Health and Safety
The Learning Partnership's health and safety policy is to:
- Protect the health, safety and welfare of its employees and visitors to its office premises. This duty of care will be achieved by directing, co-ordinating and promoting a safe working environment, safe working practice and the monitoring of performance.
- It is the responsibility of all organisations we contract with to have their own health and safety policy to ensure the safety of their staff, visitors and users of their facilities (safe learner concept).
- It is the duty of all employees to work safely and co-operate to enable the company to fulfill its statutory obligations.
- The Executive Director has overall, and ultimate, responsibility for all health and safety matters.
Any health, safety or welfare concerns must be reported directly to the Executive Director. Urgent matters will be dealt with immediately. Non-urgent matters will be dealt with as soon as practicable.
Measures in Place
All staff and visitors must be made aware of the fire arrangement notices to be posted at entrances to the office. Project and programme staff must make themselves aware of local arrangements. These give details of action to be taken on hearing the alarm and the location of assembly points.
Assessments of possible risks in the working environment will be carried out regularly at least once a year and immediately if any change in working conditions or employment occurs. Action will be taken to address any risks found.
A first aid box and accident book is situated in Office.
It is the responsibility of all employees to understand statutory Health and Safety regulations and codes of practice as they affect their activities.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, all employees are required to take care of their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by their acts, or failure to act, at work. Employees are also required to co-operate with the company so far as it necessary to enable that requirement to be performed or complied with. Health and safety training needs will be identified as part of the development review process. The Learning Partnership is committed to the provision of health and safety training for its employees.
Personal Safety and Lone Working
The Learning Partnership recognises that there are personal safety issues, which affect its staff and will take steps to ensure that offices provide safe working environments. The Learning Partnership will also endeavour to keep staff informed of any action they can take to reduce the risk to themselves.
When staff members are working away from the Office, they must inform the Administrator of their meeting schedule. This should include the location, start and finish time, contact telephone number and the time expected of the next appointment or back in the office.
Staff should ensure that if attending meetings in other buildings that such buildings are safe and fit for purpose.
Arrangements for working away from the Office outside normal office hours must be noted in advance, for example evening meetings, etc.
Establishing a Safe Working Environment
Each member of staff is required to use the tools supplied to ensure a safe working environment, including:
- Personal alarm.
- First aid kit for all staff using and claiming for the use of their own vehicle.
- The office mobile phone (where appropriate).
- The use of the incident book and accident book.
Staff should ensure that all face-to-face meetings are safe and, in normal circumstances, within public buildings:
- Ensure that you can quickly exit the room/place (sit nearest the door if at all possible).
- Be aware of any potential issues that may cause conflict, alert a colleague if there is a particular concern.
- Report any incidents immediately through the incident book.
Sub-contractors
Organisations with whom we work will be required to provide a copy of their health and safety policy and of their public liability insurance. The Learning Partnership will from time to time visit and monitor partners and this may include accessing files and other information related to safety and direct observation and discussion with managers, staff and clients.
Compliance
Compliance with this policy will be monitored and reported to the Board as part of the annual review of performance.
