Health & Safety Policy

Our employees are of paramount importance. Their safety and health demand at least the same degree of attention and emphasis as that placed on our mainstream business. We also recognise our responsibilities for the health and safety of others who may be affected by our activities. It is our aim to achieve a working environment free of work-related accidents and ill-health, and to this end we will pursue continuing improvements from year to year.

1. General Policy

The Health and Safety at Work Act requires every organisation to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees, and requires it not to put anyone at risk as a result of its activities.

The Company's policy is not only to comply fully with the Health and Safety at Work Act as required by law, but to act positively to prevent injury, ill-health, damage and loss arising from our activities. Our aim is excellence in health and safety, by means of a continuous improvement of standards, systematically removing the causes of accidents and ill-health.

The pursuit of excellence in health and safety is as important as the pursuit of excellence in the activities of the Company. If there is a conflict between safety and another aim, then safety must not be sacrificed. If necessary any director has the absolute authority to suspend any dangerous activity or practice. The responsibilities set out in this document are to ensure that no activity must be pursued without prior consideration of the safety aspects, and an activity which cannot be carried out to an adequate safety standard should not be carried out.

The directors are committed to providing the financial and physical resources necessary to ensure that a high standard of health and safety is achieved. People are our most valuable resource, and the safeguarding of human as well as other resources through health and safety is important, not only for its own sake, but also as a way of minimising costs.

Health and safety are an integral part of the duties of all employees, for which they are held accountable at all levels. In particular, those responsible for the work of or in charge of staff of the Company, are responsible for their health and safety. Those with such positions of responsibility must encourage a commitment to health and safety, and encourage everyone to regard good safety practice as the norm, and to help in establishing and observing high standards of health and safety.

2. Standards

All risks, other than trivial risks or risks arising from routine activities of everyday life, should be assessed and the appropriate precautions specified and recorded. The risk assessment may be contained in a Company procedure or in a specific risk assessment.

3. Safety Arrangements

The directors are responsible for ensuring, so far as reasonably practicable, that:

(a) the health and safety of staff and the general public are not adversely affected by the activities of the Company;

(b) risks to health and safety are assessed to a reasonable and consistent standard and that appropriate control measures and safe systems of work are used; where specific risks are not covered in a Company procedure they should be assessed in writing, and a copy of the risk assessment sent to a director.

(c) the offices used by the Company are inspected, and health and safety arrangements are monitored, at regular intervals;

(d) proper fire precautions are observed, that written fire instructions are brought to the attention of every individual, that fire evacuation exercises are carried out as directed by the management company of the office building, and that a named individual and a named deputy are responsible for overseeing fire precautions;

(e) arrangements exist for ensuring that all accidents where injury or damage might have occurred, are investigated with the aim of preventing recurrence;

(f) safe machinery and equipment are used, and the electrical safety of appliances is checked at least every two years (except that equipment permanently connected to supply points is checked at least every five years);

(g) staff are informed about any new machinery or equipment, and that it is inspected and tested where necessary before initial use;

(h) there is effective communication and consultation concerning health and safety with all members of staff;

(i) advice is sought from within the Company or from outside bodies when the need arises;

(j) hazards and defects outside the control of the Company are reported to a director;

(k) all relevant information on health and safety hazards is provided to all persons who undertake work within the Company;

(l) safety training needs are identified and that staff are trained in safe practices relevant to their work;

(m) all uses of hazardous substances are assessed in accordance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations, and that they are stored, used and disposed of in a safe manner.

In multiple occupancy buildings, common user areas, and in particular fire precautions, are the responsibility of the Management Company concerned.

4. Safety and the Individual

Much of the work of a Company is highly specialised and only those people actually engaged in it have a reasonable knowledge of the hazards that may be involved. It is the duty of the Company to provide safe and proper equipment and methods of work, but safety cannot be guaranteed unless all members of staff are prepared to share this responsibility and do everything in their power to prevent injury to themselves and others. In particular, it is the duty of all individuals to:

(a) use safe working procedures at all times;

(b) report accidents and potentially dangerous incidents to a director, and co-operate fully in investigations which are carried out to prevent recurrence;

(d) when working outside the Company, to pay attention to local safety precautions and ensure that those who may be affected by hazards arising from their work are kept informed.

Health and safety depend on co-operative efforts by all. The Company expects staff to recognise that they have a clear duty to:

- take care of the health and safety of themselves and others;

- co-operate fully with health and safety arrangements made by the Company.