Health & Safety Policy

1. POLICY STATEMENT

Comelec Limited is committed to maintaining safe and healthy working conditions and to preventing accidents and instances of work-related ill health by ensuring that all activities carried out on company premises or undertaken by its employees are managed in such a manner so as to avoid, reduce or control all foreseeable risks to the health and safety of anyone who may be affected by such activities as far as is reasonably practicable. This policy will be reviewed and revised every six months.

Signed: Date:  21st March 2010

Print Name:  J Wall        Review Date:  21st March 2011

2. EMPLOYER'S RESPONSIBILITIES

In furtherance of the above policy statement and the need to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and other relevant health and safety legislation, Comelec Limited will:

• provide and maintain safe plant and equipment and safe systems of work;

• ensure materials and substances used are properly stored, handled, used and transported;

• assess the risks to the health and safety of anyone who may be affected by work activities;

• consult with employees on matters affecting their health and safety and ensure that all employees are competent to do their tasks;

• provide information, training, instruction and supervision;

• provide a safe place of employment;

• provide a healthy working environment;

• provide a written Health and Safety Policy;

• look after the health and safety of other people, in addition to employees;

• talk to safety representatives.

3  EMPLOYEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

Employees have a legal responsibility to take care of the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions or omissions and to co-operate with supervisors and managers on health and safety issues. Employees should not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety and should report all health and safety concerns to the appropriate person as set out in this policy.

4 ROLES

4.1 Nigel Pitts has overall responsibility for health and safety in the workplace and for ensuring that adequate resources are made available to allow the implementation of this policy.

4.2 Nigel Pitts has day-to-day responsibility for ensuring that this policy is implemented.

4.3 All supervisors and managers must adequately supervise the work activities of employees and others under their control to ensure that safe systems of work are being followed.

5 RISK ASSESSMENTS 

Every work activity to be undertaken will be subjected to a health and safety risk assessment prior to the activity starting, in consultation with those who will undertake the work. A separate fire risk assessment will also be undertaken by a "responsible person" who will take reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire and ensure occupants can safely escape the premises if a fire does occur. A written record of the assessments will be provided identifying any significant hazards and describing the preventative and protective measures required to avoid, eliminate, reduce or control the risks identified to a tolerable level. The control measures must be implemented and adequately maintained and records kept of any monitoring or maintenance of equipment undertaken. The following people have responsibility for the different stages of the health and safety risk assessments and the fire risk assessments:

• health and safety risk assessments will be undertaken by Nigel Pitts and the findings will be reported to  the other Directors and recorded in a separate document entitled "Health and Safety Risk Assessments Findings". Action required to remove or control health and safety risks will be approved by the Directors and Nigel Pitts will be responsible for ensuring the action required is implemented. Nigel Pitts will check that the implemented actions have removed or reduced the risks. Health and safety risk assessments will be reviewed every twelve months or when significant changes in the work activity occur, whichever is soonest;

• fire risk assessments will be undertaken and implemented by John Burrows and recorded in a separate document entitled "Fire Risk Assessments Findings" which, in addition to identifying hazards and describing preventative measures, will outline an emergency plan. John Burrows will also check that the implemented actions have removed or reduced the risks. Assessments will be reviewed every twelve months or when significant changes in the work activity occur, whichever is soonest.

6 SAFE PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

When selecting and purchasing items of plant and equipment it is essential to ensure, as far as possible, that such items are safe and are appropriate for the task and location for which they are intended to be used. Nigel Pitts is responsible for ensuring that any new plant and equipment meets health and safety standards before it is purchased. Account must be taken of the persons required to use the items which must be selected to minimise any possible adverse affects to the user and other persons who may be affected. It is also essential to ensure that all plant and equipment is kept safe through regular maintenance and inspection and that all employees are trained to use equipment safely and are aware of instructions provided by manufacturers and suppliers. Any problems found with plant and equipment should be reported to Nigel Pitts. Nigel Pitts is responsible for identifying all plant and equipment needing maintenance. Nigel Pitts is responsible for ensuring effective maintenance procedures are drawn up and Nigel Pitts is responsible for ensuring that all identified maintenance is implemented.

7 HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put people's health at risk. The law requires employers to control exposure to hazardous substances to prevent ill health. The main law on hazardous substances at work is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 ("COSHH"). It defines hazardous substances to include most hazardous chemicals (including waste and by-products), biological agents and any dust. Harmful substances which are covered by COSHH include the vast majority of commercial chemicals, many of which have a warning label. Examples may include bleach and other cleaning agents with a warning label, wood dust, glues and adhesives, solvents, paints, pesticides and chemical fertiliser, medicines and biological agents, oils and fuels, printer/photocopier toner, inks, and paper dust. This list is not exhaustive. Nigel Pitts is responsible for identifying all substances that need a COSHH assessment. Nigel Pitts is responsible for undertaking COSHH assessments Nigel Pitts is responsible for ensuring that all actions identified in the assessments are implemented. Nigel Pitts is responsible for ensuring that all relevant employees are informed of the COSHH assessments. Nigel Pitts is responsible for checking that new substances can be used safely before they are purchased. Assessments will be reviewed every twelve months or when the work activity changes, whichever is soonest.

8 TRAINING

All employees must receive health and safety induction training as soon as possible after starting employment and job specific health and safety training where work activities require it. Training will also be provided when risks change. Supervisors and managers have a responsibility to identify training needs and to arrange and monitor training of all employees and others under their control. A training needs analysis should be conducted for each job and if this highlights a training requirement then appropriate training must be provided within a reasonable time scale. Records of all training undertaken by employees will be kept by Denise Pitts. Nigel Pitts will provide induction training for all employees.

9 REPORTING ACCIDENTS, INVESTIGATING AND MONITORING

9.1  All employees are required to report all accidents and work-related causes of sickness absence to their supervisor or manager. The purpose of reporting such incidents and any subsequent investigation is to identify the underlying cause(s) and any contributing factors and to prevent a recurrence. Nigel Pitts is responsible for investigating accidents. Nigel Pitts is responsible for investigating work-related causes of sickness absence. Nigel Pitts is responsible for acting on investigation.

• To monitor the implementation of safe working practices and to assess whether the practices are being effectively pursued Comelec Limited will carry out inspections, have reports submitted by employees, do spot check visits and carry out safety representative inspections.  Comelec Limited will also investigate any accidents or sickness absences that occur.

 
10 ACCIDENTS AND FIRST AID

10.1 Employers are required by law to have first aid provisions in the workplace and to ensure that there is always a qualified first aider or an "appointed person" present. An appointed person is someone who is authorised, in the absence of a trained first aider, to take charge of the situation if there is a serious injury or illness.  They should record all the cases they treat and each record should include at least the name of the patient, date, place, time and circumstances of the accident and details of the injury suffered and treatment given. The records should be kept in a suitable place, and should be readily available.  Employers are also required to report certain work-related accidents, dangerous occurrences and diseases. The appointed person or first aider is Nigel. First aid boxes are kept in the office at 26-27 Sibthorpe Street and in all company vehicles.  All accidents and instances of work-related ill health will be recorded in the accident book which is kept by Denise Pitts. Nigel Pitts is responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority.

11 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

All employees should read the Fire Action Notices provided in all areas of the workplace which give details of the company's fire and emergency procedures. Escape routes will be checked every month by Nigel.  Fire extinguishers will be maintained and checked every quarter by BB Services. Alarms will be tested every month by Nigel Pitts. Emergency evacuation will be tested monthly.

12 CONSULTATION WITH EMPLOYEES

Employees will be consulted on matters affecting their health and safety by memo or verbally at meetings. The employee representative is Denise Pitts.

13 INFORMATION AND SUPERVISION

13.1 Employers must display the health and safety law poster or alternatively, provide employees with individual copies of the same information in a leaflet. The Health and Safety Law poster is displayed in the workshop at 26-27 Sibthorpe Street.  Health and safety advice is available from Nigel Pitts.

13.2 Employers have an added duty to young people to provide information, instruction, training and supervision. Supervision given to young people must be greatly increased to ensure that they are fully supervised at all times. Supervision of any young workers or trainees will be undertaken and monitored by Nigel Pitts.

13.3 Nigel Pitts is responsible for ensuring that all employees working at locations under the control of other employers are given relevant health and safety information.