Combined Health and Safety Policy

Transcription

1 Combined Health and Safety Policy Clerk of the House Clerk of the Parliaments HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 1 of 13

2 Document History and Publication Issue Issue Date Description Approved by 1 01 July 2014 New policy David Beamish, Clerk of the Parliaments Sir Robert Rogers, Clerk of the House Nov 2015 Minor revisions and updates Sept 2016 Revised to reflect changes arising from DG review May 2017 Signed by new Clerk of the Parliaments David Beamish, Clerk of the Parliaments David Natzler, Clerk of the House David Beamish, Clerk of the Parliaments David Natzler, Clerk of the House Ed Ollard, Clerk of the Parliaments David Natzler, Clerk of the House Document Location Version Type Published by SPIRE All versions (Word) Parliamentary Safety Team Intranet Combined H&S policy page Current issue (PDF) Parliamentary Safety Team Parliament.uk website Commons transparency pages Current issue (PDF) Parliamentary Safety Team HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 2 of 13

3 1. Introduction Policy Definitions Policy Statement People and Their Responsibilities All Staff The Clerk of the Parliaments and, the Clerk of the House The Executive Teams Heads of Office/Managing Directors/Directors The Head of Parliamentary Safety (bicameral) Managing Director, Corporate Services Director of Parliamentary Procurement and Commercial Services Managers Arrangements for Managing Health and Safety at Parliament General Construction Work Events and filming Checking and Reviewing the Effectiveness of this Policy Support Functions Parliamentary Safety Assurance Committee (PSAC) House Health and Safety Committees Safety, Health, and Wellbeing Central Services (Bicameral) Safety Coordinators Police Officers Trade Union Safety Representatives Inspection and Enforcement by Health and Safety Executive (HSE).. 12 HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 3 of 13

4 1. Introduction Our vision is clear: the health and safety of people at Parliament will be protected at all times. We believe this is integral to the effective and efficient operation of Parliament. Our management and governance arrangements are necessarily complex, but our line management structures are simple, robust and well understood, and good safety practice cuts through all the complexity by making the delivery of health and safety a line management responsibility. This fundamental principle is at the heart of our risk management arrangements. This document sets out Parliament s policy for achieving its health and safety vision, including the responsibilities and arrangements for putting it into effect. 2. Policy Definitions In this policy: responsible authorities means: The House of Commons Service; The House of Lords Administration; and The Parliamentary Digital Service. executive teams means: The House of Lords Management Board; The House of Commons Executive Committee; and The Parliamentary Digital Service Senior Management Team heads of offices/managing directors/directors means the members of the executive teams. manager means anyone who has direction or control over a workplace or the work of others. This includes, but is not restricted to, line managers, team leaders, supervisors, project leaders, project managers and contract managers. construction work has the meaning given in regulation 2(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 4 of 13

5 3. Policy Statement It is the policy of the responsible authorities to protect the health and safety of their staff and other people on the Parliamentary Estate by: i. taking sensible, proportionate and effective steps to manage their significant health and safety risks; and ii. acting in accordance with the relevant legislation, whether it strictly applies to the responsible authorities or not. This will be achieved by: a) providing a safe and healthy physical working environment; b) actively managing health and safety risks across the Parliamentary Estate to achieve consistent and acceptable levels of control; c) firmly establishing that health and safety compliance and delivery is a line management responsibility; d) integrating health and safety into what we do, including our business planning, decision making and procurement processes; e) building the right capabilities, culture and systems to support the effective implementation of this policy; f) adopting recognized good practice where it is right to do so; g) having robust arrangements in place for dealing with incidents and emergencies; h) providing the leadership and resources needed to achieve this policy; and i) ensuring there is ownership and accountability for health and safety at all levels. 4. People and Their Responsibilities 4.1. All Staff Regardless of their position, every person who works for the responsible authorities is responsible for: a) ensuring their actions and decisions contribute towards a healthy and safe work environment and the successful implementation of this policy; b) cooperating with the responsible authorities on all health and safety matters to enable this policy to be achieved; c) adhering to the physical and administrative health and safety measures relevant to their work; d) raising with their manager any health and safety problems or concerns they are unable to resolve; and e) reporting all work-related injuries, ill-health and near misses. HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 5 of 13

6 4.2. The Clerk of the Parliaments and, the Clerk of the House Both Clerks are jointly responsible for: a) maintaining a suitable combined policy for securing the effective management of health and safety risks; b) ensuring this policy is achieved; c) including health and safety as part of each Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors delegated authority and responsibilities; d) ensuring there is effective coordination and cooperation by the responsible authorities on health and safety matters for the purposes of this policy; e) ensuring that sufficient resources are available to enable Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors, managers and staff to meet the requirements of this policy; f) ensuring each House has a health and safety committee that is chaired by a director for that House; and g) ensuring that emergency response plans for the Parliamentary Estate cover work-related incidents resulting in death or major injury to one or more people. The Clerks are advised and assisted by the Parliamentary Safety Assurance Committee (PSAC) for strategy, policy and assurance matters The Executive Teams Each executive team is responsible for: a) ensuring the delivery of this policy through effective risk management arrangements; b) providing strategic leadership for health and safety; c) ensuring executive team decisions incorporate all relevant requirements of this policy; d) reviewing the health and safety performance of their responsible authority at least annually; and e) acting on matters of major concern that are reported to them Heads of Office/Managing Directors/Directors In addition to other duties under this policy, Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors are individually responsible for: a) the health and safety performance of the management areas within their jurisdiction; HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 6 of 13

7 b) providing the strong and committed leadership needed to put this policy into practice; c) ensuring this policy is implemented within the management areas they have the delegated authority and responsibility for; d) collaborating with other Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors as necessary to implement this policy in areas where health and safety responsibilities overlap; e) ensuring procurement activities in their management areas include appropriate health and safety requirements, and that they are complied with; f) making sure that work demands do not exceed the abilities of their staff to control the associated health and safety risks; g) providing appropriate support to the people they manage on health and safety issues; h) ensuring that staff undertake appropriate health and safety training, tailored to the needs of their work; and i) appointing sufficient, competent safety co-ordinators to assist them in their duties and ensuring these people have enough time to perform this role The Head of Parliamentary Safety (bicameral) The Head of Parliamentary Safety reports to the Head of the Governance Office and is responsible for: a) the development and direction of health and safety policy; b) providing assurance to the corporate officers on the effectiveness of health and safety policy; and c) providing central safety support services to the responsible authorities, and ensuring they are fit for purpose Managing Director, Corporate Services In addition to other duties under this policy, the Managing Director of Corporate Services is responsible for providing an agreed health and safety training programme for the staff of the responsible authorities. 4.7 Director of Parliamentary Procurement and Commercial Services In addition to other duties under this policy, the Director of PPCS is responsible for ensuring appropriate health and safety elements are included in: a) the standard purchasing terms and conditions for goods and services; and b) the procurement processes used by the responsible authorities. HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 7 of 13

8 4.8. Managers In addition to other duties under this policy, managers are individually responsible for the health and safety of the people, premises and activities which they have any degree of direction or control over. This is an integral part of any management role, and is of equal importance to other management functions. This includes ensuring that: a) work-related risks, including those arising from contractors on the Estate, have been assessed and controlled in accordance with this policy; b) there is effective coordination of risk controls in areas where health and safety responsibilities overlap with other managers and/or responsible authorities; c) staff know and understand the risks and control measures associated with their work; d) staff have the necessary health and safety competencies to fulfil their roles and responsibilities; e) people know what to do in an emergency, including any specific local arrangements that apply; f) incidents are reported, investigated and the findings acted on; g) contracts for all goods and services include appropriate health and safety requirements; h) construction work is planned, authorized and managed in accordance with the arrangements described in section 5.2; and i) any work that poses a risk of serious and imminent danger to those undertaking it, or to other people in the vicinity, is stopped immediately and the situation is made safe. Further specific responsibilities may be contained in letters of delegation, or set out in local management processes and procedures. 5. Arrangements for Managing Health and Safety at Parliament 5.1. General The effective management of health and safety risks requires a systematic approach and a strong supportive culture throughout the Estate. To this end the responsible authorities will collectively and individually: a) apply HSE s Plan, Do, Check, Act model for managing health and safety; b) establish and maintain the strategic and operational management arrangements needed to achieve this policy; and c) embed health and safety as a core organisational value that supports and drives the behaviours required at all levels to put these management arrangements into practice; HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 8 of 13

9 These arrangements require a consistent, unified approach across the Estate. Each responsible authority is responsible for implementing these arrangements through their own management processes and procedures Construction Work In addition to their other duties under this policy, Managing Director (Strategic Estates) is responsible for: a) ensuring all relevant construction work undertaken by Strategic Estates is carried out in accordance with this policy and its supplements; b) establishing and maintaining effective management arrangements for these purposes; c) operating a robust permit to work system for relevant high hazard activities; and d) fulfilling the health and safety requirements of the Estate MoU. In addition to their other duties under this policy, the Managing Director (In House Services) is responsible for: e) ensuring all relevant construction work undertaken by In House Services is carried out in accordance with this policy and its supplements; f) establishing and maintaining effective management arrangements for these purposes; g) providing and operating a robust permit to work system for relevant high hazard activities; and h) fulfilling the health and safety requirements of the Estate MoU. A Memorandum of Understanding for the Parliamentary Estate (Estate MoU) sets out the agreed arrangements for running the Estate; this MOU reflects the arrangements defined in the Combined Safety Policy. The Parliamentary Estates Forum (PEF) is responsible for: i) verifying that construction works (programmes and projects) have sufficient time and resources allocated for health and safety purposes; and j) supporting Strategic Estates and In House Services in incorporating relevant health and safety considerations into its planning, decision making and performance monitoring activities 5.3. Events and filming Construction work arising on the Parliamentary Estate as a consequence of staging an event or filming activity must follow the arrangements described in the Event Safety Framework available on the safety pages of the intranet. HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 9 of 13

10 5.4. Checking and Reviewing the Effectiveness of this Policy The Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House need to be assured that their combined policy remains fit for purpose, has been implemented, and is achieving the right level of risk control in practice. PSAC will assist both Clerks with this by: a) operating an effective assurance process for health and safety; and b) periodically reviewing this policy and recommending any necessary changes to it. The responsible authorities will check and review at least annually: a) the effectiveness of their health and safety risk management arrangements; and b) the resulting health and safety performance for their area. The extent and frequency of local checks made as part of this process should be proportionate to the risks. Checks may include, but are not restricted to: Reality checks of risk controls Workplace inspections Audits Management safety tours Risk assessment reviews Incident investigations and corrective actions Trade Union safety representatives should be invited to attend any audits, inspections or safety tours that form part of the local checking arrangements. The findings from all checking activities should be used to make local improvements and be fed into the annual PSAC assurance process. 6. Support Functions 6.1. Parliamentary Safety Assurance Committee (PSAC) PSAC s remit includes providing strategic direction on safety, including health and safety, fire safety and food safety within Parliament, and the provision of assurance on these issues to both Clerks and the executive teams. Its terms of reference are provided on the Parliamentary Safety Team s intranet pages. HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 10 of 13

11 6.2. House Health and Safety Committees Each House has its own health and safety committee, chaired by a member of its executive team. The Parliamentary Digital Service has representatives on both Health and Safety Committees. The purpose of these committees is to: a) keep under review the measures taken in accordance with this policy to ensure the health and safety of all those who work in and visit each House; and b) ensure effective communication and consultation with staff representatives in each House on health and safety matters. These committees do not have management responsibility for health and safety. That remains with directors and managers at all levels, as set by this policy. The detailed terms of reference for each committee are provided on the intranet along with relevant contact information Safety, Health, and Wellbeing Central Services (Bicameral) The central advisory and support services are provided by Corporate Services (Health and Wellbeing) and the Governance Office (Safety). The service provision covers: a) leading the development and improvement of health and safety policy and associated guidance; b) working with Counsel for both Houses on health and safety matters requiring legal interpretation or legal advice; c) providing PSAC with professional support on health and safety matters; d) evaluating and reporting on Parliament s overall health and safety performance as part of the internal assurance process; e) delivering defined support services on site to the responsible authorities; and f) delivering defined support services on site to the Members of both Houses Safety Coordinators The safety coordinator role is a support function; it does not carry responsibility for health and safety. Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors will: a) appoint sufficient safety coordinators to advise and assist them; b) formally agree the safety coordinator s duties in writing, preferably by including them in job descriptions; HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 11 of 13

12 c) ensure safety coordinators have the necessary time, resources, training and competence to perform their duties; and d) agree to share coordinators with other Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors only where it is practical and appropriate to do so. For larger areas Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors may wish to appoint several safety coordinators or have one lead safety coordinator with several deputies assisting them. The health and safety skills, knowledge and experience that each safety coordinator needs will vary depending on their role and areas they cover. Further details about the role and functions of safety coordinators are provided on the safety pages of the intranet 6.5. Police Officers Police Officers working on the Parliamentary Estate have the authority to stop any work activity on the Estate which realistically poses a risk of serious and imminent danger to those undertaking it, or to other people in the vicinity. In all cases the relevant Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors and managers within the responsible authority, and not the police, remain responsible and accountable for the health and safety of the work activity. 7. Trade Union Safety Representatives The involvement of the Safety Representatives, who are appointed by the recognised trades unions, is crucial to the success of this policy. Appointed Safety Representatives will represent the health and safety interests of staff (i.e. union members and non-members) employed by their respective responsible authority. Appointed safety representatives are permitted to carry out functions set out in the relevant legislation that covers this role. In addition the membership of PSAC includes a Trade Union safety representative to ensure consultation and involvement on health and safety matters at the highest level. Trade Union appointed safety representatives must be appropriately trained on taking up their role. 8. Inspection and Enforcement by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) The responsible authorities are working with HSE to develop and agree a suitable inspection and enforcement protocol for Parliament. HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 12 of 13

13 As an interim measure: a) HSE Inspectors will, on request, usually be permitted onto the Parliamentary Estate to exercise their enforcement powers in relation to contractors and sub-contractors working on the Estate. b) All other requests by HSE to exercise its inspection and enforcement powers in relation to all other people and matters on the Parliamentary Estate will be considered on a case by case basis by the Head of Parliamentary Safety in consultation with the relevant Heads of Offices/Managing Directors/Directors. HS1 (v1.3) May 2017 Page 13 of 13