Introduction

This handbook contains the health and safety information you require to comply with our Health and Safety Policy. After reading it, you will be required to sign to confirm that it has been brought to your attention. If you have any queries regarding the contents, please do not hesitate to ask.

St Agnes Parish Council takes its responsibility for health and safety very seriously and is committed to a programme of progressive improvement that requires input from all its employees. If you see anything during your work that gives rise to a concern, you are positively encouraged to report it to your supervisor or manager.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility – and that includes you.

Health and Safety Policy Statement

The management of St Agnes Parish Council recognises that it has a legal duty of care towards protecting the health and safety of its employees and others who may be affected by the Council’s activities, and that managing health and safety is a business-critical function.

In order to discharge its responsibilities the management will:

  • Bring this Policy Statement to the attention of all employees
  • Carry out and regularly review risk assessments to identify proportionate and pragmatic solutions to reducing risk
  • Communicate and consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
  • Comply fully with all relevant legal requirements, codes of practice and regulations at International, National and Local levels
  • Eliminate risks to health and safety, where possible, through selection and design of materials, buildings, facilities, equipment and processes
  • Encourage staff to identify and report hazards so that we can all contribute towards improving safety
  • Ensure that emergency procedures are in place at all locations for dealing with health and safety issues
  • Maintain our premises, provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
  • Only engage contractors who are able to demonstrate due regard to health & safety matters
  • Provide adequate resources to control the health and safety risks arising from our work activities
  • Provide adequate training and ensure that all employees are competent to do their tasks
  • Provide an organisational structure that defines the responsibilities for health and safety
  • Provide information, instruction and supervision for employees
  • Regularly monitor performance and revise policies and procedures to pursue a programme of continuous improvement

This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed at least annually and revised as necessary to reflect changes to the business activities and any changes to legislation. Any changes to the Policy will be brought to the attention of all employees.

Signed: Catherine Nutting
Position: Parish Clerk

Environmental Policy Statement

The management of St Agnes Parish Council recognises that the day-to-day operations can impact both directly and indirectly on the environment. We aim to protect and improve the environment through good management and by adopting best practice wherever possible. We will work to integrate environmental considerations into our business decisions and adopt greener alternatives wherever possible, throughout our operations.

In order to discharge its responsibilities the management will:

  • Bring this Environmental Policy Statement to the attention of all stakeholders
  • Carry out regular audits of the environmental management system
  • Comply fully with all relevant legal requirements, codes of practice and regulations at International, National and Local levels
  • Eliminate risks to the environment, where possible, through selection and design of materials, buildings, facilities, equipment and processes
  • Ensure that emergency procedures are in place at all locations for dealing with environmental issues
  • Establish targets to measure the continuous improvement in our environmental performance
  • Identify and manage environmental risks and hazards
  • Improve the environmental efficiency of our transport and travel
  • Involve customers, partners, clients, suppliers and subcontractors in the implementation of our objectives
  • Minimise waste and increase recycling within the framework of our waste management procedures
  • Only engage contractors who are able to demonstrate due regard to environmental matters
  • Prevent pollution to land, air and water
  • Promote environmentally responsible purchasing
  • Provide adequate resources to control environmental risks arising from our work activities
  • Provide suitable training to enable employees to deal with their specific areas of environmental control
  • Reduce the use of water, energy and any other natural resources
  • Source materials from sustainable supply, when practicable

This Environmental Policy will be reviewed at least annually and revised as necessary to reflect changes to the business activities and any changes to legislation. Any changes to the Policy will be brought to the attention of all stakeholders.

Signed: Catherine Nutting
Position: Parish Clerk

Responsibilities and Rules

Employee Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of all employees to co-operate in the implementation of this Health and Safety Policy within their areas of influence. All employees have a legal duty to ensure their own safety and the safety of others (for example, colleagues, visitors, contractors) under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Employees must therefore:

  • take reasonable care of their own safety
  • take reasonable care of the safety of others affected by their actions
  • observe the safety rules
  • comply with the Health and Safety Policy
  • conform to all written or verbal instructions given to them to ensure their personal safety and the safety of others
  • dress sensibly and safely for their particular working environment or occupation
  • conduct themselves in an orderly manner in the work place and refrain from any antics or pranks
  • use all safety equipment and/or protective clothing as directed
  • avoid any improvisations of any form which could create an unnecessary risk to their personal safety and the safety of others
  • maintain all equipment in good condition and report defects to their supervisor
  • report any safety hazard or malfunction of any item of plant or equipment to their supervisor
  • report all accidents to their supervisor whether an injury is sustained or not
  • attend as requested any health and safety training course
  • observe all laid down procedures for processes, materials and substances used
  • observe the fire evacuation procedure and the position of all fire equipment and fire exit routes.

Health and Safety Rules

General

  • It is the duty of all employees to co-operate with management in fulfilling our legal obligations in relation to health and safety.
  • Employees must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.
  • Employees are required to notify to management of any unsafe activity, item or situation.

Working Practices

  • Employees must not operate any item of plant or equipment unless they have been trained and authorised.
  • Employees must make full and proper use of all equipment guarding.
  • Employees must not clean any moving item of plant or equipment.
  • Employees under the age of 18 years must not operate any item of plant or equipment unless they have received sufficient training or are under adequate supervision.
  • Employees must not make any repairs or carry out maintenance work of any description unless authorised to do so.
  • Employees must use all substances, chemicals, liquids etc, in accordance with all written instructions.
  • Employees must not smoke except in prescribed areas.

Hazard / Warning Signs and Notices

  • Employees must comply with all hazard/warning signs and notices displayed on the premises.

Working Conditions / Environment

  • Employees must make proper use of all equipment and facilities provided to control working conditions/ environment.
  • Employees must keep stairways, passageways and work areas clear and in a clean and tidy condition.
  • Employees must dispose of all rubbish, scrap and waste materials within the working area, using the facilities provided.
  • Employees must clear up any spillage or liquids within the work area in the prescribed manner.
  • Employees must deposit all waste materials and substances at the correct disposal points and in the prescribed manner.

Protective Clothing and Equipment

  • Employees must use all items of protective clothing/equipment provided as instructed.
  • Employees must store and maintain protective clothing/equipment in the approved manner.
  • Employees must report any damage, loss, fault or unsuitability of protective clothing/equipment to their supervisor.

Fire Precautions

  • Employees must comply with all laid down emergency procedures.
  • Employees must not obstruct any fire escape route, fire equipment or fire doors.
  • Employees must not misuse any fire fighting equipment provided.
  • Employees must report any use of fire fighting equipment to their supervisor.

Accidents

  • Employees must seek medical treatment for work related injuries they receive by
    contacting a designated first aider. Upon returning from treatment they must report the incident to their supervisor.
  • Employees must ensure that any accident or injury treatment is properly recorded in the Accident Book.
  • Employees must notify management of any incident in which damage is caused to property.

Health

  • Employees must report to management any medical condition or medication which could
    affect the safety of themselves or others.
  • Employees must co-operate with the management on the implementation of the medical
    and occupational health provisions.

Rules Covering Gross Misconduct

An employee will be liable to summary dismissal if they are found to have acted in any of the following ways:

  • a serious or wilful breach of Safety Rules
  • unauthorised removal or interference with any guard or protective device
  • unauthorised operation of any item of plant or equipment
  • unauthorised removal of any item of first aid equipment
  • wilful damage to, misuse of or interference with any item provided in the interests of
    Health and Safety or welfare at work
  • unauthorised removal or defacing or any label, sign or warning device
  • horseplay or practical jokes which could cause accidents
  • making false statements or in any way deliberately interfering with evidence following an accident or dangerous occurrence
  • misuse of any item of equipment, utensil, fitting/ fixture, vehicle or electrical equipment
  • deliberately disobeying an authorised instruction.