IMS REF: 4.1.4
Health & Safety Policy Statement
At ® Working at Height Limited ™ it is our “ Company Director’s and Managers” intent and aim to demonstrate an on-going and determined commitment to improving health and safety at work throughout our organisation. We will ensure the health and safety at work of all our people and any other people who may be affected by our work activities and to provide such information, training, and supervision needed for this purpose. We will comply with the requirements of health and safety legislation. We will lead industry by promoting best practice and exceeding the guidance of Occupational, Safety & Health Administration, Health and Safety Authority & Health and Safety Executive and other regulatory bodies.
This policy reflects our commitment to ensuring that health and safety at work is paramount to our business and that effective health and safety actively contributes to our success. It is also the responsibility of all Employees to work safely and with regard to health both to themselves and others affected by their activities or omissions.
We will ensure that adequate time and finances are committed in pursuance of these aims and, wherever required, Competent Persons will be provided, including the use of experts as necessary (Safety Supervisors: are Senior and Mid-Level Management who have an associated H&S qualification).
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Awareness: “All our people and stakeholders have an awareness and understanding of health and safety hazards and risks that affect our business.”
1.1 Health and Safety Policy statement
Adequate resources will be provided to ensure all our people, the sub-contractors and stakeholders are aware of this policy and committed to its effective implementation.
1.2 Communication and consultation
There will be active open communication and consultation between all our people, the sub-contractors and stakeholders. Health and safety will be integrated into our communications, wherever appropriate.
1.3 Management roles and responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities for health and safety will be defined, as necessary, within job descriptions or profiles. Senior management will ensure that:
- Adequate resources are provided for health and safety
- Health and safety is adequately assessed, controlled and monitored
- Our people are actively involved on matters that affect health and safety.
1.4 Hazard identification
We will identify our workplace health and safety hazards. We will inform our people, the sub-contractors and stakeholders, as appropriate, of these workplace hazards. We will require our sub-contractors and stakeholders to identify health and safety hazards that may impact on our work activities. Some of the main hazards include; Working at Height Group and working near water.
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Competence: “All our people and stakeholders have the competence to undertake their work with minimum risks to health and safety.”
2.1 Health and safety training
All our people will be adequately instructed and trained on the health and safety issues that affect them, and the safe working practices that should be followed.
We will ensure the health and safety competence of our sub-contractors and stakeholders.
2.2 Behaviour and culture
Senior management will demonstrate leadership in health and safety. Senior management will undertake meetings and/or tours and delegate to mid-line Management (those that have completed a recognised H&S qualification such as IOSH and/or NEBOSH, CIEH or equivalent) to ensure that health and safety issues are identified, assessed and managed. Systems will be in place and people will be empowered to raise health and safety concerns with management.
2.3 Risk assessment and management
We will assess the risks associated with health and safety hazards in the workplace. All our people will be informed of the health and safety hazards and risks that affect their work. We will take action to prevent, reduce or control risks to an acceptable level and reduce the potential for incidents and accidents.
We will require our sub-contractors and stakeholders to identify health and safety risks that may impact on our work activities.
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Compliance: “Our work activities achieve compliance with legislation, and our people are empowered to take action to minimise health and safety risks.”
3.1 Incident investigation
We will report and investigate accidents, incidents and near misses to drive improvement in our health and safety management. Any lessons learned from such events will be used to take corrective action to prevent recurrences.
3.2 Measuring performance
We will actively and openly, review and report on our health and safety performance against published objectives and targets. Improvement plans will be developed to support the delivery of these objectives and targets.
3.3 Health and safety management system
We will implement management systems to ensure that we:
- Comply with health and safety legislation
- Fulfil the requirements of OHSAS18001 & ISO45001
- Continually improve our health and safety performance.
3.4 Sub-contractor improvement
We will engage and collaborate with our sub-contractors to ensure their:
- Health and safety capability and competence fulfil our expectations
- Health and safety performance is monitored and reviewed
- Work activities have minimal health and safety impacts on our activities.
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Excellence: “Working at Height Group is recognised for excellence in the way it manages health and safety.”
4.1 Developing innovative practices
We will constantly encourage, develop, review and share “health and safety good practice” both internally and externally.
4.2 Influencing stakeholders
We will only work with joint venture partners and clients who are willing to meet and achieve our health and safety expectations. We will engage and influence stakeholders to drive improvements in health and safety.
4.3 Work-related health
We will assess our occupational health risks. All our people will be informed of the occupational health risks that affect their work. We will take action to prevent, reduce or control occupational health risks to an acceptable level and reduce the potential for ill health, including assessing all our people’s fitness for work. Health surveillance will be conducted to satisfy health and safety legislation.
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Delivering our policy: Our policy will be delivered by:
- Generating a culture that does not tolerate threats to health and safety
- By ensuring the real involvement of all our people, the sub-contractors and stakeholders.
- The Managing Director, Board of Directors and Departmental Managers/Safety Supervisors will implement management statements that explain how this policy will be delivered in the workplace.
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Commitment to continual improvement:
- Through feedback, audit and assessment Working at Height Group are able to have a process of continual improvement.
- Registers are in place to record feedback, complaints and non-conformances allowing the company to monitor its performance and improve where possible within the constraints of resources.
- The Directors will ensure resources are made available when required to allow for continual improvement.
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Objectives:
- We work towards zero tolerance in reportable injuries and work-related illness these are measured using smart objectives.
- An annual Health and Safety objective plan will be formulated and assessed on a 6 monthly basis to analyse progress and reviewed during the annual “Management Review” usually to take place in January following a year of implementing objectives and carrying out audits.
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Overseas:
- All overseas operations will follow the principal of the Working at Height Group H&S safety policy, however, apply local laws where applicable. For example, in the USA applying OSHA, NFPA, ANSI & NIOSH safety rules and guidelines and in Ireland HSA and HSE safety rules and guidelines.
Policy review
This policy has immediate effect and replaces all previous versions. This policy will be reviewed and amended, as necessary on an annual basis.