Download as PDF
To download a PDF version of this web page and for a template to create your own health and safety policy, please see the following link:
Introduction
A health and safety policy sets out your general approach and commitment together with the arrangements you have put in place for managing health and safety in your business. It is a unique document, specific to your company, that says who does what, when and how.
Your health and safety policy should consist of three parts:
- Statement of intent (what you intend to do)
- Responsibilities (who will be involved)
- Arrangements (how you will put the policy in place)
Actions:
- Write your health and safety policy down - if you have five or more employees this is a legal requirement
- You must sign and date the ‘statement of intent’ and include a typed version of your signature for people to read
- Include a review date in the ‘statement of intent’
- Display the ‘statement of intent’ where staff can easily read it
Part 1: Statement of intent
Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978
This is the health and safety policy statement of:
J Bloggs & Co Ltd
(name of company)
Our statement of general policy is:
- to provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities
- to consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
- to provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
- to ensure safe handling and use of substances
- to provide information, instruction and supervision for employees
- to ensure all employees are competent to do their tasks, and to give them adequate training
- to prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health
- to maintain safe and healthy working conditions
- to review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals
Signed
J Bloggs
(name of employer)
Part 2: Responsibilities
Overall and final responsibility for health and safety is that of:
J Bloggs
Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into practice is delegated to:
J Smith
To ensure health and safety standards are maintained / improved, the following people have responsibility in the following areas:
| Name | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| J Smith - Site manager | Site health and safety |
| N Brown - Site foreman | Training and supervision of employees and sub-contractors |
All employees have to:
- co-operate with supervisors and managers on health and safety matters
- not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety
- take reasonable care of their own health and safety
- report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person (as detailed in this policy)
Risk assessments
Risk assessments will be undertaken by:
J Smith
The findings of the risk assessments will be reported to:
J Bloggs
Action required to remove / control risks will be approved by:
J Bloggs
Responsibility for ensuring the action required is implemented:
J Smith
Who checks that the implemented actions have removed / reduced the risks:
J Smith
Assessments will be reviewed every:
12 months or when the work activity changes, whichever is soonest
Method statements
Method statements will be prepared by:
N Brown - Site foreman
Method statements will be reviewed and approved by:
J Smith
Method statements will be communicated to the appropriate personnel by:
J Smith
Responsibility for ensuring that personnel on site work in accordance with the method statements:
J Smith
Who will arrange for additional method statements to be prepared if necessary:
J Smith
Selection and management of sub-contractors
The selection of sub-contractors is the responsibility of:
J Bloggs
Sub-contractors risk assessments and method statements will be requested, reviewed and approved by:
J Smith
Consultation with sub-contractors is the responsibility of:
J Smith
Who is responsible for ensuring that sub-contractors work in accordance with the site rules and with their method statements:
N Brown - Site foreman
Part 3: Arrangements
Consultation with employees
Employee representative(s) are:
H Williams
Method statements will be communicated to the appropriate personnel by:
| Name | Type of consultation |
|---|---|
| J Smith - Site manager | Monthly site meetings |
| N Brown - Site foreman | Toolbox talks |
Safe plant and equipment
Who is responsible for identifying all equipment / plant needing maintenance:
N Brown
Who is responsible for ensuring effective maintenance procedures are drawn up:
J Smith
Who is responsible for ensuring that all identified maintenance is implemented:
J Smith
Any problems found with plant / equipment should be reported to:
J Smith
N Brown
Who will check that new plant and equipment meets health and safety standards before it is purchased:
J Bloggs
Safe handling and use of substances
Who is responsible for identifying all substances which need a COSHH assessment:
J Smith
Who is responsible for undertaking COSHH assessments:
J Smith
Who is responsible for ensuring that all actions identified in the assessments are implemented:
J Smith
Who is responsible for ensuring that all relevant employees are informed about the COSHH assessments:
J Smith
Who will check that new substances can be used safely before they are purchased:
J Smith
Assessments will be reviewed every:
12 months or when the work activity changes, whichever is soonest
Information, instruction and supervision
The Health and Safety Law in NI poster is displayed at / leaflets are issued by:
Site hut / J Smith
Health and safety advice is available from:
J Smith
N Brown
Communication with and supervision of young workers / trainees will be arranged, undertaken and monitored by:
N Brown
Supervision of migrant workers will be arranged, undertaken and monitored by:
R Stewart - Supervisor
Who is responsible for ensuring that our employees working at locations under the control of other employers, are given relevant health and safety information:
J Bloggs
Skills, knowledge, experience for tasks and training
Site induction training will be provided for all those working on site by:
N Brown
Job specific training will be provided by:
N Brown
Specific jobs requiring special training are:
Erection of scaffolding
Operation of telescopic handler
Toolbox talks will be provided on a weekly basis by:
N Brown
Training records are kept at / by:
Site office / J Smith
Training needs will be identified, arranged and monitored by:
J Smith
Accidents, first aid and work-related ill health
Health surveillance is required for employees doing the following jobs:
Operating the stone cutting saw
Health surveillance will be arranged by:
J Smith
Health surveillance records will be kept by / at:
J Bloggs / Head office
The first aid box(es) is / are kept at:
Site hut
The appointed person(s) / first aider(s) is / are:
R Stewart
All accidents and cases of work-related ill health are to be recorded in the accident book. The book is kept by / at:
J Smith / Site hut
Who is responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority:
J Smith
Monitoring
To check our working conditions, and ensure our safe working practices are being followed:
| Name | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| J Smith | To carry out a daily check around the site and record the findings |
| N Brown | To carry out statutory checks on scaffolding and excavations |
Who is responsible for investigating accidents:
J Smith
Who is responsible for investigating work-related causes of sickness absences:
J Smith
Who is responsible for acting on investigation findings to prevent a recurrence:
J Bloggs
Emergency procedures – Fire and evacuation
Who is responsible for preparing and implementing the fire safety risk assessment and the emergency evacuation procedures:
J Smith
The fire and emergency evacuation procedures will be communicated to all those on site by:
N Brown
Fire extinguishers are maintained and checked by / every:
Blazefighters Ltd / Annually