HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY - ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

 

PURPOSE
The purpose of our Health and Safety policy is to:
  • advise employees of the hazards likely to be encountered at work
  • identify the precautions to be taken to avoid the hazards
  • strive to eliminate being affected by the hazards
  • identify who in the company is responsible for preparing, administering and updating the policy.

 

GENERAL POLICY

The Company will seek to protect its employees and visitors to the company's premises from hazards to life and limb. The Employee will conduct his/her self and any visitor they invite into the employer's premises in a safe and responsible manner at all times.

 

DEFINITIONS
The Company: Stern Thom Fehler Architects Limited.
Employees For the purposes of this policy this includes those under contracts of service and those with contracts for services
Visitors: Those other than employees invited to attend the Company's premises, or those whose business is to call on the Company.
Company Safety Officer: The person appointed by the Directors to undertake all duties in respect of safety within the Company under Health and Safety legislation. The person currently appointed is David Thom.


SPECIFIC PRECAUTIONS TO BE OBSERVED

The Company will:

  • provide premises for work which comply with the Shops Offices and Railway Premises Act 1963.
  • provide and maintain in a safe condition fixed and mobile equipment for the performance of the employees' work
  • provide periodic free eye tests to employees who regularly use VDUs. Should such tests indicate that the employee is to use corrective equipment to properly perform his/her duties then the employee at his/her own expense shall obtain and use that equipment whilst undertaking his/her duties for the Employer
  • not ask the employee to perform any operation, which might cause injury to any other person or damage to any object or premises
  • provide, periodically inspect, maintain and replace as necessary all personal protective clothing and equipment required for the safe performance of the employee's duties. Any damage sustained by such equipment shall be reported as soon as possible to the Company Safety Officer.

Each employee shall:

  • conduct his/herself in a manner, which does not cause danger to his/herself, or to others, observing the Company's Safe System of Working
  • look to the safety of every person who directly or indirectly is affected by the work the employee performs
  • only attend work in a state fit for the work they are normally expected to perform
  • use and maintain their instruments and equipment in a safe condition
  • use and maintain their instruments and equipment in a safe condition
  • when visiting vacant premises, be accompanied by at least one other person at all times, and observe the Company's Survey Code
  • when visiting building sites, observe the Company's Site Code.


SAFE SYSTEM OF WORKING

Employees are entitled to a safe working environment. There are some hazards in all work, most of which can be avoided by forethought. The following list identifies hazards present in the Company's business when conducted in the Company's offices, hazards present in areas to which employees may need to go to perform some of their duties, such as at vacant sites and buildings, or on building sites are dealt with in the Company's Survey Code and Site Code.

NARCOTICS AND ALCOHOL: smoking, drinking alcohol or ingesting drugs is prohibited on the Company's premises or in the Company's time.

EYE STRAIN: whether from continued close work at the drawing board or at a VDU screen; you are advised to allow your eyes to focus on distant objects for at least one minute out of every 20, and to exercise the muscles of the eye periodically. Keep VDU screen brightness to a minimum consistent with preventing eye fatigue; use contrasting but not vibrating colours if you have a colour monitor. Use the screen saver. Keep the screen and surrounding background against which you work most as neutral as possible.

BACKACHE: ensure that your chair is adjusted for your body, and that your back is as upright as possible. Work with your drawing board as near the vertical as possible. Do not lift objects beyond your capacity; when lifting, bend the knees not the back.

WRIST ACHE: ensure that your wrists and forearms are supported when working at a keyboard.

NECK ACHE: when working at a VDU, position your reference work in the same vertical plane as your screen.

CLOTHING: wear appropriate clothing which will not catch in equipment.

HAIR: prevent hair from entering the moving parts of equipment.

APPLIANCES: do not tamper with equipment. If undertaking maintenance, examine and follow the maintenance instruction manual. Isolate all electrical equipment at the end of the working day unless it is designed to be left running. Keep electrical leads short and arranged so as not to create a hazard. Do not eat or drink near appliances.

HYGIENE: keep the workplace tidy; clean eating and drinking utensils after each use; wash hands regularly and especially after using the Lavatory.

ILLNESS: do not attend work if you are suffering from a notifiable disease, a contagious or infectious disease, or if you are taking medicines which cause drowsiness or impair concentration.

CIRCULATION ROUTES: keep clear at all times; be aware of emergency exit locations and fire fighting equipment.

 

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY

GENERAL POLICY
  • The Company employs staff on the basis of merit, irrespective of race, creed, gender or colour
  • This policy is borne out by its employment record ever since its inception
  • When employing staff, the Company seeks to encourage a racial mix
  • The Company does not tolerate racial discrimination amongst its staff, and would take immediate disciplinary action should this problem ever arise.

 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

GENERAL POLICY

The Company strives to conduct all of its operations in a manner which:

  • respects the environment
  • reduces waste
  • conserves non-renewable resources.

This is applied to the work methods used in their own offices, and to the influence exerted on others through the design of projects, the writing of specifications, and the control of works on site.

 

 

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