Estate Support Service
Health and Safety Policy
Statement of Intent
Estate Support Service (ESS) is committed to ensuring the Health, Safety and
Welfare of its employees and others is not adversely affected by our working
environment, or the work we do.
We recognise that while it is not possible to remove all risks from the working
environment it is our duty to ensure that remaining risks are identified and properly
managed.
At the heart of our commitment to health and safety are 11 core principles that
everyone is required to embrace and which will assist us in achieving continual
performance improvement.
Health and Safety Core Principles
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We recognise that the management of health and safety is paramount and we
will ensure that adequate resources are made available to manage it.
We will ensure through a process of assessment, planning and continuous
review that suitable systems and arrangements are developed and
implemented to manage health and safety.
We will provide the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision
to enable all employees to protect their own health and safety while at work.
We will ensure that all work places are adequately maintained.
We will provide all employees with access to adequate welfare facilities and
will encourage a sensible approach to work life balance.
We will provide a safe means of access to, and egress from all workplaces.
We are committed to complying with all current and future legislation as a
minimum standard.
We recognise that the prevention of all work related injury and ill health is good
business practice.
We will ensure that ESS maintains access to specialist competent health and
safety advice, and that all staff are competent to fulfil the requirements of their
role.
We recognise and promote the fact that all employees have a responsibility for
their own health and safety and that of others affected as a result of their acts
or omissions.
We seek to communicate with, engage and involve all staff, students and other
stakeholders in creating and maintaining a safe and healthy working
environment.
Clare Rogers
Director Estate Support Service
August 2012
Review Date: August 2014
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Estate Support Service
Health and Safety Policy
Organisation This section contains a summary of the organisational structure for
managing health and safety in ESS
University Safety Office and
related functions
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University Management (inc
Executive Board)
Fire, Radiation, Biological
Insurance Officer
Human Resource Managers
Union Safety Representatives
University & Professional Services
Safety Committee
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ESS Health and Safety
Committee
Director ESS
ESS Accountant
ESS Health and Safety
Management Group
ESS Health and
Safety Officer
Heads of Service
Section Managers
Other managers/ team leaders/
supervisors
Employees
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Health and Safety Policy
Responsibilities
Director of Estate Support Service
In line with the University Health and Safety Policy and the document ‘Heads of
School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School safety roles’ (see extract
below), the Director of Estate Support Service (ESS) has overall responsibility for all
matters relating to the health, safety and welfare of all persons employed by ESS
and for ensuring that university staff, clients, students, members of the general public
and others, who may be affected by the activities and services provided by ESS are
protected, so far as is reasonably practicable, from risk(s) to their health and safety.
The Director of ESS will facilitate the management of health and safety at Executive
Level. This will include:
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Reporting to the University Registrar on matters affecting the health and
safety of ESS, including its performance and annual reports;
 Ensuring that ESS manages its affairs in a way which can achieve compliance
with its health and safety obligations, its Health and Safety Policy and
objectives for continual improvement;
 Promoting and enabling improved working practices and conditions which can
allow for the greater well-being of employees and reduce risks to health and
safety.
Additionally, the Director of ESS will ensure adequate support to enable ESS meet
its statutory duties, through the provision of adequately resourced professional and
competent advice and assistance; to this end ESS has appointed a Health and
Safety Officer.
The Role of the Head of School
(Extract from ‘Heads of School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School safety roles’)
Heads of School usually have oversight of resources devolved from University funds. As such they have a duty not only
for the application of these resources but also its safe application. The term Head of School means not only the head of
each academic School but also the heads of Services Institutes etc. All these individuals should be held accountable for
their performance as managers.
Heads of School should take the lead in driving the Health and Safety programme within their area of responsibility.
Heads of School must demonstrate visible commitment by acting in the Job Description. The Job Description list
derived from the document “University Health and Safety Management – Code of Best Practice”.
In addition to the Job Description it is important that the Head of School demonstrates personal commitment to the
Health and Safety of the School staff (and students) by accepting their own responsibility in Health and Safety, and by
encouraging colleagues to do the same.
It is pertinent to remember that the role of Head of School is potentially liable to personal prosecution by the HSE under
Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974. This section is reproduced below in the section “a brief
guide to health and safety law”. This is because as Head of School the HSE may regard the role-holder as being, in
effect, a director of the University being the director in charge of the School (Service Institute etc.) concerned. It is
unlikely that the HSE would extend this privilege to staff lower in the University management chain.
Finally Heads of School are also accountable to the PVC’s and University Executive, for Health and Safety matters just
as much as for any other management issue. This is why it is important that reports are referred to the Provost etc.
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along with action plans for the resolution of Health and Safety issues.
Estate Support Service
Health and Safety Policy
ESS Health and Safety Officer
In conjunction with the University Safety Office the ESS Health and Safety Officer
(ESS HSO) assists to develop and implement specific occupational safety and health
working practices and training that affect the Directorate. As the in-house
professional adviser for OSH related issues the ESSHSO is employed to advise on
legislative requirements and assist in compliance and also undertake a monitoring
role, which feeds into the corporate health and safety management system. This
function operates outside the management structure and acts as the representative
of the Director in matters related to occupational safety and health, acting in the best
interests of ESS.
Additionally, the ESSHSO acts in the University recognised role of School Safety
Officer for ESS and the requirements associated with that role are outlined in the
document ‘Heads of School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School
safety roles’.
The Role of the School Safety Officer
(Extract from ‘Heads of School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School safety roles’)
In general, Heads of Schools are responsible for all aspects of the health and safety of personnel within the School.
(Responsibility for health and safety aspects of the fabric of the buildings rests with the Director of ESS).
School Safety Officers are appointed by the Head of School to advise on all aspects of Health and Safety within
the School. The existence of the SSO post should not create an attitude of "health and safety is the School Safety
Officer's problem not mine" in the mind of anyone in the School, from Head of School downwards. Such attitudes are
counter-productive.
Particularly in large Schools, safety-related activities are likely to be many and varied, and not all will devolve on the
SSO. Safety problems related to individual projects would normally be carried out by the principal investigator
concerned rather than the SSO, though the latter will be in a position to offer advice or to know where such advice
might be sought. Heads of large Schools may also appoint additional members of staff to provide specialist advice and
help in areas affected by statutory requirement, such as manual handling or visual display equipment assessment. It is
essential that every Head of School has a clear management structure for Health and Safety, and that this management
structure is communicated to the PVC and the University Safety Office.
The main role of the School Safety Officer is to ensure the Head of School and other colleagues and students within the
School are aware of the relevant safety information for working or studying in the School.
The School Safety Officer is the adviser, the monitor, and the communicator but not the line manager. Responsibility for
the management of safety issues within each School lies with the Head of School.
The production and review of risk assessments is the responsibility of the person in charge of the activity not the School
Safety Officer. Risk assessment training courses are available to all staff and postgraduate students.
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Health and Safety Policy
Senior Management Team
The Senior Management Team (SMT) will consider health and safety issues and
their impact on departmental objectives, and will manage its affairs in a way which
can achieve compliance with its health and safety obligations.
Accountant
The Accountant is responsible for ensuring that adequate consideration is given to
health and safety when making budgetary decisions, e.g. by reminding budget
holders.
Heads of Service
Heads of service are responsible for the effective management of health and safety
within their respective divisions / areas of control. This will include:
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Providing health and safety leadership for the service;
Ensuring individual and service actions and decisions always reinforce the
messages in the Health and Safety Policy;
Engaging and encouraging active management participation and support for
occupational safety and health within the department;
Involving partners and other interested parties, such as customers/clients,
contractors and recognised trade union bodies, in the management of
occupational safety and health;
Ensuring that employees, partners and contractors, etc. working within the
service recognise and accept their personal responsibilities;
Ensuring arrangements are effective for the competency of employees and
other applicable personnel, to carry out their designated roles and that
adequate resources are provided for the purposes of training and maintaining
competency;
Ensuring that employees within the division have access to the Health and
Safety Policy and other relevant health and safety documentation;
Ensuring that the Health and Safety Policy and other relevant health and
safety documentation are complied with and maintained;
Ensuring general and specific risk assessment processes are fully
implemented with regard to the requirements of legislation, relevant standards
and best practice, especially following any changes;
Utilising risk assessments for the purposes of prioritising actions, identifying
training needs, developing operational controls and determining future service
requirements;
Ensuring adequate arrangements exist for employee welfare, dealing with
emergency situations and for the establishment of procedures; to cover
situations where their absence could lead to deviations from the Health and
Safety Policy;
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Ensuring provision and utilisation of equipment, facilities, etc., as identified
through risk assessment, safe systems of work, etc; including personal
protective equipment;
Ensuring that all relevant health and safety aspects are considered,
addressed and maintained within all goods and service contracts and
arrangements for joint working / partnerships;
Allocating adequate resources so that occupational safety and health risks
can be managed effectively (prioritising actions where necessary);
Monitoring occupational safety and health performance within the division on
a regular basis, ensuring all accidents, incidents, occupational diseases,
hazards and near misses are reported in accordance with procedures and
instigating appropriate action, where the need has been identified, to rectify
conditions or practices that give rise to significant risk;
Establishing key health and safety objectives for the division on an annual
basis, to enable the achievement of the aims within the Health and Safety
Policy, and attain continuous improvement;
Supporting the ESS Health and Safety Committee, the Central Services
Safety Committee and the University Safety Committee, encouraging and
engaging the active participation of employees;
Regularly discussing occupational safety and health at SMT and other
meetings, enabling effective consultation on health and safety matters and the
dissemination of relevant information;
Liaising with and supporting the work of the ESS Health and Safety Officer
and the University Safety Office.
Section Managers
Section Managers should actively support their Head of Service in the effective
management of occupational safety and health and are responsible for implementing
and maintaining arrangements within their area(s) of control. This will include:
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Ensuring individual actions and decisions always reinforce the messages in
the Health and Safety Policy;
Encouraging active employee participation and involving partners and other
interested parties in the management of occupational safety and health;
Ensuring that employees within their control recognise and accept their
personal responsibilities and are competent to carry out their designated
roles, having access to relevant and necessary information, instruction and
training;
Ensuring that employees within their control have access to the Health and
Safety Policy and other relevant health and safety documentation, and that
these are complied with and maintained;
Ensuring general and specific risk assessments are undertaken, as
applicable, and especially before implementing any change, and that their
recommendations are acted upon so that the requirements of legislation,
relevant standards and best practice can be achieved;
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Health and Safety Policy
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Utilising risk assessments for the purposes prioritising actions, identifying
training needs and developing operational controls;
Ensuring arrangements for employee welfare and dealing with emergency
situations are fully implemented for workplaces within their control, including at
shared premises, where co-operation must be sought with other users to fulfil
obligations;
Ensuring provision and utilisation of equipment, facilities, etc., as identified
through risk assessment, safe systems of work, etc; including personal
protective equipment;
Ensuring that relevant health and safety aspects are achieved and maintained
within all goods and service contracts and arrangements for joint working /
partnerships within their area of control;
Utilising available resources so that occupational safety and health risks can
be managed effectively, highlighting areas where additional resources may be
required;
Monitoring health and safety performance on a regular basis, ensuring all
accidents, incidents, occupational diseases, hazards and near misses are
reported in accordance with procedures and instigating appropriate action,
where the need has been identified, to rectify conditions or practices that give
rise to significant risk;
Establishing health and safety objectives for their employees, as appropriate,
to enable the achievement of the aims within Health and Safety Policy;
Regularly discussing health and safety at meetings within the department,
enabling effective employee consultation on health and safety matters and the
dissemination of relevant information.
Liaising with and supporting the work of the ESS Health and Safety Officer
and the University Safety Office.
Other Managers / Team Leaders / Supervisors
Team Leaders and others with supervisory duties are responsible for health and
safety within their teams / areas of responsibility, on a day to day basis. This will
include:
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Ensuring individual actions and decisions always reinforce the messages in
the Health and Safety Policy;
Encouraging the involvement of employees and other interested parties in the
day to day management of occupational safety and health;
Ensuring that employees within their teams recognise and accept their
personal responsibilities and are competent to carry out their designated
roles, having access to relevant and necessary information, instruction and
training;
Ensuring that employees within their teams have access to the Health and
Safety Policy and other relevant health and safety documentation, and that
these are implemented and complied with;
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Health and Safety Policy
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Ensuring general and specific risk assessments are available and that their
recommendations are acted upon, so that the requirements of legislation,
relevant standards and best practice can be achieved;
Ensuring that employees are aware of the arrangements for their welfare and
for responding to emergency situations;
Ensuring provision and utilisation of equipment, facilities, etc., as identified
through risk assessment, safe systems of work, etc; including personal
protective equipment;
Not entering into any contracts for the purchase of goods and / or services
unless they have been specifically authorised;
Ensuring all accidents, incidents, occupational diseases, hazards and near
misses are reported in accordance with procedures and instigating
appropriate action, where the need has been identified, to rectify conditions or
practices that give rise to significant risk;
Attending and discussing health and safety matters at team and other
meetings, enabling effective employee consultation on health and safety
matters and the dissemination of relevant information.
Liaising with and supporting the work of the ESS Health and Safety Officer
and the University Safety Office.
Employees
All employees (including those on a temporary or fixed term contracts), have
responsibilities for their own and others health and safety, not to misuse anything
provided for the purposes of health and safety, and to co-operate with ESS to enable
it to discharge its health and safety obligations. This will include:
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Ensuring all actions and decisions at work follow the messages in the Health
and Safety Policy;
Complying with the requirements of the Health and Safety Policy,
arrangements, and other relevant health and safety documentation, such as
procedural documents;
Participating in any instruction or training which has been provided for the
purposes of health and safety;
Assisting in the completion of risk assessments, where required, and
complying with risk assessment control measures (including specific
assessments, e.g. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH),
manual handling, display screen equipment (DSE), etc);
Using equipment, facilities, etc., as per training/information provided and
utilising any safety equipment, features, facilities, etc., as required by
training/instructions received; including personal protective equipment;
Reporting known hazards in the workplace which may have not been
previously identified or assessed, including any defects to equipment which is
used or which has been personally issued;
Being aware of the emergency arrangements for your workplace and
participating in any drills or exercises;
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Health and Safety Policy
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Not entering into any contracts for the purchase of goods and / or services
unless specifically authorised;
Not bringing any items from home for use at work, unless it has been issued /
authorised by work;
Reporting accidents, incidents, occupational diseases, hazards and near
misses in accordance with procedures;
Attending and discussing health and safety at team and other meetings; such
as to give feedback on new or changed working practices, to highlight any
areas of concern or make suggestions to enable improvements in workplace
practices or conditions.
All employees are required to acknowledge they have received, read and understood
the content of this document. This will be provided for by way of a ‘receipt form’
which must be signed and returned to the ESSHSO through your line manager.
Fire Warden/Marshal
Fire Wardens/Marshals assist in meeting the requirements of the Health and Safety
Policy in relation to emergency evacuations. They have a direct link to the University
Safety Office and ESS Health and Safety Officer.
Union Safety Representatives / Representatives of Employee Safety
ESS welcomes and supports these roles in developing and maintaining a safe and
healthy working environment.
Contractors, Consultants and other Working Partners
All persons working with, or involved in the provision of goods and services on behalf
of ESS must co-operate with the requirements of the University’s and ESS’s Health
and Safety Policy and accept their personal responsibilities for the health and safety
of themselves and others. Prior to the commencement of any work on behalf of ESS,
all contractors and partners must inform the authorising or Commissioning Officer
(Estates Support Services Representative) of the proposed method of work and
associated risk assessments and controls, and these must be reviewed and
accepted. Additional measures must be taken, where necessary, to protect
employees and others from risks that may arise as a consequence of this work.
A site brief will be provided, where relevant, explaining any specific health and safety
hazards or implications, e.g. fragile roofs, and the actions to take in the event of an
emergency. Failure to comply with any of these requirements may result the
cancellation or termination of work.
Contractor’s health and safety competency will be assessed; ESS subscribe to the
Contractors Health and Safety (CHAS) Assessment Scheme to fulfil this
requirement; contractors will, ideally, have been assessed as compliant with CHAS,
as required by the scheme.
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Estate Support Service
Health and Safety Policy
External Support Units/Staff
In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, certain University Units/Officers
also have specific responsibilities for developing, implementing and maintaining the
ESS Health and Safety Management System, including:
University Safety Office and Occupational Health Service
Refer to the University Health and Safety Policy and the University document
‘Management of Health and Safety at Newcastle University’.
University Safety Office provides advice and assistance in relation to current and
proposed legislation, guidance, relevant standards and best practice. They develop
and implement corporate health and safety standards and procedures and provide
health and safety training in relation to this and other areas of health and safety law.
The team also ensures all accidents and incidents are reported to the relevant
enforcing authority and monitors health and safety performance generally. This
includes inspections and audits of departments and premises on a programmed
basis.
The Occupational Health Service provides advice and assistance in relation to:
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pre-employment health screening;
health surveillance
medicals and fitness to work, including reasonable adjustments;
rehabilitation;
vaccinations;
health promotion, and
ill health re-deployment.
Specialist Advice and Support
Support and advice is available with respect to projects and design work carried out
by ESS from the University’s Fire Safety Officer, University Radiation Protection
Officer and the Biological Protection Officer who should be approached for their input
in relation to any associated design, construction, improvements, alteration,
maintenance, etc works. (See also University document ‘Heads of School,
School Safety Officer and Other appointed School safety roles’.)
Insurance Officer
The Insurance Officer works closely with the University Safety Office in relation to
devising and developing strategies to address the University’s risk profile.
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Estate Support Service
Health and Safety Policy
Human Resources
Human Resources have a specific role in supporting managers and employees in
complying with the requirements of the Health and Safety Policy; this can be
assisted by the inclusion of relevant health and safety responsibilities in job
descriptions.
Professional Services Safety Committee
The Professional Services Safety Committee reports to Executive Board and Faculty
Management Board, is chaired by the Head of Executive Office and is attended by
School Safety Officers, University Safety Office and other safety representatives as
required.
The Terms of Reference follow:
(a)
To address health and safety concerns raised within the Services, and by the
University Safety Office, which are of a cross-faculty nature and therefore are
not the responsibility of any particular School.
(b)
The Services Safety Committee has the power to institute working parties, as
required, to address particular issues of safety within the Services, and to
make recommendations for action to the Services Executive Board for the
attention of the Registrar.
(c)
To receive and comment upon any proposals from the Registrar.
(d)
To consider matters raised through the University Safety Officer or School
Safety Officers or representatives.
(e)
To prepare an annual report to University Safety Committee.
(f)
In exceptional circumstances, to make additional reports to University Safety
Committee on any matters of serious concern.
Details of the ESS Safety Committee are included in the ‘arrangements’ section of
this policy.
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Estate Support Service
Health and Safety Policy
Arrangements
In order to ensure it’s health and safety performance, and so that accidents and ill
health are minimised, ESS will produce a series of health and safety arrangements
and procedures. These arrangements and procedures will be entirely reflective of
how ESS intends to manage health and safety issues.
As a minimum ESS will produce arrangements and procedures covering the
following issues:
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Risk Assessment
Permits to Work
Audit and Inspection
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Fire Safety, Precautions and Emergency Arrangements
First Aid
Display Screen Equipment
Lone Working
Work at Height
Manual Handling
Work Equipment
Lifting Operations
Electricity at Work
Asbestos
Pressure Systems
Gas Regulations
Health Surveillance
Construction, Design & Management
Management of Contractors
Safety in Offices
Welfare
Personal Protective Equipment
Health and Safety Training
Health and Safety Management and Employee Consultation
Noise
Vibration
Further arrangements and procedures will be produced as required by changes or
additions to Legislation, or should ESS determine any shortfalls within its existing
health and safety management systems.
Where necessary, general arrangements and procedures may need to be further
detailed to effectively apply to specific units/teams, etc., information will be provided
detailing supplementary information required in order to effectively manage health
and safety
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