1. Health and Safety Policy Statement
1.1. It is the stated policy of Equestrian Training that health and safety is critical to our success. A business which has poor management of health and safety is generally one which is poorly managed in all aspects of its undertaking.
1.2. In particular, we undertake to:
Provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities.
Consult with employers and learners on matters affecting their health and safety.
Advise learners and their employers of how to maintain safe plant and equipment.
Advise on safe handling procedures and the safe use of substances.
Provide information, instruction and advice on supervision for employers and learners.
Ensure all employers are aware of their learner’s competency to do the work required and to provide training where required.
Prevent accidents and causes of ill health arising from their work.
Assess the risks to which our employees are exposed at work.
Review our health and safety policy, risk assessments and control arrangements as necessary.
Comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and other applicable legislation.
2. Employer Health & Safety Obligations
2.1. Health and safety checks are carried out before learners begin their apprenticeship, as new learners are at greater risk of injury than experienced workers.
2.2. It is a legal requirement that a risk assessment is carried out before new learners start. Equestrian Training will complete an initial Health and Safety Questionnaire with the employer and our training advisers can provide advice on Health and Safety issues.
2.3. Health and safety induction training should cover the employer’s health and safety policy, site safety rules, and safety and emergency procedures. Employers are also responsible for providing learners with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (PPE&C).
3. Health and Safety Responsibilities
3.1. Managing Director
3.1.1. Responsibility for health and safety within Equestrian Training rests with both the Director and assessors, and the employers of the apprentices. The Managing Director will give equal weight to health and safety considerations when making business decisions, where appropriate.
3.2. Director and Assessors
3.2.1. The Director and assessors of the company have a duty to advise the learners’ employers and the learners themselves on health and safety policies for the workplace and ensure these policies are implemented and adhered to. In addition, these positions include the following responsibilities:
Identify training needs and advise employers on training that needs to take place, including releasing employees from their tasks to enable them to attend training. Records for training must be retained and a system of regular review undertaken to ensure training is relevant to the work.
Conduct regular inspections of the workplace under their supervision, collate and review the results and implement changes/improvements as necessary. All assessors should keep themselves up to date with industry standards and advances in work equipment, work techniques and legislative changes which may affect the safety of employees.
Promote a safety culture within the workplace by always striving to set a good example for others to follow, encouragement of safe working practices and the active discouragement of unsafe working practice.
Ensure that risk assessments that cover their area of responsibility are complete, up to date and relevant to the current work.
In conjunction with the Managing Director, set targets for the business and individuals where appropriate for the continued improvement in health and safety performance of the company.
Communicate health and safety information to employers and learner and hear employers and learner’s ideas and concerns relating to their health, safety and welfare as part of the on-going training and assessments in the workplace.
Ensure the employer identifies and nominates competent persons to deal with emergencies and provide health and safety advice.
3.3. Employed Learners
3.3.1. All employed learners have a duty to comply with all company policies, legislation, instructions and warning signs with regard to health and safety matters. Employees are encouraged to speak to their manager or supervisor if they have any concerns regarding any health, safety or welfare concerns while at work. In addition:
Employed learners must use work tools and equipment for the purpose it was designed for and only if they have been trained to do so.
Employed learners must attend training provided by the employer.
All employed learners must use any work related PPE and RPE provided for those tasks that require it and report any damaged or missing equipment to their supervisor as soon as possible.
All work related accidents, injuries, dangerous occurrences, near misses or suspected breaches of policy must be reported to the learners’ immediate supervisor as soon as is practical.
4. Arrangements
4.1. The following section gives detail on how Equestrian Training manages the various aspects of its health and safety arrangements.
4.2. Accident Management
4.2.1. The initial Health and Safety survey with a new employer highlights whether First Aid procedures and qualified personnel are in place, along with the recording of accidents and awareness of RIDDOR reporting guidelines. Anything found not to be in place is logged onto an action plan and assigned a review date. This must then be signed off by the Health & Safety Officer (Amy Hodgson).
4.3. Asbestos
4.3.1. If asbestos is present at any apprentice placement premises, it will be managed as directed by the risk assessment and all asbestos on site will be clearly signed.
4.3.2. All employees are asked to immediately notify their supervisor should any damage take place to any material marked as containing asbestos.
4.4. Chemicals
4.4.1. Harmful chemicals are not used as part of Equestrian Training undertaking although some basic cleaning chemicals may be present on site. Data sheets will be stored for any cleaning chemical used on site which has a hazard warning identification.
4.5. Consultation
4.5.1 Equestrian Training has a duty to consult with employed leaners on issues which may affect their health and safety whilst at work. Equestrian Training also recognises that consultation as defined in the regulations is a two-way process and is not limited solely to informing individuals of what is to happen on specific issues.
4.5.2. All learners are encouraged to raise health and safety issues with their nominated Health and Safety Co-ordinator (supervisor) as needed. This person is required to consult with learners directly on health and safety issues as they arise.
4.6. Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
4.6.1. Equestrian Training will maintain user-completed risk assessments of display screen equipment and responsibility for coordinating this rests with the Health and Safety Co-ordinator. The detail of Equestrian Training’s arrangements to manage DSE risks can be found in: Procedure: Display Screen Equipment
4.7. Electrical Hazards
4.7.1. Electrical hazards may arise in learners’ workplaces via the mains supply to the premises and via portable electrical equipment which may be used. Equestrian Training will advise the learners’ employers on steps to minimise such risks. In summary, the mains supply will be inspected and tested at least once every five years and a portable appliance examination and testing (PAT) system will be in place. Procedure: Electrical Safety
4.8. Fire
4.8.1. As required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Equestrian Training will inspect the fire risk assessment for the premises on which the apprentices are employed and where ever training takes place. Equestrian Training will review this assessment at least annually and will discuss an ongoing plan to be put in place as required to manage fire risks as advised by the risk assessment.
4.8.2. The initial fire risk assessment will be undertaken by a competent person with further reviews being made in-house or externally as required. Procedure: Fire Safety
4.9. Health Surveillance
4.9.1. There are currently no activities undertaken within Equestrian Training which may necessitate health surveillance (e.g. high noise levels, exposure to specific chemicals or skin irritants, fork lift drivers, night workers, etc.). The appointed Health and Safety contact on site will review this periodically and will initiate such surveillance determined as necessary by the risk assessments or legislative requirements.
4.10. Heights
4.10.1. Equestrian Training will advise employers of procedures when learners carry out work that involves working at height. Working at height means work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall down and injure themselves. In other words, that is if the person:
works above ground level
could fall from an edge, through an opening or fragile surface
could fall from ground level into an opening in a floor or hole in the ground.
4.10.2. Equestrian Training maintain a procedure giving specific detail on this: Working at Heights
4.11. Housekeeping and Maintenance
4.11.1. Housekeeping and maintenance of equipment is important in the workplace. All employed learners are encouraged to report defective equipment and arrangements will be made for repair or replacement. Employers are expected to maintain systems to ensure that any equipment which requires routine servicing or maintenance is done so within the time schedule required.
4.11.2. Equestrian Training will provide advice on maintaining a safe workplace and employers will be expected to undertake a monthly health and safety inspection programme.
4.12. Lone Working
4.12.1. The nature of the work undertaken by Equestrian Training is such that employees, or others working on our behalf, are not routinely expected to work in isolated locations on jobs or tasks which give rise to an increased risk to that person's health and safety due to hazards associated with the task. All employees are requested to notify the Human Resources department if they have any medical conditions which may cause a risk to themselves if they are on their own at any time. If lone working cannot be avoided then a risk assessment must be in place to cover this.
4.13. Manual Handling
4.13.1. Equestrian Training will advise employers on practicable steps to minimise and control risks arising from manual handling tasks that take place within the workplace. This includes ensuring the employer’s risk assessment process includes manual handling activities, that risks are reduced where appropriate and where risks remain training is given to all employees concerned. Further detail is given in the specific Manual Handling procedure.
4.14. New and expectant mothers
4.14.1. Should an employed learner become pregnant they are encouraged to report this to their manager and reasonable arrangements will be made as determined by the pregnancy, such as limiting manual handling tasks in the later months if appropriate.
4.15. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Clothing
4.15.1. Where a need for PPE is required by risk assessment, learners’ employers will be expected to provide all necessary PPE and this will be at no cost to the learner. When users are given an item of PPE they will be given specific instruction in its safe use and maintenance.
4.15.2. Employed learners are expected to provide suitable standard clothing to enable them to do the job, but in specific circumstances their employers may agree to provide individual items of outdoor clothing as needed.
4.16. Risk Assessment
4.16.1. Equestrian Training will complete an initial risk assessment in the workplace during the learner induction. This will assess current risks and advise on actions the employer must take to meet the requirements. Equestrian Training will agree a date with the employer for these to be met and where a further inspection will take place.
4.16.2. Equestrian Training Risk assessment forms the basis of most health and safety areas and is at the heart of how Equestrian Training controls risks faced by employees. All jobs are covered by a risk assessment and these assessments are to be reviewed at least annually. The risk assessment process will be overseen and managed by Amy Cosgrove who will undertake assessments or arrange with in-house or external personnel to undertake the assessments as appropriate.
4.16.3. Following the assessments, the employer is required to take all reasonably practicable steps to reduce the risks present and further detail on the risk assessment system is given in document: HSE 5 Steps to Risk Assessment
4.17. Training
4.17.1. Equestrian Training recognises that health and safety training has a beneficial role to play within the organisation and is necessary to allow various individuals to perform the tasks expected of them. Equestrian Training will provide the necessary resources for training as necessary (e.g. legally required, arising from risk assessments, identified by job reviews, etc.) and will provide all such training during working hours.
4.17.2. Equestrian Training will maintain records of all training attended and will provide refresher training where necessary. The Health and Safety Co-ordinator will maintain a record of training requirements for each employee or job function and will ensure that such training is provided.
4.18. Stress
4.18.1. Stress can arise in the workplace in a number of ways, including time pressures, pressures of work, an over-reaching or over-expectation of ability by either an individual or their manager, or via issues such as ill health, non-work family issues, etc.
4.18.2. Equestrian Training encourages all employed learners concerned that stress is affecting their health or their performance to report this to their manager. Should any employee be uncomfortable with this they can also approach the named assessor.
4.18.3. Equestrian Training will review the case and wherever possible will agree steps with the employer and employee to help implement any necessary changes or manage the work flow.
4.18.4. Similarly, should an employee be threatened, or feel threatened, by any other member of staff or member of the public during the course of their work, either physically or verbally, they are encouraged to report this. Equestrian Training will investigate and take appropriate measures.
4.18.5. Equestrian Training recognises that stress is not an admission of failure on any individual's behalf and endeavours not to treat it as such.
5. Once at work, learners must:
5.1. Be supervised at all times
5.2. Have clear instructions on the equipment they can and cannot use
5.3. Be told about their personal responsibilities for health and safety
5.4. Wear PPE&C provided
5.5. Restrain loose clothing or long hair, remove jewellery or body ornaments to avoid being trapped in equipment
5.6. Ensure illness and disability do not affect ability to work safely