It should be reviewed to take into account of changes in Legislation and/ or working practices.

If you employ 5 or more people, a written policy is requirement to meet the Health & Safety at Work Act (Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations). Your health and safety policy statement sets out how you manage health and safety in your organisation. It is a unique document that shows whom does what and when including how they do it. If you employ five or more people you must have a written health and safety policy.

Alexander Safety (Training & Consultancy) Ltd can produce and revise a Health and Safety Policy on your behalf.

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You must carry out a risk assessment, this applies to all work activities and premises and everyone at work has responsibilities under it. If you employ five or more people, you must write down your findings and ensure that all staff are aware of the 'Risks and Hazards' of the workplace.

Purpose of Risk Assessment:
* To meet legal requirements (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999).
* To identify potentials for harm before they cause a problem, and to take suitable preventive or protective action.
* To demonstrate management commitment to safety.
* To reduce costs to business (direct, indirect, insurance etc).

If you don’t have risk assessments recorded and kept up-to-date you are vulnerable to compensation claims
as well as enforcement action.

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Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 anyone who has a degree of control of premises or systems of work must carry out a fire risk assessment of their premises, identifying any possible dangers and risks. You must manage any fire-risk in your premises and make sure that you keep up all fire precautions and maintenance routines.

Fire Risk Assessments have taken over from the requirement to have a Fire Certificate.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 you must –
1. Identify the hazards
2. Identify people at risk
3. Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk
4. Record findings, plan, inform and train staff
5. Review regularly
The fire safety reform order applies to the following:
* Offices and shops,
* Care homes and hospitals,
* Community halls, places of worship and other community premises,
* The shared areas of properties,
* Pubs, clubs and restaurants,
* Schools and sports centres,
* Tents and marquees,
* Hotels and hostels,
* Factories and warehouses.

Alexander Safety (Training & Consultancy) Ltd can conduct a Fire Risk Assessment for your premises and train your staff.

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Over a million people a year suffer from work-related back pain, repetitive strain injury and similar problems affecting muscles, joints and tendons.

You must avoid manual handling if a safer way, e.g. mechanical means, is practical. Design jobs to fit the work to the person rather than the person to the work. You cannot prevent all injuries, so make sure there are systems in place for early reporting of symptoms, and proper treatment and a managed return to work programme.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations apply to work, which involves:
* lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, dropping, throwing or carrying.

Employers must avoid hazardous manual handling operations by assessing any manual handling operations and reducing the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable. You need to complete formal Manual Handling Risk Assessments and should provide training for any employees at risk.

Alexander Safety (Training & Consultancy) Ltd has qualified Manual Handling assessors and Instructors that can provide training in your workplace or our Training Centre.

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People are a danger to themselves and others if they cannot do their jobs correctly or if their ways of working, where this matters for health and safety, are not clearly agreed, set out and checked.

You must ensure all employees (as well as managers and supervisors) are trained in the significant health and safety hazards and risks of their work and workplace and how to avoid them.

Some groups, such as young people, new and expectant mothers and those with a disability, need special consideration too. Provision of training is a key element in an effective risk management system.

Alexander Safety (Training & Consultancy) Ltd can provide all your training needs.

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Safety Legislation requires that all employers must appoint one or more competent persons to assist with health and safety (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations refer). The appointed/ competent person should be able to advise the company of any changes to legislation that may dictate a change in current working practices

You can appoint Alexander Safety (Training & Consultancy) Ltd will assess the impact of legislation changes and their effect on your organisation and tell you what you need to do to comply.

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Would a Safety Audit prove that you are meeting all your Health & Safety legal requirements?

An audit will show exactly how you measure up to legal requirements, and whether your performance is up to standard. It will act as a benchmark from which you can form a health and safety plan. We can audit to CHAS for pre-qualification purposes.

Safety auditing is a valuable management technique that is highly recommended by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Indeed, HSE Guidance document HSG65 “Successful Health and Safety Management” recommends that audits are undertaken annually to assist organisations to focus their resources in areas of most need. Alexander Safety (Training & Consultancy) Ltd auditing systems can be measured against HSG65 and OHSAS 18001 as well as measuring your status against legal compliance and your own internal standards.

Alexander Safety (Training & Consultancy) Ltd will provide a comprehensive audit of extant and required safety arrangements within your company.

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