This document sets out the general policy and the organisation and arrangements for the health and safety throughout Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd as required by section 2(3) of The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and regulation 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
It describes the framework of the Health and Safety Management system (SMS) used by Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd.
Over the years the system has evolved and takes account of the statutory obligations and the need for continuous improvement.
The policy document is standard throughout the company to implement the safety management system and ensure compliance with the requirements of current legislation and health and safety management.
The overall aim is to ensure the control of risks to health and safety arising from the work undertaken by Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd.
The Managing Director Mr Tony Lockwood fully accepts his roles in providing health and safety leadership for the organisation.
Health, safety and wellbeing at HFN is a shared responsibility and everyone has a duty to take reasonable care of themselves and those around them. We must therefore all work together to prevent accidents and ill health and the effects that follow.
This statement ensures HFN recognises its obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and associated legislation and guidance.
Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd and its management is fully committed to achieving and maintaining the highest standards of health and safety for all its employees. We also recognise that the effective management and control of health, safety, and welfare, is an integral part of our day-to-day business, and an essential part of successful management. The vigilance, teamwork, cooperation, and
Introductory Statement
This document sets out the general policy and the organisation and arrangements for the health and safety throughout Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd as required by section 2(3) of The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and regulation 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
It describes the framework of the Health and Safety Management system (SMS) used by Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd.
Over the years the system has evolved and takes account of the statutory obligations and the need for continuous improvement.
The policy document is standard throughout the company to implement the safety management system and ensure compliance with the requirements of current legislation and health and safety management.
The overall aim is to ensure the control of risks to health and safety arising from the work undertaken by Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd.
The Managing Director Mr Tony Lockwood fully accepts his roles in providing health and safety leadership for the organisation.
Health, safety and wellbeing at HFN is a shared responsibility and everyone has a duty to take reasonable care of themselves and those around them. We must therefore all work together to prevent accidents and ill health and the effects that follow.
This statement ensures HFN recognises its obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and associated legislation and guidance.
Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd and its management is fully committed to achieving and maintaining the highest standards of health and safety for all its employees. We also recognise that the effective management and control of health, safety, and welfare, is an integral part of our day-to-day business, and an essential part of successful management. The vigilance, teamwork, cooperation, and involvement of all employees is vital in monitoring and achieving continuous health and safety improvements.
• The company recognises its legal and moral responsibility for all health, safety and welfare matters.
• HFN requires staff at all levels to be responsible for safety performance within their areas of control.
• All employees and subcontractors are reminded that they have a legal duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
• To identify potential hazards before they become a significant risk and eliminate the risk of injury and ill health of all persons who may be affected by the company's activities to as low as is reasonably practicable.
• To reduce by proactive management, the number of accidents and dangerous incidents to zero each year.
• To ensure everyone connected to HFN works goes home safe and well at the end of every workday.
• To ensure that the legal obligations of the company and its employees are fully met.
• To ensure and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, safe plant and equipment is used, and safe handling and use of substances.
• To consult and work collaboratively with our clients, suppliers, employees, contractors on matters affecting health, safety and wellbeing.
• Provide, develop and maintain the safety management system (plan, do check act) as a framework and guide for sustainable safe working practices and procedures.
• Establish and maintain a positive safety culture within HFN and with those we interact with.
• Ensure all staff are aware of their personal safety responsibilities and comply with the arrangements of the safety management system by providing adequate health and safety training for all employees at all levels.
• Ensuring staff have the necessary authority to implement the policy throughout operations they undertake or control.
• Give staff sufficient resources and provided them with safety guidance, advice and support by directors and managers for staff to undertake their work in a safe and responsible manner.
• Complete an annual review and update of the health and safety policy and safety management system and ensure a copy of the policy is displayed at sites and workplaces.
• A copy of the health and safety law poster is prominently displayed, or the law leaflet / pocket card is issued to all staff.
• Encourage liaison with the external health and safety consultant on all matters concerning health, safety and welfare.
In order to fulfil its obligations, the Company retains the services of an External Health & Safety Consultant, Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services, 07901514259 martin@arb-forestry.com, who can provide confidential safety information and advice.
The HFN management system is based on the Plan, Do, Check, Act principals. We aim for continual improvement of the HFN business and safety management system. We aim to achieve this by:
• Developing a strong safety culture and safety management system that adapts to our operational needs.
• Ensuring the topics of safety and wellbeing, start all precontract planning and tender, and ongoing contract meetings.
• Completing a quarterly review of accident data and near miss reports (reactive), audit, inspection and non-compliance findings (proactive).
• Reviewing feedback from staff, either direct or via safety reps. See site or office notice boards for specific reps and reporting options below.
• Proactively seeking feedback from clients around health, safety, wellbeing and environmental as well as quality reviews and comments.
All staff and sub-contractors can report comments, suggestions, near miss and non-compliance reports (with names or anonymously) by:
• Sending an email or text or image, to HFN managers or emailing HFN directly sales@hfnlandscapes.co.uk or julie@hfnlandscapes.co.uk.
• They can call reception directly and the comments will be logged.
• They can speak to the site Contracts Manager or their team leader / foreman.
• Contacting Martin Lennon directly on 07901514259 or martin@arb-forestry.com
HFN consider a near mis to mean, any incident that did not cause harm or damage, but could have, in similar circumstances. All near misses are recorded.
Non-compliance means, any deviation from the specified operating standard, procedure, related industry good practice standard or legal requirement.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess the risk to the health and safety of their employees and others who may be affected by their undertaking. The assessment of risk is a process that identifies hazards and details the controls to be implemented. Managers at all levels will identify the hazards and record their findings prior to the development of a specific risk assessment.
In all parts of the company this will start at the earliest possible stage and continue throughout the work process.
▪ Where applicable design stage assessments will be conducted and continue throughout the works process
▪ Tender stage assessments will identify major risks so that provision can be made for suitable controls in the tender
▪ Where relevant preconstruction information will be used in developing the health and safety plan
▪ Task specific assessments will then be conducted where foreseeable hazards will be identified, and the detailed control measures specified.
Although not a legal requirement, method statements are the most common way of describing how specific complex tasks are to be carried out, therefore Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd require that method statements be carried out for all high risk complex operations, the content of the method statement will vary according to the complexity of the job and the level of risk involved.
To ensure that our safety management systems are assessed and updated to meet current regulations, Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd will obtain information from:
▪ The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI)
▪ The Construction Industry Council (CIC)
▪ The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
▪ The Federation of Small Businesses - the National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses Limited.
▪ HSE web site
▪ Trade bodies and organisations
▪ The external Consultant – Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services
Within Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd (HFN) ultimate responsibility for health and safety rests with Mr. Tony Lockwood, the Managing Director and Mr Peter Lockwood the Contracts Director and they will ensure resources are available to manage safety and welfare throughout the organisation.
To assist Mr Lockwood in this undertaking, Home Farm Nurseries (Pinvin) Ltd have delegated day to day Health & Safety management to the people in control of the work. In addition, Mr Rob Wickens, Project Surveyor, supports Mr Lockwood with regards to health & safety matters.
In addition, and to aid compliance with its employer and management duties, the Company retains the services of Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services, to advise and assist with all aspects of health and safety management.
The HFN safety management systems consists of the following basic principles:
Safety leadership.
Directors and higher management clearly demonstrate their commitment to safety and wellbeing, and encourage all staff, clients and contractors, to take a proactive involvement.
Business risk management assessment.
Project surveyors and contract managers provide a business case to directors, who decide the risk level (business and environmental), the required resources, and accept and proceed with the tender process or reject the work.
Effective planning.
Directors identify and instruct appropriate planning requirements for project surveyors and contract managers to implement, in cooperation with the client / agents.
Organisation.
Project is organised and coordinated, in cooperation with the client / agents, by project surveyors and contract managers. They in turn may delegate specific duties, roles and responsibilities to key staff or contractors, as identified in site documentation. Progress is reviewed and monitored by directors.
Control and monitoring.
The main control of safety and environmental issues are the duties of the directors, project surveyors and contract managers. They may delegate some key responsibilities to those people in immediate control of the operations works.
This includes safety and environmental issues related to supply, delivery, security, waste management, operator competency and management.
Audit.
Formal audits, internal or external, will be completed as per the schedule agreed during contract planning and recorded in the site documentation. This complements the audit and inspection requirements delegated to job roles.
Review.
Individual projects or work operations of all sizes are formally reviewed at stages agreed during planning meetings. This will be on the minimum basis of: prestart and post completion.
Main responsibilities:
• Overall responsibility for health, safety, wellbeing and environmental protection, throughout the company.
• Ensure that the implementation of the company’s health and safety policy and safety management system is conducted consistently and effectively.
• Develop and maintain a culture that achieves a high standard of health and safety throughout the company.
• Ensure that adequate resources are made available to meet the requirements of the company health and safety policy and UK legislation.
• Ensure that health and safety implications receive consideration from tender stage through to completion and handover.
• Ensure that the health and safety policy is current and brought to the attention of all employees.
• Encourage and support staff around health, safety and welfare. Where required reprimand any person failing to discharge their health and safety responsibilities.
• Review HFN audits and undertake 2 site inspection per year.
• Lead by personal example and ensure health safety, welfare and environmental protection is adequately integrated within all works undertaken by HFN.
• Appoint and oversee external safety support.
• Responsibility for implementing and supporting delivery of health, safety, wellbeing and environmental protection objectives, throughout the company.
• Key responsibility for safety relating to the HFN office, yard and workshops. Including supply, delivery and storage of materials, vehicles, plant and equipment.
• Oversee office facilities management including welfare, first aid, fire equipment servicing and tests, and electrical systems maintenance.
• Ensure that employees receive appropriate and adequate training (including refresher training), to enable them to carry out their responsibilities under the health and safety policy.
• Ensure competent contractors and suppliers are identified, appraised, approval and management.
• Ensure adequate and appropriate inspections and monitoring is completed to ensure safety, wellbeing and environmental protection is established, maintained.
• Overseeing staff PPE requirements and management.
• Review HFN audits and undertake 2 site inspection per year.
• Ensure HFN risk and COSHH assessments are adequate and appropriate to the specific contract works / operations / materials, to be completed.
• Ensure all work equipment is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards.
• Manage HFN equipment, thorough examination requirements including LOLER related, and extractor fan systems work effectively and are serviced / tested as per the HFN schedule.
• Oversee the management of records and reports re first aid and RIDDOR.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Oversee record management of near miss incidents.
• Lead by example and encourage proactive involvement in the HFN safety culture.
• Liaise with external safety support.
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is planned for.
• Comply with and follow the principals of this policy.
• Cooperate with colleagues to establish and maintain health, safety, wellbeing within HFN projects.
• Contribute to HFN office safety by monitoring and maintaining your workspace.
• Where possible monitor HFN and existing and potential clients relevant to health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your duties.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Comply with HFN risk assessments and method statements.
• Ensure new materials are COSHH assessed where required.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience to HFN.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work if safety is compromised.
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is planned for.
• Comply with and follow the principals of this policy.
• Cooperate with colleagues to establish and maintain health, safety, wellbeing within HFN projects.
• Contribute to HFN office safety by monitoring and maintaining your workspace.
• Plan for and monitor HFN and existing and potential clients relevant to health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your duties.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Undertake your own dynamic risk assessments and comply with HFN risk assessments and method statements.
• Consider, plan and maintain, the same HFN standards of health, safety and welfare to contractors and others working in areas under your control.
• Consider and plan for all work equipment to be used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards.
• Ensure new materials are COSHH assessed where required.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience to HFN.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work if safety is compromised.
• Collaborate with and supervise colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is planned for, implemented and managed, on sites you are responsible for.
• Cooperate with HFN colleagues, and externals (contractors, adjacent landowners etc), to establish and maintain health, safety, wellbeing related to HFN projects.
• Plan for and monitor HFN and existing and potential clients relevant to health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your duties.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Establish, monitor, and maintain work site safety on your allocated work sites, including site welfare, material storage, use of tools and equipment, competency of operators, transport and waste management.
• Ensue site office and facilities are managed for safety, including provision of welfare, first aid and accident book, safety related information and warning signage, fire equipment and its servicing, spill kits, and electrical systems maintenance.
• Ensure deliveries to site are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure lifting operations are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure site visitors, including specialist contractors / fitters, are inducted, briefed, supervised and managed, particularly newcomers and young persons.
• Consider and plan for all work equipment and PPE to be used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards, including thorough examination requirements.
• Undertake your own dynamic risk assessments and ensure all on site, comply with HFN risk assessments and method statements.
• Ensure all work is risk assessed and hazardous materials are COSHH assessed, where required (including subcontractor produced documents), and related equipment or PPE is available. Report any omissions to the Contract Director or external safety support.
• Implement and maintain, good practice standards outlined in training and competencies you and operators hold, and related industry guidance.
• Ensure all working on site are competent for the work operation and refresher training has been completed.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you and on-site operators experience to HFN.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Inspect sites and supervise work every day or on a need to basis agreed with the Site Foreman.
• Formally inspect your sites each week and record findings.
• Ensure site related documentation is planned, established, and maintained.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work and proactively encourage others to stop if safety is compromised.
• Stop any noncompliant activity observed and report this to the Contracts Director or foreman. Report as near miss is relevant.
• Lead safety and wellbeing by personal example.
• Ensure that all staff and sub-contractors are fully inducted before works commence, paying particular attention to the pre-Construction Phase Plan (if available) and HFN Construction Phase Plan, specific and generic Method Statements, Risk assessments and site checklists.
• Regularly undertake toolbox talks, informing staff of particular site issues and Industry wide issues. Ensure that all Toolbox talks are recorded and logged with the HFN Office.
• Collaborate with and supervise colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is planned for, implemented and managed, for work or sites you are responsible for.
• Cooperate with HFN colleagues, and externals (contractors, adjacent landowners etc), to establish and maintain health, safety, wellbeing related to HFN projects.
• Monitor health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your supervisory duties.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Ensure deliveries to site are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure lifting operations are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure site visitors, including specialist contractors are, briefed, supervised and managed particularly newcomers and young persons.
• Ensure all work equipment and PPE is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards, including thorough examination requirements.
• Undertake your own dynamic risk assessments and ensure all on site, comply with HFN risk assessments and method statements. Advise the Contracts Manager so that additional findings are included in the Safety Plan.
• Ensure all work is risk assessed and hazardous materials are COSHH assessed, where required (including subcontractor documents). Report any omissions to the Contract Director, Contracts Manager, or external safety support.
• Implement and maintain, good practice standards outlined in training and competencies you and operators hold, and related industry guidance.
• Ensure operators in your team are competent for the work operation and advise the Contracts Manager as to when refresher training is required for staff members.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience to HFN.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Inspect work areas / sites before and work every day.
• Ensure site related documentation is maintained by the Contracts Manager.
• Highlight to your contract manager, any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work and proactively encourage others to stop if safety is compromised.
• Stop any noncompliant activity observed and report this to your contracts manager. Report as near miss via HFN reception, if relevant.
• Lead safety and wellbeing by personal example.
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation are implemented.
• Cooperate with HFN colleagues, and externals to maintain health, safety, wellbeing related to HFN projects.
• Monitor your own and your colleague’s health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your duties.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Use all work equipment as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards.
• Inspect work areas / sites before and after work.
• Only work as per the risk and hazardous materials COSHH assessment.
• Undertake your own risk assessments and follow HFN risk assessments.
• Maintain, good practice standards outlined in training and competencies you hold, and related industry guidance.
• Only undertake work you are competent for and highlight to the contract manager any training you need.
• Work with HFN to ensure you and your team go home safe and well every day.
• Ensure you understand site related documentation and safety posters.
• Highlight to your Foreman/ Contract manager, any areas where improvements can be made.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience to HFN reception.
• Stop work if safety is compromised.
• Stop any noncompliant activity observed and report this to your Foreman/ Contracts Manager.
• Only undertake work operations if you are competent and experienced relevant to the work or equipment used.
• Ensure all work equipment or PPE is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards.
• Comply with and follow the principals of this policy.
• As for more information / guidance is you are unsure of your role and responsibilities.
• Engage in the HFN safety culture and take a proactive approach to safety.
• Ensure that materials bought are fit for purpose and from approved suppliers/ sources.
• Ensure that all materials being brought to site/ yard are being delivered by competent and approved hauliers.
• Ensure new supplies and materials are COSHH assessed where required.
• Ensure new tools, equipment etc has been risk assessed where required and that safety guidelines, conditions of use and maintenance manuals are included with the purchase.
• Comply with and follow the principals of this policy.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Advise suppliers as to agreed site delivery times and site-specific requirements (including covid controls compliance) and with regards to site speed limits and tipping areas.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Collaborate with and supervise colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is planned for, implemented and managed, relating to the vehicle workshop and yard area.
• Cooperate with and supervise HFN colleagues, and externals (delivery, collection, vehicle movements etc), to establish and maintain health, safety, wellbeing related to HFN mechanical projects, either on site or at HFN yard.
• Plan for, implement and monitor HFN systems relevant to health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your duties. Ensure extractor fan systems work effectively and are serviced / tested as per the HFN schedule.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Establish, monitor, and maintain workshop safety, including site welfare, material storage, use of tools and equipment, competency of operators, transport and waste management.
• Ensure deliveries to site are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure lifting operations are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure workshop visitors, including specialist contractors / fitters etc, are inducted, briefed, supervised, and managed, whilst in the workshop.
• Consider, plan, and supervise all work equipment and PPE is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards, including thorough examination requirements.
• Undertake your own dynamic risk assessments and ensure all on site, comply with HFN risk assessments and method statements.
• Ensure all work is risk assessed and hazardous materials are COSHH assessed, where required (including specialist fitters / visitors). Report any omissions to the Contract Director or external safety support.
• Implement and maintain, good practice standards outlined in training and competencies you and operators hold, and related industry guidance.
• Ensure all working on HFN mechanical projects are competent for the work operation and refresher training has been completed.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience to Contracts Director.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Formally inspect the workshop each month and record findings. Keep inspection records for review, collection and central storage.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work and proactively encourage others to stop if safety is compromised.
• Stop any noncompliant activity observed and report this to the Contracts Director. Report as near miss is relevant.
• Lead safety and wellbeing by personal example.
• Collaborate with and supervise colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is planned for, implemented and managed, relating to the workshop and yard area.
• Cooperate with and supervise HFN colleagues, and externals (delivery, collection, vehicle movements etc), to establish and maintain health, safety, wellbeing related to HFN fabrication projects, either on site or at HFN yard.
• Plan for, implement and monitor HFN systems relevant to health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your duties. Ensure extractor fan systems work effectively and are serviced / tested as per the HFN schedule.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Establish, monitor, and maintain workshop safety, including welfare, material storage, use of tools and equipment, competency of operators, transport, and waste management.
• Ensure deliveries to workshop / yard or site are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure lifting operations are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure workshop visitors, including specialist contractors / fitters etc, are inducted, briefed, supervised, and managed, whilst in the workshop.
• Consider, plan and supervise all work equipment and PPE is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards, including thorough examination requirements.
• Undertake your own dynamic risk assessments and ensure all on site, comply with HFN risk assessments and method statements.
• Ensure all work is risk assessed and hazardous materials are COSHH assessed, where required (including specialist fitters etc). Report any omissions to the Contract Director or external safety support.
• Implement and maintain, good practice standards outlined in training and competencies you and operators hold, and related industry guidance.
• Ensure all working on HFN fabrication projects are competent for the work operation and refresher training has been completed.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience to Contracts Director.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Formally inspect the workshop each month and record findings. Keep inspection records for review, collection and central storage.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work and proactively encourage others to stop if safety is compromised.
• Stop any noncompliant activity observed and report this to the Contracts Director. Report as near miss is relevant.
• Lead safety and wellbeing by personal example.
• Collaborate with and supervise colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is implemented and managed, for work you are responsible for such as vehicle or trailer loading, unloading, manoeuvring etc.
• Cooperate with HFN colleagues, and externals (contractors, adjacent landowners etc), to establish and maintain health, safety, wellbeing related to HFN vehicle works.
• Inspect vehicles and trailers before and after use to ensure they meet legal and good practice standards.
• Monitor health safety and wellbeing, as you perform your duties.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current industry related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Ensure vehicle movements are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure vehicle related lifting operations are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure site visitors, including specialist contractors / fitters, are inducted, briefed, supervised and managed.
• Ensure all work equipment and PPE is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards, including vehicle and trailer maintenance and examination requirements.
• Only undertake work operations if you are competent and experienced relevant to the work or equipment used.
• Undertake your own dynamic risk assessments and ensure you comply with HFN risk assessments and method statements.
• Ensure all work is risk assessed and hazardous materials are COSHH assessed, where required (including subcontractor documents). Report any omissions to the Contract Director or external safety support.
• Implement and maintain, good practice standards outlined in training and competencies you and operators hold, and related industry guidance.
• Ensure operators working in the fabrication workshop are competent for the work operation and refresher training has been completed.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience to HFN.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Formally inspect the vehicles and trailers you use and record findings. Keep inspection records for review, collection and central storage.
• Ensure vehicle related documentation is maintained.
• Highlight to the Contract Director, any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work and proactively encourage others to stop if safety is compromised.
• Stop any noncompliant activity observed and report this to your contracts manager. Report as near miss via HFN reception, if relevant.
• Help encourage safety and wellbeing by personal example.
• Ensure you comply with your UK legal duties and requirements as an employer / self-employed person.
• Undertake your own risk and COSHH assessments and follow HFN risk assessments.
• Ensure that your health and safety policy is current and brought to the attention of all your employees and operators.
• Ensure HFN have copies of your current insurance cover, safety documentation and operator’s competency.
• Only undertake work operations if you and your operators are competent, experienced and authorised by HFN relevant to the work or equipment used.
• Only allow your employees or subcontractors to undertake work operations or use tools, equipment or plant, if you have evidence of their ongoing competence and experience relevant to the work or equipment used. This includes road vehicle use.
• HFN require specific evidence of your supervision and monitoring of your operators.
• Ensure all work equipment is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards.
• Comply with and follow the principals of this policy.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents to HFN contract managers.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work if safety is compromised.
• Ensure that all your staff have the appropriate safety equipment for their specific work tasks and that it is approved and in working order.
• Ensure that all your staff attend a formal HFN site induction before specific work tasks commence.
• Attend HFN toolbox talks when required by the HFN Contracts Managers.
• Collaborate with and supervise office colleagues to ensure the standards and principals of the HFN safety policy and related documentation is planned for, implemented and managed, within the HFN main office.
• Plan for and monitor HFN office-based staff and visitors’ relevant to health safety and wellbeing.
• Establish, monitor, and maintain safety in the office, including welfare and kitchen facilities, material storage, use and inspection of office equipment, first aid kits, fire extinguishers and waste management.
• Manage the fire alarm test every 6 months and related records.
• Maintain a basic knowledge and understanding of current related good practice standards and UK legislation.
• Ensure lifting aids are available and used where required within the office environment.
• Undertake your own dynamic risk assessments and ensure all within the office, comply with HFN risk and COSHH assessments (including covid controls compliance).
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents you experience.
• Formally inspect the office every 6 months and record findings.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop any noncompliant activity observed and report this to the Contracts Director or external H&S support. Report as near miss is relevant.
• Encourage safety and wellbeing by personal example.
• Ensure that work is carried out within the terms of the health and safety policy.
• Develop a personal concern for the safety of yourself and others and work closely with the Office Administrator to ensure that a safe office environment is presented.
• Use the correct equipment for the job.
• Report any defects in equipment.
• Avoid improvisation that entails any risk.
• Refrain from horseplay and abuse of facilities.
• Suggest ways of improving safety.
• Be familiar with the procedure for summoning the emergency services in the event of a fire or other emergency.
• Be familiar with the procedure to be followed in the event of a fire or emergency.
• Be familiar with the location and operation of firefighting equipment and fire alarm control points.
• Be familiar with the arrangements of first aid treatment.
• Maintain your workplace in a tidy and safe manner.
• Carry out an assessment of your workstation.
• Collate work equipment, PPE issue, audit, and inspection and near miss records.
• Work with the external H&S support to manage HFN safety related accreditation / approvals.
• Ensure deliveries to the office are planned and completed safely.
• Ensure all work equipment is used as per manufacturer’s instructions, as intended, and in line with current legal requirements and industry good practice standards.
• Comply with and follow the principals of this policy.
• Challenge unsafe behaviours and actions.
• Report near miss incidents to your line manager.
• Work with HFN to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.
• Highlight any areas where improvements can be made.
• Stop work if safety is compromised.
The function of the external consultant is performed by Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services who to Rob Wickens, as the HFN safety champion, and the Managing Director for all matters relating to health and safety, both at the head office and on site. Martin will regularly visit the office and sites (aiming for 3 inspections per year), to inspect and report on all matters affecting the health safety and welfare of all employees, self-employed and other persons who may be affected by the company’s undertakings. He will assist HFN staff to monitor the application of the policy at site level and will review its contents as often as is necessary. The consultant will be given every assistance and co-operation during his visits and his observations noted and complied with.
Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services will also give assistance in the preparation of the assessments for risk, control of hazardous substances, noise and manual handling, method statements and VDU workstation assessments when requested to do so.
In the event of any problems arising in connection with health, safety, and welfare or of any legal requirements, his advice should be sought.
The services of Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services are available at all times and his address and telephone numbers are as follows:
Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services
9 Broad Oak Lane Penwortham
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 0UX
Telephone: 07901 514259
Should an HSE, Local Authority, Fire Authority or Environment Agency enforcing officer visit a site or premises, it is the responsibility of all personnel to conduct themselves in a courteous manner at all times and demonstrate to the officer this company’s commitment to health and safety.
It is a legal requirement that all personnel fully co-operate with all enforcement inspectors; under no circumstances can any employee (direct or indirect):
❑ obstruct an officer
❑ refuse access to the premises, equipment or personnel
❑ refuse to answer questions (representation may be requested)
❑ use verbal abuse
Should a disagreement ensue, the matter is to be treated with courtesy at all times and referred immediately to a superior for further discussion.
For contracts carried out under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations, or CDM 2015, the responsibility for the establishment of a safe site, in line with the requirements of CDM 2015, rests with the Health & Safety Director, Contracts Managers and the Site Supervisor/Foreman co-ordinating with the Client/Appointed Principal Designer and Principal Contractor where applicable.
All employees are under an obligation to assist the Company in its CDM duties by following instruction, reporting any failures in systems, hazardous situations and “near-misses”.
The responsibility for the development of the Construction Phase Health & Safety Plans (as required by CDM 2015) lies with the Principal Contractor (or Contractor if there is only one) and other relevant documentation. Compilation of final documentation for Health & Safety File purposes rests with the Appointed Principal Designer but in their absence, HFN’s Health and Safety Co-ordinator as the Principal Contractor/Contractor would submit this.
Our Contract Managers are fully acquainted with the requirements of the CDM Regulations 2015.
The Company will diligently undertake its CDM responsibilities whether acting as Principal Contractor or Contractor.
All construction operations undertaken at Company premises (as defined by CDM 2015) will be undertaken under the auspices of the Company as responsible Client.
As Client on any construction project, the Company will diligently undertake its full responsibilities under CDM 2015 to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all relevant contractors, Company employees and all others affected by the works, both during the project and in the future.
Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services will provide advice and guidance as necessary for individual sites and monitor performance and compliance on a regular basis throughout the year. This is undertaken by site and office inspections, requested via Rob Wickens.
It is the responsibility of the Contracts Director and Contracts Manager to ensure that risk and COSHH assessments for hazardous operations or materials (and all others such as noise, vibration and manual handling as they become necessary) are undertaken as appropriate, and to ensure the information is clearly disseminated to, and instructed accordingly to, all workers on site (both directly and indirectly involved with those operations).
Please refer to our specific risk assessment for more details. HFN are monitoring government and related industry guidance and good practice information. We ensure staff and contractors are updated as developments are made, and guidance is updated. All staff and visitors are instructed to make HFN management aware of any health issues that may affect the roles or the safety of other people. This has been completed via team meetings, general signage, toolbox talks, posters and our risk assessments and HFN documentation.
We ask our existing and potential clients to make clear to us their preferred working safeguards, and we review and either approve these for use by HFN staff and contractors or liaise with the client to agree our mutually agreed safe system of work.
Specific briefings are used to update, and refresh staff knowledge and each site welfare cabin has specific Covid guidance and instructions.
It is the responsibility of the Contracts Director and Contracts Managers to ensure that only those sub-contract companies who can demonstrate competency for the work will be considered for inclusion on the company approved list/ register, held at the HFN office. The office administrator maintains this list and it is reviewed annually during a contracts meeting.
Currently, entry onto the approved list is reliant on either:
The Contracts Director, with assistance from Contract Managers, is responsible for ensuring that the system is monitored and effective, and that contractors meet the HFN standard. This is further monitored during internal and external site inspections.
The contract manager is responsible for ensuring that all sub-contractors are made aware of risks and control measures, as detailed within company policy and site rules, and relevant contract-specific risk assessments.
The contract manager and foreman are responsible for co-ordinating and controlling all sub-contractors on site, site activities and all matters relevant to health and safety on site. Sub-contractors will, effectively, be treated as employees and representatives of the company.
The subcontractor employer / self-employed subcontractor are also responsible for monitoring their work operations, complying with UK legislation and HFN policies.
The Company is committed to the principal of adequately training its workforce for the types of tasks required.
It is the responsibility of the contracts manager to ensure that adequate training has been carried out, with the assistance of the Health & Safety Consultant to advise as necessary on the types and levels of training required. The contracts director oversees the delivery of training.
Specific training takes the form of either:
▪ The formal course provided by a suitably qualified or accredited external instructor, or
▪ Internal instruction given by HFN staff or
▪ Tailored training delivered by Martin Lennon – Arboricultural & Forestry Support Services.
▪ Or a combination of the above.
Training needs are continually assessed by the individual, their foremen and their contracts manager according to the current qualifications or experience of the workforce, the introduction of new equipment or working methods, and changing company circumstances.
Induction is given by the delegated Contract Manager of suitable competence, at the start of employment, and recorded on the HFN training matrix.
Further induction is given by the Site Supervisor/Foreman at the start of each job to all workers on that site, whether employed by the Company or working under their jurisdiction. This induction is site-specific and defines the site rules, workers’ responsibilities, foreseeable risks and control measures. Tool-box talks are given periodically to update the risk and controls information, or to focus on topical issues.
It is the responsibility of all employees to ensure that they do not undertake tasks for which they have received insufficient or no training. Further training or instruction can be requested via line managers where necessary.
The Contracts Director will oversee the management of PPE. It is the responsibility of the Contract Manager to ensure that sufficient and adequate personal protective clothing and equipment (P.P.E.) is supplied to HFN staff, according to the nature of the tasks to be undertaken.
An issue log / record of PPE issued, is kept at the HFN office.
It is also the responsibility of Contracts Manager and Foreman, to ensure appropriate items of P.P.E. are worn by employees (direct or indirect) under their control. Subcontractors are responsible for supply of PPE to their staff and contractors.
It is the responsibility of all employees to abide by the rules laid down for that site, and inspect, maintain and wear the P.P.E. provided in the manner intended. Operators should request PPE as required.
It is the responsibility of management to set a personal example and wear appropriate P.P.E. on site.
The Company is committed to ensuring so far as reasonably practicable that its operations do not unduly impact on the local environment and complies with Local Authority legislation and guidance.
