Health & Safety Policy

KEYPOINTS:

1. Success of health and safety regulations
2. Duty of care applied to everyone
3. Key Responsibilities: Board, Acting Chief Executive, Health & Safety Manager
4. Induction on joining
5. Full training within two months
6. Visitors and contractors:
7. Use of protective clothing and equipment
8. Risk assessment of the premises of OTC, employers and contractors
9. Regular risk monitoring
10. Good housekeeping
11. Electrical equipment
12. Harmful substances
13. First aid
14. Accident reporting
15. Fire safety
16. Safe access including for people with disabilities
17. Sanctions for breach

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Since the introduction of strict health and safety regulations 30 years ago, deaths at work have fallen by three-quarters. Serious injury and long-term illness caused by exposure to hazardous processes and substances have also fallen sharply.

Despite that impressive progress in ensuring that working lives are healthy and secure, health and safety is sometimes mocked or ignored. OTC takes the health and safety of every learner, every member of staff, every visitor extremely seriously. It is the job of everyone in the OTC community not only to stay safe themselves, but to watch over the safety of others, intervening or reporting unsafe practices where necessary. Those duties are not only sensible but are legal obligations. They stand whether training is taking place at OTC premises or with one of OTC’s partner employers or contractors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership in health and safety is one of the responsibilities of OTC Board/Trustee.  Their annual report will include records of notified and serious injuries and the steps taken to mitigate problems in the future. On a day-to-day basis, the CEO is responsible for the health and safety of all who have dealings with OTC, assisted by the Health and Safety Manager. In law, everyone in the OTC community must act responsibly and carefully to achieve healthy and safe learning and work, under the guidance of those who are given the leadership roles.

INDUCTION AND TRAINING

Every learner and staff member of OTC receives a general introduction to health and safety on joining, and more detailed training related to their area of activity within two months. Visitors to OTC and contractors are given a summary of OTC health and safety regulations and are supervised while they are on OTC premises. Learners must not use equipment for which they have not been trained and only carry out technical and practical work under supervision. The objective of training is to develop a healthy and safe working culture, to which everyone can subscribe.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Learners are introduced to the requirements for protective clothing and equipment during induction. This may include overalls, safety helmets, eye protectors, ear defenders, protective boots and a range of specialist items – for example, heavy gloves or welding goggles – which are used when carrying out particular tasks. It is everyone’s duty to ensure that they wear the appropriate items at all times when they are required to do so. Even where there may appear to be little risk of immediate injury, long-term exposures can impair such vital senses as hearing.

RISK ASSESSMENT

OTC instructors and assessors are appropriately qualified and experienced to operate the equipment and in the environments required to carry out OTC programmes of learning. They carry out a weekly safety inspection of the areas for which they are responsible in OTC, and an annual, formal, risk assessment. H&S Manager will carry out quarterly inspections of their areas to ensure that equipment and facilities are safe and to notify the CEO of any improvements needed.

Employers’ premises or those of subcontractors, are risk assessed by OTC before any learner is allowed to go there. Monitoring checks are carried out every 12 months to ensure that any hazards or unsafe practices are identified, recorded and remedied.

Partner employers are required to produce their health and safety policies and procedures and to comply with the statutory regulations on reporting and investigating accidents. Partner employers and subcontractors are required to produce relevant certificates of insurance.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Safe and efficient learning and working are greatly helped by clean and orderly environments. OTC will ensure that:

Corridors and passageways are sufficiently wide and free from obstruction

Floors are clean and dry

Rubbish and litter are removed daily and workshops and classrooms are kept tidy

Emergency exits are clear

Signs are legible and clear

Equipment is clean and in good order

There is adequate lighting

There is appropriate heating, ventilation and dust/fume extraction

Shelving is not overloaded and heavy items are kept low

Materials are properly stored.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

OTC will ensure that:

Only authorised and qualified people install, maintain and repair electrical equipment

Equipment is tested annually by a qualified person

Faulty equipment is secured beyond use

Multi-socket adaptors are not used

Private electrical equipment is not used on OTC premises.

HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

OTC will ensure that:

Materials are assessed in accordance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH) regulations

Hazardous substances are safely and properly stored

Training is provided in the use of hazardous substances

Hazardous substances are not used without appropriate protection.

FIRST AID

OTC will ensure that:

First aiders will be trained, qualified and regularly updated, in appropriate numbers

Names of first aiders will be clearly displayed

First aid materials and equipment will be readily available in all areas where hazards may be met

First aiders and other staff have ready access to the emergency services.

ACCIDENT REPORTING

OTC will ensure that:

Accidents and incidents are recorded on forms which match Health and Safety Executive guidelines

All accidents and incidents are investigated by Health & Safety Manager

All serious accidents are reported to the CEO

A summary of accidents, incidents and remedial action is made every year to the Board for inclusion in an annual report.

RIDDOR  requirements are met (injury, diseases and dangerous occurrences’ register).

FIRE

OTC will ensure that:

Fire exits are kept clear and are clearly marked

Evacuation routes and assembly points are clearly identified and marked

Safe evacuation is practised at least twice a year

Fire alarms are tested weekly

Appropriate fire extinguishers are provided in sufficient numbers, well maintained and clearly marked

Fire marshals are appropriately trained

All visitors to OTC are notified on arrival of fire evacuation routes and procedures

All learners and OTC staff are notified annually of fire evacuation routes and procedures, including use of extinguishers where appropriate

Fire marshals and other staff have ready access to the emergency services

Smoking is not permitted on OTC premises.

SAFE ACCESS

OTC will ensure that:

Exterior areas are properly lit

Where possible, there is secure access to vehicle parking

Convenient access is provided for people with disabilities

Wherever possible learning is facilitated for people with disabilities or impairments

Learners under the age of 16 are clearly identified so that they can be safeguarded.

SANCTIONS

Learners should be aware that deliberate breaches or avoidance of health and safety rules are disciplinary offences and will be dealt with under the OTC procedures on Discipline. Serious offences may be regarded as gross misconduct, leading to dismissal.