1.1. The policy aims are as follows:
► To provide and maintain:
o a safe and healthy working environment for all its employees, providing appropriate equipment, operational processes and safe systems of work
o appropriate levels of safety for others who may be affected by B3Living’s activities, i.e., customers, contractors and visitors
o information and instruction as may be necessary to ensure the health and safety of its employees and to promote awareness and understanding of health and safety throughout its workforce. This will include updating and refresher training where necessary
► To comply with statutory obligations as set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974 and the various regulations relating to health and safety requirements.
► To instil in all employees, and others coming into contact with B3Living, best practice in health and safety matters.
2. Responsibilities and Accountabilities
2.1. Chief Executive
2.1.1. The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for health and safety for B3Living and its subsidiaries.
2.1.2. The Chief Executive is responsible to the Board of Management for ensuring the effectiveness of B3Living’s Health and Safety policy and the management processes that ensure its implementation. This will be achieved through, amongst other things, the setting of safety standards and by the promotion of a positive safety culture throughout the organisation.
2.1.3. The Chief Executive will ensure that adequate resources are available to allow for B3Living’s health and safety policy to be suitable and sufficient.
2.1.4. The Chief Executive will appoint a director(s) who is/are responsible for health and safety. Including designating an individual to carry out the functions of S126B of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.
2.1.5. The Chief Executive will appoint competent persons to assist in enabling B3Living to meet its legal obligations in relation to health and safety legislation.
2.1.6. The Chief Executives statement can be found at Appendix 2.
2.2. The Board
2.2.1. The Board is responsible for ensuring that there are suitable and sufficient health and safety arrangements in place, in particular around compliance with relevant legislation. However, the Board relies on the governance and control framework in place for assurance that these responsibilities are met.
2.2.2. The Board will review and oversee the details of this policy and make recommendations in regard the policy and approve the policy.
2.2.3. The Board will monitor the effectiveness of the implementation by the management of this policy.
2.2.4. The Board will promote health and safety in all activities undertaken by us and to promote, encourage and uphold an effective and positive health and safety culture.
2.3. Health and Safety Committee
2.3.1. B3Living has established a Health and Safety Committee, with a balanced membership drawn from managers and staff representatives.
2.3.2. The Committee, which will be chaired by the Executive Director (Corporate Services) and serviced by B3Living’s Health and Safety Compliance Manager, will be responsible for:
► monitoring and reviewing and approving health and safety policies and procedures, and codes of practice, including those changes required due to legislation changes.
► reviewing ad hoc, quarterly and annual reports to the Board on health and safety, recommending any amendments to the Board arising from legislative changes or changes in best practice.
► to monitor and keep under review accidents, near misses, dangerous occurrences and cases of occupational ill health and any other work-related incidents
► promote and encourage a positive health and safety culture.
2.3.3. The Health and Safety Committee will meet at least 4 times a year.
2.4. Executive Directors
2.4.1. Health and safety will be the responsibility of the relevant Director for each area of activity.
2.4.2. Executive Directors will:
► create a positive health and safety culture within their areas of responsibility, which secures the involvement and active participation of employees at all levels and, where appropriate, others (e.g., contractors, visitors and members of the general public) coming into contact with B3Living’s activities and properties
► ensure that appropriate health and safety management arrangements are in place and that those employees with health and safety responsibilities are clearly identified
► ensure that those employees identified within the Directorate with health and safety management responsibilities understand their roles and have sufficient knowledge, experience, time and resources to carry out their responsibilities effectively
► ensure that all relevant statutory requirements, codes of practice and safe working practices are applied throughout the Directorate and ensure the availability of sufficient resources to enable work to be undertaken in a manner free from hazards and potential risks to employees
► ensure that line managers are adequately trained and properly instructed in the work that they are required to perform
► monitor health and safety activity within the Directorate and conduct regular reviews of performance, as appropriate
► investigate accidents, diagnosed occupational ill health, and incidents/dangerous occurrences, with a view to implementing measures to ensure that any failures in control are dealt with and any necessary improvements in control measures are identified and implemented.
2.4.3. Executive Directors will be responsible for ensuring that, for their areas of responsibility, suitable and appropriate health and safety risk assessments are carried out. Following a risk assessment being undertaken:
► the significant findings of the assessment should be recorded
► control measures should be formulated to eliminate hazards identified during the assessment
► any control measures identified as being necessary will be incorporated into the relevant operating procedures
► the effectiveness of the control measures will be monitored and improved, as appropriate
2.4.4. Risk assessments will need to be reviewed if there are significant changes e.g., a new procedure, new equipment, or substances are being introduced. A formal review of risk assessments must be undertaken periodically. This should be undertaken in consultation with the Health and Safety Compliance Manager.
2.4.5. The Health and Safety Compliance Manager in conjunction with the relevant Leadership Team senior manager of each department will initiate regular formal safety inspections for their area of responsibility, to ensure that all relevant health and safety legislation is being complied with, including safe systems of working and safe plant and equipment. Such inspections will be formally recorded, and a register of inspections maintained by the Health and Safety Compliance Manager.
2.4.6. Executive Directors will ensure that health and safety issues are fully considered when:
► planning new systems of work
► purchasing new plant and equipment
► establishing staff training needs
2.4.7. Executive Directors are responsible for ensuring that all accidents are reported to B3Living’s Health and Safety Compliance Manager and Human Resources, using an accident report form. Serious accidents and dangerous occurrences should be reported immediately and all other accidents within at least 2 working days.
2.4.8. Serious accidents and dangerous occurrences will need to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This will be done by the Health and Safety Compliance Manager or, in their absence, by the Facilities Manager or others nominated Executive Director.
2.5. Executive Directors (Corporate Services) and (Operations)
2.5.1. The Executive Director (Corporate Services) is the nominated Director responsible for corporate health and safety. They will:
► direct the corporate health and safety function
► ensure that the Executive and Board receive regular reports about health and safety and performance and the management of health and safety risks
► chair the health and safety committee
► provide support for the effective implementation of this policy and other health and safety policies and procedures by empowering the Leadership Team and frontline managers
► ensure an organisational wide health and safety management system is provided and maintained to enable the business to comply with health and safety legislation
► keep the Executive Team and Board informed of any significant health and safety failings and the results of any investigations and analysis
► promote and uphold an effective and positive health and safety culture.
2.5.2. The Executive Director (Operations) has been designated as the health and safety lead to carry out the functions of S126B of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. The health and safety lead is responsible for the requirements that relate to the health and safety of tenants of social housing.
2.5.3. They are also responsible for operational health and safety and statutory compliance and must give assurance to the Board and senior leadership teams regarding performance against core compliance areas.
2.6. Leadership Team
2.6.1. The Leadership Team will:
► be responsible for organising and planning health and safety in areas under their control, including the management of any consultants, contractors, customers, temporary and agency staff and any persons affected by our work activities.
► establish risk control systems and safe systems of work and keep them under review
► keep up to date with relevant changes to health and safety legislation, standards and good practise.
► actively participate in managing and planning health and safety
► ensure that employees receive suitable and sufficient health and safety training and induction relevant to their work activities and refreshed at appropriate intervals
► comply with all B3Livings health and safety policies and procedures
► ensure that competent specialist advice is taken as necessary
► ensure that health and safety is placed on business agendas as appropriate
► ensure that any health and safety concerns are escalated as appropriate to the Health and Safety Compliance Manager or to the nominated Director in a timely manner
► promote and uphold and a positive health and safety culture.
2.7. Line Managers
2.7.1. Line Managers and team leaders have the responsibility for implementing health and safety arrangements for employees and customers on a day-to-day basis. They will:
► ensure that they are familiar with all relevant legislation and statutory codes of practice and B3Living’s requirements, that they operate within them and that regular checks are undertaken to ensure compliance with the codes of practice
► be responsible for ensuring they and their direct reports are familiar with the contents of policies and procedures relating to health and safety and that specific responsibilities assigned within them are implemented and communicated. Those procedures include but are not limited to procedures relating to the safety of employees and workplaces, safety of customers, property compliance and procedures relating to the safety of construction works.
► carry out or assist in identifying workplace risks and in producing risk assessments and safe systems of work and ensure that they are disseminated and made available to those under their management and that controls are implemented
► where PPE is a control line managers must ensure that suitable PPE is supplied, managed and worn by relevant employees
► stop any dangerous activity observed and take action to establish a safe system of work
► ensure sufficient resources are available to carry out work activities safely
► ensure that all employees under their control are familiar with and accept their responsibilities under the main Health and Safety policy and all other relevant health and safety policies, and the various codes of practice, and are trained and equipped to meet their responsibilities
► clearly define safe operating procedures and instructions and ensure that these are known to and understood by all staff under their control
► ensure that all new employees are informed of any hazards relating to the work that they will be carrying out, are fully trained in dealing with such hazards and are familiar with all relevant safety measures that need to be taken and provide refresher training periodically
► ensure that all relevant work methods, codes of practice etc. are known, understood and observed
► ensure that all work is organised in ways that prevent unnecessary risks to employees and to others who may be affected by the work practices, and that high standards of personal conduct are maintained by staff
► provide and maintain plant and equipment that is, as far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health and that any safety defects are reported appropriately and rectified in a timely manner
► familiarise themselves with the accident reporting system and investigate and report all accidents and dangerous occurrences without delay
► provide feedback to line management on health and safety performance including any success or failures
► carry out regular inspections of work activities including any equipment and use of PPE to ensure safe working and that equipment and PPE are safe to use and in good condition
► maintain and implement suitable and sufficient procedures for employees working away from the office including lone working on site, in voids, whilst driving, working from home and at other work locations
► seek advice from the Health and Safety Compliance Manager on health and safety issues as required
► Promote and encourage a positive health and safety culture.
2.8. Health and Safety Compliance Manager
2.8.1. The Health and Safety Compliance Manager provides competent advice to the business in accordance with regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
2.8.2. B3Living’s Health and Safety Compliance Manager will:
► advise upon all matters of safety and the implementation of B3Living’s Health and Safety policy, including assisting the Chief Executive, Directors and staff to implement the safety policy and fulfil their obligations under the policy
► continuously monitor health and safety policies, codes of practice, systems and procedures
► review and produce safety policies and procedures in conjunction with compliance managers
► offer advice in relation to legislative changes and collaborate with stakeholders in the implementation of such changes
► ensure that risk assessments are carried out consistently throughout the organisation
► service the Health and Safety Committee by acting as “Secretary” to the Committee, ensuring that regular meetings are held, and appropriate reports are considered by the Committee
► ensure that any recommendations from the Health and Safety Committee regarding the Health and Safety policy and its effectiveness are reported promptly to the Board of Management for decision, as appropriate
► prepare ad hoc, quarterly and annual reports for the Board of Management on the Health and Safety policy and its implementation
► in conjunction with HR record accidents occurring within each functional area, and make such notification of accidents and dangerous occurrences to the HSE as necessary
► promote, encourage and uphold a positive safety culture.
2.9. Human Resources
2.9.1. The Human Resources Team will:
► provide a suitable range of training to meet the needs of the business for health and safety training, delivered through various means to support attendance
► report on training compliance against mandatory health and safety training
► ensure training is delivered in a timely and suitable manner
► arrange health surveillance for those identified in operational roles who are exposed to hazards in their job roles
► promote and encourage an effective and positive health and safety culture.
2.10. Individual staff
2.10.1. B3Living’s staff are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of themselves and others around them, and are responsible for:
► co-operate with B3Living on all matters relating to health and safety
► take reasonable care of themselves and that of others around them
► complying with all health and safety policies, rules, regulations, codes of practice, systems and procedures relating to their areas of work
► comply with arrangements for lone working and to use any lone working devices supplied to them as required
► follow all risk assessments and safe systems of work and follow any controls and mitigations identified
► wear any PPE provided as a mitigation and use appropriate safety devices
► ensuring that they are fully aware of and understand any safe operating procedures and specific work instructions for any work that they may be required to undertake
► using only correct and appropriate tools, plant and equipment and methods of work at all times
► reporting any defective plant, equipment or materials to their manager or supervisor
► reporting any hazards encountered in carrying out their duties
► reporting any accidents or near misses or matters of concern to their line manager or the Health and Safety Compliance Manager
► assisting in the maintenance of high standards of health and safety
► co-operating in establishing and maintaining best practice in health and safety
► undertaking any work instruction and safety training that may be required
► taking care to ensure that they do not injure themselves or others by their acts or omissions and that they do not put members of the general public at risk by the work that they carry out
► not damaging, interfering with or misusing any plant, equipment, tools or welfare facilities provided
► report any ill health or medical condition that could affect their ability to work safely
► promote and encourage an effective and positive health and safety culture
► staff who persistently fail to carry out their responsibilities for health and safety will be subject to disciplinary action
2.11. Communication and consultation
2.11.1. B3Living will:
► as appropriate and in accordance with the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 involve the workforce on matters affecting health and safety
► documents that make up B3Living’s health and safety management systems will be made available to staff on the Intranet
► also regularly consult with customers on matter relating to customer safety and have regard to their feedback in designing and reviewing B3Livings safety management systems.
2.12. Monitoring and review
2.13. The Board of Management via the Audit and Risk Committee will monitor, review and, where necessary, revise the Health and Safety policy, practices and procedures from time to time to ensure that they remain relevant and effective.
2.14. The Board of Management will receive quarterly reports including building safety compliance and including accident and near miss statistics, from the Health and Safety Committee reviewing the implementation and effectiveness of the policy.
2.15. B3Living’s Health and Safety Compliance Manager will undertake the continuous monitoring of health and safety policies and practices and provide regular reports to the Health and Safety Committee.
2.16. Evidence of compliance
2.17. The following may be used to demonstrate compliance with this policy:
► Standing orders
► Risk register
► Business continuity plan
► Health and safety reports to the Board and Executive Team and Health and Safety Committee
► Minutes of Board and Executive Team meetings and Health and Safety Committee meetings
► Premises audits
► Internal audits
► Reports from a regulatory body
► Training records
► Communications with colleagues and customers
► Accident and near miss records
2.18. National health alerts
2.19. Pandemics are a matter of national public health concern and B3Living commits to ensuring so far as is reasonably practicable that it follows national or local pandemic guidance to ensure the health and safety of all persons connected to its activities.
2.20. B3Living will also carry out risk assessments for its front-line services, any homeworking arrangements and for those colleagues especially at risk from any pandemic due to underlying health conditions and put in place all relevant mitigations identified.