Health and Safety policy
It is our policy to plan for, and safeguard, the health, safety, and welfare of everyone who works at, or visits, our premises and other places of work and
who is likely to be affected by our operations. We will do all we reasonably can to:
- make them aware of potential hazards, safe working practices and the arrangements for emergencies such as fire, first aid, etc;
- protect them from risks at work through effective risk assessment and the implementation of appropriate preventive or protective measures;
- provide our staff, and visitors where appropriate, with personal protective equipment, together with information and guidance in its use, whether required by regulation, code of practice or operational considerations;
- ensure that our accommodation, equipment, facilities, materials, substances, transport, driving and working practices are safe and without undue risk to health;
- help our employees to meet their legal duty of care, by involving them, and encouraging their co-operation, in the management of their own health and safety, through appropriate information and training;
- consult our staff on matters affecting their health, safety, and welfare at work, and nurture a spirit of collaboration among them, their Trades Unions, the Safety Representatives they appoint, and on both sides of the Agency’s Health and Safety Committee;
- provide competent support to our managers to continuously improve and maintain a consistently high standard of health and safety management in their areas of responsibility.
This statement of policy, which is issued to all staff, will be implemented by Health and Safety Managers under the guidance of the VOSA Health and Safety Team. Line managers are accountable to me as Chief Executive for ensuring that the policy is properly applied in their area of control. This policy will be communicated to all staff and contractors, and will be kept under continuous review. Detailed guidance including responsibilities and implementation is contained in the VOSA Staff Handbook, and Section 20 of our Operations Manual.
Page last updated: 01/10/2006