HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
This document defines the responsibility and actions for ensuring that staff and site operatives are fully aware of the conditions laid down under the health and safety policy at Work Act 1974.
It is issued to all employees and submitted to clients and contractors as ACP Group Health and Safety policy. Our Health and Safety policy is continually modified to incorporate any new and appropriate legislation.
The Managing Director shall have overall responsibility for ensuring that the health and Safety Policy is implemented. The Contracts manager shall be immediately responsible for staff and site operatives employed by the company, together with the Safety Officer to ensure that the 1974 Health and Safety Work act is complied with.
Every member of the company as far as is reasonably practical shall be responsible for health and safety within the working environment.
The company will take reasonable measures to ensure that it’s legal and moral responsibilities are fulfilled for health, safety and welfare at work of all its employees. Together with others where practical, who may be affected by the company’s activities
The Managing Director (Safety Officer) has overall responsibility for health, safety and welfare and has immediate responsibility for staff and operatives under his control employed on ACP Group contracts.
The company recognizes its responsibility to ensure that the right conditions occur in which work may be carried out safely. All employees have a legal duty, not only to work safely, but also to cooperate in the efforts made to create and maintain safe working conditions.
All employees are made aware of their particular responsibilities with regard to health, safety and welfare of themselves and employees under their control by means of the company safety policy issued to each site office.
At the commencement of their employment, all employees are provided with the company safety policy. At the estimating and planning stages of work, the company will take account of requirements necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees.
Implementation of our policy will be via regular meetings held at ACP Group Head office, at which the safety officer will discuss all matters of safety with all the Supervisors and Foremen.
The supervisors and foremen will ensure that all outside operatives are made aware of matters raised at the aforementioned meetings.
In addition to verbal instructions, written instructions in the form of memos will be circulated via wage packets from time to time, as and when the requirements are deemed necessary by the meeting, together with any observations and information of importance. The Health and Safety Policy will be amended as necessary by the meetings, together with any observations and information of importance. The Health and Safety Policy will be amended as necessary and circulated to all employees.
All members of staff are to report any failings which they discover at any site in facilities provided for the health, safety and welfare of employees.
The company will provide instructions and information about specific hazards to all concerned and will, where necessary, provide for training to bring this about.
Copies of the relevant Regulations required by Act of Parliament will be available.
The company will provide and keep in good repair tools, plant, equipment and protective clothing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees. All employees must safeguard such tools, plant equipment etc and must also take special care when using scaffolding, lifting gear of other equipment provided by another contractor.
Where such equipment does not comply with regulations or with the company’s safety policy, this should be reported to their immediate superior.
The company will ensure that welfare facilities, including first aid boxes are available. In many cases such facilities will be shared with those used by other contractors and the company will give information to employees as to their location
The company will keep this policy under review and revise it whenever new legal requirements come into force, when new information comes to light, or when the company policy depends largely on the cooperation of all employees.
EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBILITIES
(ALL MEMEBERS OF STAFF INCLUDING OFFICE AND SITE OPERATVIES)
- It is the responsibility, as far as is reasonably practicable, of every member of site and office staff.
- To cooperate with the company in making themselves acquainted with and comply with all safety regulations and procedures on site, or in the office.
- To take all practicable steps to safeguard themselves, and other people including the members if the public in the vicinity.
- To inform their immediate superior or any other responsible person of any hazard to safety which has come to their notice within their working environment.
- To ensure the plan, tools and equipment they use are in a safe and serviceable condition before use and that any safety regulations of working instructions applicable to such tools and equipment are complied with.
- To report all accidents, ensure the appropriate Accident Form is completed and notify the Safety Officer or contractor manager of the circumstances.
- Individual employees as well as the company are liable to legal proceedings and punishment for the breaches of the Health and Safety Act or other relevant safety legislations. All employees should therefore be ‘safety conscious’ and help maintain safe working conditions at their place of work.
Any unsafe equipment or working conditions should be reported without delay to your supervisor. If you then consider that the situation has not been remedied, you should report the matter to the Safety Officer.
FOREMEN
It is the responsibility of every Foreman, as far as is reasonably practicable to ensure:
That they are acquainted with the relevant safety regulations applicable to that site and to ensure that all employees in their charge are also acquainted with them.
That they take all practicable steps to ensure that they, and all employees in their charge, comply with these regulations.
That they take all practicable steps to ensure that they safeguard themselves, other persons employed in the vicinity and any members of the public who may be in the vicinity of the site, from any possible hazard.
That all plant, tools and equipment in use on site are in safe and serviceable condition and that any safety regulations or working instructions applicable to this plant, tools and equipment are complied with.
That they deal immediately with safety hazards or breaches of safety regulations they encounter and/or report same to their immediate superior, or to any other responsible person on that site for action to be taken to rectify the matter.
That they report all accidents to the Safety Officer explaining the circumstances of how they occurred and ensuring that the appropriate accident forms are correctly completed.
SUPERVISORS
It is the responsibility of every supervisor as far as reasonably practicable to ensure:
They, and operatives under their control, are acquainted with and comply with all safety Regulations applicable to the site under their control.
They take whatever action necessary, on the advice of the Contracts Manager, against any member of their staff who, by acts of the omission, contravenes those safety regulations and procedures.
They, and the staff under their control, safeguard themselves, other persons employed in the vicinity, or any member of the public who may be in the vicinity of the site or the office under their control from any hazard which may exist on the site or in the offices.
All plant, tool and equipment used on sites or offices, is in a safe and serviceable condition and that if available any safety regulation or working instructions or codes of practice applicable to this plant, tools and equipment are compiled with.
They deal immediately with any safety hazard or breach of safety regulations they encounter if it is within their power to do so. Alternatively, they must take whatever action is necessary to ensure that some other responsible body is informed, in order to remedy the situation.
All procedures and equipment necessary to deal with, investigate and report any accidents on site or in the office and to liaise with the safety officer in this respect.
They liaise with the safety officer in all matter pertinent to safety on site and take all necessary steps to ensure a high standard of safety and safety awareness in staff under their control.
All staff under their control receives such information, instructions, training and supervision as is necessary to maintain such safety standards.
CONTRACT MANAGERS
It is the responsibility of every contract manager, so far as is reasonable and practicable:
To be aware of the regulations, procedures and requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and work towards their implementation.
To ensure that all staff under their control receives such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure implementation of the Act.
To take such action as is necessary, in conjunction with the Managing Director, against any member of staff under their control who by act of omission contravenes any part of the Act, or disobeys company policy in his respect.
To liaise with the safety officer to ensure that all staff under their control maintain a high standard of safety and safety awareness.
OFFICE MANAGERS
It is the responsibility of every Office Manager so far as is reasonable and practicable to:
In accordance with Company policy, administer the organization set up to implement the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
To be aware of the regulations, procedures and requirements of this act and to ensure that all staff under their control are aware of their responsibilities.
Ensure that all staff under their control receives such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to provide the effective implementation of the requirements of the Act.
Ensure that provision is made, in consultation with the Managing Director to take such action as is necessary against any member of staff under their jurisdictions, who by act or omission contravenes any part of this Act or who disobeys company policy in this respect.
Ensure that full liaison at all levels of management and supervision is maintained with the safety officer in the effective administration of the Safety Policy.
Ensure that the Managing Director is kept fully informed of all developments in respect of this act and the implementation of its requirements.
WORKING PROCEDURES
EQUIPMENT
a) Construction site machinery will be 110 volt only and will only be utilized via an appropriate transformer.
b) Screwing machines (usually ‘rigid’ type) will be operative at all times with a guard.
c) All disc cutting machines will have the appropriate protected heavy duty Perspex guard to allow clear vision and total protection. At no time is the disc cuter to be operated without the guard in place.
d) Angle grinders should be used wherever practically possible, with associated guards fitted. Where this is not possible, protective goggles and gloves should be worn at all times of use of this equipment, regardless of whether a guard is fitted or not.
e) Only operatives who have the appropriate training and qualifications can change an abrasive wheel on a disc cutting/ grinding machine or tool.
f) Where an electrical drill is utilized particularly overhead when fixing for bracketing, then goggles should be worn to protect the eyes from dust and debris.
g) Ensure all Arc plant appears to be in good order, only the appropriate leads should be used. If in doubt do not use the plant and immediately refer to your Supervisor or Charge hand/ Foreman.
h) Ensure that all oxy-acetylene gauges are fitted correctly, undamaged and functional. Replace new as necessary. Check bottles are chained to a trolley and ensure all tubes and nozzles etc are in good, undamaged order. Always keep a fire extinguisher locally to your place of work when using this plant.
FIRE PRECAUTIONS
Ensure that you note the positions and availability of fire fighting equipment. Ensure your supervisor supplies you with appliances if the main contractor or client does not. This should be a pre-requisite to commencement of works.
TIDINESS
Ensure that your place of work is generally kept in good order and is free from unnecessary debris etc. This should be an ongoing concern but should be attended to at least once per day.
SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS
When attending your place of work, you are to familiarize yourself with any precautions or procedures that should be adopted for dealing with special risk relating to your site, building, processes or work activities i.e.: not ‘Halon’ procedure notices if you need to work in protected computer areas, is your site a ‘hard hat’ designated area, are you working around or near hazardous chemicals etc. All recommended procedure in these instances must be followed.
ACCIDENTS
In the event of an accident:
It should be immediately reported to the site agent or representatives responsible for the area in which the accident occurred.
Be recorded in the accident book on site starting time, date, cause and type of injury.
Be reported to your supervisor for noting in the company accident book.
HARD HATS AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
It is recommended that on all sites hard hats are used by all employees whether permanently employed on site or just visiting.
Everybody will be issued with a hard hat but if one is not currently available, ask the site supervisor to acquire one from those stocked on site.
Protective goggles are to be used when drilling or grinding. These are provided as required by the company.
It is recommended that protective footwear be worn on site (i.e.: toe protector boots or similar). It is not recommended that trainers be worn during work operations.
During welding operations you must utilize at all times the goggles or masks provided. You should use the appropriate welding leathers as recommended by HVCA.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
When you first attend on site, you are to familiarize yourself with the existing emergency procedures (in the event of fire or explosion etc) operated within the building site. If it is an unoccupied building or site, establish from the main contractor or your site supervisor the emergency procedure that has been adopted for the site, so that in the event of any emergency you can follow the correct procedure for your required action and safe evacuation.
UPDATING PROCEDURES
The company Safety officer will communicate with you either through your site supervisors or wage packets, any new or necessary information on Health and Safety. Where it is deemed necessary, then individuals will be placed on the appropriate training course for introduction to new equipment or procedures.
INSPECTONS
The company safety officer will make regular site inspections to ensure that the arrangements laid down for the health and Safety Policy are effective. If deficiencies are found, amendments will be made from time to time, as necessary.