Health and Safety Policy

MUDFORD PARISH COUNCIL

HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT

This is the Health and Safety Policy Statement of Mudford Parish Council:

Mudford Parish Council recognises and accepts its responsibility for providing a safe and healthy environment for its members; staff; volunteers; visitors; and for anyone affected by its activities.

The Council maintains this policy for the management of health and safety as its top priority and will do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure effective organisation and planning are established and maintained. The Council will also ensure that appropriate and effective audit and review mechanisms are used to inform the work of the Council, which undertakes to commit appropriate resources to manage health and safety.

Mudford Parish Council’s statement of general policy, below, is based upon that required by virtue of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Although the Council has a single employee, the principles of the Act and its underpinning Regulations as later published are taken by the Council as a minimum requirement for the safe and effective management of the Council and its activities.

Mudford Parish Council’s statement of general policy is:
• To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our activities.
• To consult with our staff on matters affecting their health and safety.
• To provide and maintain safe equipment.
• To provide sufficient information, instruction, and supervision of staff, volunteers and visitors as far as is reasonably practicable.
• To ensure all staff and volunteers are competent in their Council-related activities, and to provide adequate training as far as is reasonably practicable.
• To prevent accidents and activity-related ill health as far as is reasonably practicable.
• To maintain safe and healthy conditions for conducting the Council’s business and the public facilities it provides.
• To review and revise this Policy as necessary at regular intervals, but at least annually.

The Council’s Safety Officer is the Parish Clerk. Her responsibility is:
a) To oversee, implement and monitor the policy.
b) The preparation of risk assessments.
c) The provision of information, instruction, supervision and training in relation to their specific areas of expertise.
d) The investigation of accidents and incidents and maintenance of safety records.
e) When an accident or hazardous incident occurs, take immediate action to prevent a recurrence or further accident and to complete the necessary accident reporting procedure.
f) Act as the contact and liaison point for the Health and Safety Inspectorate.

Reporting of accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences:
The Safety Officer will be responsible for reporting of accidents. The current regulations governing the notification and recording of accidents are the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. These regulations require that certain prescribed events, injuries and diseases be formally reported.

In the event of an accident resulting in injury, a report will be drawn up by the Safety Officer detailing:
• The circumstances of the accident including photographs and diagrams wherever possible.
• The nature and severity of the injury sustained.
• The identity of any eyewitnesses.
• The time, date and location of the incident.
• The date of the report.

All eyewitness accounts will be collected as near to the time of the accident as is reasonably practicable.