Health and Safety Policy

Introduction and Purpose

Under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 is a legal requirement for the Centre to operate an effective Health and Safety Policy. This Policy satisfies that requirement and includes reference to Health and Safety at Work Regulations pertaining to work practices within Passion Learning Centre (PLC).

General Principles

At PLC we are committed to achieving high standards of health, safety and environmental practice.
Governors and the Centre management team expects staff, students, visitors, contractors, and other employers who work for and at the Centre to share this commitment by complying with Centre policies and procedures, and to understand that they too have legal and moral obligations to themselves and to one another.
We intend to ensure the health and safety of all persons who may be affected by our activities by:
Consulting with and involving our staff and students in matters relating to their own health and safety.
Providing, managing, and maintaining our workplaces, grounds, and properties so that they are, as far as reasonably practicable, safe and that risks to health are controlled and that safe access is maintained.
Providing adequate and appropriate facilities and arrangements for welfare at work.
Providing safe arrangements for storage, handling, transport and use of materials and substances work.
Identifying hazards and conducting formal risk assessments when appropriate in order to minimise the risk for all activities undertaken by the Centre.
Ensuring that control measures and emergency procedures are in place; effective; properly used; monitored and maintained.
Implementing systems of work that are safe and where risks to health are identified they are controlled.
Providing the information, instruction, training, and supervision at all levels necessary to ensure that staff and students are competent to supervise or undertake their work activities and are aware of any related hazards and the measures to be taken to protect against them.
Preventing accidents and cases of work-related ill health and reporting, recording, and monitoring those that do occur.
Ensuring current best practice is adhered to in relation to health and safety and complying with all relevant legislation and authoritative guidance.
Monitoring the safety performance of contractors who work for us.
Where there are no existing Centre policies or guidance, we expect our staff, students, and contractors to implement the highest relevant standards and to comply with relevant legislation. Where no standards or legislation exist, we will work with our staff, students, and contractors to develop systems which comply with best practice and eliminate or minimise the risks so far as reasonably practicable.
We will promote a positive health and safety culture in the Centre and educate our staff and students in health and safety.
We will establish clear lines of responsibility for the effective coordination of health and safety between users.
We undertake to continually monitor, review, and develop our safety management systems, with the overarching aim of conducting our activities in a manner which does not affect the health and safety of any staff, students, contractors, visitors or members of the public, or adversely affect the environment.

Communication

The management of the Centre will endeavour to communicate to staff/students their commitment to safety and to ensure that staff/students are familiar with the contents of the Centre’s health and safety policy. The Centre communicates with its staff/students orally, in the form of directions and statements from managers, or in writing, in the form of directives and this policy statement, and by example.

Co-operation & Care

If we are to build and maintain a healthy and safe working environment, co-operation between staff/students at all levels is essential. All staff/students are expected to co-operate with safety personnel and to accept their responsibilities under this policy. Disciplinary action may be taken against any staff or student who violates safety rules or who fails to perform his or her duties under this policy. Staff/students have a duty to take all reasonable steps to preserve and protect the health and safety of themselves and all other people affected by the operations of the Centre.

Safety Training

Safety training is regarded as an indispensable ingredient of an effective health and safety programme. It is essential that every worker in the organisation be trained to perform his or her job effectively and safely. It is the opinion of the management of the Centre that if a job is not done safely then it is not done effectively.

All staff/students will be trained in safe working practices and procedures prior to being allocated any new role. Training will include advice on the use and maintenance of personal protective equipment appropriate to the task concerned and the formulation of emergency contingency plans.

Training sessions will be held as often as is deemed necessary and will provide another opportunity for staff/students to express any fears or concerns they might have about their jobs.

Risk Assessment and Risk Control

The Centre requires that the risks of all activities, on and off site, which may significantly affect the health and safety of its staff, students and others are assessed. The risk control measures that are implemented should be what is reasonably practicable in the circumstances and should be regularly monitored and reviewed. The risk assessment process is described in the Risk Management Strategy document which is available on centre website: https://passionlearningcentre.co.uk/policies-and-procedures.

Work Equipment

It is the policy of the Centre to comply with the law as set out in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The Centre will endeavour to ensure that all Centre equipment is safe and suitable for the purpose for which it is used. All staff/students will be provided with adequate information and training to enable them to use work equipment safely.

The use of any work equipment that could pose a risk to the wellbeing of persons in or around the Centre will be restricted to authorised persons. All work equipment will be maintained in good working order and repair. All staff/students will be provided with such protection as is adequate to protect them from dangers occasioned by the use of work equipment. All work equipment will be clearly marked with health and safety warnings where appropriate.

Manual Handling Operations

It is the policy of the Centre to comply with the law as set out in the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. Manual handling operations will be avoided as far as is reasonably practicable where there is a risk of injury. Where it is not possible to avoid manual handling operations an assessment of the operation will be made taking into account the task, the load, the working environment and the capability of the individual concerned. An assessment will be reviewed if there is any reason to suspect that it is no longer valid. All reasonably practicable steps will be taken to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest practicable level possible.

Fire Safety

The Centre is responsible for conducting a fire risk assessment in accordance with regulatory requirements and reviewing and updating the assessment routinely or when circumstances demand.

The person(s) with responsibility for the maintenance and testing of fire alarms and firefighting equipment are the facilities/estates management team.

All staff/students within the Centre have a duty to report immediately any fire, smoke or potential fire hazards. All fire alarm systems at the Centre have an automatic system/telephone link WHEN ACTIVATED to contact the emergency services.

All staff/students have a duty to conduct their operations in such a way as to minimise the risk of fire. This involves keeping combustible materials separate from sources of ignition and avoiding unnecessary accumulation of combustible materials.

The Head of Centre supported by the facilities/estates management team is responsible for the provision and maintenance of fire prevention and detection equipment.

Managers are responsible for keeping their operating areas safe from fire, ensuring that their staff/students are trained in proper fire prevention practices and emergency procedures.

Fire alarm call points are located at all emergency exits throughout all buildings at the Centre. If a fire is detected it is the responsibility of any employee present to activate the alarm and evacuate the building.

Fire Fighting Equipment

Fire extinguishers are located at strategic points throughout the Centre campus. Water extinguishers and foam extinguishers must not be used on electrical fires. These should be tackled with dry powder or CO2 extinguishers.

Staff are expected to tackle a fire themselves only if it would pose no threat to their personal safety to do so. Staff should only use fire extinguishers if trained to do so. If the situation is dangerous or potentially dangerous the person should activate the alarm and evacuate the building immediately.

Fire Doors

Fire doors designed to slow the spread of fire and smoke throughout the Centre have been installed at strategic points across campus. Fire doors are designed to close automatically after opening and must never be blocked, jammed or tied open.

Smoking

All Centre premises are entirely smoke-free environments. Smoking is not permitted in Centre buildings at any time or on the Centre grounds, including car parks.

Safety Rules

General

All staff/students should be aware of, respect and adhere to the rules and procedures contained in this policy.
All staff/students shall immediately report any unsafe practices or conditions to the relevant Manager.
Any person under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating drug, which could impair motor skills or judgement, whether prescribed or otherwise, shall not be allowed into Centre premises .
The harassment of any other person by threatening or using physical violence or using abuse is forbidden.
Horseplay, practical joking, or any other acts, which could jeopardise the health and safety of any other person, are forbidden.
Any person whose levels of alertness and / or ability are reduced due to illness or fatigue will not be allowed into Centre premises if this might jeopardise the health and safety of that person or any other person.
Staff/students shall not adjust, move, or otherwise tamper with any electrical equipment, or machinery in a manner not within the scope of their duties, unless instructed to do so by a senior member of staff.
No member of staff/students should undertake a task that appears to be unsafe.
No member of staff/students should undertake a task until he or she has received adequate safety instruction and is authorised to carry out the task.
No staff/students should use chemicals without the knowledge or protective equipment required to work with those chemicals safely.
Suitable clothing and footwear will be worn at all times. Personal protective equipment shall be worn wherever appropriate.

Working Environment

The Centre requires all offices and other workplaces to be suitable for the work activities which take place in them so as to protect the health and safety of staff, students and others who work there. All operations that involve a risk of injury or harm should be avoided as far as is reasonably possible. Key points are:

Work areas must be kept clean and tidy.
Any spillage must be cleaned up immediately.

Waste materials and rubbish must be removed routinely and recycled when practicable.

All flammable waste materials must be discarded in sealed metal containers.
Never undertake potentially hazardous activities whilst working alone.

Electrical Safety

All electrical equipment brought into the Centre must be tested before use. Repairs or maintenance of electrical equipment is not to be undertaken by a person unless they are authorised and trained to do so. Defective equipment must not be used until it has been repaired, checked, and passed as safe for use. In the meantime, it should be taken out of service and suitably labelled to prevent others from using it. Obvious visual signs of potential electrical faults include damaged plugs and pins, significant wear or DIY repairs to flex coverings, and exposed wires.

Manual Lifting and Moving

Lifting and moving of objects should always be done using mechanical devices rather than manual handling wherever reasonably practicable. The equipment used should be appropriate for the task at hand.
The load to be lifted or moved must be inspected for sharp edges, slivers and wet or greasy patches.
When lifting or moving a load with sharp or splintered edges gloves must be worn. Gloves should be free from oil, grease or other agents that could impair grip.
The route over which the load is to be lifted or moved should be inspected to ensure that it is free of obstructions or spillage which could cause tripping or spillage.
Staff/students should not attempt to lift or move a load that is too heavy to manage comfortably.
Where team lifting or moving is necessary one person should act as co-ordinator, giving commands to lift, lower etc.
When lifting an object off the ground staff/students should assume a squatting position, keeping the back straight. Lift the load by straightening the knees and not the back. These steps should be reversed for lowering an object to the ground.