Transcript Slide 1

Writing a School or
Departmental Safety Policy
Presented by Andrew Knight
University Safety Adviser
From experience
• Andrew Knight – University Safety Adviser
• Has written or assisted writing policies for:
– University of Brighton Estate and Facilities Management
Department
– Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
– Ordnance Survey
– North East Surrey College of Technology (NESCOT)
– Bradford and Bingley Geering and Colyer
– South African Airways
– INMARSAT
– Pets to the Vets
– Air Mauritius
• And many more…..
Fire and Emergency
• Alarm sounder
• Assembly point
Other details
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Toilets
Mobile phones
Questions
Confidentiality
Group
• Introduce yourself to the person next to
you. Discuss what experience you have in
writing policies and what you hope to get
out of today.
Course overview
• The course aims are to:
– Examine the essential content of a school
safety policy and the process by which the
policy is formulated, agreed and issued.
– Enable delegates to draft and implement an
effective school safety policy
– Make recommendations on how the policy will
be updated and reviewed
Course objectives
• Have knowledge of what information
should be documented within a school
safety policy
• Be aware of factors that affect whether a
policy is ‘Effective’
• Examining why local policies are needed
Introduction
What is a School or Departmental
Safety Policy?
• It is a document structured in the same
way as the University Safety Policy, but
containing arrangements specific to the
School.
• It sets out specific responsibilities and
makes staff accountable for health and
safety
Why have a policy?
• FLIP CHART
• Why do you think it is necessary /
important to have a policy?
Why have a policy?
• Who, what, when, how!
• Clear communication of health and safety
responsibilities
• Sensible to set out the local arrangements
for managing health and safety
• Policy writing is as much about the
process, as the end result
Framework of the policy - HSG65
Why have a policy?
• The Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations 1992 introduced a
legislative requirement for Planning,
Monitoring, Implementing, Review
• This was translated by UCEA into
University sector guidance ‘University
Health and Safety Management – Code of
Practice’
Why have a policy? 1 of 4
• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
requires that businesses employing 5 or
more employees must have a written
health and safety policy
Why have a policy 2 of 4
Section 2(3) of the H&S at Work Act 1974 states:
• "It shall be the duty of every employer to prepare
and as often as may be appropriate revise a
written statement of his/her general policy with
respect to the health and safety at work”
Why have a policy? 3 of 4
• The policy must state the general policy on
health and safety.
• Describe the organisation and
arrangements for carrying out the policy
• Be brought to the notice of all employees
Why have a policy? 4 of 4
• Be revised whenever appropriate, and
every revision must be brought to the
attention of all employees.
• It is a legal requirement under the Act, and
has to be complied with.
Business Benefits
Business benefits
• It is important to identify the benefits and
reasons for a School Policy. This can be
useful for building a business case or
influencing members of staff who may
need to contribute
Business benefits
• Why bother? We have a University Safety
Policy? Do we REALLY need another
policy?
• Positive and negative
– FLIP CHART
Business benefits
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Enhanced reputation
Specific hazards from School activities
Specific organisational arrangements
Individual responsibilities e.g. Radiation
or Biological Safety Officer
• University Safety Policy does not
contain detail on local arrangements
• Induction of new staff
Business benefits
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Reduce accidents and ill health
Reduce number of civil claims
May provide defence in civil proceedings
Boost staff morale
Demonstrates management commitment
Ensures consistency in approach to health and
safety
• Saves time from duplication of effort
• Improves communication
BREAK
Links with the University Health
and Safety Policy
• The University Safety Policy requires that
Heads of School document a School
Safety Policy
• A School policy is sub-ordinate to the
University Safety Policy
Planning
Getting started
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Commitment from HOS/HOD – Crucial!!!
Identify resources
Sufficient time
Good knowledge of staff roles and
responsibilities
Good understanding of the working practices
within the school
Able to use a word processor
Able to communicate with all staff
Gather together existing policies and procedures
Formulation process
• Who will you need to involve? E.g. Trade
Union Consultation
• Consider whether the policy will need to
consolidate and rationalise a previous
piecemeal approach to safety policy
documentation?
• May need a series of meetings with Senior
Managers
Policy launch
EFM Case Study
Policy sent to HOD, approved and signed
Review
Amendments to policy made
2nd draft produced for discussion at SMT
Draft text prepared for comment by teams and
Trade Union Representatives
A series of meetings with Senior Managers arranged
Meetings with Health and Safety Department,
Trade Union Safety Representatives
Informal information gathering from discussion
with site based teams and site inspections.
Meeting with Senior Management Group to
propose Health and Safety programme. Policy
need agreed, timescale set.
Writing the Policy
Competence /
Training
Procedures
Environment
Health and Safety Policy
Activities
Equipment
Achieving its aim
• The policy should be specific to your
business, and should be clear about
arrangements and organisation for health
and safety at work.
• It should influence all your activities,
including the selection of people,
equipment and materials, the way work is
done and how you design goods and
services.
Policy structure
• We are now going to examine each of the
essential policy sections:
– Statement of Intent
– Responsibilities
– Organisation
– Arrangements
– Monitoring and review
Step 1 Statement of Intent
Statement of Intent
• Commitment to health and safety
• Show case
• Aspirational, but should be realistic and
achievable
Statement of intent 1 of 7
• The statement should outline in broad
terms the School’s overall philosophy in
relation to the management of health and
safety
Statement of Intent 2 of 7
• Commit to operating the business in
accordance with the Health and Safety at
Work Act 1974 and all applicable
regulations made under the Act, 'so far as
reasonably practicable';
Statement of Intent 3 of 7
• Specify that health and safety are
management responsibilities ranking
equally with responsibilities for delivery of
services
Statement of Intent 4 of 7
• Indicate that it is the duty of management
to see that everything reasonably
practicable is done to prevent personal
injury in the processes of production, and
in the design, construction, and operation
of all plant, machinery and equipment
Statement of Intent 5 of 7
• Indicate that it is the duty of all employees
to act responsibly, and to do everything
they can to prevent injury to themselves
and fellow workers.
Statement of Intent 6 of 7
• Identify the main person with prime
responsibility for health and safety (e.g.
Head of School)
Statement of Intent 7 of 7
• Be dated so as to ensure that it is
periodically revised in the light of current
conditions
• be signed by the Head of School
Practical exercise
• Handout
Step 2 Responsibilities
Responsibilities
• Roles and responsibilities should set out
clearly who is responsible for what.
• Key individual responsibilities e.g.
Assessors should be identified.
• It is normal practice for the health and
safety reporting and delegation lines to
mirror the lines for the School.
Step 3 Organisation
Organisation (people and their
duties)
• The organisation section sets out the
system of reporting lines and delegation
for health and safety within the School
• Committees and planning groups will need
to be identified
Organisation (people and their
duties)
• Individual job descriptions having a safety
content
• Details of specific safety responsibilities
• The role and function of safety committee (s)
• The role and function of safety
representatives
• A management chart clearly showing the lines
of responsibility and accountability in terms of
health and safety management.
Documenting Change
Presented by Alan Cowen
Lunch
A cool reception!
• An accident has recently occurred in a University
laboratory, at the University of Hardknocks
• A student was badly burned by contact with
Liquid Nitrogen whilst extracting samples from a
Dewar. The accident was reportable to Health
and Safety Executive.
• Principal Lecturer Andrew Knight is responsible
for the course involving the use of Liquid
Nitrogen.
• HSE Inspector Alan Cowen is tasked with
investigating the accident and meets with
Andrew Knight.
Step 4 Arrangements
Arrangements
• Generic – e.g. Accidents, First Aid,
Access, Accident Investigation
• Specific – COSHH, Manual handling,
Portable Appliance Testing
• Sensitive arrangements – e.g. Security,
Animals, Toxins, Explosives, Radiation,
Money.
Essential arrangements 1 of 2
• Managing risk assessments
• Arrangements for consultation with
employees
• Arrangements for maintaining plant and
equipment
• Arrangements for safe handling and use of
substances
Essential arrangements 2 of 2
• Arrangements for providing information,
instruction and supervision
• Arrangements for training
• Arrangements for accidents, first aid and ill
health issues
• Arrangements for monitoring (e.g.
frequency of inspections)
• Emergency procedures (e.g. Fire
Wardens)
Arrangements (systems and
procedures)
Other arrangements may include:
• Safety training
• Safe systems of work
• Environmental control
• Safe place of work
• Machine/area guarding
• Housekeeping
• Safe plant and equipment
Arrangements (systems and
procedures)
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Noise
Radiation safety
Use of toxic materials
Communication and consultation
Medical facilities and welfare;
Maintenance of records
Expectant and nursing mothers
Young persons
Arrangements - performance
standards
• Arrangements section can contain
references to the associated University
Codes of Practice / BS / HSE guidance or
legislation for further advice and guidance.
• It is not necessary to duplicate a university
Code of Practice if it accords with the
School approach.
Arrangements Example WAHR
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Register of equipment
Planning and organising
Hierarchy of control for WAH
Inspection and tagging
Competence standards and training need
Monitoring of works
Weather restrictions
Arrangements Example COSHH
• COSHH requires statutory testing of LEV
• Personal protective equipment
requirements (could link to University CoP)
• Health surveillance
• Hazardous waste disposal
• Specialists e.g. Biological Safety Officer
Practical exercise
• HANDOUT
– Arrangements sections
Step 5 Monitoring and Review
Monitoring and review
• Frequency for review will depend upon
activities
– minimum every 2 years
• Auditing of the policy should be
undertaken to determine if the
arrangements are being adhered to
• Inspections
• Staff SDR
• Accident investigations, trends
Health and Safety Executive Model
Policy
• HANDOUT
BREAK
Implementation
Challenge generic content
• Don’t fall into the trap of copying a policy
from a Google search
• When writing or revising a policy challenge
each section. There have been instances
where Fairground Rides have been found
in a School policy!
What is an “Effective” policy?
• The policy needs to be implemented!
What is an ’Effective' policy?
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Applicable / specific
Contains 4 key headings
Accurate details
User friendly – well laid out, easy to navigate
Clear and unambiguous
Concise – no padding
Up-to-date
Accessible – website, bulletin
Easily to update
The good, the bad and the ugly!
• Practical Exercise - Working in pairs
critically analyse these real life policies.
Decide whether the policy is well written
and likely to be effective? Does it have all
the sections?
Layout, style and document control
• Page number e.g. Page 1 of 1
• Document control showing revision and
version history
• Clear, easy to read font and font size
Living document or dead in the
water?
• Continuously updated to reflect changes in
legislation, used daily, different people,
new staff and frequencies
Policy approval
• Who will need to approve the policy?
Most instances this will be the Head of
School and Senior Management Team
• Consider specialists committees or
forums? E.g. Biological Safety Committee
Communicating the policy
• The policy should be communicated to all
staff and possibly contractors
• Question - Why would you need to
communicate the policy to contractors?
Communicating the policy
• The statutory health and safety law poster
requires that health and safety information
is communicated. A written policy
achieves this.
Policy distribution 1 of 2
• An introductory letter, signed by the Head
of School should be appended to the
policy explaining the reasons for the policy
and what staff need to do
• Issue electronically via e-mail to individual
staff, or use paper copies for workers
without PC access e.g. Cleaners
Policy distribution 2 of 2
• Issue a summary copy or signpost in the
form of a leaflet
• Give a copy to all new employees as an
integrated part of the induction programme
• Affix the policy statement to notice boards
• Ensure that any superseded policies are
destroyed
Sustainability
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Health and safety poster campaign
Tool box talks
Web pages
Notice boards
Policy launch photo opportunities
Making it happen
• Agree a target date for completion
• Send a draft to the University Safety
Advisor
• Block out time in your calendar to write the
policy
Implementation
• Has the policy been signed and dated?
Common problems
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Unable to locate policy
Policy too generic / none specific
Policy not issued to all staff
Use of jargon or acronyms
Insufficient detail
Out of date - in a format that is difficult to revise
Missing essential sections (e.g. Organisation)
Proof reading
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Ask a colleague to read the policy
Check spelling, punctuation and grammar
Does the policy flow well
Is the font size suitable
Are colours reproducible
Model Policy
• HANDOUT – This is a model policy that
can be used as a basis for your own
policy.
Action Planning
• HANDOUT
Key messages
• Every health and safety policy must be a
unique document
• Framework
• Process – look beyond the document
• Manager buy-in
• Sustaining
• Help and support