Health & Safety Policy

Updated 02/01/2021

MASS has a legal duty to protect the health and safety of its employees and others. We take this responsibility seriously and have made health and safety a management priority. We expect our employees at all levels to take care to avoid injury to themselves and others and to co-operate with the implementation of the company’s health and safety arrangements.

The company has adopted a health and safety policy which contains details of these responsibilities and arrangements. All employees are required to be proactive and familiarise themselves with the health and safety policy. Acceptance of and adherence to the company’s health and safety policy form part of every employee’s contract of employment.

Health and safety policy statement

MASS has established this Health and Safety Policy to ensure the Health, Safety and Welfare at work of all employees and others who may be affected by its activities. This policy will be implemented in all premises owned or controlled by the Company. In pursuance of this Policy, the Company will take action to:-

• provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities;
• consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety;
• provide and maintain safe plant and equipment;
• ensure safe handling and use of substances;
• provide information, instruction and supervision for employees;
• ensure all employees are competent to do their tasks and to give them adequate training;
• prevent accidents and cases of work related ill health; maintain safe and healthy working conditions and
•  review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals.

…………………………………

Signed by

Chairman

Responsibilities

• Overall and final responsibility for health and safety rests with the Board of Directors.
• Day to day responsibility for ensuring that this policy is put into practice is delegated to the Office Manager.
• To ensure health and safety standards are maintained/improved, the following people have responsibility in the following areas:

All employees are required to:

• co-operate with managers on health and safety matters;
• not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety;
• take reasonable care of their own health and safety and
• report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person (as detailed in this policy document)

Health and safety risks arising from work activities

• Risk assessments will be undertaken by the Office Manager.
• The findings of the risk assessments will be reported to the Board of Directors.
• Action required to remove/control risks will be approved by the Board of Directors.
• The Office Manager will be responsible for the action required is implemented.
• The Office Manager will check that the implemented actions have removed/reduced the risks.
• Assessments will be reviewed every Quarter or when the work activity changes, whichever is the soonest.

Consultation with employees

• Employee representatives are all Mass employees.

Safe plant and equipment

• The Office Manager will be responsible for identifying all equipment/plant needing maintenance.
• The Office Manager will be responsible for ensuring effective maintenance procedures are drawn up.
• The Office Manager will be responsible for ensuring that all identified maintenance is implemented.
• Any problems found with plant/equipment should be reported to the Office Manager.
• The Office Manager will check that new plant and equipment meets health and safety standards before it is purchased.

Safe handling and use of substances

• The Office Manager will be responsible for identifying all substances which need a COSHH assessment.
• The Office Manager will be responsible for undertaking COSHH assessments.
• The Office Manager will be responsible for ensuring that all actions identified in the assessments are implemented.
• The Office Manager will be responsible for ensuring that all relevant employees are informed about COSHH assessments.
• The Office Manager will check that new substances can be used safely before they are purchased.
• Assessments will be reviewed every Quarter or when the work activity changes, whichever is the sooner.

Information, instruction and supervision

• The Health and Safety Law poster is displayed at the Premises.
• Health and safety advice is available from the Office Manager.
• Supervision of young workers/trainees will be arranged/undertaken/monitored by Line Managers.
• Line Managers are responsible for ensuring that employees working at locations under the control of other employers are given relevant health and safety information.

Competency for tasks and training

• Induction training will be provided for all employees by Line Managers.
• Job specific training will be provided by Line Managers.
• Training records are kept with employment records.
• Training will be identified, arranged and monitored by Line Managers.

Accidents, first aid and work-related health

• The first aid box(es) is/are kept at the Office Manager’s office and the main training room.
• The appointed person(s)/first aider(s) is Tracy Knight.
• All accidents and cases of work related ill health are to be recorded in the accident book.  The book is kept at the Office Manager’s office.
• The Office Manager is responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority.

Monitoring

• Line Managers are responsible for investigating accidents.
• The Office Manager is responsible for investigating work-related causes of sickness absence.
• The Board of Directors are responsible for acting on investigation findings to prevent a recurrence.

Emergency procedures – fire and evacuation

• The Fire Marshall is responsible for ensuring the fire risk assessment is undertaken and implemented.
• Escape routes are checked by the Office manager frequently.
• Fire extinguishers are maintained and checked by frequently.
• Alarms are tested weekly.
• Emergency evacuation will be tested frequently.