H & S policies (Individual)
Hughes Health & Safety can provide you with professional company branded specific H&S Policies as required.
- Alcohol – Alcohol can be a cause of workplace accidents and is a major cause of ill health, low productivity and absenteeism.
The costs associated with alcohol at work, the impact of current legislation, and the notable links between alcohol and ill health suggest that alcohol policies are becoming an essential part of good business practice.
As well as the moral duty of employers to protect employees and members of the public, general health and safety legislation covers all employers and workplaces.
Employers and employees are required by law to address the issue of alcohol in the workplace.
The Alcohol Policy outlines the legal obligations on employers. The Policy enables the Company to demonstrate that they are fair employers but still willing to respond firmly to poor behaviour in the workplace. The Policy indicates the Company’s disciplinary actions and procedures
- Drugs – Drugs are substances that alter the way in which the body or mind works.
Drugs can be defined as those controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which divides substances and the penalties for their possession and sale into three categories, and can include prescribed medications, over-the-counter medications and recreational drugs.
‘Misuse’ refers to use that is problematic or harmful, either for the individual or others.
Across the UK, drug-related crime, sickness and absenteeism cost billions each year.
Inappropriate use of drugs can have serious consequences for individuals and Companies. Employers are therefore advised to take active measures to address the issues of drugs in the workplace.
The Drug Policy helps to clarify an organisation’s rules and procedures for dealing with the misuse of substances in a fair, consistent and supportive manner.
- Smoking – Smoking is a major cause for concern within a workplace. It can have a direct impact on both smokers and non-smokers, and ultimately employers. In addition, most employers now have a legal responsibility to ensure that people do not smoke in the workplace.
The Smoking Policy sets out a Company’s duty to provide a safe working environment and uphold the recent ban imposed on smoking in public places, as laid down in the Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.
In addition to setting out the principles contained in the Non Smoking Policy the document explains the need for adequate signing, who the policy applies to and how it will be enforced.
- DSE – Display Screen Equipment (DSE) is sometimes referred to as Visual Display Units (VDU) or Computer Workstations and includes laptops, touch-screens and other similar devices that incorporate a display screen. Any item of computer-related equipment including the computer, display, keyboard, mouse, desk and chair can be considered part of the DSE work station.
We offer a range of training course which are ROSPA approved through the cost effective e-learning method.
- Display Screen Equipment Awareness e-learning course
- Assessing Display Screen Equipment e-learning course
Other important definitions:
User: an employee who habitually uses DSE as a significant part of their normal work. If someone uses DSE continuously for periods of an hour or more on most days worked, they are likely to be classified as a user.
Operator: a self-employed worker who habitually uses DSE for a significant part of their work.
The employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of VDU and other display screen equipment workstations that either he or anyone else has provided for use by his employees for his business, or that he has provided for use by self-employed workers for his business. Whether employers provide vehicles or expect employees to drive their own for work purposes, all employers should have a policy to address the issues.
E-learning training available:
- Display Screen Equipment Awareness e-learning course
- Assessing Display Screen Equipment e-learning course
- Driving for Work – Whether employers provide vehicles or expect employees to drive their own for work purposes, all employers should have a policy to address the issues arising from driving for work related purposes.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimate that up to a third of all road traffic accidents may involve someone driving for work related purposes. time. Bus drivers, HGV drivers and delivery drivers can spend their whole working day driving, these are the higher profile driving occupations, but company representatives, maintenance workers and anyone who drives as part of his or her work duties is at risk. This includes employees driving to meetings and events, visiting customers or clients and driving between sites.
As an employer/business owner you need to must:
- Assess the risks from driving at work
- Manage and control any hazards you identify
- Provide information and training for drivers
At Hughes Health & Safety we can help you to make sense of what you need to do and assist you to make sure you are compliant with the law we can:
- Devise a Driving for Work H&S Policy
- Carry out Driving for Work risk assessments
- Assist in the management of site traffic
- Provide training and information
In NI the HSENI and the DOE have produced an excellent guidance document for business on work related driving and what you should be doing.
http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/driving-at-work-northern-ireland-an-employers-guide.pdf
The benefits of managing work related driving can be reduced road accidents leading to reduction in cost; insurance, lost time/productivity, compensation claims, vehicle repair. A Driving for Work Policy can help promote a good safety culture at work showing employees and customers you are a responsible employer.
- Lone/Isolated working – The employer therefore has a duty, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, through assessing risks and introducing suitable safety controls, including the risks associated with isolated and lone working.
Isolated Workers are employees (individuals, teams or groups) who are at increased risk because they are working in locations where they may not have appropriate access to suitable assistance under emergency conditions. Radios or mobile phones should not always be depended on for emergency response.
“Isolated Workers” may include employees;
- working at remote locations (including in remote offices)
- meetings with unfamiliar persons, or persons who may not assist in an emergency situation
- working at their own home
- travelling at times of the day/night, or on roads, where assistance from “passers-by” cannot be guaranteed
- working outside “core” hours (e.g. overtime)
* Note: This list is not comprehensive and is to provide examples only.
Lone Workers are Isolated Workers who are working on their own and are at further
risk as no assistance may be at hand under emergency conditions.
- Unacceptable Customer Behaviour – The employer therefore has a duty, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, through assessing risks and introducing suitable safety controls, including the risks associated with unacceptable customer behaviour (either physical or psychological).
Unacceptable Customer Behaviour may include:
- Any act of written or verbal abuse, including those of a discriminatory nature
- Threatening behaviour
- Intimidation
- Serious or persistent harassment
- An actual or attempted physical assault
- Deliberate damage to property
- Behaviour that causes staff to feel upset, threatened, frightened or physically at risk and is directed at them because of their work.
Hughes Health & Safety can assist you to effectively protect you and your employees by devising a tailored Unacceptable Customer Behaviour Policy for your business.
This list is not exhaustive please contact us to discuss your specific needs.