Health and Safety Policy Statement

This policy details what is expected of management, staff, contractors, suppliers and partners to ensure all the council’s activities comply with its legal obligations and commitment to high standards of health, safety and welfare.

Charnwood Borough Council places the greatest importance on the health, safety and welfare of its employees, contractors, partners, and all others who may be affected by its undertakings, including the general public. Our objective is a positive health and safety culture which involves everyone in providing the healthiest and safest working conditions possible.

We are fully committed to our responsibilities including so far as reasonably practicable:
• safely maintained plant, equipment and systems of work;
• competent staff, the provision of information and training;
• assessment of all significant risks and arrangements to control hazards;
• coordination and cooperation between service areas, and between the council and our partners, contractors and service users;
• procedures for emergencies and safe access and egress to all places of work under our control;
• consultation and communication with staff, partners, contractors and users of our services;
• monitoring health and safety performance by inspections, audits and benchmarking to ensure compliance and continually improve our performance;

Key roles will be assigned to support the management of health and safety to include professional advice; risk assessments and welfare procedures; liaison with enforcing authorities and to stay up to date with the law and best practice. Sufficient resources will be provided within the Council’s established structures.

Each individual must exercise responsibility at a level equal to any of their other functions to ensure the policy is put into practice. We all have a role to play and as a condition of employment, all staff must remember that a health & safety breach may be a disciplinary offence.

We expect all suppliers and contractors to meet as a minimum the standards laid out in our health and safety policy.

This policy will be reviewed annually or if required by any significant changes to our activities and approved by the Corporate Health and Safety Committee.

This is the policy statement. For specific details of the council's health and safety arrangements please contact the relevant service area or ask to speak to the Health and Safety Officer.