Health & Safety

Overall Policy

SECTION 1 – AIMS AND ORGANISATION

1.      Aim

The Insolvency Service expects to comply with all legal requirements of the Health and Safety at Work act (HASAWA) 1974, including any Crown Notices served upon it by the Health and Safety Executive and all other relevant statutory provisions and regulations. Where Crown Immunity exists, it is committed to complying with the spirit of the HASAWA. 

The Service accepts that as an employer it has a duty to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees; and conduct its undertaking in such a way that they, visitors and contractors are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. 

The Service is committed to providing:

• A safe working environment for all staff;
• Systems and working practices for the maintenance of fabric, plant and equipment and the management of materials which are safe;
• Adequate welfare and first aid facilities;
• Sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure staff work in a safe manner.

The Service seeks the support of all staff in achieving these aims.

 2.      Organization of Health & Safety in The Service

The Permanent Secretary for the Department of Trade & Industry has overall responsibility for health & safety policy in the Department and retains the right to monitor The Service’s compliance with health & safety requirements. The Chief Executive is responsible for all health and safety matters in the Insolvency Service and submits regular reports to the Agency Steering Board. 

3.                  Roles & Responsibilities 

3.1            Property Services & Procurement Section (PSP) 

• Co-ordinate health and safety arrangements and policy issues throughout The Service;
• Provide information and guidance to staff and Local Safety Officers;
• Ensure full and timely compliance with health & safety legislation and codes of practice and to keep staff aware of changes;
• Monitor performance of health & safety arrangements in The Service, including carrying out periodic health & safety checks in buildings occupied by The Service;
• Ensure adequate training is provided to staff on health & safety practices;
• Create a climate among staff of the need for good health & safety practices;
• Co-ordinate first arrangements & safety evacuation procedures within The Service.

 3.2          Line Management 

Line Managers at all levels must ensure that suitable work procedures and arrangements are in place for safe guarding the health, safety and welfare of their staff, including homeworkers. This responsibility includes the provision of sufficient information and training for the safe operation of any equipment or machinery, or the safe use of any substance. Line Managers are encouraged to seek advice from PSP about any health and safety matter. 

In jointly occupied buildings, where The Service needs to work in conjunction with others, line managers have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their staff, even where The Service is a minor occupier. Line management should ensure that liaison arrangements are put in place with the rest of the building occupants, preferably through a house committee, in order to ensure the health & safety of Insolvency Service staff is properly safeguarded. 

3.3          Employee Responsibility 

It is the duty of every member of staff whilst at work to look after their own welfare and health & safety, to abide by the health & safety guidance and provisions which are in place and to ensure that their actions cannot result in injury or harm to anyone else. In particular, staff should make themselves aware of the arrangements for fire and other emergencies, first aid and accident reporting procedures. These are set out in Section 2 and the Annex. If staff fail to take reasonable steps to safeguard their own health & safety or that of anyone else who may be affected by their actions it will be regarded as a serious breach of Departmental rules as set out in paragraph 923 of The Guide and may lead to disciplinary action. In addition, failure by line managers or individual members of staff to discharge duties imposed under the HASAWA and Regulations made under the Act could lead to criminal prosecution. However the Health and Safety Executive have given an assurance that where there has been a failure of management organisation, individual civil servants will not be prosecuted.

It is the responsibility of the staff, either in face to face meetings or when chairing larger, to inform visitors of building evacuation procedures.  

3.4          Local Safety Officers 

Each building on The Service estate has a Local Safety Officer, reporting to the Official Receiver, or Head of Section in HQ, whose responsibilities are to: 

·         Ensure that The Service’s health and safety policies are implemented in the building;

·         Uphold the principles of good house keeping, ensuring that all safety equipment is maintained in good order and used correctly;

·         Co-ordinate any necessary action following an accident or incident which could result in an accident;

·         Be vigilant in preventing hazards arising the building;

·         Inspect the building comprehensively at least annually, ensure that any hazards are promptly rectified and forward a report to the PSP Health & Safety Co-coordinator. Safety Officers should invite local trade union side appointed health and safety representatives to accompany them.

·         Ensure that contractors and visitors are made aware of their responsibilities under the HASAWA Regulations and Approved Code of Practices whilst on the premises;

·         Provide The Service Safety Co-coordinator with details of all accidents covering causes and types of injury, noting action to be taken to avoid recurrences and maintain a local record of all such accidents;

·         Consult local trade union side appointed representatives and inform them of developments affecting local health and safety arrangements;

·         Arrange and attend meetings of the local Safety Committee 

3.5        Trade Union Side

   It is DTI and Insolvency Service to encourage the setting up of Safety Committees and the appointment of safety representatives under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977 to cover all its buildings to consider local health and safety matters and promote a safe working environment.  A Safety Committee will be established where this is requested in writing by at least two trade union side appointed safety representatives. The Chair of each Safety Committee is usually a senior member of staff from the building by the committee. The Service will make sufficient facilities available for Safety Representatives to be able to participate in Safety Committees and Health & Safety inspections.

The Service also consults with the trade union side through the Insolvency Service Agency Committee (ISAWC) and Regional Whitley Committees as appropriate. In addition there is a Joint National Health & Safety Whitley Sub-Committee (JNC). 

4.      Review of Policy 

This policy statement will be reviewed annually by the JNC, in consultation with the ISAWC, and revised as necessary.

SECTION 2 – Insolvency Service Health & Safety Arrangements

1.      Incident Control and Fire Precautions

 PSP is responsible for co-coordinating incident control and fire precautions arrangements and monitoring performance for Service occupied buildings. All Service occupied buildings have an Incident Controller (IC), normally the most senior officer in the building, whose primary responsibility is to take management control in the event of a major incident affecting the building. The IC will appoint deputies to assist in carrying out this duty. Each building has a Fire Precautions Officer (FPO) and deputy to carry out the day to day administration associated with incident and fire control. Floor Liaison Officers (FLO s) are appointed to assist in the evacuation, where necessary, of buildings during an incident and fire control. Floor Liaison Officers (FLO s) are appointed to assist in the evacuation, where necessary, of buildings during an incident.

  The Service has appointed managing agents to regularly review fire precautions arrangements and the Home Office Fire Inspector will make periodic inspections. The FPO will normally be involved with such inspections in order to be consulted about any subsequent actions. The IC and FPO should produce local Bomb and Fire Precautions and Emergency Procedures instructions for their building and they should be regularly reviewed and issued annually to all staff in that building. 

Fire instruction notices are prominently displayed throughout each building: fire drills are arranged twice a year in each building: and fire alarms tested and fire fighting appliances maintained at frequent and regular intervals. PSP monitors that fire drills are undertaken and ensures that any necessary follow-up action is processed without delay. 

2. Health & Safety Information and Training 

Psp and line management, are responsible for ensuring that the Service’s staff have sufficient awareness, information and training to discharge their general health & safety obligations. Appropriate arrangements will be made for training of Local Safety Officers and First Aiders. There may be cases where specialized information or training is required to meet localized needs and such circumstances it is line management responsibility to identify those needs and to seek advice from PSP. PSP will circulate health & safety information for all staff as necessary and develop a core collection of H&S material for all locations.

3.   First Aid and Accident Reporting

The Service will aim to maintain a ratio of at least one trained First Aider for every 50 members of staff. The service will also aim to provide first aid facilities where appropriate in all major and solely occupied buildings. Notices will be displayed in each building giving the names and locations of First Aiders.

Staff should report all accidents at work, however trivial, to line management as soon as possible so that work procedures can be reviewed, Staff should also ensure that all injuries are entered in an accident book (usually kept in the first aid room). Line managers should enter details in the accident book when a member of staff is not in a position to do it for themselves.

    The Local Accommodation Officer should be notified immediately of:

·    any accidents, injury or work related disease which results in an absence from work of more than three days:

·     fatalities and major injuries which are defined by the HSE as reportable:

·     diseases, which are defined by the HSE as reportable.

Any incidents that do not lead to an injury but reveal a potential hazard should be reported to the local building Safety Officer and or Accommodation Officer.

4. Safety Outside the Office

The nature of this Agency’s work can involve members of staff in visits to outside premises. These premises may have been used for industrial processes, possibly involving dangerous chemicals. The building may be unsafe or house unguarded machinery. Those previously responsible for the operation of the premises and/or processes may not have discharged those responsibilities with due regard to Health & Safety matters. Even where they have, the very nature of the work processes, may themselves present a hazard. In such circumstances Agency staff must exercise the utmost care and attention and should take whatever steps are necessary to protect their persons, including wearing protective clothing or equipment where appropriate. 

In similar vein, members of the public may very occasionally pose a threat to staff. Staff should not put themselves, or others, at risk and should take whatever steps are necessary to safeguard themselves and others in such situations. Particular care may need to be taken when it is necessary to conduct interviews outside the office.