Our Health and Safety Policy

This document incorporates the following policies:

Health, Safety, Welfare, Environmental, Harassment and Equal Opportunities

Statement of Intent

• It is the policy of Boundary Metal to always work with due regard to Health, Safety  and Welfare as stated within this policy.
• To promote equally the duties of Management and Employee's in regard to personal responsibility to prevent injury to themselves or to others.
• Review and update this policy on a regular basis

Organisation for safety

The responsibility for Health and Safety, and the implementation of the Company Safety Policy, rests with the Managing Director. However, all managers, supervisors, foreman,  chargehands etc. Must recognise the need and accept the responsibility for the safety at work of employees under their control. In addition, they must ensure that there is adequate delegation of these duties when they are absent. Managers are ultimately responsible to the Managing Director to ensure that the Safety policy is brought to the notice of all employees in respect of sites workshops and offices.

The company has an appointed Safety Consultant, whose role is to provide advisory support on all Safety related matters, to advise on current and future requirements and carry out site, workshop and office safety inspections and bring to the attention of management any deficiency observed, and for stopping any operation where the company’s employees or other persons are at serious risk.

Abbreviations

Definitions, within this policy

1. Responsibility for Health and Safety of the company’s Safety policy, receive reports on the effectiveness of it, take recommendations for improving the Safety performance of the company and implementing any changes that may from time to time be decided.
2. Have knowledge of the obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and relevant Regulation under that Act and other appropriate regulations and to keep acquainted with any new or revised legislation
3. Make arrangements for safety training for management and operatives, and to treat the Health and Safety of employees as a matter of importance equal to the other functions of a Director.
4. Investigating the cause of accidents or dangerous occurrences and recommending means of preventing recurrence.

Safety advisor/consultant

1. Accountable to the Director for the company Safety Policy, for the monitoring and assessment of the overall effect of the Safety policy, improve the company’s safety performance, enhance the company’s reputation in accident prevention, create within the company a positive safety and health awareness and attitude at all levels of employees from Directors to Operatives.
2. Carry out site inspections in association with site management and supervisors to ensure that all regulations are being observed, statutory notices have been posted. Mess rooms, washing facilities and other welfare amenities have been provided and are properly maintained.
3. Liaise with official and professional bodies e.g., HSE, EMAS, Fire Authority, Local Authority, Local Government Authorities, and Professional Institutes.

Manager

1. Produce the Safety Plan for each 3 month period with in input, if required, from the director and safety Advisor
2. Have a clear understanding of working methods and procedures. Assist with risk and substance assessments specifically highlighted on the hazardous task schedule, once work has started that the work is carried out in accordance with Regulations, and company policy requirements.
3. Implement the provision and maintenance of a safe working environments and systems of work. Ensure compliance with statutory and company regulations and all other regulations applicable to construction and related industries, duties associated to the company’s appointment of duty holders under the Construction Regulations.

Operatives

• Accountable through the chain of line management to their manager, to co-operate with him or any other persons in so far as is necessary to enable them to comply with any duty or requirement imposed on them by any legal provisions and policy requirements.
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their activities, avoid improvisation which involves risk and where appropriate make suggestions on ways of eliminating hazards.

• Comply with the instructions on the safe systems of work and correct use of tools, plant and equipment.
• Do not work unless you are aware of the risk and/or substance assessments and the control measures required.
• Use correctly and take care of any personnel protective clothing and safety equipment supplied to them and report and defects to their immediate supervisor.
• Do not use or operate any items of plant or equipment including vehicles unless competent and authorised to do so.
• Refrain from horseplay, the misuse of safety equipment and abuse of welfare facilities; obey warning signs and notices.
• Cooperate in the investigation of accidents with the objective of introducing methods to prevent a recurrence.

All employees

• All employees should have basic knowledge of the law governing the activities that they are employed upon.  To this end the company expects all of its employees to familiarise themselves with the requirements of this policy and to assist and co-operate with the company in its efforts to prevent accidents and ill health.
• It is also the statutory duty of every employee to observe and conform to their obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and regulations made under that act.
• It is the company policy to be alcohol and drugs free and we require that all employees adhere to this. No employee shall be at work, including travelling to and from work, whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs of abuse.

Contractors, sub-contractors

• In the common commitment to health and safety, and within its considerations for tenders, it is a requirement of the company that every contractor and sub-contractor and self employed person, shall in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract agreement, be required to strictly comply to the obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974, all other statutory acts and regulations, and the company health and safety policy, (the provisions of which the sub-contractor shall be deemed to have notice of and have allowed for the cost of these provisions within their tender),

1. All forms of harassment are behaviour that is unwelcome and unwanted, having implications affecting the dignity of an individual at work. This will not be tolerated by the Company, and could lead to legal action and dismissal. It is the Company’s wish to maintain a decent and respectable workplace for all. A formal complaint about harassment should be made through Berenice Gibson or Calum Roy.

Equal opportunities

1. The Company wholeheartedly supports the principle of equal opportunities in employment and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sex, age, marital status or disability. The Company is committed, wherever practicable, to working towards and maintaining a workforce which broadly reflects the local community in which it operates.

• The Company encourages applications from both sexes and all races and from disabled people, and will ensure that there are equal opportunities in all stages of the recruitment and promotion process.
• All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that individuals are treated equally and fairly and that decisions on recruitment, selection, training, promotion and career management are based solely on objective and job related criteria without regard to race, sex or disability.
• The Company will treat seriously, investigate fully and, where appropriate, take action, when any employee has a general grievance as a result of discrimination or harassment on sexual or racial grounds or on grounds of disability.

Implementation of the policy

Hazards of the work place

1. The hazardous operations associated with the activities of the company are those normally encountered in the industry and most are summarised as follows: -

• Trips and Falls, on the level or from Height
• Falls of objects or materials
• The safe use of plant and equipment
• Handling, use, storage and transportation of materials and substances.
• Operation involving grinding, chipping, sanding etc.
• Exposure to hazardous substances.
• Environmental and health problems such as dust, fumes, vapour, noise etc.