Mayfair IT Consultancy Business Solutions - Health and Safety Policy - V1

 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL POLICY

Mayfair IT Consultancy Business Solutions fully accepts the obligations placed upon it by the various Acts of Parliament covering health and safety. We require our Managing Director to ensure that the following policy is implemented and to report annually on its effectiveness.

 

MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION AND ARRANGEMENTS

Introduction

This policy has been prepared and published under the requirements of Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 legislation. The purpose of the policy is to establish general standards for health and safety at work and to distribute responsibility for their achievement to all managers, supervisors, and other personnel (including employees and sub-contractors) through the normal supervisory and line management processes.

 

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Managing Director

The Managing Director has overall responsibility for the implementation of Mayfair IT Consultancy’ Health and Safety policy. In particular, he is responsible for ensuring that the policy is widely communicated and that its effectiveness is monitored.

Supervising Managers

These managers are wholly accountable to the Managing Director for the implementation and monitoring of the policy within the area of their specified responsibility.

Compliance Manager (Safety Officer)

The Compliance Manager will act in the capacity as the Safety Officer as the 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 Mayfair IT Consultancy Health and Safety policy and ensuring that Mayfair IT Consultancy policies remains are consistent with this policy as necessary.

• the application of the policy.

• monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the policy.

• the provision of general advice about the implication of the law.

• the identification of any personnel health and safety training needs. The Safety Officer also acts on behalf of the Managing Director, as the Mayfair IT Consultancy's link with the Health and Safety Executive, Environment Health departments and other external government agencies.

• the production and maintenance of any health and safety documents or codes of practice as necessary for any relevant area of the Mayfair IT Consultancy services where this is required.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Mayfair IT Consultancy believes that consideration of the health, safety and welfare of its personnel is a crucial part of the management process and responsibilities. The provision of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, associated Codes of Practice and other relevant government Directives are routinely adopted as required standards within the company. Responsibility for health and safety matters are explicitly stated in management role descriptions and sub-contractor work packages.

Mayfair IT Consultancy requires managers to approach health and safety in a systematic way, by identifying hazards and problems, planning improvements, taking management action and monitoring results so that the majority of health and safety needs will be met from operating budgets as part of day-to- day management, although many health and safety problems can be rectified at little additional cost.

For any significant expenditure that may be required to address training or issues arising, cases of need will be submitted by the Supervising Manager to the Managing Director.

Should unpredictable or unforeseen health and safety issues arise during the year, the Managing Director will assess the degree of risk, in deciding the necessary resources and actions to commit to addressing these issues.

 

IDENTIFICATION OF HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS

Supervising managers have a continual responsibility for the elimination of hazards in order to maintain a safe working environment and will also be expected to carry out regular risk assessments in line with the Health and Safety Executive Guidelines; that is follow the 5 steps:

1. Identify the hazards.

2. Decide who might be harmed and how.

3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions or mitigations.

4. Record the findings and implement the precautions or mitigations.

5. Review the assessment and update when necessary.

 

SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES

Mayfair IT Consultancy will support external Safety Representatives in carrying out their role and give all reasonable assistance. Safety Representatives will be encouraged to discuss specific health and safety issues with the relevant Supervising Managers.

They may also formally report hazardous or unsafe circumstances to the Supervising Managers or Managing Director and provide formal guidance on the nature of the issue and the type of recommended remedial action being recommended or be given a reason why the action cannot be taken.

 

TRAINING

Mayfair IT Consultancy is committed to ensuring that Health and Safety training is incorporated within annual training programmes for all employees. Health and Safety training needs will be identified and planned for in the same manner as other professional continuous development training needs.

Four areas of need shall be given special priority:

• training for managers, to equip them with an understanding of the manager's responsibilities under this policy, and the role and purpose of safety representatives.

• training for safety officers to enable them to discharge their function.

• 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.

All Mayfair IT Consultancy personnel and sub-contractors will be required to undertake formal health and safety training. New joiners and sub-contractors will need to complete and pass an accredited CPD and Approved by RoSPA Level 2 Health and Safety course from the Mayfair IT Consultancy training provider as part of their onboarding and induction procedures and before commencing any of client assignments on behalf of Mayfair IT Consultancy.

 

RECORDS, STATISTICS AND MONITORING

Mayfair IT Consultancy will operate a Health and Safety register for recording, analysis and presentation of information about accidents, hazard situations and unforeseen occurrences in the workplace. Advice on systems will be provided by the Safety Officer, in conjunction, where appropriate with specialist advisory bodies like HSE and any local Environmental Health Departments.

The responsibility for the operation of these systems rests with supervising managers at all levels. Information obtained from the analysis of accident statistics must be acted upon and, where necessary, requests for additional expenditure made to the Managing Director.

 

REPORTS TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE)

The responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR) to the Health and Safety Executive, shall rest with the Managing Director and delegated to the Safety Officer to prepare and submit where necessary.

 

SPECIALIST ADVISORY BODIES

Where necessary, certain bodies and the individual members of those bodies, have always had a Health and Safety role, most notably, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), or local Environmental Health departments or members of local councils.

If further specialist advice is required, this may be obtained by Supervising Managers from expert individuals or bodies outside Mayfair IT Consultancy. All external correspondence with specialist bodies will be sought via the Safety Officer.

 

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES

It is the policy of the Mayfair IT Consultancy to obtain independent Occupational Health advice when required. Such services can 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 Mayfair IT Consultancy 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 needs.

 

FIRE

The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that the staff receive adequate fire training, and that nominated fire officers are designated in all Mayfair IT Consultancy premises and delegates these responsibilities to the Compliance Manager.

In addition, the Mayfair IT Consultancy nominates a Fire Officer (which is our Safety Officer) who will:

• report and advise on the standard of fire safety in the Mayfair IT Consultancy premises and the standard of fire training of its staff.

• undertake overall responsibility for fire training.

• assist in the investigation of all fires in the Mayfair IT Consultancy's premises and to submit reports of such incidents.

 

CONDEMNATION AND DISPOSAL OF EQUIPMENT

Procedures for the, condemnation and disposal of equipment are determined by the Managing Director. Purchase and deployment of new equipment should have such equipment checked initially by the Safety Officer.

 

FOOD HYGIENE

Those Supervising Managers who have responsibility for food acquisition, storage, processing and serving, and staff induction and hygiene training, are responsible for ensuring that these functions are undertaken to the necessary legal standards. Any suspected outbreak of food poisoning or other unexplained and possibly food related incidents must be reported to the Safety Officer.

 

LIFTING AND HANDLING

Managers are responsible for informing staff of safe lifting techniques. The Safety Officer will identify specific training needs and ensure training in lifting and handling is provided to staff who require it.

 

NON-SMOKING ON COMPANY PREMISES

Mayfair IT Consultancy policy is that there will be no smoking in its buildings. The overall aim is to reduce smoking and so save life, reduce risk of fire, prevent unnecessary illness and chronic disability. These rules also extend to e-cigarettes / vaping.

 

CONTROL OF SUBSTANCES HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) require the Mayfair IT Consultancy 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. Mayfair IT Consultancy 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.

 

COMPUTER INSTALLATIONS AND VISUAL DISPLAY UNITS

All new computer installations must adhere to the British Standard Specifications and comply with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. All new personnel operating such equipment are expected to read the Health and Safety Executive guidance entitled ‘Working safely with display screen equipment (DSE)'.

 

CONTROL OF WORKING TIME

Mayfair IT Consultancy is committed to the principles of the Working Time Regulations and subsequent amendments including the latest The Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. 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 etc. Act 1974 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 have equal responsibility with Mayfair IT Consultancy to discharge the Health and Safety at Work obligations.

The refusal of any personnel to meet their obligations will be regarded as a matter to be dealt with using disciplinary procedures. In normal circumstances counselling of the personnel should be sufficient. With a continuing problem, or where a personnel member leaves themself or other employees open to risk or injury, it may be necessary to implement the formal stages of the disciplinary procedures.

 

PEOPLE WORKING ON COMPANY PREMISES NOT EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY

Persons working in Mayfair IT Consultancy premises who are employed by other organisations are expected to follow Mayfair IT Consultancy Health and Safety Policies regarding the safety of Mayfair IT Consultancy personnel, their own personal safety (and that of other parties such as the general public if appropriate) and their method of work. This responsibility will be included in contracts or working arrangements.

 

VISITORS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Mayfair IT Consultancy wishes to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of visitors to Mayfair IT Consultancy premises 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 Supervising Manager or the Safety Officer. 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.

 

SUB-CONTRACTORS

Mayfair IT Consultancy wishes to ensure that as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of subcontractors working in the Mayfair IT Consultancy premises will be of the highest standards. In addition, subcontractors 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.

Subcontractors must also observe the Mayfair IT Consultancy Fire Safety procedures. These obligations will be drawn to the attention of the subcontractors as part of the contract documentation issued to them. In addition, a Supervising Manager will be identified in the contract as having authority to stop the work of subcontractors who are placing themselves, other staff, or visitors at risk. Any member of staff who judges there is a risk where contractors are working, must inform their Supervising Manager immediately.

Subcontractors will be asked to confirm they have read and comply with the Mayfair IT Consultancy Health and Safety Policy as part of the commercial assurance process before commencing any Mayfair IT Consultancy client assignments.

The Mayfair IT Consultancy Supervising Manager letting the contract will be responsible for monitoring the Health and Safety performance of the subcontractor and the subcontractor's performance will be a factor in deciding whether or not to invite the subcontractor to tender again.

During the period of client assignment, subcontractors will have regular weekly or fortnightly 1-to-1 meetings with their Supervising Managers to progress all aspects of the assignment. In the event of any H&S issue or concern arising, they can discuss this to obtain advice in the first instance.

Alternatively, they can contact the Compliance Manager by email to raise an H&S issue, seek advice or request support as necessary.