HMIE Health and Safety Policy
HM Inspectorate of Education recognises that high standards in health and safety are an
integral element of efficient business management. It is committed to ensuring that all staff
are provided with sufficient information and training to enable them to work safely. To
support this key objective, adequate resources and support will be provided in order to help
develop and maintain a comprehensive safety management system.
The responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of employees rests primarily with the
employer in all types of work activity (see Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 - Section 2
and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992). However, employees also
have a duty of care to themselves and others by avoiding risks, preventing accidents and cooperating with all instructions and arrangements put in place to safeguard their health and
safety. Your support and co-operation is therefore vital if the aims of this policy are to be
met.
All HMIE managers within the Inspectorate are responsible for the health and safety of their
staff. This includes a responsibility for Associate Assessors, Lay Members and Assistant
inspectors. Managers will be expected to set a good personal example and to take a lead role
in ensuring that health and safety is treated as equal in importance to other concerns. HMIE
Management Board will pursue progressive cost effective improvements in health and safety
performance by:
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taking full responsibility for monitoring factors that could lead to ill health or injury;
communicating appropriate health and safety information to employees and encouraging
co-operation;
operating a Health and Safety Group to promote health and safety within HMIE; and
working closely with the Scottish Executive Health and Safety Advisory Team, and
through them the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and relevant trades unions.
A positive health and safety culture will be promoted and developed in order to ensure that:
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safe and healthy working conditions and practices are provided
safe and healthy work methods are adopted
all statutory requirements are observed at all times and are, in time, treated as the
minimum standards to be applied to all activities
access to professional advice on health and safety matters is made readily available
participation by employees is actively encouraged and ideas and suggestions sought for
improving health and safety standards
appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision is provided in order to
ensure that employees are made aware of potential hazards and the precautions to be
adopted
steps are taken to help eliminate, where possible, all accidents or injuries involving HMIE
staff, Associate Assessors, Lay Members and Assistant inspectors
risk of injury or ill health resulting from the use of display screen equipment is assessed
on a regular basis.
Health and Safety Liaison Officers (HSLOs) have been appointed for each office. They have
been given the training necessary to carry out their duties. HMIE managers are be expected
to give their support and co-operate fully. Any health and safety issue which could be
considered as a serious threat to the health and safety of HMIE staff should be brought to the
immediate attention of the HSLO and HMIE Management Board to be addressed
accordingly. HSLOs should also be advised of any accidents, incidents or near misses
involving members of staff. These should be reported to the HSLOs irrespective of whether
they occur in the office, while travelling or while working in a school or other educational
establishment.
HSLOs will be responsible for:
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actively encouraging colleagues to adopt safe working practices and encouraging a proactive culture with regards health and safety
carrying out inspections of the workplace on a quarterly basis
ensuring that all accidents, injuries and near misses are recorded, analysed and actioned
preparing quarterly summary reports on performance, including accident and incident
information
carrying out suitable and sufficient risk assessments for all activities which are deemed to
be a possible threat to health and safety
carrying out display screen equipment (DSE) assessments for new or transferred staff
upon the commencement of employment and for all staff on an annual basis, taking the
opportunity to share with users examples of good practice
carrying out health and safety inductions of new or transferred staff.
Your responsibility as a member of HMIE staff is to work in a safe manner, avoiding risks
and preventing accidents to yourself and your colleagues. You also have a responsibility to
co-operate with all instructions and arrangements put in place to safeguard your health &
safety and that of your colleagues.
Arrangements for health and safety will be reviewed regularly by HMIE Management Board
and the Health and Safety Group. This health and safety policy will be reviewed and revised
as necessary.