Every business with five or more employees should have a safety policy document comprising three main sections (as required by Section 2 (3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974:
- The current safety policy statement. An example is shown in the appendix at the end of this section.
- An ‘organisation’ section describing the roles of certain people in the business’s safety management system and relating specifically to the business concerned, in line with the guidelines below.
- An ‘arrangements’ section, describing the overall methods of managing risks, relating specifically to the business concerned, in line with the guidelines below.
The complete safety policy document should be signed by the senior executive of the business. It should be regularly reviewed to ensure its accuracy and completeness, preferably annually.
The safety policy document should be brought to the attention of all employees within the business in a suitable format and language for all to understand.
The content of the ‘organisation’ and ‘arrangement’ sections should include the following as a minimum requirement:
Organisation
The organisation section of the policy must be specific to the business or location to which it relates. It should specify the responsibilities of relevant individuals, as well as certain groups within the business organisation, such as line managers, supervisors and employees. In particular, the following responsibilities need to be identified:
· The responsible executive, who should be charged with a general responsibility for health and safety matters on site or within his/her area of control – usually the chief executive or managing director.
· A safety adviser, who must be responsible for monitoring health and safety matters, providing health and safety information and advice relevant to the site, and providing statutory notifications to enforcing authorities.
· A manager responsible for plant, building and site maintenance, especially water systems and pressure vessels and, where appropriate, the maintenance of work equipment.
· A manager responsible for liaison with contractors undertaking work on the premises.
· A manager with responsibility for the provision of an adequate safety function and for the provision of safety-related induction training.
· A manager responsible for the correct storage and disposal of waste, both general and hazardous.
At a small location, one or more of the appropriate functions may be combined. However, any individual charged with the responsibility of safety adviser must:
· be suitably trained to a qualification which is locally recognised for the purpose or in accordance with local requirements, as applicable;
· report to a senior executive; and
· be allocated adequate time and resources to perform that function effectively.
It is the responsibility of the site executive to ensure that this is so.
Arrangements
This section should specify the safety arrangements including, but not restricted to, the items outlined below. There should be arrangements for:
1. undertaking and reviewing general risk assessments and of recording the results (see risk assessments);
2. monitoring and reviewing all protective and preventative measures;
3. identifying and assessing the risks in the use or production of harmful substances, for a regular review of those assessments and the maintenance of assessment records. These arrangements must specify formal consultation with the site safety adviser (see hazardous substances);
4. the safe storage of harmful substances (see hazardous substances);
5. dealing with major spillages or releases of harmful substances or explosions. This must include the arrangements to inform employees and other persons of the nature of the hazard and of any remedial action that they have to take (see hazardous substances);
6. the provision and training of first aiders and how employees are informed of their locations (see first aid);
7. the provision of health surveillance to employees (see legislation);
8. fire safety and fire protection, including appropriate references to staff training, fire evacuation practices, maintenance of fire protection equipment, testing of fire alarm systems and the keeping of records (see fire safety);
9. the assessment of noise levels and, where appropriate, the recording of those assessments (see noise);
10. the assessment of the suitability of personal protective equipment and the recording thereof;
11. the identification, assessment and review of manual handling tasks and, where appropriate, the recording thereof (see manual handling);
12. the inspection of portable electrical apparatus at appropriate intervals and for the fixed electrical installation at least every five years, and for implementing, where appropriate, suitable measures to reduce the risks on ‘live’ working to acceptable defined levels (see electrical safety);
13. for the formal authorisation, where appropriate, of nominated employees to operate specified company equipment or to conduct particularly hazardous activities (e.g. working at height);
14. the assessment of the risk of Legionellosis in water systems, the provision and maintenance of appropriate control measures and the recording thereof (see hazardous substances);
15. identifying, prior to purchase, the relevant health and safety requirements for new plant and equipment (or modification to existing equipment). These arrangements must specify formal consultation with the site safety adviser (see machinery safety);
16. the maintenance of work equipment in order to ensure continuing safe operation;
17. the statutory inspection of plant and the keeping of records;
18. the control of contractors working on site, including the operation of a permit or similar system, and the involvement of the site safety adviser when relevant to the type of work undertaken (see managing contractors);
19. informing visitors, other employers and employees of the risks to them whilst on the location, the preventative measures taken to minimise those risks, including any emergency measures, and any safety-related skills and health surveillance required of them (see managing contractors);
20. procedures by which employees may notify their management of unsafe situations, dangerous occurrences, injuries and work-related ill health;
21. reporting injuries, work-related diseases and dangerous occurrences to the relevant enforcing authorities and investigating all reportable accidents and incidents with potentially serious consequences to prevent recurrences (see accidents);
22. carrying out the relevant notifications and obtaining the necessary permits, authorisations or licences as required by health and safety legislation;
23. the operation of the safety committee, which should be chaired by a senior executive and meet regularly (see employee involvement);
24. consulting with safety representatives (union-appointed or otherwise) on health and safety issues (see employee involvement);
25. the training of staff, both induction training for new staff and training of existing staff, in any particular safety aspect of their job to ensure they are competent to complete all tasks asked of them;
26. the correct collection, storage and disposal of liquid and solid waste, both general and hazardous, including means of ensuring continuing compliance with any trade effluent authorisation (see hazardous substances);
27. the identification, assessment and management of risks associated with display screen equipment and, where appropriate, the recording thereof (see risk assessments);
28. the assessment of employee work-related stress levels and management of the likely causes (see stress); and
29. ensuring the legal compliance and safety of all employees who drive on company business, regardless of who owns the vehicle they are driving (see transport safety).