Health and Safety Policy Abbey College Cambridge The ACC Senior Leadership Team are responsible for this policy: Julian Davies, Principal Telephone: 01223 578280 Email: Julian.Davies@abbeycambridge.co.uk Carolyn Dunn, Vice Principal (Pastoral) Telephone: 01223 578280 Email: Carolyn.Dunn@abbeycambridge.co.uk Lucy Sweatman, Vice Principal (Academic) Telephone: 01223 578280 Email: Lucy.Sweatman@abbeycambridge.co.uk Mike Corbett, Director of Operations Telephone: 01223 578280 Email: Mike.Corbett@abbeycambridge.co.uk Mark Lassman, Director of International Admissions Telephone: 01223 578280 Email: Mark.Lassman@abbeycambridge.co.uk This policy is reviewed on an annual basis Annual Policy reviewed by: Mike Corbett August 2017 Approved by SLT and Published: August 2017 Next Review: August 2018 This policy has been approved by SLT and adopted on behalf of the Governors, and is addressed to all members of staff and volunteers and is available on the school s portal. It is available to parents on request. It applies wherever staff or volunteers are working, including when this involves being away from the school. 1
Statement of General Policy The College aims to put in place management structures and working practices that provide proper control of the health and safety hazards and risks arising from the College s activities. The College undertakes: to consult with staff, students and others on matters affecting their health and safety. to provide and maintain safe plant and equipment. to ensure safe handling and use of substances. to provide information and guidance for staff, students, visitors, contractors and other people. to ensure that staff and students are competent to perform their tasks. to prevent accidents and cases of ill health due to work. to maintain healthy and safe working conditions. to review and revise this policy statement at intervals of not more than 12 months. Corporate responsibilities Management responsibilities Overall and final responsibility for Health & Safety policy and practice Mark Hanley-Browne Chief Executive, Alpha Plus Group Day-to-day responsibility for Health & Safety policy and practice Julian Davies Principal, Abbey College Cambridge Delegated day-to-day responsibility for Health & Safety policy and practice Jenny Maskell Site Manager, Abbey College Cambridge Abbey College Cambridge Health & Safety Committee members Jenny Maskell Julian Davies Robin Tunnah Valerie Whyborn Patrick Williams Jo Wexler Dawn Kent Bradley Derrick Helen Winter Fiona McEwan Cox Stephanie Stafford Site Manager Chair 2
Organisation It is the duty of the Principal to establish a Health & Safety at Work Committee and to ensure that the College s Health & Safety at Work Officer publishes a robust Health & Safety Policy and that the policy is carried out. It is the duty of the Principal to establish a Fire Committee and to ensure that the College s Fire Officer publishes a robust Fire Plan that is practised at defined intervals. The Site Manager is the College s Fire Officer, Health & Safety Officer and First Aid Officer. It is the duty of the Principal to ensure that the Site Manager has received training in Fire & Security, First Aid and the general provisions of the Health & Safety at Work legislation. Individual responsibilities All staff and students have a responsibility for their personal safety and the safety of others. Staff and students undertake: To co-operate on all Fire, H&S and First Aid matters. To use practices and equipment provided to safeguard their health and safety. To take care of their own health and safety. To report matters of concern to the College H&S Officer or the H&S Committee. To familiarise themselves with the College s Fire procedures. To familiarise themselves with the H&S procedures laid down in: The College s Staff Handbook. The College s Student Handbook. The H&S, Fire and First Aid notices displayed throughout the College. The Alpha Plus portal. Briefing and Instruction It is the duty of the Principal to ensure that all staff, students and visitors are briefed in detail and routinely briefed with respect to the College s Fire Procedures, other immediate threats to Security, and Health & Safety policy and practice. A Health & Safety Law poster is to be displayed on a notice board in each of the College s teaching buildings. It is the duty of the Site Manager to ensure that all Fire signage meets statutory requirements. A copy of the minutes of meetings of the 3
Health & Safety Committee is to be displayed on a notice board in each of the College s teaching buildings. The College s Fire, Health & Safety and First Aid policies are to be published on the College s website and the Alpha Plus Group portal. Review The Health & Safety Committee is to meet termly to review Health & Safety risks. Consultation with employees Consultation with employees will take place annually as an agenda item at a general staff meeting. Management of Risk The College s Risk Register addresses areas of risk that impact on the Health & Safety of staff, students and other persons, together with the risk reduction and mitigating measures the College has put into effect. General Policies The College has instituted the following general policies: Indoor and outdoor areas used by, or accessible to, students are free from reasonably avoidable safety hazards. Windows that present a risk of access by intruders, injury to passers-by, or of falling from by students are fitted with restrictors. Windows where there is significant risk of impact are either made of safety glass (of a type satisfying the relevant British Standard) or are otherwise suitably protected. There are reasonable and effective measures for the safety and security of students using the buildings that comprise the College s teaching buildings and halls of residence. The College has a policy for controlling and supervising students use of and access to high risk areas within the College s teaching buildings and halls of residence. These areas include laboratories, stores and plant. The College s health and safety policy is available to all staff and students. The College has an effective system of risk assessment and risk reduction that identifies and seeks to reduce the risk to students from inherent hazards in the College s buildings, activities or grounds. The list of hazards includes those that students may access without permission (eg laboratories, roofs, 4
stores for cleaning materials, plant and equipment rooms, at both boarding and teaching accommodation). It also includes the hazards that may arise from the time of day that students are present or in transit between the teaching buildings and boarding accommodation. All spillages of blood, faeces, saliva, vomit, nasal, and eye discharges should be cleaned up immediately using an effective detergent and disinfectant. Cleaning products are provided by the school cleaning service. The school cleaning service should be contacted to deep clean the area in accordance with local policy. A spillage kit is available for blood spills (always wear Personal Protective Equipment PPE). Risk Assessment Law at Work Ltd has been contracted by the Alpha Plus Group to undertake risk assessment of the College s activities, buildings and equipment. Law at Work Ltd will report their findings to the H&S Officer. The Principal will approve the action required to eliminate or control the risks. Law at Work Ltd is responsible for ensuring that the required action to eliminate or control the risks is put in hand. Safe plant and equipment The Alpha Plus Group has contracted a specialist company to identify all plant and equipment needing maintenance and to ensure that all necessary maintenance is carried out on schedule. PAT Testing Services Ltd has been contracted by the Alpha Plus Group to test portable electrical equipment annually and to present their findings to the H&S Committee. The Executive Head of Property, Alpha Plus Group Ltd, is responsible for ensuring that the action required is implemented and for checking that all necessary maintenance is carried out on schedule. The Principal will approve the action required to eliminate or control the risks. Safe handling and use of substances Law at Work Ltd as appointed contractors are responsible for identifying all substances needing COSHH assessment and for ensuring that the actions identified by the assessments are carried out. Law at Work Ltd will report their findings to the H&S Officer and the H&S Committee will consider the findings. The Principal will approve the action required to eliminate or control the risks. Law at Work Ltd is responsible for ensuring that the required action to eliminate or control the risks is put in hand. The risk assessments will be carried out every term and will address all substances hazardous to health used by the College and by the cleaners appointed by the College. 5
First Aid - see separate First Aid Policy on Alpha Plus Group portal. General mobilisation of safety, first aid or evacuation-assistance teams, The Building Fire Wardens and First Aid Teams are deployed in all cases of evacuation brought about by Fire or other Immediate Threat to Security. The mobilisation of the First Aid Teams occurs automatically, in parallel with the deployment of the Fire Teams. The business of the First Aid Teams is routinely practised at the same time as the routinely practised Fire Drills, irrespective of whether the required egress is the consequence of Fire or other immediate threat to Security. It is the duty of the College s Fire Officer to ensure that the Fire Teams are properly trained. It is the duty of the College s Health & Safety at Work Officer and First Aid Officer to ensure that the First Aid Teams are properly trained. The College has not established specialist safety or evacuation-assistance teams. Such business lies solely and properly in the province of the Fire Brigade, Paramedics and Constabulary. Fire Safety - see separate Fire Safety Policy on Alpha Plus Group portal. Fire Safety Risk Assessment Fire Safety 2000 Ltd has been contracted by the Alpha Plus Group to undertake Fire Safety Risk Assessments of the College s activities, buildings and equipment. The Executive Head of Property, Alpha Plus Group Ltd, is responsible for ensuring that the action required is implemented and for checking that the action taken has removed or reduced the risks. The Principal will approve the action required to eliminate or control the risks. Fire Alarms, Emergency Lighting & Fire Extinguishers Regular inspection and maintenance of fire alarms, emergency lighting and extinguishers is undertaken by The Alarm Company and Chubb Fire. 6