Health & Safety Policies and Procedures

2. Policy statement

The directors of the company recognise that, for ethical and financial reasons, they owe it to the public, their employees and themselves to take all aspects of health and safety seriously. The company is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment, safe equipment and systems of work, and the information, training and supervision needed to maintain them.

A signed directors' health and safety statement is displayed at each premises and reviewed annually, or sooner if the company's activities or legal obligations change. The objective is a culture in which everyone treats health and safety as equally important as any other part of their daily activities.

3. Responsibilities

Responsibility for health and safety is allocated as follows:

1. 1.

   Directors

   Hold ultimate responsibility for health and safety. They approve the policy statement, allocate adequate resources, and review performance and incident reports at board level.

2. 2.

   Managers and supervisors

   Implement the policies in their areas: complete routine checklists, act on risk-reduction actions, ensure employees are trained, and report hazards and incidents promptly.

3. 3.

   All employees

   Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others, follow procedures and training, and report hazards, near-misses and incidents through the online reporting process.

4. 4.

   London Retail Services (competent advisor)

   Acts as the company's competent health and safety advisor: maintains the policies and the online management system, conducts risk assessments, advises on risk-reduction actions and supports incident investigation.

4. Risk assessment

Risk assessment is the foundation of the system. It is often basic issues — unsafe flooring or shelving, faulty steps, slip and trip hazards, loose cables, inadequate ventilation or poor lighting — that cause serious harm, so assessments cover routine activities and premises conditions as well as major hazards.

The risk assessment procedure is:

1. 1.

   Six-monthly assessments

   A full risk assessment of each premises and the work activities carried out there is completed every six months and recorded in the online management system.

2. 2.

   Ad hoc assessments

   Irregular events and activities — promotions, shopfits, deliveries outside normal patterns, new equipment — are assessed before they take place.

3. 3.

   Risk-reduction actions

   Each assessment produces required or suggested actions to reduce or eliminate risks, with an owner and a deadline. Progress is tracked in the system and overdue actions trigger notifications.

4. 4.

   Records

   All assessments and completed actions are retained in the online system as evidence that the company has met its legal duty of care.

5. Hazard reporting

Every employee can raise a hazard at any time:

1. 1.

   Online reporting

   Hazards, near-misses and general comments are reported through the online hazard reporting process, available to all employees.

2. 2.

   Triage and action

   Reports are reviewed promptly; anything presenting an immediate risk is made safe first and then assessed. Other reports are assigned an action owner and deadline.

3. 3.

   Feedback

   The reporting employee is informed of the outcome, reinforcing a culture where raising concerns is expected and valued.

6. Incident reporting and investigation

For any serious injury or near-miss a report must be filed with the HSE under RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013). Beyond the people affected, the local council, claims lawyers and the company's insurer may all investigate whether the company acted in accordance with its legal duty of care — and claims can be made for up to three years after an injury.

The incident procedure is:

1. 1.

   Immediate response

   Make the area safe, provide first aid or emergency assistance, and preserve evidence where practical.

2. 2.

   Recording

   Every incident, however minor, is recorded in the accident book and the online management system on the day it occurs.

3. 3.

   RIDDOR reporting

   Reportable injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences are notified to the HSE within the statutory deadlines. London Retail Services advises on whether an incident is reportable and handles or supports the submission.

4. 4.

   Investigation

   All incidents are investigated to establish causes and prevent recurrence, with advice or hands-on help from London Retail Services. Findings feed back into risk assessments, training and procedures.

5. 5.

   Insurer notification

   Incidents that could give rise to a claim are notified to the company's insurer in accordance with policy conditions.

7. Training

The employee training programme ensures everyone is competent for their role:

1. 1.

   Induction

   Every new employee receives health and safety induction covering the policy, hazard reporting, fire and emergency procedures and the risks specific to their role, before working unsupervised.

2. 2.

   Role-specific training

   Additional training is provided where a risk assessment identifies the need — for example manual handling, working at height or equipment-specific instruction.

3. 3.

   Refreshers and records

   Training is refreshed at defined intervals and whenever procedures change. All training is recorded in the online management system.

8. Premises and equipment checks

Routine checks prevent workplace hazards from developing:

1. 1.

   Routine checklists

   Daily, weekly and monthly checklists cover flooring, shelving, steps, cables, lighting, ventilation, fire exits and equipment condition. Completed checklists are logged in the online system.

2. 2.

   Statutory inspections

   Fire safety, electrical, gas and equipment inspections required by law are scheduled in the system, with notifications before they fall due.

3. 3.

   Defect handling

   Defects found during checks are reported as hazards and follow the hazard-reporting procedure until resolved.

9. Monitoring and review

All parts of the system — policies, risk assessments, checklists, training records and incident history — are reviewed regularly by London Retail Services with the company's directors. The policy framework itself is reviewed annually, and sooner where legislation, premises or activities change, or where an incident or audit identifies a weakness.

Clear and effective health and safety policies and procedures are a legal duty, but they also protect the company, the public and its employees — and demonstrate that the company is a responsible employer.