Health and Safety
1. Health and Safety Responsibilities - General
All John Bourne & Company Limited employees are required, as part of their employment, to read and understand their responsibilities for themselves, their colleagues; the general public; our client’s representatives and visitors to our sites under the Health and Safety at Works Act (HASWA) 1974.
The summary contained in this information and advice statement is more fully covered in the John Bourne & Company Limited Policy for Health, Safety and Welfare. A copy of this is available to all employees and is also provided on each site for reference purposes along with other information on safe working practices with regard to other procedures and substances that we are likely to adopt or use.
The John Bourne & Company Limited Policy Document for Health, Safety and Welfare must be read and understood as it contains specific health and safety requirements for the various jobs undertaken by employees in the course of the Company’s work.
2. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Statement of Intent - The promotion of health, safety and welfare measures is a mutual objective for John Bourne & Company Limited and all of its employees at all levels within the Company. The Company is in full agreement with the aims and intentions of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which calls for the acceptance and exercise of appropriate responsibility at all levels and requires better systems of safety organisation, for more management initiatives and more involvement of employees themselves.
It is the intention that all of John Bourne & Company Limited’s work and activities will be conducted in a manner which will not cause risk to health and safety of its employees, clients or the general public.
For this purpose, it is the Company’s policy that the responsibility for health and safety will be divided between all employees as outlined below:
John Bourne & Company Limited, as a reasonable employer; will make every endeavour to meet its legal obligations under the Health and safety at Work Act to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its employees, client’s representatives and the general public. Particular attention will be paid to the following:
1. The provision and maintenance of plant and equipment and systems of work that are, as far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health.
2. Arrangements for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and the absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.
3. The provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of John Bourne & Company Limited employees.
4. So far as is reasonably practicable, to maintain any place of work which is under the control of John Bourne & Company Limited in a condition that is safe and without risks to health.
5. The provision and maintenance of a working environment for John Bourne & Company Limited employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe; without risks to health and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare.
3. Responsibilities
EACH EMPLOYEE is responsible for ensuring that the work they undertake is conducted in a manner that is safe to themselves, other employees and to members of the public and for obeying the advice and instructions on health and safety matters given by their site supervisor or contract manager.
4. Reporting of incidents
The reporting of incidents is covered in the Company Policy Statement on Health, Safety and Welfare but are mentioned again here for ready reference.
The following incidents must be reported promptly to your site supervisor or contracts manager who will immediately advise John Bourne & Company Limited head office and complete the incident report form as necessary.
a) An accident causing injury.
b) An incident involving violence (verbal or physical).
c) An unhealthy condition.
d) An incident causing damage to property.
e) Any situation which appears unsafe or seems likely to become so if work continues.
f) A near miss.
The main objectives of the reporting procedure are:
i. To enable the Company to comply with current legislation.
ii. To allow prompt remedial action to be taken.
iii. To help in monitoring our practices at work and in accordance with our stated Policy for Health, Safety and Welfare.
iv. To provide feedback of information which is then used to develop our safety strategies and safe systems of working.
v. To provide information to other interested parties and importantly, to comply with our statutory duties as a responsible employer.
It is essential that reports are made promptly (see John Bourne & Company Ltd Health and Safety Policy Statement). This is particularly so as the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (known as RIDDOR) require reports to be made, in certain circumstances, to the Health and Safety Executive within a specified period following the occurrence of the incident.
In any event, reports of serious incidents must be made to the site foreman or contracts manager immediately.
5. Injuries and first aid
All John Bourne & Company Limited sites are provided with first aid equipment and the location of this will be advised to all employees.
First aid should be administered where this is an appropriate remedy for minor injuries but any more serious injury must be treated by a trained first aider or professional medical personnel either at a hospital or on site.
If neck or back injuries are sustained, under no circumstances must the employee be moved. Try to keep the injured person warm and comfortable and call for an ambulance and professional medical help immediately, giving precise instructions as to the location of the site and your assessment of the injuries sustained. John Bourne & Company Limited head office is also to be notified as required above.
In giving first aid, some employees may have concerns about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and be over cautious in providing essential immediate assistance to an injured colleague pending the arrival of professional medical assistance.
No person at work is likely ever to become infected by the virus as a result of normal work activities. However it is sensible to take precautions to reduce risks.
i. Avoid bodily contact where blood might be transferred.
ii. Keep open wounds (cuts, scratches and abrasions) covered with waterproof dressings.
iii. Employees with eczema or dermatitis of hands and/or forearms should avoid contact with blood from and injured person.
iv. If administering first aid to an open wound, wear disposable protective gloves and use disposable disinfectant tissues.
v. Thoroughly wash any part of the body which may have come into contact with blood.
vi. Dispose of soiled dressings, gloves, tissues etc. by incineration and mop up any blood spillage using a 1:10 solution of household bleach.
There are no known cases of infection being transferred by giving mouth to mouth resuscitation.
Background information - AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease that is contracted as a result of infection by a particular virus known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is a very difficult disease to catch. Only a small proportion of the population of the UK suffer from the disease. Although all those infected are believed to remain infectious for life, not all go on to develop AIDS. Approximately 1 in 60 go on to contract AIDS.
The virus involved is known to be transmitted through infected blood or blood products being transferred directly to another person. There is no evidence that the disease can be passed by casual contact. There is no known cases of infection being transferred by shared use of toilets seats, crockery, cutlery or the handling of objects.
Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that airborne infection can occur, or that using the same site office or sharing accommodation and facilities can spread infection.
NOTE
The person responsible for this policy information statement is Mr Peter Bourne, Managing Director, John Bourne & Company Limited. It is reviewed and updated periodically. The statement is for information and advice to all John Bourne & Company Limited employees on the policy for Health, Safety and Welfare adopted by the Company.
