Health & Safety Policy
Last Amended – 20/11/2020
Statement of intent
VOLLAND Ltd understands and accepts the importance and requirement of Health & Safety Policy at both the workshop and in areas where we carry out installations for the benefit of our engineers and all parties present when carrying out an install.
Our health and safety policy is to:
- prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill-health
- manage health and safety risks in our workplace
- provide clear instructions and information, and adequate training, to ensure employees are competent to do their work
- provide personal protective equipment
- consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
- provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
- ensure safe handling and use of substances
- maintain safe and healthy working conditions
- implement emergency procedures, including evacuation in case of fire or other significant incidents
- review and revise this policy regularly
All feedback from in-house personnel, customers and 3rd parties are welcomed and encouraged. Based on feedback we routinely review and, where required, amend this policy to keep standards high.
Responsibilities for health and safety
To ensure health and safety standards are maintained/improved, James Volland (Managing Director & Engineer) has a responsibility both on installs and at the workshop
All employees should:
- co-operate with the above responsible person on health and safety matters
- take reasonable care of their own health and safety
- report all health and safety concerns the above responsible person
Activities
Activities we regularly carry out are listed below, with information on how we approach the activity safely minimising risk to our engineers and all 3rd parties the activity may affect
- Hot works - Brazing of pipework both indoors and outdoors
- A full risk assessment to be carried out of the site
- Fire extinguisher to be present in the same room
- Only VOLLAND Ltd engineers who been through the necessary training to enable the safe hot works will carry out any brazing.
- A 2nd engineer will be present at all time
- Lifting – Both indoor & outdoor unit (new & existing) requires lifting for mounting or removal purposes
- A full risk assessment to be carried out of the site
- PPE to be worn at all times
- Lifting of any appliance to be carried out by 2 engineers
- Manual lifting to a max of 1.5m (additional height to 3m to be achieved by lift, which engineers are provided by VOLLAND Ltd and available on the Van)
- Training provided on how to safely use the lift
- Lifting height over 3m, or over 120kg, will require scaffolding/ tower or suitable 3rd lifting equipment to be arranged by either VOLLAND Ltd or the Customer
- Working at Height – when working on systems at a hight
- A full risk assessment to be carried out of the site
- PPE to be worn at all times
- Working or Climbing hight on the supplied ladder up to 3m; tethered and manned by 2nd engineer
- Working height over 3m, will require scaffolding/ tower or suitable 3rd elevated platform equipment to be arranged by either VOLLAND Ltd or the Customer
- All parties to be informed that may access the area, with instruction to avoid or wear PPE, and if in public space an exclusion zone marked and manned
- Drilling & Dust – When drilling or disturbing when mounting
- Full assessment and evaluation of the area to be drilled, to be sure that no electrical, water to be disturbed, and that the structure is sound to be drilled or mounted to
- Where necessary, wear dust masks, and instruct all parties in the area to wear suitable dust masks
- If suspected asbestos is found, to stop all works and inform the customer of their responsibility to carry out the required site assessment and removal of asbestos
- Electrical Tools and Electrical Work – When using power tools and carrying out wiring
- Where possible, cordless power tools to be used to minimise the presence of main powered tools
- Where required, only main powered tools with current passed PAT testing before use, with yearly PAT tests on all mains-powered tools
- All electrical works will be carried out by capable and experienced engineers with any mains power isolated. We required suitable mains incoming power to be in place by the customer, but essential testing will be carried out during installation to be sure that our own electrical works is correct and safe
- Refrigerant Handling – When decommissioning and commissioning systems
- PPE to be worn at all times
- Correct F-gas procedure to be carried out at each stage
- All engineer dealing with the handling of refrigeration to be both C&G2079 qualified and experienced to handle refrigerant
Personal First Aid & Accident Response
- Where a minor injury occurs to either engineer or any 3rd party within the vicinity, a fully stocked first aid box is available to the engineer in the workshop and the vans
- All engineers are provided basic instruction on how to use the kit and administer first aid
- Any minor injury that required further treatment or treatment is unavailable on-site, then the party will be taken to the nearest A&E
- All major occurrences of injury will see the engineer contact the emergency services for assistance
All instances of First Aid or/ and Accident responses will be recorded with the consultation of if this policy was followed, any amendment required and further training the engineer may need. If it is felt necessary, or on request of a 3rd party, we will refer ourselves to the HSE
