Grow Your Potential

Health & Safety Policy

Statement of intent:

The general objectives of Health and Safety at Work, extended to include Health and Safety in the Learning environment, are that Grow Your Potential should secure the health, safety and welfare of all Learners, Employees, Sub contractors, Volunteers and Visitors on the premises therefore to provide adequate protection from risks arising from any activities which take place there. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASWA) is the primary piece of health and safety legislation in the UK.

Responsibilities:

Grow Your Potential has overall responsibility for health and safety.

Grow Your Potential:

It is the overall responsibility of the organisation to ensure the delivery of the following:

• A safe environment with welfare facilities.
• A safe place of activity with safe access and egress.
• The necessary training, information, instruction and supervision.
• Safe equipment and systems of work.
• Safe handling, storage and maintenance of articles and substances.
• Appoint competent persons.
• Establish procedures for serious and imminent danger.
• Provide information to employees.
• Co-operate and coordinate with other employers.
• Provide training.
• Provide health surveillance (where required)

The Duties of the SLT:

As well as the general duties which all members of staff have the SLT have responsibility for the maintenance and development of safe working practices and conditions for their area of control and all related activities.

In particular the SLT will:

• Provide the Head and members of the Management Committee with information on how health

and safety issues are being addressed within their area of control

• Ensure risk assessments are completed for all the significant hazards in areas under their control

• Conduct regular inspections of the areas within their control and ensure hazards are removed promptly

• Investigate accidents that occur in areas of their control looking for root causes and what action should be taken to prevent a recurrence

• Disseminate information to all relevant staff and others who are affected by the work undertaken in their area of control

• Supervise staff to ensure that appropriate health and safety measures are being followed and good practice is being carried out

• Regularly discuss health and safety issues with staff
• Identify health and safety training needs for their staff and arrange for them to attend suitable courses
• Set a personal example

The Duties of all Members of Staff:

All staff will make themselves familiar with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work,

etc. Act 1974 and any other health and safety legislation and codes of practice which are

relevant to the work of the department in which they work. They should:

• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and any other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work

• As regards any duty or requirements imposed on their employer or any other persons by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions, co-operate with him or her so far as necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.

All staff are expected to familiarise themselves with the health and safety aspects of their work

and to avoid conduct which would put them or anyone else at risk.

Inparticular all members of staff will:

• Ensure health and safety regulations, rules, routines and procedures are being applied effectively by both staff and pupils

• See that all machinery and equipment is adequately guarded, is in good and safe working order and not make unauthorised or improper use of plant, machinery and equipment

• Use the correct equipment and tools for the job and any protective equipment or safety devices which may be supplied

• Ensure that toxic, hazardous and highly flammable substances are correctly used, stored and labelled

• Report any defects in the premises, equipment and facilities which they observe

• Take an active interest in promoting health and safety and suggest ways of reducing risks.

• Undertake all required Health and Safety, Welfare and Safeguarding related training

• Set a personal example to pupils

Young people:

In this situation although the young people attending this facility will be encouraged to think about safety as everyone’s concern the ultimate responsibility is that of the senior leadership team.

Volunteers:

Will undergo the same basic level of training necessary to produce the required level of competence in health and safety and the safeguarding of all persons who attend the facility.

Visitors:

To adhere to the safe working practices of the organisation.

Liability:

Under the Occupier Liability act, the occupier of any premises has a duty to ensure that there are no ‘unreasonable’ risks to visitors and others who may be invited onto those premises. The duty even extends to include unlawful visitors such as trespassers.

Where children are involved, it is clearly recognised by Grow Your Potential that a greater degree of care is required, since the levels of maturity of children vary meaning that they cannot be expected to understand the degree of risk involved in any hazardous situation.

What this means is that the risks from any specific hazards on site – must be adequately controlled. Thus, the use of specific signage for example warning signage for fragile roofs, preventing access to low roof areas by use of anti-climb paint or other security measures would therefore be deemed reasonable.

This is key responsibilities of the employer/organisation and therefore the senior leadership team of Grow Your Potential as these are one and the same thing.

Appointment of responsible/competent persons (Single point of contact):

The senior leadership team holds the responsibility for health and safety on a day-to-day basis, and has control over all activities on the site. The senior leadership team has overall responsibility for appointing a designated responsible/competent person to cover the following duties and provide a single point of contact for issues arising from them: –

Safeguarding                                                             Sadiqul Choudhury

Recruitment                                                               Mohammed Shavir Miah

Health and Safety (including fire safety)               Sadiqul Choudhury

Quality                                                                        Mohammed Shavir Miah

Each of these roles involve an obligation to keep adequate records for comparison, inspection and indication of trends both negative and positive. Each of these roles is supported by the relevant training in compliance with the appropriate legislation and guidance as matter of policy.

All functions within the roles mentioned above are subject to scrutiny within company procedures and monitoring processes.

Procedures.

Induction Training:

In order to ensure maximum awareness of the duty toward health and safety for all members of staff, whether volunteer, sub-contractor, employee and for all learners who attend Grow Your Potential Induction training is provided as a matter of procedure.

Risk Assessment:

Risk assessment are in place for the general facility plus other extra curriculum activity/off site activity.

Whenever a significant change takes place in the physical or learning arrangements A risk assessment will be carried out and any modifications deemed necessary will be made and a new review date will be set.

Risk Management

A risk management is in place which is reflective of the risk assessment findings

Collective Vigilance

Health and safety are the responsibility of all staff no matter what status. Health and safety questions will be asked during the weekly monitoring meeting in order to ensure that the correct level of vigilance is applied to the matter.

Reviews and Updates

All policies are set with a review date but may be updated at any time due to changes in the arrangements of the facility and type of activities which take place.

Keeping Records

Records will be kept on file in the areas mentioned in ‘Appointment of responsible/competent persons (Single point of contact):’

Fire Safety:

Fire safety is the overall responsibility of the senior leadership team who are obligated to appoint a designated responsible person Sadiqul Choudhury. Fire procedures for the building are managed by the building managers Active Luton in coordination with the designated responsible person of Grow Your Potential. All reports of safety regarding the fire safety of the facility must be kept on record no matter how small and no matter if they have been resolved. This is in order for the senior management team to spot trends in fire safety procedures.

Accident and Reporting:

All accidents no matter how small are entered into the accident report book which is kept in GYP’S office.

In the case of an accident which is more serious either the emergency services will be called if appropriate or a member of staff will be assigned to take the person to the hospital.

In the case of a Learner, the parent/carer and the agency through which they were referred will be notified immediately.

In all situations covered by RIDDOR 2013 the Health and Safety Executive will be informed via an online HSE referral.

Appendix 1 – See RIDDOR Procedure.

First Aid:

At all times there will be a qualified first aider on site. In the case of Grow Your Potential this will be Sadiqul Choudhury and/or Mohammed Shavir Miah.

Electrical Safety:

All electrical equipment is systematically PAT tested by an authorised person and records of the tests are kept are kept on file.

All staff are expected to report damaged equipment to the designated responsible person for health and safety Sadiqul Choudhury. At this point the equipment must be taken out of use and labelled clearly to prevent it being reintroduced by a third party unaware of its condition.

Dangerous Substances:

It is the policy of Grow Your Potential not to keep any substances which are covered by COSHH in the areas occupied by the young people who attend GYP. Any substances which are covered by COSHH and remain necessary such as cleaning chemicals are kept under lock and key in an area occupied primarily by staff.

Equipment:

All equipment for use by either Learners or staff must be inspected by a staff member for use. Any defects found must be reported to the designated responsible person for health and safety Sadiqul Choudhury. For electrical equipment see ‘electrical safety’ above.

All Scissors will be locked away in a secure cupboard away from the reach of any students. Students will undergo a step by step procedure in how to handle a scissor in an appropriate safe manner. Each student will have an individual Risk Assessment in place to ensure all the health and safety criteria are met. Any learners who we acquire with a weapon related intervention will have to undergo our mentoring programme before enrolling on to our barbering course.

Off premises activity:

Staff at GYP will ensure that a suitable and sufficient “Risk Assessment” is undertaken before any off-premise activities are undertaken.

Security:

Grow Your Potential have a controlled entry point via the main reception at Hart Hill Community Centre. Only those who have permission and a valid electronic pass have access to the provision beyond this point.

HEALTH AND SAFETY LEGISLATION

Health and safety responsibilities and duties placed upon teachers and others in schools, colleges and other education establishments are derived from the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 (HASWA) and the Management of Health and Safety at work regulations 1999.

Learners and visitors are also protected by the duties imposed by such legislation as they are affected by an employer’s undertaking or and / or are using school premises.

There are a number of other pieces of delegated legislation which exist and require an assessment of risk, adequate maintenance, provision of information, instruction and training etc. i.e. COSHH, DSE, manual handling etc. The Education Health and Safety manual provides advice and guidance in the interpretation of such legislation and outlines best practice.

Responsibility for health and safety lies with everyone (LA, Governing body, head teacher and employees), either as the employer of school staff or because they exercise control over the school premises (or both).

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation in respect of all work places and therefore places of Alternative educational provision.

Most of the duties placed upon employers and others are qualified by the phrase ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’. This is essentially a balance between the costs (in terms of money, time, trouble etc.) against the degree of risk to people involved.

Where the risk is great, even expensive measures to prevent the risk could be considered necessary. Each case must be taken on its own merits.