Health & Safety Policy
Statement of Intent
The Managing Director (Paul Chamberlain), along with senior managers at
sixteen3 Limited, regards the Company’s employees as its most important asset and its clients as its reason for being. Given this, the Managing Director, Finance Director, Production Director and Senior Managers accept responsibility for, and are committed to ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees, clients, visitors and others who may be adversely affected by the Company’s activities. The Managing Director has ultimate responsibility for health and safety within the business but, operationally, day-to-day responsibility rests with the Finance Director.
Within the organisation it is recognised that the maintenance of a safe place of work and safe working environment is critical to the success of the company and, accordingly, responsibilities for health and safety are viewed equally with other organisational responsibilities and values.
sixteen3 aims to ensure that commercial pressures are not allowed to prejudice the achievement of high standards in relation to health and safety and in addition that they will not adversely inhibit the provision of appropriate financial and physical resources. Equally,
sixteen3 requires all employees to accept their responsibilities as part of the development of a true safety culture.
The very nature of our business activities means that a wide range of risks exist but, through the implementation of this policy, the Managing Director, Finance Director, Production Director, managers and other members of staff will ensure that all risks to health and safety are addressed and controlled, to be at the lowest level reasonably practicable – not least by effective communication on health and safety matters.
The management of health and safety is an integral part of every manager's role. All managers are required to adopt the approach laid out in the Management of Health and Safety At Work Regulations 1999. These regulations state the need for hazard identification, risk assessment and the implementation of control strategies aimed at reducing accidents, injuries and ill health.
In any event, the requirements of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 and other legislation and guidance will form part of the minimum standards to be achieved by the Company. These standards aim to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, clients, members of the public and others who have occasion to buy or use our products and services and / or visit the company’s offices / facilities.
Meeting the above standards will include, but not be restricted to, the provision of:
- Safe systems of work
- Safe plant and equipment
- Adequate welfare facilities
- A safe working environment
- Safe entry and exit to all workplaces
- Adequate time and resources for managing Health and Safety issues
- Adequate information, training, instruction and supervision for employees.
sixteen3 is committed to the continuing development of an active Safety Management System – based on planning, review and continual development.
sixteen3 will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that sufficient resources are available to fulfil both the letter and spirit of its obligations. Through the provision of information, training, instruction and supervision, we will ensure that all members of staff are competent to maintain high standards of health and safety in all of our activities.
sixteen3 will actively seek the participation of all staff, both formally and informally, with appropriate arrangements made for consultation and monitoring. In addition, any issues relating to health and safety should be brought to the attention of managers as soon as possible so that an early remedy can be sought.
The effectiveness of the policy will be monitored and reviewed by the Managing Director on an annual basis. To assist this process, audits of health and safety management will be undertaken with objectives set for performance to be monitored against them – the minimum standard being those imposed by law.
The Managing Director, Finance Director, Production Director and / or Senior Managers will ensure that any changes to policy or procedures are communicated to all members of
sixteen3 staff and others who may be affected by such changes.
The previously mentioned emphasis on managers and management notwithstanding, all employees are reminded of their statutory duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others whilst they are at work. This duty includes co-operating in developing policies and introducing procedures in the interests of health, safety and welfare. The duty of care extends to not interfering with or misusing anything provided in the interests of health and safety. In addition, all employees are required to report hazards or shortcomings with equipment or systems of work. Hazard reports should be made to supervisors or managers in the first instance. Where hazards cannot readily be controlled to an acceptable standard, managers need to take other measures and if necessary, ensure that the most serious risks are recorded on a ‘Risk Register’.
Only with the co-operation and involvement of every member of
sixteen3’s staff can the requirements of this policy be met and incidents / accidents prevented.
All new employees will receive a copy of this statement of intent with their contract of employment and will be given an overview of the company’s approach to health and safety and their individual responsibilities as part of their induction course.
Other relevant policies and guidance will be provided on an as needed basis.