Health and safety policy

Over recent years there has been an increased awareness of the importance of health and safety within the workplace and Friends Provident is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment as part of its wider responsibilities to staff. Greater emphasis is also being placed upon individual staff members who can also now be held legally responsible under health and safety law.

The promotion of health and safety at work must be a mutual objective for staff at all levels. We all have a duty to take proper precautions and care in our work not only to safeguard ourselves but also colleagues, visitors and contractors within our offices.

The majority of accidents can be avoided, provided potential safety hazards are recognised and reported to the appropriate person.

General policy statement

It is the policy of Friends Provident that all reasonably practicable steps will be taken to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees and the protection of others not in its employ, who may have legitimate reasons for being on or about company premises.

The Company recognises its statutory obligations to maintain standards of safety for all its employees in every aspect of their work in relation to buildings, plant, equipment and workplaces, and for continually maintaining its initiative to ensure that these obligations are fulfilled.

It is considered essential in the interest of all employees, that they should observe and maintain the safety standards as laid down in this Policy.

The Company also recognises its obligation to members of the public, contractors and visitors to all of its premises and locations and will ensure that measures, where necessary, will be taken to maintain their health and safety.

Management and staff will be required to co-operate to maintain the health and safety at work of the workforce by observation of agreed practices and procedures for improved standards of protection for all persons using the company's premises.

Health and safety must be regarded as a mutual objective for management and employees at all levels. Therefore management will:

Provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and all subsequent and relevant statutory requirements
Carry out suitable risk assessments of all premises and tasks carried out within them (to include the risks from fire, noise, manual handling, exposure to chemicals & substances etc)
Provide and maintain safe means of access and egress from all premises and locations
Provide safety training, information and instruction as required for all employees, visitors and contractors etc, as appropriate
Provide all necessary safety devices, protective equipment and supervise their use
Maintain a constant and continuing interest in all aspects of safety, in particular by introducing and monitoring safety procedures, and involving employees or their representatives wherever possible.

Staff have a duty to co-operate fully in the operation of this Policy by:

Working safely and efficiently, complying with any instruction, information & training in accordance with all company procedures and statutory obligations
Immediately reporting incidents (including accidents, near misses, that have resulted in, or may lead to injury)
Assisting with the investigation of accidents and aiding the introduction of measures to prevent a recurrence.

The Policy has the full support and total commitment of the Board of Directors, and will be regularly monitored to ensure that the objectives are achieved. It will be reviewed and, if necessary, revised in the light of legislative or organisational changes.

Last reviewed April 2009.