This policy has been prepared in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The aim of the policy is to ensure that all practicable steps are taken to secure the health, safety and welfare of all persons using the college premises.

This policy will be regularly monitored to ensure that the objectives are achieved.   It will be reviewed and, if necessary, revised in the light of legislative or organisational changes.

Principal Objectives of the Policy:

To protect the safety and health and environment of College staff, students, visitors and any persons who may be affected by the College's activities
To protect the physical assets of the College
To protect the reputation of the College
To comply with relevant health, safety and environmental legislation.
An environment which is safe and without risk to health;
Safe means of access to and exit from the college.
To ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the provision of information, instruction training, and supervision to enable all staff and students to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own health and safety.
To formulate effective procedures for use in the case of an accident or fire.
To provide and maintain, as far as is reasonably practicable, adequate welfare facilities for staff and students.
To provide an effective system of reporting and recording accidents, dangerous occurrences and potential hazards to health and safety.
To ensure compliance with all relevant legislation.

The Head of the Organisation

The Head of the Organisation has overall responsibility for the application of this policy.

Student Welfare Officer

The designated Student Welfare Officer has responsibilities delegated by the Head of the Organisation to:

Supporting the objectives of the Monitoring Policy
Ensuring areas under their control are inspected on schedule
Records of the inspections and remedial action plans are maintained
Remedial actions are completed on schedule
Inspection reports and/ or significant findings are reported to all relevant parties.
Co-ordinate the implementation of safety procedures
Maintain contact with outside agencies able to offer expert advice
Carry out regular inspection of the College and check working practices in it
Ensure that accidents and hazards are recorded, reported as appropriate to the Health and Safety Executive and that appropriate remedial action is taken

Obligations of all employees

It shall be the duty of every employee whilst at work:

To take reasonable care for health and safety of him/herself and any other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work, and
As regards any duty or requirement imposed on his/her employer or any other person by or under any relevant statutory provisions, to co-operate with him/her so far as it is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.
"No person shall intentionally recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health and safety or welfare in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions."

In order that the law is observed and responsibilities to students and other visitors to the college are carried out, all employees are expected:

To know the special safety measures and arrangements to be adopted in their own working area and to ensure they are applied
To observe standards of dress consistent with safety and hygiene
To exercise appropriate standards of housekeeping and cleanliness
To know and apply the emergency procedures in respect of fire and first-aid
To use and not wilfully misuse, neglect or interfere with things provided for their own safety and the safety of others
To co-operate with other employees in promoting improved safety measures in their college
To co-operate with the appointed safety representatives and the enforcement officer of the Health and Safety Executive or the Public Health Authority.

The student

Students are expected to:

Exercise personal responsibility for safety of themselves and others
Observe standards of dress consistent with safety and hygiene (this precludes unsuitable footwear and other items considered dangerous)
Observe the safety rules of the college and in particular the instructions of staff given in an emergency
Use and not wilfully misuse, neglect or interfere with equipment provided for safety.

Information

The Health and Safety Law poster is displayed on the Health and Safety notice board on right hand side of the main entrance and opposite to the reception area.
Health and Safety advice is available from the Health and Safety Manager or Student Welfare Officer.

Competency for tasks and training

Information about Health and Safety procedures within the college will form part of the induction training provided for new staff and students, by the Student Welfare Officer and will also be included in the staff and student handbook.

Monitoring

To check working conditions, and ensure safe working practices are being followed, the Head of the Organisation will ensure that:

Risk assessments are updated every term and that a record of them is kept.
A tour of the site by the Health and Safety Manager is undertaken every term.

The Student Welfare Officer is responsible for investigating accidents and reporting as necessary to the Head of the Organisation.

The Student Welfare Officer is responsible for investigating work-related causes of sickness absences.

Emergency procedures - fire and evacuation

On discovering a fire staff should operate the fire alarm immediately. They should attack the fire if possible with the equipment provided but not take any personal risks. They must leave immediately if the fire cannot be brought quickly under control.
The fire alarm is a continuous buzzer. All staff must ensure that they are able to identify it. On hearing the alarm all staff and students must evacuate the building immediately. Break the fire alarm glass situated at front door (if it has not already been done).

Do not take risks
Do not re-enter the building until authorised by a member of staff
Do not use the lift
Do not assemble at the exits; continue directly to the assembly point (Bus Stop).

In the event of a fire alarm/ bell sounding at any time, you must assume that it is an emergency and evacuate in accordance with the above procedures. In all instances proceed to the assembly point which is noted in each classroom (Bus Stop), for a role call.

Please familiarise yourselves with the location of fire exits and the fire exit plan located in your classroom(s).

Tutors must ensure that students in their forms are clear as to current emergency evacuation procedures. All staff must ensure that in the event of an evacuation students are encouraged to leave quickly in a calm and quiet manner.

Escape routes are checked by the Health and Safety Manager before every term, or whenever circumstances which might impinge on escape routes change.

Fire extinguishers are maintained and checked by qualified inspectors every year and regularly inspected.

Emergency lighting, fire fighting appliances, and escape routes are also checked on a regular basis. Alarms are tested by Building Management staff every week throughout the. Emergency evacuation will be tested every 6 month.

Accidents, first aid and work-related ill health

If any member of the College has had an accident or fallen ill should be attended to by a first-aider or appointed person at the earliest opportunity.

Qualified First Aider and Appointed persons are Mr.Leslie Barbe and Mr. Ashfaq Ahmad, Health and Safety Manager and Student Welfare Officer respectively. In consultation with the Head of the Organisation Manager will co-ordinate first aid training and ensure that qualifications are kept up to date.

First Aid box can be found at receptions and in student's kitchen.

All accidents and cases of work-related ill health are to be recorded in the accident book. The book is kept at the reception.

The First Aiders are responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority.

The Student Welfare Officer will report incidents where relevant to the college's insurers.

Health and safety risks arising from work activities

Risk assessments will be undertaken by:

Relevant Senior Managers for whole-college activities
Student Welfare Officer for other matters concerned with the students

The findings of the risk assessment will be reported to the Head of the Organisation. Action required to remove/control risks will be approved by the Health and safety Manager or Student Welfare Officer who will also be responsible for ensuring the action required is implemented. The Head of the Organisation will check that the implemented actions have removed/reduced the risks. Assessments will be reviewed every term or when the work activity changes, whichever is the soonest.

SPECIFIC RISKS

Display screen equipment
The College will endeavour to optimise working conditions at Display Screen Equipment [DSE]. This will involve providing workstations, and a wider working environment, which minimise the risks to health posed by habitual use of DSE. The College will undertake this by:

Regular assessment of the suitability of
Providing relevant information on the potential risks associated with habitual use of DSE.
Responding quickly to issues raised by staff concerning DSE.

Staffs who are habitual users of DSE must

Ensure they are aware of HSE ADVICE on safe use of DSE, by reading the information
Report any health problems which could be associated with DSE use to the Office Manager immediately
Request provision for VDU specific eye-tests through the Office Manager. Tests will not usually be repeated more frequently than every 2 years.

Teaching staffs that use College laptops do not fall under the definition of habitual users of DSE. The College will provide information on safe transportation and use of laptops.

Manual Handling

Accidents involving manual handling account for almost a third of all 3-day injuries reported to the HSE.

Staff must:

wherever reasonably practicable avoid handling large or bulky objects
always assess the risk of any manual handling task
take steps to minimise any risk presented by manual handling
ensure they are familiar with guidelines for safe manual handling technique
avoid any manual handling task in circumstances of increased risk e.g. ill health, pregnancy

Staff should familiarise themselves with the HSE advice on assessing and minimizing the risk of manual handling.

Slips, trips and falls

Accidents involving slips, trips or falls are the single most common cause of injury at work. The College will endeavour as far as is reasonably practicable to minimise the risk of such accidents.

Staff and students must:

report any unsafe or dangerously floors immediately
observe standards of dress consistent with safety e.g. footwear, trousers
ensure that thoroughfares are kept free of any equipment that may obstruct it
avoid any activity which increases the likelihood of a fall e.g. climbing, over-reaching

Staff can read HSE advice on avoiding slips, trips and falls.

Stress

Stress is the adverse reaction people suffer to excessive pressure. It can eventually lead to physical and mental ill health.
The college will endeavour to reduce the risk of stress in the workplace by

providing clear channels of communication for staff to talk about that which they may find stressful in their job e.g. through the link management structure
listening carefully to what staff have to say about stress and taking any issues raised seriously, and keeping a written record of any such discussions
acting as far as is practicable to change or remove factors which could act as unreasonable stressors.

Staff must ensure that they discuss any issues of stress with administration staff as soon as it becomes a problem.

Electricity

The college will undertake regular checks of electrical appliances in accordance with published guidance.

Staff must;

assess the risk of using any electrical equipment
carry out regular visual inspections of portable electrical equipment
ensure that faulty or suspect equipment is taken out of use and clearly labeled
Inform their line manager or the Facilities Manager if they have any suspicions about any electrical equipment.