Sleaford Navigation Trust Health and Safety policy
The Trust’s Health and Safety policy
The Board of Directors of the Sleaford Navigation Trust is committed to achieving the highest standards of health and safety management and recognises the importance of achieving, and maintaining, a safe and healthy working environment. The Trust will do everything that is reasonable and practicable to conform to its Health and Safety policy and, to achieve that, requires the application of sufficient resources, acceptance by management throughout the Trust that Health and Safety is a prime responsibility, and a co-operative effort at all levels of the organisation.
The Trust will:
- Assess and manage the risks to the health and safety of its members and to others that may be affected by its activities or by its assets.
- Implement and maintain management systems to ensure effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of Health and Safety measures.
- Promote a Health and Safety culture amongst its directors and volunteers.
- Promote working practices and standards of behaviour which minimise the risk of injury and occupational ill health.
- Comply with statutory requirements relating to Health and Safety.
The Trust will achieve this by:
- Maintaining safe and healthy assets and places of work.
- Ensuring that work sites and assets are managed so that risk to members of the public is minimised.
- Providing information, instruction, training and supervision to enable volunteers to work safely, without risk to their health and the health of others.
- Ensuring that safe methods of work are established by identifying hazards and assessing risks.
- Utilising plant and equipment that can be operated and maintained safely.
- Establishing safe methods of work whenever new activities, substances, plant or equipment are introduced.
- Providing Health and Safety information to others including visitors and those working on site.
- Being prepared for emergencies.
- Ensuring that all individuals are aware of their responsibilities as far as Health and Safety are concerned.
- Ensuring all contractors employed by the Trust have adequate procedures and processes to manage risk by monitoring the implementation of those procedures and processes through the appointment of a Site Manager or Project Manager as appropriate.
- Undertaking periodic review of Health and Safety policies and management systems.
Application of the Policy
- The policy must be applied to all activities carried out by and on behalf of the Trust.
Responsibilities and Accountabilities
- The Directors of the Trust are responsible for the approval of the Trust’s Health and Safety policy. The Chairman has ultimate responsibility for running the Trust and has a prime role in Health and Safety to ensure that adequate funds and resources are allocated to safety matters and to encourage consultation and involvement in safety by all volunteers.
The Work Party Co-ordinator is responsible for the organisation of work parties. He will ensure that:
- He, or any other person designated as Work Party Leader, takes personal responsibility for Health and Safety management in respect of the work party.
- Proper records, contact details and medical information are kept for those attending work parties in accordance with the Trust’s Volunteering and GDPR policies.
- All persons taking part in the work party are properly briefed, have received appropriate training or receive appropriate supervision, and have available, and use, appropriate personal or other protective equipment.
- All plant and machinery used is suitable and safe.
- All appropriate documentation for the work party including risk assessments and method statements have been produced and, where necessary, approved.
- First Aid requirements are assessed and contingency plans for foreseeable emergencies are made.
- Any accidents are properly recorded and reported.
- The Board of Directors may appoint an individual to manage an event or activity and, if so appointed, then that person shall have the same responsibilities in respect of that event or activity as the Work Party Co-ordinator has in respect of work parties.
- The successful achievement of the Health and Safety policy objectives depends, to a great extent, on the active involvement and co-operation of every volunteer, each of whom is responsible for working safely and making sure that their actions do not harm either themselves or other people. Every director and volunteer of the Trust must comply with this policy and observe rules and directions that enable the highest standards of Health and Safety to be achieved.
Communication and Review
- This policy will be communicated to all volunteers and contractors working for the Trust and reviewed at least annually and earlier if circumstances so require.