Policy document controlled under the Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974 (and as amended)
This is the Health and Safety Policy Statement of the company known as NPA international paints and coatings, Plymouth, and applies to all contractors and representatives within the group.
This is AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT, but we decided to publish this in the public domain, both for easy access at any time, and also to show YOU, the potential or existing customer of ours, that we are a REAL business with REAL policies in place.
We do the job ONCE and we do the job CORRECTLY!
If you are a member of the public, please feel free to download or print this off, but please do not copy our copyrighted work. thank you.
Our Statement of general policy is:
- To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities;
- To consult with our employees and subcontractors on matters affecting their health and safety.
- To provide and maintain safe tools, plant and equipment where provided directly by the company.
- To ensure safe handling and use of substances.
- To provide information, instruction and supervision for all employees and subcontractors.
- To ensure all employees and subcontractors are competent to do their tasks, and to give them adequate training.
- To prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health;
- To maintain safe and healthy working conditions; and
- To review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals.
RESPONSIBILITIES.
Overall and final responsibility for health and safety is that of the individual contractor on site and not NPA international who act as intermediaries. In default, NPA international will not be responsible at all.
Day to day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into practice is delegated to: Mr. G A. Bell, or Mr. J Mourton or persons designated by the above.
To ensure health and safety standards are maintained/improved, the above will constantly evaluate practices on and off site with respect to the general safety and well being of all staff, permanent or temporary, employed or subcontracted.
All employees, agents, franchisees, and contractors (etc.) have to:
- Co-operate with supervisors and managers on health and safety matters.
- Not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their own health and safety.
- Take reasonable care of their own health and safety; and
- Report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person (as detailed in this policy statement.
HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS ARISING FROM OUR WORK ACTIVITIES.
Risk assessments will be undertaken by an appointed surveyor
The findings of the risk assessments will be reported to: Mr J Mourton and Mr G. A Bell
Action required to remove/control risks will be approved by The management whomever contractor is working on any particular site.
The foreman in charge of a particular roof coatings or wall coatings installation team will be responsible for ensuring the action required to maintain the safety of his or her team is implemented and Mr Mourton or Mr. Ackroyd will check that the implemented action or actions have removed or reduced risks.
These assessments will be reviewed every 3 months, or when the work activity changes, whichever the soonest.
CONSULTATION WITH EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS.
Consultation with employees is provided by phone and in person, on site or in the office either in a counselling session or at a general meeting and will be conducted by Michael Ackroyd, head of the the installation side of the Wall Coating Company
SAFE PLANT , TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT.
The main contractor and/or anyone working on a self employed basis (CIS scheme) and on a PAYE basis, will be responsible for identifying all equipment and plant needing maintenance, as will employees of the contractor and so on.
All the above must report to NPA in the 1st instance, any plant, tools or equipment requiring maintenance or renewal.
Any equipment etc. deemed unsafe, or a potential hazard to health and safety, must be immediately withdrawn from use and reported to the management.
The contractor is responsible for ensuring that any equipment purchased or hired by the subcontractor is fit for use and is operated/used by competent and trained personnel.
Any tools and equipment hired or purchased by the company must be satisfied as fit for use, and the responsibility for this is down to each wall coatings team leader.
SAFE HANDLING AND USE OF SUBSTANCES.
This is to include all paint, Wall coatings and thinning products. This also includes any materials bought by the company for intended use by the subcontractor or employee or agent, on our contracts and jobs.
Mr Mourton will be responsible for identifying all substances which need a COSHH assessment (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002) and will be responsible for undertaking all assessments and ensuring any action required is implemented. The above will also be responsible for ensuring that all relevant employees and sub-contractors are informed about the COSHH assessments.
The company will check that new substances can be used safely before they are purchased. This assessment will be reviewed every six months or sooner as necessary.
INFORMATION, INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION.
The health and safety law poster is displayed at each individual office and depot. Health and Safety advice is available from Guy Alexander Bell, the NPA editor, or the HSE on 0845 345 0055
Supervision of young workers/trainees on site will be undertaken by the sub-contractor. Supervision of trainees in office or field positions will be undertaken by Mr Mourton.
The main contractor is responsible for ensuring that employees or agents working at locations under the control of other employers are given relevant health and safety information
COMPETENCY FOR TASKS AND TRAINING
Induction training will be provided for all employees and sub-contractors by Mr. Ackroyd, as will job specific training. This is also to include specific jobs requiring special training or use of specialist or unfamiliar tools and equipment.
Training records are kept at the office. Training will be identified, arranged and monitored by each agent or representative or authorised dealer
ACCIDENTS, FIRST AID AND WORK RELATED ILL HEALTH.
Health surveillance is required for employees doing the following jobs:
- All work above the elevation of walls, e.g. on the roof.
- All work involving hazardous chemicals (eg. Fungicidal wash)
- Spray coatings. (mask must be worn)
- Working in confined areas with poor ventilation.
Health surveillance will be arranged by the team leader in the installations department.
Health surveillance records will be kept at the office.
The First Aid box is also kept at the office and carried in each works van.
All sub-contractors (where used) are required to carry a basic First Aid kit in their van. All sub-contractors are required to undertake basic First Aid training.
All accidents and cases of work related ill health are to be recorded in the accident book at the NPA main office.
The main contractor is responsible for reporting accidents and dangerous occurrences. A manager within is responsible for the subsequent reporting of such incidences to the Health and Safety executive.
MONITORING.
To check our working conditions and ensure our safe working practices are being followed we will liaise with the HSE or any other official appointed body. Guy Alexander Bell is responsible for investigating accidents and work related causes of sickness absences. He is also responsible for acting on investigation findings to prevent a recurrence.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES-FIRE AND EVACUATION.
1.) Office based staff
All office staff must on discovering a fire or other emergency, immediately raise the alarm and then vacate the building without running and without stopping or hesitating. Staff must immediately stop whatever they are doing no matter how important and leave immediately via the nearest exit, gathering in the car park for a roll call.
It is the responsibility of whoever first discovers the potential emergency to notify without delay the emergency services. It is also vital to inform the manager without delay but after implementing the above. This procedure will be reviewed every six months.
2.) On site manual labour staff (including supervisors, foremen and other trades.)
All site labour must proceed as per the above instructions. If the customer is present, the site foreman is wholly responsible for the safe evacuation of the customer, their family and pets. The site foreman is also responsible for contacting the emergency services and the office.
3.)Field based staff such as sales executives, leaflet delivery staff and canvassers
All field based staff must take immediate action as per the instructions outlined above. Canvassers and delivery staff must take adequate care and attention when walking or crossing the public highway and when entering properties to carry out their duties.
Leaflet delivery staff must not put their fingers through the letterbox when delivering. All staff must inform the office if they see anything suspicious or concerning during their duties
OUR RISK ASSESSMENT.
SAFETY STARTS HERE
This assessment is for the Never Paint Again Group.
Undertaken by Guy Alexander Bell. June 2003.
Updated December 2010.
A) OFFICE:
We have identified very few risks in this environment due to the location, activity and small number of employees present in the office during the normal working day.
- Electrical items such as copiers, computers etc. must be maintained and checked every 6 months. Any faults or potentially hazardous equipment must be reported to Guy Bell immediately.
- No wires must trail on the floor.
- Any trip hazards such as frayed carpet etc. must be reported to the manager immediately on discovering. The appropriate action must be taken immediately.
- All sharp objects such as pens, staplers, must be stored correctly.
- All information sources such as disks and paper based files, especially those with customer information, must be stored securely and confidentially. Access to this information is limited to Amanda Bell and Guy Bell ONLY.
- Access around the interior of the office must be kept clear and free of obstruction, as must the access to all exits in the building.
- NO SMOKING IS ALLOWED ANYWHERE INSIDE THE PREMISES. (update 9th dec 2010, this is now European law)
- No hazardous, unstable or flammable materials must be brought within the confines of the office. Any violation of this is a breach of the law and will be dealt with by the company seriously and without hesitance.
B) ON SITE
The risks to health and safety on site are far greater than those identified above.
VISIBILITY
- All manual labour must wear appropriate work boots with steel toe caps.
- When working next to the public highway, workers must wear appropriate reflective safety gear and aim to be highly visible at all times.
- If working on a wall actually ON a highway, safety barriers must be erected to direct traffic around and away from the installation team.
- A manager is responsible for arranging safety equipment on behalf of the crew.
- All vehicles and plant hired directly by the subcontractor must be safe and fit for use.
VANS AND VEHICLES.
- All vans used must be CLEAN AND TIDY (within reason).
- They must all have a valid MOT certificate (if older than 3 years) and a valid Road fund licence (TAX) correctly displayed in the window.
- All ladders or other equipment on the roof of the van must be firmly affixed when travelling or when not in not in use.
- If towing a trailer, make sure that it is correctly coupled to your vehicle and the tyres and are in good order. Make sure the lights work and your number plate can be seen from the rear.
- When towing, do not exceed the permitted towing speed for your van.
- Do not overload your van. This can seriously affect the handling, steering and braking distances.
LADDERS AND SCAFFOLD
- When working on ladders, the crew must ensure not only that the ladders are fit for use with no broken, missing or loose rungs.
- When placing a ladder against a wall, staff must ensure that it is at the correct safe working angle and has not been extended to exceed its safe working height.
- When working on a roof, staff must have the correct safety gear and non-slip shoes. The company will not allow work on a roof unless a minimum of 2 people are present working on the house.
- Any access points to the roof such as ladders must be secured and safe to use either ascending or descending.
DO NOT TAKE UNNECESSARY RISKS ON ROOFS. MOST DEATHS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY OCCUR FROM FALLING FROM A ROOF.
THINK SAFETY AT ALL TIMES
DO NOT RISK YOUR LIFE FOR A WAGE PACKET. If staff are unsure of whether to take a risk, dont take it, inform the office and we will provide extra safety equipment in order to carry out the job effectively and safety.
SCAFFOLDING.
- All scaffolding provided by an outside contractor must be deemed fit and ready for use BEFORE it is used.
- All walking boards must be secured and there must be no loose traps at the ends.
- All handrails must be securely in place and at the correct height to ensure safe working.
- All Tube or snap together scaffold must be securely and correctly anchored and there must be no movement allowed in the temporary structure.
- Any walking boards must be fit for the distance spanned and weight carried. Do not over load these boards and do not place ladders on them. BE CAREFUL ON SCAFFOLDING.
- All access ladders must be removed at the end of the day to prevent unauthorised access by undesirables or children.
CHEMICALS.
- All installation staff must be aware of the hazards that the use of paint and chemicals.
- Our main suppliers always place health and safety information on the tins that the wall coatings and paints arrive in. PLEASE READ THIS if you are unaware of the risks involved.
- Mr. Mourton is responsible for ensuring that this information is imparted to the installation crew and for ensuring that all crew members comply with the relevant health and safety regulations regarding its use.
All crew members are responsible for the safe handling of substances and must wear protective gloves and clothing at all times.
SAND AND CEMENT
- All crew members are responsible for the safe handling of heavy items such as bags of sand and cement. Please keep your back straight when lifting these items. Any training on lifting can be provided by the office.
- It is the responsibility of the installation crew to identify any training needs associated with the above, and then to inform the office immediately.
- Always use gloves when handling neat cement as it can seriously affect your skin. Keep all hands away from mouths and eyes. Any ingestion must be treated with immediate medical attention.
PLANT
- When using plant (such as compressors or power chisels etc.), it is the responsibility of the crew foreman and of the hire company to ensure that these are fit and proper for use.
- If using a compressor, make sure that there are no leaks of diesel, the exhaust system works efficiently and the handbrake is applied.
- Please also chock the wheels if on an incline.
- If the compressor is to be left overnight on a public road, remove all keys and lock if possible. It is also a good idea to lock the towing eye to prevent theft.
- It is a legal requirement to display the number plate of your vehicle on a compressor, as it is also a legal requirement for a towing board with lights if the plant obstructs the view of the lights of the van, or other towing vehicle.
The company will not be held responsible for any breach of the highway code or traffic law conducted by yourself whilst working for us.
NOTE: the following section no longer applies, this document was written a very long time ago, and we do not employ canvassers or leaflet delivery people. This was updated 13th December 2018.
The above can largely be summarised in two ways:
Use your common sense. (!) Read and digest the information contained in here, not just what is relevant to your activities.
Look and identify for potential risks and hazards before accidents actually occur, not just for yourself, but your fellow workers and anyone else adjacent to your current workplace, such as customers for example. Do not attempt to do something that you are not trained, experienced or equipped to do.
Always use the correct safety gear when using chemicals. Always report any violation of the above to the office.
THINK SAFETY AT ALL TIMES.
© Guy Alexander Bell. Bsc.(hons) 2003.