GENERAL POLICY STATEMENT – HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE

Scope

The Directors and Management of Dunston (Ship Repairs) Limited recognise the importance of health and safety within our Corporate Policy and its contribution to business performance. It is therefore the policy of this Company to protect and promote the health, safety and welfare of all its employees and others who may be affected by the conduct of our undertakings.

Aim

This Policy Statement is to define within the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and subsequent legislation, the Company’s commitment in pursuing ongoing improvements by outlining the details and direction of the policy framework in relation to its organisation and arrangements in support of health and safety, the Company’s and individuals’ responsibilities. These are supplemented by more detailed statements within the Policy Manual.

Responsibilities

As the most senior person within the Company, I accept that I have the ultimate responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of our employees and others as outlined. It is my responsibility to implement, monitor and regularly review this policy, bringing this and any changes to the attention of all employees. In addition, all Directors, senior managers, managers and individual employees are directly responsible for the day to day implementation of this policy within their respective areas of responsibility. The Company will therefore provide an effective organisation with detailed arrangements in support.

Duties

In particular, the Company has a duty to provide:

Suitable and sufficient workplace risk assessments, and review.
The provision and maintenance of a suitable workplace, equipment and systems of work which are safe and free from risks to health.
Suitable arrangements for the safe use, handling, storage, transportation and disposal of articles and substances for use at work.
The provision of suitable information, instruction, training and supervision to enable employees to understand the hazards and risks associated with their work activities, precautions and measures to take in the event of an emergency.
A safe and healthy working environment along with suitable welfare provisions, safe means of access and egress.
Appropriate safety devices, controls, and, if so required, personal protective equipment encouraging, instructing and training employees in its safe use.
Health surveillance for all employees where it is deemed necessary.
Adequate fire and first aid facilities supported by competent staff to assist.
To investigate and report on accidents, dangerous occurrences, workplace ill health, implementing measures to prevent their re-occurrence.
Adequate means for employee consultation, full co-operation and co-ordination on all aspects of health and safety.
Formal procedures to cover imminent danger, disaster, emergency workplace evacuation.

In particular, all employees have a duty to:

Look after their own safety and that of their fellow workers and visitors.
Use and not to misuse or abuse any equipment or provision provided in the interest of safety, reporting any concerns without delay to your immediate manager.
Ensure that you are not involved in any wilful, unsafe acts, horseplay or reckless behaviour.
Assist and co-operate fully with the Company in order for us to comply with our duties whilst maintaining a constant and continuing interest in health and safety matters.

The above responsibilities are supplemented by more detailed statements within the Policy Manual.

Implementation

The Company will develop a pro-active health and safety culture, which takes a systematic approach to the identification, assessment, elimination or control of workplace risks. This culture will be supported by:

The application of detailed written health and safety policies, supportive statement, organisation and arrangements, making known to all employees and others who may be affected by our work activities.
Having a structured organisation which secures full involvement and participation maintains management leadership and control, promotes co-operation and consultation, supported by competent employees, all sustained by effective communications.
Adopting a planned and systematic approach to policy implementation, which include for the setting of safety objectives and performance standards from the findings of risk assessments. The actioning of, via defined Safety Improvement Programmes, for the elimination or control of risk, supported by safe systems of work.
Measuring performance objectively by the application of active and re-active monitoring systems, to determine the immediate causes of sub-standard performance, identifying the underlying causes in relationship to equipment, premises, substances, procedures, systems and people, correcting accordingly.
Continually learning from all relevant experiences, monitoring systems findings, and independent audits, reviewing and developing the policy to continually improve its effectiveness and techniques of risk control, whilst being responsive to internal and external change, acquisitions etc.

The neglect of health and safety responsibility, any action or behaviour leading to potential or avoidable damage to buildings and/or equipment, the environment, injuries to yourself or others, a dangerous occurrence, serious near-miss situation will be considered a serious matter and will be dealt with accordingly through the Company disciplinary procedures. The Health and Safety Executive may also decide to take additional action against the individual(s) involved.

Copies of this General Policy Statement will be provided to all employees with a suitable number displayed in appropriate positions for others to view, such as visitors.

It is only with the full commitment, dedication and co-operation of all employees that our mutual objectives can be achieved.

Richard Bourne

Managing Director

Date: 1^st January 2014