Introduction

Current legislation requires Cornerstone College Cambridge as an employer and premises occupier, to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of members of staff, students, and of other people who may be affected by its activities. All members of staff have a role to play in health, safety and welfare matters. Such roles include observing approved Cornerstone College Cambridge policy, operating to standards and guidelines adopted by Cornerstone College Cambridge and carrying out specific procedures in the event of particular incidents. Ensuring health and safety is a non-delegable duty of care owed by Cornerstone College Cambridge’s Management.

General Statement of Policy & Principle 

Cornerstone College Cambridge is committed to best practice in ensuring health & safety in the. It aspires to continual improvement beyond basic legal compliance in respect of members of staff, students, visitors, contractors who may be carrying out work on Cornerstone College Cambridge sites, and any other persons who could be affected by its activities.

The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for health and safety matters in Cornerstone College Cambridge although staff and students of Cornerstone College Cambridge share some responsibility for their own health and safety and that of others whilst engaged upon Cornerstone College Cambridge’s business.

The Health & Safety Policy will be implemented through a commitment to the following objectives.

• Provision and maintenance must be made for safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work;
• The implementation of a health and safety management system involving a process of regular audits, inspections and resultant actions must be ensured;
• The effective consultation must be held with members of staff and health and safety representatives;
• There will be sufficient resource and activities for the promotion of best practice in health and safety within Cornerstone College Cambridge;
• Cornerstone College Cambridge must ensure the competence of members of staff and students with designated responsibilities;
• Cornerstone College Cambridge must show consideration of health and safety issues at all stages of project management;
• Cornerstone College Cambridge must allocate adequate resources and enlist specialist advice;
• Cornerstone College Cambridge must encourage a fit and healthy workforce;
• The Quality Assurance Committee of Cornerstone College Cambridge will ensure that this Policy is carried out through the approval of strategy, policy and action plans, and by regular monitoring.

General Policy & Principle and Organizational Responsibility

This section summarises the responsibilities of individuals and groups of Cornerstone College Cambridge to help to ensure that health and safety is successfully managed by Cornerstone College Cambridge in accordance with best practice sector. It should be read in conjunction with Cornerstone College Cambridge’s Health and Safety Policy: General Statement.

 The Chief Executive 

The Chief Executive of Cornerstone College Cambridge:

• has overall responsibility for Health and Safety matters in Cornerstone College Cambridge;
• has overall responsibility for ensuring that the ‘Health and Safety Policy: General Statement’ and the ‘Health and Safety Policy: Organisational Responsibilities’ are kept under review;
• has overall responsibility for ensuring that the objectives of the Health and Safety Policy: General Statement are achieved;
• will ensure that these is the availability of resources required to comply with statutory requirements or any difficulties that might arise if resources are not available;
• will ensure proper management procedures exist to secure the implementation of Cornerstone College Cambridge detailed Health and Safety arrangements;
• Will ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for consultation with members of staff; regarding health and safety matters.
• will ensure that Cornerstone College Cambridge Health and Safety Policy: General Statement, the Health and Safety Policy: Organisational Responsibilities and the detailed arrangements concerning health, safety and welfare of all members of staff and students are made known and implemented;
• will ensure that the detailed Health and Safety arrangements are reviewed regularly, particularly and when organisational or legislative changes occur;
• will ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments have been carried out of risks to the Health and Safety of members of staff and students whilst they are engaged on Cornerstone College Cambridge business;
• will be proactive in stimulating interest and enthusiasm for health and safety throughout the institution.

Cornerstone College Cambridge Executive

Cornerstone College Cambridge Executive (including the Chief Executive):

• will be responsible for achieving the objectives of Cornerstone College Cambridge Health and Safety Policy: General Statement in their areas of individual responsibility;
• will ensure that Health and Safety Policy: Organisational Responsibilities and the detailed arrangements concerning the health, safety and welfare of all members of staff and students are made known and implemented within their areas of responsibility;
• aims, as an integral part of its management responsibility, to achieve a progressive reduction in accidents and incidents by:
  • ensuring that they, and all staff in their areas of individual responsibility, know their responsibilities for health and safety and that they are adequately trained to discharge those responsibilities;
  • establishing in their own areas of individual responsibility an adequate programme to seek the elimination of potential accidents.
• will conform with Health and Safety statutes and Codes of Practice, including ensuring that suitable procedures to identify, report and eliminate hazards, and suitable risk management procedures exist and are implemented;
• will be responsible for:
  • the provision of plant, equipment and systems of work, which are safe, and without risks to health;
  • the safe usage, handling, processing, storage of substances and articles;
  • the provision of a working environment, which is safe, and without risks to health, and the provision of adequate facilities and arrangements for the welfare of members of staff and students while engaged on Cornerstone College Cambridge business.
• will ensure that all equipment in their areas of responsibility is maintained as far as reasonably practicable in a condition, which is safe, and without risk to health;
• will ensure that health and safety arrangements are fully discussed with all relevant managers and advisers with regard to:
  • current working programmes;
  • new operations or methods of work planned;
  • the design or acquisition of new buildings, plant and equipment.
• will arrange consultations with Health and Safety Representatives to ensure that progressive and positive methods are adopted for promoting health, safety and welfare at work and that there are arrangements for the participation of Health and Safety representatives in the development of such measures;
• will ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are carried out of risks to the health and safety of members of staff, students and others who may be affected by the activities arising from their areas of responsibility. This will not be confined to risk assessment of physical locations but will also include modes of working and activities;
• will ensure that where hazards are identified which cannot be eliminated, that safe systems of work are designed, implemented, recorded, monitored and reviewed as necessary;
• will ensure that workplace inspections are carried out in accordance with Cornerstone College Cambridge Policy and that actions arising are addressed;
• will ensure the provision of such information, training and supervision as may be necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of members of staff and students in their areas of responsibility;
• will ensure that job safety requirements are established for all jobs, roles and duties, and that these and other safety requirements are made known to members of staff by effective information, instruction, training and supervision;
• will keep under review the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Policy: General Statement, the Health and Safety Policy: Organisational Responsibilities and the detailed Health and Safety arrangements;
• will be proactive in stimulating interest and enthusiasm for health and safety by demonstrating their personal concern for health and safety at work through example and commitment, and by encouraging managers at all levels in their areas of responsibility to do the same;
• will provide leadership in setting priorities in favour of Health and Safety, where there is potential conflict in delivering against competing objectives.

The Health and Safety Officer

The Health and Safety Officer is responsible to the Chief Executive for general safety matters throughout Cornerstone College Cambridge. This responsibility includes:

• Advising and assisting staff and students with their health and safety responsibilities.
• Ensuring that Cornerstone College Cambridge Executives are aware of the requirements of new and proposed legislation.
• Promoting and advising upon standards to be adopted in health and safety matters.
• Maintaining an up-to-date set of Cornerstone College Cambridge safety policies and codes of practice.
• Carrying out safety audits of Cornerstone College Cambridge.
• Responsible for fire prevention/protection and emergency escape procedures, and will advise the Chief Executive on these matters.

NOTE: Meaning of Cornerstone College Cambridge Executive

Cornerstone College Cambridge executive for the purposes of this Health & Safety Policy includes the following personnel of Cornerstone College Cambridge and they are as follows.

• The Chief Executive
• The Academic Head
• The Head of Administration & Compliance
• The Centre Manager
• Course Co-ordinators

Reviewed

By Dr. Emmanuel Obikwu, September, 2023