HEALTH & SAFETY

SECTION 1 – POLICY STATEMENT

RSM Roofing sets out in this document its commitment as an employer to the provision of a safe and healthy environment including working conditions for staff, as well as to all persons that come into contact with our business activities, so far as reasonably practicable. This includes clients, contractors and the general public.

RSM Roofing’s health and safety duties will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the relevant statutory provisions, and in doing so, the resources necessary to discharge such obligations will be made available. Employees, clients, contractors and visitors to the Company’s premises or any of its working sites, must meet their own legal responsibilities and not do anything that may prejudice the health, safety and welfare of themselves or others. In addition, they must assist the Company to achieve the objectives contained in this and other Policy, Procedure and Code of Practice documents. When working on sites where there is more than one employer, RSM Roofing will co-operate with others on matters concerning Health and Safety.

In establishing this positive and progressive approach to Health and Safety, RSM Roofing recognises the need for the support of employees, and for them to be consulted and involved, particularly where allocated specific Health and Safety functions. An essential tool in this communication process is daily consultations which draw together management and staff to achieve the common objectives of a safe and healthy place of work.

Information, instruction, training and support will be provided to those charged with specific responsibilities detailed below. Training will also be provided to those who may be subject to potential risks to their health and safety in order that they are able to competently recognise and manage such risks.

The Competent Person will be involved from the outset in issues/projects having major risk-related implications. The post holder will normally act as the principal contact in formal communications/discussions with the regulatory bodies, where these have major risk-related
implications.

SECTION 2 – ORGANISATION AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE POLICY

In meeting its statutory obligations, the Director, Mr Ross Miles (also acting in the capacity as The Competent Person under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations), has overall responsibility for the management of Health and Safety, and has the
specific responsibility to ensure the requirements of this policy are adopted, and that the Company strives towards continual health and safety improvement.

In recognition of the fact that RSM Roofing is a small Company, Mr Miles is supported in this task by a Health & Safety Consultant whose services will be called upon as and when required. The Director has prime operational day-to-day responsibility for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of personnel, and for meeting the specific requirements identified in this Policy, and in individual Health and Safety Policy and Procedure, Code of Practice etc. documents, thereby facilitating the proper management of risk. The Competent Person is responsible for:

• The setting of Health and Safety standards and objectives;
• The allocation of the necessary financial resources;
• Keeping under review the Health and Safety Policy;
• Reviewing Health and Safety performance.
• Implementing the Company’s Health and Safety Policy, individual Policies and Procedures
  and Codes of Practice;
• Monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of health and safety activities and its Health and
  Safety Policy, individual Policies, Procedures and Codes of Practice
• Regularly updating RSM Roofing on any new or updated legislation

The Director is responsible for:

• Ensuring that activities are conducted in accordance with Company, legislative, and other relevant standards.
• Producing risk assessments, safe systems of work and the procedures for carrying out the Company Health and Safety Policy within their sphere of work and all other activities;
• Ensuring that all Health and Safety procedures and issues are communicated to employees, clients and visitors;
• Organising supervision to control the working environment and the maintenance of safe standards;
• Investigating accidents with the object of establishing the cause and preventing recurrence, if necessary with the assistance of external specialist consultants;
• Submitting reports under RIDDOR to HSE
• Ensuring the safety induction of new staff and that information, instruction and training is provided to meet individually identified needs
• Ensuring that all staff have the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the work;
• Identifying, allocating and monitoring the adequacy of the specific health and safety responsibilities of staff and adjusting these as necessary;
• Ensuring acceptable health and safety standards exist on third party premises used to undertake work activities

Employees are responsible for:

• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affectedby their actions;
• Co-operate with management to meet the employer’s legal duties and work in accordance with the Company’s procedures;
• Not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health, safety or welfare and refrain from actions (or inactivity) which might endanger themselves, or others;
• Demonstrate their commitment to health and safety by their behaviour and co-operate in the investigation of accidents and incidents;
• Use all equipment safely, including that provided for their personal protection and report to management any defects in equipment or other dangers at once, or as soon as it is safe to do so;
• Comply with all safety instructions or procedures and not undertake any tasks that they are not trained and authorised for;
• Reporting accidents, incidents or defects in equipment and machinery.

Individual Policy and Procedure – Documents and Safe Systems of Work

The arrangements for dealing with specific health, safety and welfare issues are identified in the Company Health and Safety Guidance Manual, a copy of which is held at the main administrative base at 150 Wimborne Rd West, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 2DU. Examples of such documents are those relating to:

• Accident/Incident Reporting
• Risk Assessment
• Working at Height
• Manual Handling
• COSHH
• Welfare provision
• PPE provision

These documents identify the health and safety standards to be attained, who is to do what and when, and the specific results to be achieved.

The Management of Risk

The proper management of risk requires the production of written safe systems of work, rules and procedures, which identify areas of potential risk and clarify the process by which activities will be performed in order that they can be executed safely. This will include clients and visitors to Company premises, and Health and Safety implications of working both within and without Company premises.

Properly conducted risk assessment is an essential feature of the effective management of risk. Risk assessment will be an invaluable tool in the allocation of resources by ensuring that these are apportioned according to the level of risk identified.

All employees are required to ensure adherence to Company Policies and Procedures and Codes of Practice, as well as to site rules and safe systems of work. They should bring any instances where this may not be possible to the attention of the Director at the earliest opportunity, so that he can take effective remedial action.

Health and Safety Information

Information, including copies of Health and Safety Commission/Executive publications relating to all subjects likely to be relevant to Company activities, are available for reference in at the administrative base of the Company in Wimborne

SECTION 3 – MONITORING THE POLICY

The implementation of this Policy will be monitored at Director level during a formal annual health and safety audit, to ensure it remains meaningful and relevant to the Company’s overall operations.

The Competent Person will produce annual accident and near miss statistics and copies will be circulated to all staff. Such reports will facilitate a critical review of trends and necessary corrective action.