Health & Safety Policy
STATEMENT OF GENERAL POLICY
It is Lall Limited Policy to promote a Health and Safety culture throughout the organisation, which aims to achieve so far as is reasonably practicable the prevention of injuries and ill health of employees and others who may be affected by our work activities and to prevent any loss or damage to property, plant, and equipment.
Lall Limited will continue to deliver its services with the highest regard to principles of health and safety, with the overall aim of attaining and maintaining a zero accident rate and promoting a safety culture that is based on communication throughout all levels of the organisation.
The senior management team at Lall Limited commits to fulfilling all statutory duties as stated under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and subsequent legislation. The Company requires its Director to ensure that the following policy is implemented and to report annually on its effectiveness.
The Company is fully committed to the success of this Policy.
MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION AND ARRANGEMENTS
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 issue responsibility for their realisation to all managers, supervisors, and other employees of Lall Limited through the normal line management processes.
MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director has overall responsibility for the implementation of Lall Limited Health & Safety Policy. In particular he is responsible for ensuring that the policy is widely communicated and that its effectiveness is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis.
Managers and supervisors are wholly accountable to the Director for the implementation and monitoring of the policy within the area of their specified responsibility.
The Safety Officer is a nominated manager responsible for co-ordinating 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 and the identification of health and safety training needs.
HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT PROCESS
Lall Limited requires its 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.
This shall be accomplished and maintained by involving all employees in systematically identifying workplace hazards, making adequate assessments and taking appropriate steps to set up safe systems of work, which control risks.
People are our key resource and Lall Limited is committed to adequately re-sourcing all areas of its operation.
We believe that excellent Health and Safety standards shall contribute towards the development of our staff and lead to excellent business performance. Accordingly, we shall support Health and Safety initiatives aimed at continuous improvement of our management systems, in which Health and Safety objectives are regarded by all as an integral part of our overall business goals.
HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE GUIDELINES
Health & Safety will never be compromised for other objectives therefore It is the policy of Lall Limited to require managers to produce appropriate 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.
The company shall ensure that all employees are informed about the Policy and its mandatory compliance. We shall consult with them on its implementation and their own individual Health and Safety responsibilities. All employees shall be provided with the appropriate training so that they can fulfil their Health and Safety responsibilities. The principle operational responsibility for Health and Safety and for the implementation of this Policy lies with all employees. An appropriate number of Health and Safety advisers and representatives with a specific role shall be appointed to provide independent and authoritative advice to management.
The Company considers that Health and Safety legislation provides only the minimum standards and shall continually seek to improve upon those legal requirements.
IDENTIFICATION OF HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS
ANNUAL AUDIT AND REGULAR RISK ASSESSMENTS
It is the policy of the Company to require a thorough examination of health and safety performance against established standards in each department, at least annually. The technique to be adopted for such examinations will be the 'Safety Audit'. The Audit requires the review of,
- Standards laid down in the policy;
- Relevant regulations;
- Environmental factors;
- Staff attitudes;
- Staff instructions;
- Methods of work;
- Contingency plans;
- The recording and provision of information about accidents and hazards and the assessment of risk.
It is the management's responsibility to ensure that any deficiencies highlighted in the Audit are dealt with as speedily as possible.
We shall continuously monitor Health and Safety performance to ensure that standards are met and management controls are working. The Company’s policy and safety performance shall be reviewed, as a minimum, annually. Revisions to the Policy shall be implemented as a result of any deficiencies highlighted by the review, or by new legislation and rail Standards, or by business development.
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 requirements.
The following areas shall be given priority:
- Training for managers and supervisors to provide them with an understanding of their responsibilities under this policy, and the role and purpose of safety representatives;
- 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;
- Company 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.
REPORTS TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE
The responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 to the Health and Safety Executive, shall rest with the Director 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 or supervisors from expert individuals or bodies outside the Company.
THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
It is the policy of the Company to provide Occupational Health Services. Such services are provided confidentially to the individual employee and 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 requirements.
FIRE
The Director is responsible for ensuring that the staff receive adequate fire training, and that nominated fire officers are designated in all Company premises.
LIFTING AND HANDLING
Managers and supervisors are responsible for informing staff of safe lifting techniques and will identify specific training to ensure training in lifting and handling is provided to staff who require it.
NON-SMOKING ON COMPANY PREMISES
The Company has established that there will be no smoking on its premises, the overall aim is to reduce smoking and so save life, reduce the risk of fire, prevent unnecessary illness and chronic disability.
CONTROL OF SUBSTANCES HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (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.
CONTROL OF WORKING TIME
The Company is 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 e.g. in relation to breaks, night workers etc. will be complied with.
HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA) 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 are made aware that under HASAWA they have equal responsibility with the Company for Health and Safety at Work.
Consequently, the refusal of any employee to meet their obligations under HASAWA will be regarded as a matter to be dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure and In normal circumstances counselling of the employee should be sufficient for them to meet their responsibilities. However, with a continuing problem, or where an employee leaves them self or other employees open to risk or injury, it may be necessary to implement the formal stages of the Disciplinary Procedure.
PEOPLE WORKING ON COMPANY PREMISES NOT EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY
Persons working in the Company premises who are employed by other organisations are expected to follow Company Health and Safety Policies.
VISITORS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
The Company wishes to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of visitors to Company establishments 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 their manager or supervisor. 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 over-react to a situation.
CONTRACTORS
The Company wishes to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of Contractors working in the Company's employment or establishments will be of the highest standards. In addition, individual Contractors and/or 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.
Contractors must also observe the Company's Fire Safety Procedures. These obligations will be drawn to the attention of the Contractors in the contract document issued to them. In addition Company Managers and supervisors have the authority to stop the work of Contractors who are placing themselves, other staff, or visitors at risk. Any member of staff who judges there is a risk where contractors are working, should inform their Manager immediately.
The Company's Managers and supervisors will be responsible for monitoring the Health and Safety performance of the individual Contractor.