The work Sixfold International Limited (Sixfold) carries out can be stressful, involve working to deadlines, include long hours of travel and managing groups. Sixfold, therefore, needs to deliberately organise and act to prevent this having an adverse impact on the health and safety of its employees. Sixfold is active in encouraging employees and associates to make wise decisions about what they do and how they do it. Each individual of Sixfold’s Board and Staff take personal responsibility for their own development, understanding of and contribution to Health and Safety performance.
1. General Policy
– To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from the work activities of Sixfold International Limited
– To involve its employees and associates on matters affecting their health and safety
– To provide information, instruction and Health & Safety supervision for employees, associates and visitors
– To prevent accidents and work-related ill-health
– To maintain safe and healthy work conditions
– To review and update this policy as necessary at regular intervals
2. Responsibilities
– Overall and final responsibility for health and safety is that of Andy Haigh, who is responsible for implementing this policy
– Every individual employee or associate is responsible for the Health and Safety of themselves and others. They will report all health and safety concerns to Andy Haigh
– Risk assessments will be undertaken by employees and associates for the conditions in which they are working. Unsafe conditions are to be avoided and will be reported to the Board. Action to remove or control a risk will be implemented and checked for effectiveness prior to proceeding
– Generic Risk Assessments will be reviewed annually or when work activity changes
3. Guidance
The majority of work is undertaken on client premises, at associates’ offices or on hired premises e.g. hotels. Equipment and travel issues arise principally when training and facilitating on other people’s premises, using other employer’s equipment.
All Sixfold staff are to ensure they are aware of and obey the health and safety policies of both the client and the operators of any facilities which they may be required to use, at all times.
Working on third party’s premises
– Employees and associates are responsible for choosing the least stressful form of transport to a third party’s’ premises. It is company policy to encourage the use of trains (plus taxis) as a safer and healthier, least stressful form of transport
– Employees and associates are especially responsible for a visual inspection of electrical cables, plugs and sockets when setting up electrical equipment. This should be carried out safely, ensuring cables to not create a hazard
– Employees and associates will make themselves aware of fire alarms, fire drills and evacuation procedures on arrival at third party’s premises
– Employees and associates will prepare a briefing for all training participants on arrival about fire safety and evaluation procedures
Using computers in the workplace or at an office in their homes
Employees and associates are responsible for using computers:
– On a work surface at a height that prevents spinal distortion
– With screens that do not flicker, do not reflect light, angled appropriately
– Sitting in a height adjusted seat that is either a chair or angled stool for back support which maximises stability
– With frequent breaks (i.e. at least one an hour) which involve walking around
– With cabling that does not pose a falling hazard
Employees and associates are responsible for moving equipment and paper using safe manual handling techniques.
Stress
Employees and associates are responsible for managing their own workloads with particular reference to:
– Agreeing only to deliver undertakings when fully aware of other commitments
– Agreeing only to deliver undertakings that can be delivered in reasonable working time
– Agreeing only to deliver undertakings that are within their competence
– Monitoring task progress and advising the project manager in advance of potential delays or other factors that could lead to excessive work loading
Health & Safety Arrangements (those responsible in brackets)
– Management responsibility (Sixfold International’s Board of Directors)
– Business reviews (Sixfold International’s Board of Directors)
– Generic Risk Assessments (Sixfold International’s Board of Directors)
– Staff and employees (Sixfold International’s Board of Directors)
– Work environment and processes (Employees / Associates)
– Suppliers (the Quality Director)
– Documentation (Sixfold International’s Board of Directors)
– Reporting (Sixfold International’s Board of Directors)
– Records (Sixfold International’s Board of Directors)
To these ends, Sixfold International (together with its employees and associates) undertakes to ensure that all reasonable measures, together with appropriate resources are deployed during the execution of any contract to ensure that a hierarchy of controls is in place to:
– Remove risks completely (where practical)
– Seek alternative methods of operation to reduce risk
– Invest in workplace coaching or training
– Temporarily increase supervision for higher risk operations
– Supply safety equipment as appropriate
– A clear management structure, outlining responsibilities
The escalation process is always to the Board of Directors for Health & Safety related issues or concerns.
