Health and Safety Policy [HTML]

Health and Safety Policy v4.0

1.1 Cardiff Community Housing Association (CCHA) is committed to taking all reasonable steps to ensure the safety, health and welfare of our tenants (tenants includes leaseholders from hereon in), employees and others who may be affected by our work activities, in accordance with current legislation.

1.2 We will provide such information, instruction and training as is necessary to ensure that all our employees are aware of their own duties and responsibilities under relevant legislation and to ensure implementation of this policy.

1.3 Risks assessments will be undertaken and reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the identification of all significant hazards and corrective action required to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

1.4 Sufficient resources will be provided to meet the requirements of health and safety legislation.

1.5 Our general intentions are:

To encourage and create a positive environment which promotes health and safety.
To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks to tenants, employees, and others arising from our work activities.
To consult with our tenants and employees on matters affecting their health & safety.
To provide and maintain safe premises, plant and work equipment.
To ensure safe handling and use of substances.
To provide adequate information, instruction, training and/or supervision for employees.
To conduct regular safety audits to measure performance and identify areas for improvement.
To maintain safe and healthy working conditions.
To review and revise this policy at regular intervals.

Signed: Hayley Selway, Chief Executive Officer, July 2022

2.1 This health and safety policy sets out CCHA’s commitment to health and safety management, and how we will comply with our legal obligations and meet best practice. Our tenants are at the heart of everything we do and their safety is paramount to us.

2.2 CCHA recognises everyone has health and safety responsibilities for themselves, and for others. This policy will lay the foundation for these responsibilities to be effectively put into practice.

3.1 This document describes CCHA’s policy in relation to how it manages the health and safety of its tenants, staff and others who are effected by our work. It lays out how we plan to provide a safe environment and aim for ‘zero harm’. This policy applies to all employees and contractors.

Our Tenant engagement Service / Scrutiny Panel, and our Health & Safety Committee inform all of our services – Frontline Managers and Staff, Senior Management, Corporate Leadership Team, and the Chief Executive. In turn, our Health and Safety Team feed into these services and vice versa.

All teams and panels are lead by the CCHA Board who are in partnership with the Audit and Risk Committee.

5.1 All Board members, directors, staff, contractors, suppliers and everyone affected by CCHA’s work has a responsibility for health and safety. A summary of roles and responsibilities is included in the section below.

5.2 Chief Executive

5.2.1 The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for health and safety at CCHA. It is the role of the Chief Executive:

To ensure that an up to date Health and Safety Policy is in place.
To ensure adequate resources are provided to allow CCHA’s health and safety policy and risk assessments to be effective.
To appoint competent persons to assist in enabling CCHA to meet the requirements of health and safety law, as defined by The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
To appoint a competent director who is responsible for health and safety (currently the Corporate Director, Central Services).
To positively promote health and safety in all activities undertaken by CCHA.
Ensure that our tenants’ voices on health and safety matters is heard.
To notify the Board / Regulator as appropriate of serious breaches of Health & Safety.

5.3 CCHA Board

5.3.1 CCHA Board will:

Ensure that there are suitable health & safety arrangements in place, in particular around compliance with relevant regulations and legislation. The Main Board will use the internal governance and control framework in place for assurance that these responsibilities are met.
The Board has delegated the monitoring of health and safety performance to the Audit & Risk Committee and this is embodied in its terms of reference.
Seek support and advice from CCHA’s Health and Safety Team on health and safety matters.
Undertake training necessary to ensure it has the required skills to seek assurance in these areas.
Review and seek assurance on CCHA’s health and safety performance and performance in relation to CCHA’s landlord health and safety responsibilities.
Approve CCHA’s Health & Safety Policy.
Ensure that our tenants’ voices on health and safety matters is heard.

5.4 Audit and Risk Committee

5.4.1 The Audit and Risk Committee has several functions but in terms of health and safety management, it serves to offer assurance to CCHA that safety risks are appropriately controlled. The Audit & Risk Committee will:

Review and oversee the details of the Health & Safety policy and make recommendations to the Board in regard to the content of this policy for approval.
Monitor the effectiveness of the implementation of management of our Health and Safety Policy.
Review and seek assurance on CCHA’s health and safety performance and performance in relation to CCHA’s landlord health and safety responsibilities.
Ensure health and safety and landlord compliance features heavily in CCHA’s annual internal audit plans.
Ensure that our tenants’ voices on health and safety matters is heard.

5.5 Corporate Leadership Team

5.5.1 The Corporate Leadership Team will be responsible for leadership within CCHA. In particular:

Establishing plans to implement policies and integrating these into the general activities of the organisation.
Assigning responsibilities for organising, planning, implementing, measuring, reviewing and auditing health and safety policy and procedures.
Agreeing plans for improvement and reviewing progress on the development of the organisation and the policy.
Providing adequate resources to manage health and safety including the provision of expert advice.
Ensuring health and safety performance is regularly reviewed.
Ensuring the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Committee
Delivering effective health and safety leadership and creating a health and safety culture throughout the organisation.
Appointing one of its members to be the director responsible for health and safety.
Include details of health and safety performance in the annual report to stakeholders.
Ensure that our tenants’ voices on health and safety matters is heard.
Review and seek assurance on CCHA’s health and safety performance and performance in relation to CCHA’s landlord health and safety responsibilities.

5.6 Health & Safety Committee

5.6.1 The Health & Safety Committee is CCHA’s health and safety general committee comprising of the Chief Executive and members of the corporate leadership team, senior management team, frontline managers and staff. The Committee will:

Ensure health and safety policy and safe systems of work are fit for purpose and consistently deployed across CCHA.
Monitor the implementation of the health and safety policy and safe systems of work.
Check progress and monitor the risk assessment program, health and safety initiatives, audits and inspections and actions arising from these.
Take steps to understand the requirements of staff for and as a result define the requirements for, and monitor the delivery of, health and safety training.
Review health and safety aspects of new initiatives and approve changes to health and safety procedure and guidance.
Give consideration to the effects of new health and safety legislation, enforcing authority reports and information releases.
Review accidents, incidents, dangerous occurrences and near misses and make recommendations to ensure the health and safety of staff is maintained.
Have oversight, help remove any barriers and report back to Corporate Leadership Team.
Ensure that our tenants’ voices on health and safety matters is heard.
Review and seek assurance on CCHA’s health and safety performance and performance in relation to CCHA’s landlord health and safety responsibilities.

5.7 Senior Management Team

5.7.1 The Senior Management Team will be responsible for the organisation and planning regarding health and safety in areas of their control. This includes the management of consultants, contractors, tenants, temporary and agency staff, and all persons effected by CCHA’s work. Specifically they will:

Organise and plan the health and safety arrangements for the business.
Establish management arrangements, risk control systems and safe systems of work with operating practices and to review them on a regular basis or when changes occur.
Ensure through corporate and operational planning that health and safety objectives are an integral part of CCHA’s business plans.
Keep up to date with changes in relevant health and safety law, standards and good practice.
Ensure the active participation, involvement, compliance and consultation with all employees in the management and planning of health and safety.
Ensure that all staff receive health and safety training and induction commensurate with their work activities and that this training is refreshed at appropriate intervals.
Participate in the investigation of accidents as required and to ensure that remedial action is carried out.
Ensure all health and safety risks identified and high risks are included in the relevant risk registers.
Ensure managers comply with their responsibilities detailed in this policy and carry out their duties accordingly.
Ensure that competent specialist advice is taken as necessary.
Ensure that health and safety issues are placed on the agendas of appropriate meetings to ensure discussion and resolution.

5.8 Frontline Managers and Staff

5.8.1 CCHA’s frontline managers, team leaders and other staff formally recognised as deputising in their absence, have responsibility for implementing adequate health and safety arrangements for staff and tenants on a day to day basis. They are responsible for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of staff, and all those effected by CCHA’s work. They are also responsible for ensuring compliance with Health and Safety regulations with regard to buildings being managed by them. They will:

Implement operational plans, management arrangements and safety controls.
Deploy resources and information to ensure all activities are carried out safely.
Provide timely feedback to line management on performance including successes and failure and any deficiencies in plans, arrangements, systems or precautions relating to safety.
Ensure that safety relevant defects are reported appropriately and rectified in a timely manner.
Ensure that health and safety risks are managed on-site in conjunction with surveyors and contract managers until the defect is rectified.
Communicate with staff and ensure the participation of staff, contractors and tenants (as appropriate) in health and safety activities.
Implement the health and safety policy and associated procedures within premises under their control.
Ensure the delivery of appropriate health and safety training and induction to their staff, and communicate safety messages to relevant parties in an effective and timely manner.
Ensure the details of all work related accidents, near misses, dangerous occurrences and occupational diseases are reported to the health and safety team in the prescribed manner as soon as practical after the event.
Ensure that all risks are identified, that all risk assessments are undertaken and that relevant people are aware of the control measures in place.
Make sure that all risk and needs assessments undertaken for tenants give due consideration to risks identified through the workplace risk assessment process (fire, fall from height, hot water etc.)
Implement control measures and produce any necessary safe systems of work along with adequate supervision and instructions to ensure tasks are conducted safely.
Notify line management about any hazards, accidents or known medical conditions of their staff.
Stop any dangerous activity observed, and take action to establish a safe system of work.
Ensure that when identified through risk assessment, personal protective equipment is provided to staff and that a system for managing the equipment is adopted.
Promote health and safety awareness amongst staff (and tenants as appropriate.)
Make sure regular inspections are undertaken so that premises and equipment in use are safe and in good order.
Develop and maintain emergency response and business recovery plans.
Maintain and implement procedures for staff working away from the office including lone working, work on construction sites and in void properties, driving whilst at work, working from home and working at other locations.
Frontline Managers and Team Leaders should liaise with the Health and Safety Team and seek advice on health and safety issues as required.

5.8.2 Front line staff are integral to CCHA’s safety culture and CCHA will ensure that workers have all they need to ensure the health, safety and welfare of themselves and others around them. All staff will:

Cooperate with managers, complete required training, and follow CCHA’s health and safety policies and procedures.
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety, and that of others.
Notify line management about any hazard identified or malfunctioning work equipment.
Report any accidents or incidents.
Report any medical condition that could affect others at work, or their ability to conduct their work safely.
Understand and follow specific policies, procedures and safe systems of work designed for the job being undertaken.
Wear appropriate safety equipment and use appropriate safety devices.
Not to interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health and safety.
Raise any matters of concern about health and safety to their immediate manager.

5.9 Technical specialists

5.9.1 Within CCHA it is recognised that some job roles require technical specialists. For example, Asbestos Surveyors, Fire Risk Assessors and Gas Engineers. Each technical specialist has responsibility for health and safety in relation to the design and management of projects and work streams under their control including implementing adequate day to day health and safety arrangements during the course of the work.

5.9.2 They are responsible for the design of safe working systems and the health and safety of residents, contractors, tradespersons and others who come into contact with ongoing projects. They are also responsible for ensuring compliance with all relevant health and safety regulations and compliance with this policy and associated procedures.

5.9.3 All technical staff will be suitably qualified, competent and have an awareness of health and safety and regulations relevant to their areas of responsibility. Specifically, these responsibilities are to:

Ensure that all risks in regard to projects or work streams are identified.
Implement control measures and produce any necessary safe systems of work along with adequate supervision and instructions to ensure projects/work streams are conducted safely.
Notify line management about any accidents, hazards or health and safety concerns in relation to projects/work streams.
Report all accidents and incidents to the health and safety team.
Stop any dangerous activity observed, and take action to establish a safe system of work.
Work toward rectifying any hazards identified during the course of the work or post completion.
Ensure health and safety performance by contractors is one of the measured performance KPI’s.
Ensure adequate arrangements are established to review contractor performance.
Co-ordinate work as required with any appointed external technical specialist.
Each external specialist will be assessed for competence in safety via the contract management process.

5.10 Health and Safety Manager

5.10.1 The Health and Safety Manager provides competent advice to the business in accordance with regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. They also acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the business, providing assurance and direction of health and safety matters. They will:

Give advice and guidance on matters pertinent to health and safety when requested.
Offer advice in line with legislative change and collaborate with stakeholders in the implantation of such changes.
Review safety critical policies and procedures ensuring a streamlined and pragmatic approach.
Demonstrate strong health and safety leadership and ensure ownership is maintained at a local level.
Ensure health and safety matters are promoted positively without confusion.
Measure the safety climate of the business and take a risk based approach to health and safety intervention.
Engage with the business to offer support and deliver Health & Safety solutions where necessary.
Undertake thematic reviews and preventative work to improve safety management.
Undertake ad hoc site inspections to establish that high standards of site safety are being observed.
Carry out Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulation checks to ensure all parts of the CDM process are being carried out appropriately.
Deliver toolbox talks and staff briefings on health and safety
Work with managers in creating a health and safety training plan.
Maintain and develop the safety management system.
Service relevant safety committees and report to boards.
Make statutory reports on behalf of the business.
Ensure safety training is fit for purpose
Lead on major accident and H&S internal investigations.
Liaison as necessary and appropriate with the Health & Safe Executive, following consultation with the Chief Executive.
Have the authority to request information pertinent to health and safety from the business.
Approve changes to health and safety policies and procedures.
Ensure regular reporting to Boards and Committees so as to enable them to assess the effectiveness of our health and safety management system, with reports containing a mixture of lead and lag indicators of health and safety performance.
Develop and deliver an annual health and safety communications plan addressed to both staff and tenants with the aim of raising awareness of health and safety risks and how to reduce them.

5.11 Tenant Engagement Service / Scrutiny

5.11.1 As part of the tenant engagement work, it is of paramount importance to CCHA, that our tenants’ voices are heard. Tenants from a wide range of backgrounds, will be routinely involved through our engagement arrangements to provide input and scrutiny on health & safety matters, including for example, policy development. Tenant input into driving forward our Health & Safety agenda will be achieved on both an informal and formal basis, ensuring a broad range of views and opinions are heard and acted on.

6.1 CCHA operates a safety management system based on HSG 65 following the recognised Plan – Do – Check – Act principles.

Plan

Policies and procedures are established by the business and are approved via the Health and Safety Team to ensure compliance with the law, and best practice.
Structures and arrangements are in place to ensure that communication throughout the business is appropriate and that safety is at the forefront of what we do.
Performance standards are set by the Executive Board and communicated via the Health & Safety Committee.

Do

Risk is identified in the business and controls are put in place to limit those risks to a suitable level. Staff are trained to manage risk correctly.
Resource is allocated based on the level of risk and priorities are set and improved upon.
Sufficient resource is allocated to ensure the plan is enacted appropriately.

Check

A variety of lag and leading indicators are used to check the effectiveness of our safety management.
Self-audit and internal audit are both used to verify our practices and suggest areas for improvement. CCHA are committed to investigating accidents, near misses and cases of occupational disease in order to improve the health, safety and welfare of our staff.

Act

CCHA will learn from mistakes, and take action to prevent reoccurrence of any accidents. Performance will be reviewed regularly, in light of change in law or circumstances.
The results of performance measures will be acted upon in a sensible risk based manner.

7.1 CCHA produces detailed policies and procedures on key risk areas as standalone documents, this enables them to be updated, reviewed and owned by the most relevant subject matter expert. Managers will be responsible for familiarising staff with these policies and procedures and for their implementation. The policies and procedures will be reviewed and amended by the Health and Safety team following consultation. These include but are not limited to:

Asbestos
Blood-borne Pathogens
COSHH Assessment
Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
Driving at Work
Electricity
Fire
Gas
Hand Arm Vibration
Legionella
Lifts (PUWER and LOLER)
Manual Handling
Noise
Risk Assessment
Stress
Tenant Safety
Violence at Work
Workplace
Workplace Transport
Contractors Control
Construction Design and Management

7.2 CCHA operates using a recognised hierarchy of controls, preferring to eliminate risk wherever possible.

8.1 This policy is a requirement under the Section 2 (3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Document Information

Business Owner: Health & Safety Manager – Rhys Hutchings

Version No: 4.0

Effective Date: 20th July 2022

Review Date: 20th July 2023

Document History

June 2019

Version No: 1.0

Author: Health and Safety Manager – David Wintle

Description: Policy approved at Board on 12^th June 2019.

June 2020

Version No: 2.0

Author: Health and Safety Manager – Andrew Tootell

Description: Policy approved at Board on 3^rd June 2020.

July 2021

Version No: 3.0

Author: Head of Governance – Daniel Lewis

Description: Policy annual review – no changes. Approved by decision between meeting (DM10.21/22)

July 2022