Health and Safety Policy

Health and Safety Policy Statement

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

This is the Health and Safety Policy Statement for

GILLINGHAM TOWN COUNCIL

Statement of general policy as follows:-

  • To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities.
  • To consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety.
  • To provide and maintain safe plant and equipment.
  • To ensure safe handling and use of substances.
  • To provide information and supervision for employees.
  • To ensure all employees are competent to do their tasks, and to give them adequate training.
  • To prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health.
  • To maintain safe and healthy working conditions.
  • To review this policy on an annual basis, when there is a change in working practices or following a major incident.

Signed:   Chairman Policy & Resources Committee________________________________

Signed:   Town Clerk_____________________________________

Date____________________________________

Review date____________________________________

 

Responsibilities 

Gillingham Town Council has full and final responsibility for all Health and Safety matters relating to its activities and ensuring that a Health and Safety Policy is in place.    

Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put in to practice is delegated to:-

Mrs Sylvia Dobie - Town Clerk

Mr Philip Knott - Office Manager 

Mr Simon Dobie - Works Manager

Mr Mostyn Coombes – Head Groundsman

Cllr M Lodge- Lead Member Health and Safety Working Party

With the following areas of responsibility:-

 

Name

 

Title

 

Area of responsibility
For Health and Safety matters

Responsibility for Risk Assessment

Mr Philip Knott

 

Office Manager

Town Hall
  1. Town Hall
  2. Emergency Lighting
  3. Fire Alarm 

Mr Simon Dobie

 Mr. Mostyn Coombes

Works Manager

Head Groundsman

 Workshop and the supervision of outside Ground Staff Workshop and the supervision of outside Ground Staff in the absence of the Works Manager
  1. Workshop
  2. Detailed Risk Assessments for all operational tasks

 

 

Health and Safety Working Party
(Including Works Manger)

 

Gillingham Town  Council Health and Safety Working Party

 

Oversees all Health and Safety Matters

 

Approval of completed Risk Assessments

Cllr M Lodge 

Member of Town Council

Lead Member of Health and Safety Working Party Nominated Health and Safety Officer

Liaising with Works Manager

Julie Hansford

Administrative Assistant

First Aid 

 

 

Employees Responsibilities

 All employees have a responsibility to:-

  • Co-operate with their Line Manager on all Health and Safety matters
  • Not to interfere with any item of equipment provided to safeguard their Personal Health and Safety
  • Take all reasonable precautions in order to protect both their own health and safety and the other members of the workforce. 
  • Report all Health and Safety concerns to their line manager (as detailed in this policy document)

Health and Safety Risk Assessments

  1. The Annual review of the Risk Assessment covering all areas of the Town Council’s responsibility, using the LCRS Template, will be undertaken by the Office Manager, with a report presented to the Policy and Resources Committee. 
  2. The Risk Assessment for the Town Hall will be reviewed annually by the Office Manager.
  3. The Risk Assessment for the Workshop will be reviewed annually by the Works Manager.
  4. Individual Risk Assessments covering routine operational tasks, carried out by the members of the outside ground staff team, will be reviewed on an annual basis, and when the method of carrying out the task changes. 
  5. Risk Assessments for one off operational tasks will be completed by the Works Manager prior to commencement of work.
  6. Proposals to remove / control risks to be approved by the General Purposes Committee following receipt of a recommendation from the Health and Safety Working Party.
  7. Responsibility for the implementation of actions required, as a result of the Risk Assessments, are the Works Manager for the Workshop, and Operations, and the Office Manger for the Town Hall.     

Consultation with Employees

Employees representatives are as follows:-

  • The Health and Safety Working Party 
  • The Office Manager- Town Hall Staff 
  • The Works Manager - Outside Ground Staff 

Consultation with employees is provided by:-

  • Incorporation of Health and Safety matters at the meetings
  • Regular tool box talks on the tasks to be carried out 
  • Ensuring that employees have access to plant and machinery manuals and risk assessments

Safe Plant and Equipment

Responsibility for identifying all substances which need a COSHH assessment:-

  • The Works Manger responsible for the preparation of servicing schedules, and ensuring that the repair, and servicing, of horticultural plant and machinery is carried out
  • The Office Manager is responsible for ensuring that all of the items of electrical equipment in the Town Hall and Workshop are PAT tested.
  • Checks will be made to ensure that all new plant and equipment meets health and safety requirements before it is purchased.

Safe handling and use of Substances

Responsibility for identifying all substances which need a COSHH assessment:-

  • The Works Manager is responsible for identifying all substances that require a COSHH assessment prior to use.
  • The Works Manager is responsible for ensuring that all of the requirements, as identified in the assessments, are implemented prior to use. 
  • The ability to use substances safely to be checked before they are purchased.
  • COSHH assessments will be reviewed on both an annual basis and when the method of carrying out the task changes.
  • Checks to be made on outside contractors carrying out work for Town Council

            Information, Instruction, Supervision

  • The Health and Safety at Work Act notice is displayed at The Town Hall and the Workshop. 
  • Health and Safety advice is available from the Works Manager, Office Manager, and the Lead Member of the Health and Safety Working Party.

Competency and Training 

  • Induction training will be provided for all new employees 
  • Job specific training will be provided by the Line Manger  
  • Appropriate training will be arranged / undertaken / and monitored by the Line Manager.  

Accidents and Work Related Health Problems

  • First aid boxes are provided at the Town Hall and the Workshop 
  • First aid boxes are provided in Vehicles and Horticultural tractors  
  • Designated first aid personnel are: Julie Hansford, Mostyn Coombes, Martin Down, Chris Bray and Sylvia Dobie. 
  • All accidents and work-related health problems are recorded in the accident book held at the reception desk at the Town Hall for adminstaff and town hall related incidents and at the Workshop for outside groundstaff. 
  • The Town Clerk is the person responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority and ensuring first Aid contents are replenished and in date.

Monitoring

To check working conditions, and ensure safe working practices are being followed, the following measures will be taken:-

  • Carry out routine inspections 
  • Carry out spot checks 
  • Investigate any sickness or absences that occur as a result of a work related incident 
  • Investigate any accidents that occur 

The Works Manager is the person responsible for investigating accidents and work-related causes of sickness absences for all ground staff and the Office Manager for administrative staff. 

The Town Clerk is the person responsible for acting on investigation findings to prevent any recurrence. 

Town Hall Emergency Evacuation

The Office Manager is responsible for ensuring the following measures are implemented:-

  • A fire risk assessment is undertaken and reviewed on annual basis  
  • Escape routes are checked daily 
  • The Fire alarm system is tested on a weekly basis and annually by a certified engineer (one half every six months) 
  • Fire extinguishers are serviced annually by a certified engineer. 
  • Emergency evacuation procedures tested every six months 
  • Daily visual check of the emergency lighting system 
  • Monthly recorded test simulating mains failure for a short period
  • Three monthly recorded test simulating mains failure for a period of one hour 
  • Annual recorded test simulating mains failure for a period of three hours

 Download File