agency on request.
All staff and volunteers will be briefed on health and safety issues on induction and at regular intervals thereafter, when exposed to new risks or if new equipment or work practices are introduced. Appropriate training and instruction will be provided.
We will ensure that staff and volunteers are made aware of the risks to their health and safety whilst at work, measures taken to minimise the risks, emergency procedures and organisational responsibilities. We will also consult staff and volunteers on matters affecting their health and safety.
The following sections outline responsibilities for health and safety matters within our current structure and provide information on the roles of staff with specific safety duties.
The Trustees
The Trustees carry the ultimate responsibility for health and safety and will ensure that our Health and Safety Policy and procedures are properly discharged. The Trustees will therefore:
• Regularly review health and safety performance.
• Ensure that the Health and Safety Policy reflects current organisational priorities, company circumstances and management structures.
• Ensure that an effective Health and Safety Management System is in place that provides for effective monitoring and reporting of health and safety performance.
• Receive information on any significant safety failures and the outcomes of any investigations.
• Ensure that periodic audits are undertaken.
Health and Safety representative
On behalf of the Trustees, the Health and Safety representative will be responsible for ensuring that:
• All elements of the Health and Safety Management System are implemented.
• The Child Protection Policy is managed.
• The risk and COSHH assessment programmes are implemented.
• The Fire Plan is implemented.
• Health and safety induction and training needs are met.
• Health and safety reviews and audits are carried out.
• The implications of changes in legislation and/or guidance are identified.
• Progress reports on health and safety matters are reported to the Trustees.
The Health and Safety Officer will work closely with staff on all aspects of health, safety, hygiene and welfare.
Lead Youth Worker
The Lead Youth Worker will co-ordinate day-to-day health and safety activities and are responsible for:
• Managing allocations of trainee project workers and volunteers.
• Ensuring that the Child Protection Policy is adhered to.
• Implementing the health and safety policy and procedures for their areas of work.
• Developing generic risk and COSHH assessments.
• Ensuring that dynamic risk assessments and safe systems of work for each project are implemented.
• Administering the accident reporting and investigation procedure including ensuring that incidents/accidents are reported and that accident investigations are carried out.
• Submitting reports as required by RIDDOR.
• Enforcing PPE requirements.
• Ensuring that staff and volunteers are adequately trained for the tasks they perform.
• Identifying and reporting safety related problems.
• Ensuring that health and safety and fire inspections are carried out.
• Ensuring that appropriate maintenance is carried out.
• Setting a good example on health and safety issues.
• Supporting the work of the Health and Safety Officer in health and safety matters.
Project Staff
Youth workers staff (both voluntary and employed) are responsible for:
• Implementing the health and safety policy and procedures for their areas of work.
• Allocating mentors and supervision of trainee project workers and volunteers.
• Implementing the Child Protection Policy.
• Implementing dynamic risk assessments.
• Implementing safe systems of work.
• Enforcing PPE requirements.
• Ensuring that staff are adequately trained for the tasks they perform.
• Identifying and reporting safety related problems.
• Ensuring that incidents/accidents are reported.
• Supporting accident investigations.
• Setting a good example on health and safety issues.
• Supporting the work of the Health and Safety Officer in health and safety matters.
Staff Teams
Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the Trustees and the Senior Management Team. However all staff have a duty to understand and implement our Health and Safety Policy and Arrangements. It is everyone’s duty to:
• Comply with the health and safety policy and procedures.
• Comply with safe systems of work.
• Take reasonable care of themselves and anyone else who may be affected by the way in which they carry out their duties.
• Co-operate with senior staff on health and safety matters.
• Mentor trainee project workers and volunteers as required.
• Report any faults, defects, hazardous situations, working practices or procedures.
• Report accidents or near misses.
• Report child protection issues.
• Use, and not misuse, any protective clothing, equipment or materials provided.
• Use equipment only with the appropriate safety devices in position.
Failure to comply with our health and safety policy and procedures could result in disciplinary action being taken.
Trainee Project Workers
Staff will be allocated to mentor trainee project workers bearing in mind the need to support and develop each trainee. Staff will confirm the risk assessments and procedures that apply to the work being undertaken and will confirm any hazards likely to be encountered. Trainee project workers will be given a new staff induction before commencing work.
Volunteers
Volunteers are led by lead youth workers and they will confirm specific risk assessments for the work being undertaken and any hazards that may be encountered.
Work Experience Placements
The Council of Management will determine whether work experience placements will be appropriate. If placements are approved, students will be supervised by Project workers in consultation with the relevant School, College or organisation – see Work Placements Procedure
Visitors
All visitors must report to site receptions on arrival where they will sign in and be briefed on our Visitor Procedures.
Contractors
All contractors must report to the office on arrival where they will sign in and be briefed on our Visitor Procedures and inducted to the premises.
Contractors must carry out their duties under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and other relevant legislation. Safe means of access/egress, safe working places, plant and equipment must be maintained and work should be carried out under competent supervision. Contractors must comply with our safety arrangements, including the completion of a Permit to Work where required. They must also provide safety policies, specific risk assessments and method statements when required.
