The Swain Group and its management team is committed to the health and safety of its employees and anyone else who may be affected by its activities. It recognises that commitment to a high level of safety makes good business sense, and acknowledges that health and safety is a business function that must continually develop and adapt to change. Safety is the responsibility of everyone within the organisation and is not only a function of management. The Swain approach to health and safety is based on the identification and control of risk and a commitment to the prevention of injury and ill health.
A positive safety culture will be encouraged within the organisation and will be actively supported by senior management. All employees will be involved in the decision making process either as individuals or via representatives. In order to achieve this general statement, the following will form the company aims and objectives:
- Swain believes that managing health and safety is an integral part of a management function, and will monitor the health and safety performance of its managers as it would with any other business critical responsibility.
- Swain will comply with laws, and other applicable health and safety requirements in carrying out its activities, and will assess the risk to the health and safety of its employees and anyone else that may be affected by its activities. Management will provide and maintain a safe working environment and will develop safe systems of work and codes of practice. In addition, procedures will be established to ensure that safe equipment and plant are provided for employees and non-employees.
- Swain will devote the necessary resources, in the form of finance, equipment, personnel and time, to ensure the implementation of this health and safety policy statement. Swain will also provide adequate and appropriate information, instruction, training, and supervision. Specialist support in health and safety matters will be provided as necessary.
- Employees have a specific responsibility to take reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their activities (or failures to act), and are expected to follow laid down procedures and to co-operate with management in achieving the required high standards. In addition they are required to notify accidents, unsafe working conditions, hazards and near-miss incidents to their managers, safety advisors or nominated representatives.
- Swain will monitor, co-operate with and control as necessary – sub-contracted workers under its control, clients, and other employers affected by its operations.
- Swain will promptly investigate incidents and dangerous occurrences, and appropriate steps will be taken to prevent a re-occurrence, as far as is reasonably practicable.
- Continuous improvement in health and safety is expected from all Swain operations, underpinned by effective planning, monitoring and review of health and safety policy performance
The Swain Group will review this policy statement as appropriate.