Thames & Hudson (‘T&H’/‘the Company’) recognises and accepts its duty to provide a safe and healthy working environment, as far as is reasonably practicable, for its employees, freelancers and contractors (collectively referred to in these H&S Policies as ‘workers’) and visitors to its premises under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, any other relevant legislation (and any updates to the foregoing) and in accordance with its common law duty of care.
The Company will comply with its statutory duties to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of its workers and of visitors to its premises and, in general, to ensure:
- Its premises are safe and without risks to health;
- Equipment and machinery are safe and that safe systems of work are set and followed;
- Articles and substances are moved, stored and used safely; and
- Workers are provided with the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary for their health and safety.
In particular, the Company will:
- Take all reasonably practicable steps to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of all persons on its premises and to ensure the provision and maintenance of safe equipment and systems of work;
- Provide adequate working conditions with proper facilities to safeguard the health and safety of workers and ensure that any work that is undertaken poses no unnecessary risk to health or safety;
- Ensure that the workplace satisfies health, safety and welfare requirements including for ventilation, temperature, lighting, noise and for sanitary washing and rest facilities;
- Undertake regular assessments of the risks to the health and safety of its workers and visitors to its premises, making a specific assessment of risks in respect of new or expectant mothers, disabled workers/visitors and young people under the age of eighteen;
- Record the significant findings of the risk assessment and the recommended measures arising and implement the health and safety measures identified as necessary by such assessments;
- Maintain, and update when necessary, a Health & Safety Policy Statement and Health & Safety Policies & Procedures and bring them to the attention of its workers;
- Appoint a Health & Safety Management Committee of competent personnel to be responsible for the administration of health and safety in the Company;
- As far as reasonably practicable, make arrangements for the protection against any risk to the health and safety of the general public arising out of or in connection with the Company’s activities;
- Set up and regularly test Emergency Procedures;
- Provide adequate First Aid Facilities, First Aid Boxes and trained First Aiders;
- Ensure that work and kitchen equipment is suitable for its intended use, as far as health and safety is concerned, and that it is properly maintained, and that training is provided for its safe use where necessary;
- Prevent or adequately control exposure to substances that may damage health; take precautions against danger from flammable or explosive hazards, electrical equipment or radiation;
- Ensure that hazardous manual handling operations are avoided and, where they cannot be avoided, reduce the risk of injury; provide protective clothing or equipment, where risks are not adequately controlled by other means; maintain safe arrangements for the handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;
- Ensure that appropriate safety signs and fire extinguishers are provided and maintained; and
- Provide health surveillance as appropriate and report injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the appropriate health and safety enforcing authorities, if required.
In promoting the health and safety of its workers and visitors, the Company will:
- Encourage workers and visitors to co-operate with the Company in all safety matters, in the identification of hazards which may exist and in the reporting of any condition which may appear dangerous or unsatisfactory;
- Provide sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to enable everyone to avoid hazards and contribute to their own safety and health;
- Provide specific information, instruction, training and supervision to personnel who have particular health and safety responsibilities, including in particular, the Health & Safety Officer and Health & Safety Representatives; and
- Provide information to other employers of any risks to which those employer’s workers on the Company’s premises may be exposed.
As well as the Company’s legal obligations, workers also have duties and responsibilities as far as health and safety is concerned. They include the following:
- To practice safe working methods and to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of their colleagues, visitors and other persons who may be affected by what they do or do not do;
- To co-operate with the Company on all health and safety matters and to familiarise themselves with and to follow the Health & Safety Policies & Procedures set by the Company including amendments and updates;
- To only use equipment and appliances provided or specifically authorised by the Company and in accordance with training or instructions, including using protective measures where necessary;
- To maintain safe means of access to, from and around their workstations and/or offices and not to leave any equipment, boxes, books or other materials in any area that may impede access to, egress from or passage through the workplace or fire escape routes or may constitute a tripping or falling hazard;
- Not to interfere with or misuse anything provided for health, safety and welfare purposes;
- To report at the earliest opportunity any risks to health and safety they identify, any defective equipment, furniture or structures and any injuries, accidents or dangerous occurrences at work, including those involving visitors;
- To take responsibility for the health and safety of their visitors, ensuring that on arrival they report to Reception and sign in and on leaving, sign out, that during their visit, visitors are not exposed to any hazards and that they are assisted in their evacuation from the building during an emergency; and
- To familiarise themselves with fire escape routes and procedures and follow the directions of the Company in relation to a fire or other emergency.
Any breach or non-observance of these duties or the Company’s Health & Safety Policies & Procedures may result in disciplinary action being taken by the Company. In serious cases, this may include dismissal for acts or omissions which, in the opinion of the Company, amount to gross misconduct.
This Health & Safety Policy Statement and the Company’s Health & Safety Policies & Procedures may be amended at any time by the Company. They will be reviewed no less than annually by the Health & Safety Management Committee or by other person(s) appointed to do so by the Committee. A report on the review, with any proposals for amendment to the Company’s Health & Safety Policies & Procedures, shall be made to the next meeting of the Health & Safety Management Committee and, if approved by them, subsequently presented to the Board of Directors by the CFO for its sign off.
Leon Romero-Montalvo
CFO
v.29 01 20
