Health and Safety Policy

1. Statement of intent

Featherstone Safety Ltd is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for the director, for anyone engaged by the company, and for anyone else who could be affected by what we do, including customers and members of the public at premises we visit.

We will comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and all other applicable health and safety legislation, so far as is reasonably practicable. We will assess the risks arising from our work, put proportionate controls in place, and review them.

Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires a written policy where an employer has five or more employees. We are below that threshold and are not required to publish one. We maintain and publish this policy because we consider it right that a business advising others on health and safety manages its own to the standard it recommends.

2. Responsibilities

The director holds overall and final responsibility for health and safety in the company, including for this policy, for risk assessment, for providing the information and equipment needed to work safely, and for reviewing performance.

Anyone working for or on behalf of the company must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others affected by their work, cooperate with control measures, use equipment properly, and report any hazard, incident or near miss to the director.

When working at a customer’s premises, we comply with that organisation’s health and safety arrangements, site rules, induction requirements and permit systems. Where their arrangements conflict with safe working, we stop and raise it rather than proceeding.

3. Our risk profile

Our work is consultancy, training and software development. The significant risks we have identified and assess are:

• Display screen equipment and prolonged computer work — workstation set-up, posture, breaks and eyesight.
• Driving for work — journey planning, vehicle condition, licence and insurance, fatigue, and not using a phone while driving.
• Lone working — visiting customer premises alone, including check-in arrangements and knowing where we are expected.
• Visiting customer sites — site-specific hazards such as construction, industrial, laboratory and healthcare environments, controlled through site induction, appropriate PPE and compliance with the host’s rules.
• Slips, trips and manual handling when transporting training equipment and materials.
• Stress and working hours — workload, boundaries and recovery, which apply to a small business as much as a large one.

4. Arrangements

• Risk assessment. Risks are assessed, recorded and reviewed at least annually, and whenever the work, equipment or circumstances change.
• Competence. The director is NEBOSH IGC-qualified and IOSH Managing Safely trained, and maintains continuing professional development.
• Incidents. Accidents, incidents and near misses are recorded and investigated, and RIDDOR reportability is assessed against the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
• First aid. A first aid kit is maintained and the emergency services are used for anything beyond minor first aid.
• Equipment. Work equipment is maintained in a safe condition and electrical equipment is visually checked before use.
• Contractors and subcontractors. Anyone engaged to work on our behalf is expected to work safely, to hold appropriate competence and insurance, and to comply with the site rules of any premises they attend.
• Consultation. Anyone engaged by the company is consulted on matters affecting their health and safety.
• Review. This policy is reviewed at least annually and after any significant incident or change.

5. Raising a health and safety concern

Any health and safety concern about our work, or about our conduct at your premises, can be raised with us at thomas@featherstonesafetyhub.co.uk or on +44 7528 703903. Concerns are investigated and the outcome recorded. No one will suffer any detriment for raising a health and safety concern.

6. Status of this policy

This policy describes how Featherstone Safety Ltd manages health and safety in its own business. It does not transfer any duty to us from a customer, and it is not advice. Customers remain the duty holder for their own workplaces, as set out in our terms and conditions.