Health & Safety Policy

Purpose of Policy

1. Walkie Dogs takes health and safety issues seriously and is committed to protecting the health and safety of its staff (including volunteers), and all those affected by its business activities and attending its premises. This Policy is intended to help Walkie Dogs achieve this by clarifying who is responsible for health and safety matters and what their responsibilities are.
2. This is a statement of policy only and does not form part of your contract of employment. This Policy may be amended at any time by Walkie Dogs at its absolute discretion. The Employer will review this Policy at regular intervals to ensure that it is achieving its aims effectively.

Who is Responsible For Workplace Health and Safety?

1. Achieving a healthy and safe workplace is a collective task shared between Walkie Dogs and staff (including volunteers). This Policy and the rules contained in it apply to all staff of Walkie Dogs, irrespective of seniority, tenure, and working hours, including all employees, directors and officers, consultants and contractors, trainees, homeworkers and any volunteers. Specific responsibilities of staff are set out in the section headed “Responsibilities of all staff” below.

Employer Responsibilities

1. Walkie Dogs is responsible for:
   1. Taking reasonable steps to safeguard the health and safety of staff (including volunteers), people affected by Walkie Dogs business activities, and people visiting its premises.
   2. Identifying health and safety risks and finding ways to manage or overcome them.
   3. Providing a safe and healthy place of work and safe entry and exit arrangements, including during an emergency situation.
   4. Providing and maintaining safe working areas, equipment and systems and, where necessary, appropriate protective clothing.
   5. Providing safe arrangements for the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.
   6. Providing adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to enable all staff (including volunteers) to do their work safely, to avoid hazards and to contribute positively to their own health and safety at work. Walkie Dogs will give you the opportunity to ask questions and advise who best to contact in respect if you are unsure about how to safely carry out your work.
   7. Ensuring any health and safety representatives receive appropriate training to carry out their functions effectively.
   8. Providing a health and safety induction and appropriate safety training to your role, including:
      • ​​​​ Manual handling.
      • Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH).
      • Health and Safety.
      • Walk Leader.
   9. Promoting effective communication and consultation between Walkie Dogs and staff (including volunteers) concerning health and safety matters.
   10. If an epidemic or pandemic alert is issued, providing instructions, arrangements and advice to staff as to the organisation of business operations and steps to be taken to minimise the risk of infection.
   11. Regularly monitoring and reviewing the management of health and safety at work, making any necessary changes, and bringing those to the attention of all staff (including volunteers).
2. Overall responsibility for health and safety lies with the director of Walkie Dogs. They have appointed the Director as the Health and Safety Officer with day-to-day responsibility for health and safety matters.
3. Any concerns about health and safety matters should be communicated to the Health and Safety Officer.

Responsibilities of All Staff

General Staff (including volunteers) Responsibilities

1. All staff must:
   1. Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
   2. Co-operate with the Health and Safety Officer and Walkie Dogs generally to enable compliance with health and safety duties and requirements.
   3. Comply with any health and safety instructions and rules, including instructions on the safe use of equipment.
   4. Keep health and safety issues in the front of their minds and take personal responsibility for the health and safety implications of their own acts and omissions.
   5. Keep the workplace tidy and hazard-free.
   6. Report all health and safety concerns to the Health and Safety Officer promptly, including any potential risks, hazards or malfunctioning of equipment, however minor or trivial they may seem.
   7. Co-operate in Walkie Dogs investigation of any incident or accident which either has led to injury or which, in the Employer’s opinion, could have led to injury.

Staff (including volunteers) Responsibilities Relating to Equipment

1. All staff (including volunteers) must:
   1. Use equipment as directed, following any instructions given by representatives of management or contained in any written operating manual or instructions for use, and adhering to any relevant training.
   2. Report any fault with, damage to, or concern about any equipment (including health and safety equipment) or its use to the Health and Safety Officer, who is responsible for maintenance and safety of equipment.
   3. Ensure that health and safety equipment is not interfered with.
   4. Not attempt to repair equipment unless suitably trained and authorised.

Staff (including volunteers) Responsibilities Relating to Accidents and First Aid

1. All staff (including volunteers) must:
   1. Promptly report any accident at work involving personal injury, however trivial, to the Health and Safety Officer so that details can be recorded in the ‘Accident File’. They must also cooperate with any associated investigation.
   2. Familiarise themselves with the details of first aid equipment and trained first aiders, which are available from the Health and Safety Officer.
   3. If an accident occurs during an event, report the incident to the designated first aider assigned to the event.
   4. The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for investigating any injuries or work-related illnesses, preparing and keeping accident records, and for submitting reports under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), where required.

Staff (including volunteers) Responsibilities Relating to Emergency Evacuation and Fire

1. All staff (including volunteers) must:
   1. Familiarise themselves with the instructions about what to do if there is a fire which are available from the Health and Safety Officer.
   2. Ensure they are aware of the location of fire exits and alternative ways of leaving the park or outdoor areas in an emergency.
   3. Comply with the instructions of firewardens if there is a fire, suspected fire.
   4. Co-operate in fire drills and take them seriously. Fire drills will be held at least once every 12 months.
   5. Notify the Health and Safety Officer immediately of any circumstances (for example, entrance/exit blocked or closed) which might hinder or delay evacuation in a fire or emergency situation. This will allow the Health and Safety Officer to discuss a personal evacuation plan for you, which will be shared with the fire wardens and colleagues working near to you.
2. On discovering a fire, all staff must:
   1. Immediately call 999 and, if time permits, call the Health and Safety Officer and notify the location of the fire.
   2. Attempt to tackle the fire ONLY if they have been trained or otherwise feel competent to do so.
3. The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that fire risk assessments take place, that changes are made where required, and for making sure there are regular checks of escape routes.

Risk Assessments, Hazardous Substances and Manual Handling

1. Risk assessments are essentially a careful examination of what at the locations could cause harm to people. Walkie Dogs will assess any risks and consider measures to best minimise any risk. Walkie Dogs will carry out general workplace risk assessments at all locations which events are held when required or as reasonably requested by staff. Managers must ensure that any necessary risk assessments take place, and the resulting recommendations are implemented. The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for risk assessments and any measures to control risks.
2. The use of hazardous substances at work will be avoided where possible and less hazardous alternatives will be used where available. Training on the control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) will be provided where and if required.
3. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided where risks cannot be otherwise effectively controlled.
4. Guidance on manual handling (for example, lifting and carrying heavy objects) can be obtained from the Health and Safety Officer and where necessary training will be provided by the Employer, but the Employer will try to minimise or avoid the need for manual handling where there is a risk of injury.

Hygiene Practices at Work

1. We also expect staff to apply good hygiene practices generally, such as covering their mouths or faces when coughing or sneezing and disposing of any waste, such as used tissues or hand wipes, dog faeces responsibly.

Mental Health Whilst Working at Home

1. We take the health of our staff seriously, including their mental well-being. Whether you are working remotely or returning to the workplace, we strongly encourage you to speak to your line manager, a colleague or a member of the HR team regarding any concerns or issues you may have.
2. If you are working remotely from home or returning to the workplace, we encourage staff to:
   1. Connect with their fellow colleagues for informal chats or video calls.
   2. Get regular exercise and sunlight outdoors.
   3. Take regular breaks away from their workstation.
   4. Ensure they are drinking sufficient water and eating properly.

Non-Compliance With Health and Safety Rules

1. Any breach of health and safety rules or failure to comply with this Policy will be taken very seriously and is likely to result in disciplinary action against the offender, in accordance with the Employer’s Disciplinary Policy, up to and including immediate dismissal.