Health and safety policy statement

This policy details what is expected of management, staff, contractors, suppliers and partners to ensure all activities comply with our legal obligations and commitment to high standards of health, safety and welfare.

We place the greatest importance on the health, safety and welfare of our employees, contractors, partners, and all others who may be affected by our undertakings, including the general public. Our objective is a positive health and safety culture which involves everyone in providing the healthiest and safest working conditions possible.

This policy statement will be reviewed annually or if required by any significant changes to our activities and approved by the Corporate Health and Safety Committee. For specific details of our health and safety arrangements please contact the relevant service area or ask to speak to the Health and Safety Officer.

Commitment to responsibility

We are fully committed to our responsibilities including so far as reasonably practicable:

• safely maintained plant, equipment and systems of work

• competent staff, the provision of information and training

• assessment of all significant risks and arrangements to control hazards

• coordination and cooperation between service areas, and between us and our partners, contractors and service users

• procedures for emergencies and safe access to all places of work under our control

• consultation and communication with staff, partners, contractors and users of our services

• monitoring health and safety performance by inspections, audits and benchmarking to ensure compliance and continually improved performance

Key roles

Key roles will be assigned to support the management of health and safety to include professional advice; risk assessments and welfare procedures; liaison with enforcing authorities and to stay up to date with the law and best practice.

Sufficient resources will be provided within our established structures. Each individual must exercise responsibility at a level equal to any of their other functions to ensure the policy is put into practice.

We all have a role to play and as a condition of employment, all staff must remember that a health & safety breach may be a disciplinary offence. We expect all suppliers and contractors to meet as a minimum the standards laid out in our health and safety policy.