GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

Atkinson Engineering is a trading division of Atkinson Equipment Limited.

• Atkinson Equipment Ltd will provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities
• We will consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
• We will endeavour to provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
• We will ensure the safe handling and use of all substances.
• We will provide information, instruction and supervision for employees.
• We will ensure that all employees are competent to do their tasks and will give them adequate training.
• We will endeavour to prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health.
• We will endeavour to maintain a safe and healthy working environment
• This policy will be reviewed at regular interval and revised if necessary

Responsibilities

The overall and final responsibility for the health and safety of employees in the Company rests with the Managing Director. However the day to day responsibility for ensuring that this policy is implemented and complied with in the workplace is delegated to:

• Atkinson Equipment Ltd
• The Departmental Managers

To ensure that health and safety standards are maintained and improved, the following people have responsibility for the following areas:

1.0 Employee Responsibilities

All employees have to:-

• Co-operate with their supervisors and managers on health and safety matters.
• Not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety.
• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
• Report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person (as detailed above).

2.0 Identification of Risk

Risk assessments will be undertaken by the Health & Safety Administrator, for Atkinson Equipment Ltd. However, they may decide to delegate the task to another competent employee or an approved consultant.

The findings of the risk assessment will be reported to the Managing Reviewing Team.

Any action identified as required to remove or control the risk will be considered by a managerial review meeting and approved or otherwise by the Management Team, who will also be responsible for ensuring that the action required has been implemented.

The actions implemented will he checked hy the Health & Safety Administrator for Atkinson Equipment Ltd to ensure that the risks identified have been removed or reduced to an acceptable level.

All assessments will be reviewed at least annually or when a process or activity changes significantly. No new work practice, machine or method will be used until a full risk assessment has been carried out.

3.0 Consultation and Communication

Atkinson Equipment Ltd does not have a formal Safety Committee. There is a workgroup made up of volunteer employees who will periodically carry out risk assessments. Health and safety matters are discussed at the regular H&S management review meetings and where appropriate, actions are placed on individuals and resolved at subsequent meetings.

Health and safety matters are communicated to all employees by means of:

• Notices on the Company notice boards situated at the clocking machine, canteen and despatch.
• Safety alerts or bulletins to all employees being posted with their salary notification.

In addition a copy of this policy document will be supplied for information to all new employees on their first day in employment, including any temporary or agency staff.
Time will be allowed to cover any questions arising.

4.0 Safe Plant and Equipment

The company operates a planned maintenance programme for all plant and machinery. It is the responsibility of the Workshop Manager to ensure that plant and machinery that requires planned maintenance within Atkinson Equipment Ltd is identified and registered.

The Workshop Manager for Atkinson Equipment Ltd is responsible for ensuring that effective maintenance procedures are drawn up.

The Workshop Manager for Atkinson Equipment Ltd is responsible for ensuring that the planned maintenance programme is carried out.

Any problems found with plant or equipment must be reported to the Workshop Manager for Atkinson Equipment Ltd who is responsible for ensuring that all new plant and equipment meets health and safety standards before it is purchased.

5.0 Personal Protective Equipment

The Company endeavours to eliminate any risk to the health and safety of its employees. Where this is not possible, suitable protective equipment will be provided to the employees concerned free
of any cost to the employee and the processes or areas concerned will be clearly marked.

It is the responsibility of the employee to ensure that the protective measures/equipment identified within the Safe Operating Procedures ( SOP ) and associated Risk Assessment ( RA ) are complied
with at all times during the performance of the task or residence in the work area concerned.

The protective equipment identified from an S.O.P and associated R.A. will be worn I used accordingly and replaced as required by the Company

6.0 Safe Handling of Substances

It is the policy of the Company to assess the risks posed to employees from substances that have the potential to be considered hazardous to health. Responsibility for the identification of all substances which need a Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health ( COSHH ) assessment rests with the Workshop Manager and Health & Safety Administrator.

These initial COSHH assessments will be carried out by the Health & Safety Administrator.

The Managing Director is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all actions identified in the assessment are actioned.

It is the responsibility of the Workshop Manager for Atkinson Equipment Ltd to inform all relevant employees of the CO SHH assessment.
The Workshop Manager or the Health & Safety Administrator for Atkinson Equipment Ltd will check that new substances can be used safely before they are purchased.
COSHH assessments in the form of the Material Safety Data Sheet ( MSDS ) will be held on file in the reception office.

The COSHH assessments will be reviewed at least annually or when their usage or the activity concerned changes whichever is soonest.

7.0 Information, Instruction and Supervision

The Health and Safety Law poster is displayed near the clocking in machine.

Advice on health and safety matters is available from the Workshop Manager or the Health & Safety Administrator.

AII young workers and trainees will be supervised by their respective Department Manager or their nominated competent person until such times that they are judged competent themselves to carry
out the assigned tasks safely.

Where employees are assigned to work at locations under the control of other employers, the relevant Department Manager will ensure that our employees are given relevant health and safety
information.

Where employees from other Companies are assigned to work on our company premises, the relevant Department Manager will ensure that they have adequate knowledge and/or instruction or that they are accompanied at all times by a member of our staff.

8.0 Competency for Tasks and Training

Induction training for new staff will be provided on the first day of employment by the relevant Department Manager.

The induction checklist will be initially completed as far as is possible and then as required following the progress of employment and experience gained.

Where the new employee requires job specific training this will be provided by the relevant Department Manager before the employee is allowed to carry out the task.
Tasks requiring special or job specific training are:-

• Operating any of the fork lift or paJlet trucks.
• Charging or replenishing the fork lift truck batteries.
• Changing the gas bottle on a fork lift truck.
• Operating or using a "reach" truck.
• Fork lift truck using a non-integrated lifting platform.
• VDU operation ( by way of DSE assessment ).
• Driving the Company's delivery vehicles
• CNC machine operation.
• Grinding and T .inishing machines.
• Manual Lathes.
• Horizontal Band Saw
• Pillar Drills
• Hand Tools
• Grit Blasting Cabinet
• Fly & Toggle Presses
• Vibratory Rumbler & Parts Washer
• Pressurised Filstop Test Rig
• Soldering Operations
• Manual Handling ( Training DVD ).
• Operating the "Freddy" floor cleaning machine.

Records of all such training ( SOP & RA) given will be retained by Department Manager and filed. The training requirements of all staff are reviewed at least annually or when new plant, equipment or processes are introduced. It is the responsibility of the relevant Department Manager to ensure that the training is given and the results monitored to ensure the employee is competent to carry out
the assigned task.

10.0 Display Screen Equipment

It is the policy to comply with the law as set out in the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.
The Company will conduct health and safety self-assessments of all workstations staffed by employees who use VDU screens as part of their usual work and will ensure that all workstations meet the requirements set out in the Schedule to the Regulations.

The risks to users of VDU screens will be reduced to the lowest extent as is reasonably practicable.

VDU screen users will be allowed periodic breaks in their work.

Eyesight tests will be provided for VDU screen users on request.

The Company will support the purchase of basic spectacles if the test indicates the need for special corrective appliances (nonnally spectacles) that are prescribed specifically for the distance the screen is viewed at. Should an ordinary reading prescription be suitable for the DSE work undertaken then the company will not support this cost.

All VDU screen users will be given appropriate and adequate training on the health and safety aspects of this type of work and will be given further training and infonnation whenever the organisation of the workstation is substantially modified.

11.0 New or Expectant Mothers

It is the policy to comply with the European Directive on Pregnant Workers.

In addition to the general risk assessment, a further assessment of risk to new or expectant mothers will be conducted. Where a risk to new or expectant mothers is identified, working conditions and I or working hours will be adjusted so as to avoid the risk. Where this is not reasonable the employee(s) concerned will be suspended from work on full pay.

12.0 Work Related Stress

The Company is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare or their employees and recognises that workplace stress is a health and safety issue. They therefore acknowledge the importance of identifying and reducing workplace stressors. This policy will apply to all employees and Managers are responsible for implementation, with the Company responsible for providing the
necessary resources.

Stress is defined as •'the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them". This makes an important distinction between pressure, which can be a positive state if managed correctly, and stress which can be detrimental to health.

13.0 Accidents, First Aid and Work-Related Ill Health

Health surveillance is required for all employees performing the following jobs:-

• Noise in the workplace - Assembly & Engineering Operatives.

Health surveillance for Atkinson Engineering Ltd employees will be arranged by the Workshop Manager or his nominated representative. They may also use a specialist sub-contractor to carry out the surveillance programme.

The heallh surveillance records for Atkinson Equipment Ltd are kept by the Health & Safety Administrator and filed in the Reception Office.

First aid boxes and Defibrillator are located at:-

Atkinson Equipment Ltd
The First Aid room

Trained and qualified First Aiders will coordinate the first aid response or administer first aid treatment. A list of those who have current certificates will be found on the notice board in the First Aid room.
All accidents and cases of work related ill health are to be recorded in the Accident Book, which is located in the Works Manager's office of Atkinson Equipment Ltd.

The Workshop Manager or his nominated representative is responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences at Atkinson Equipment Ltd to the enforcing authority.

Examples as follows:-

• accidents resulting in the death of any person
• accidents resulting in specified injuries to workers
• non-fatal accidents requiring hospital treatment to non-workers
• dangerous occurrences
• work-related accidents resulting in 7 +days incapacitation

Further guidance on reporting and other examples can be found on the HSE website.

14.0 Monitoring

To check working conditions and ensure that safe working practices are being followed, the Company carries out periodic audits and uses the results of the audits to improve working practices.
These audits will usually be carried out by internal nominated teams although audits may also be carried out by an approved sub-contractor, with the results reported to the Management Review Team.

The Health & Safety Administrator, in conjunction with the relevant Department Manager, is responsible for investigating accidents and reporting the findings to the Management Team.

It is also their responsibility to investigate work-related causes of sickness absences and for acting on the findings of the investigation to prevent a reoccurrence. If necessary this may also involve
referencing back to the Management Team.

The relevant Department Manager is responsible for acting on the findings of the investigation to prevent recurrence.

15.0 Emergency Procedures - Fire and Evacuation

The Health & Safety Administrator of Atkinson Equipment Ltd is responsible for ensuring that the fire risk assessment is carried out and the findings implemented.
This is normally contracted out to an approved assessor.

Escape routes are checked on a regular basis by the relevant Department Manager or their nominated representative.

Fire extinguishers are maintained by a specialist sub-contractor and checked every twelve months.
The individual alarm systems are regularly serviced and tested by an approved sub-contractor.
The Company carries out an emergency evacuation annually and the evacuation time is reported to the respective management.

16.0 Smoking

The Company operates a total no smoking policy. Smoking is therefore not permitted at all times in the Company's buildings, yards & frontages, car parks and vehicles. This includes leased or rented buildings which may be remotely located from the main premises.