Acorn is committed to providing a healthy and safe working environment for all its employees and others affected by our works. Full consideration is given to the impact we have on the environment through our activities. By planning and risk assessment we aim to reduce to a minimum any safety issues or environmental impact.
We accept the aims and provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, The Environmental Protection Act 1990 along with all subsidiary and associated Acts and Regulations. We recognise that the successful management of Health, Safety and Environment contributes to the overall performance of a quality business. To this end, our management systems are developed broadly in line with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18000. We are committed to continuous improvement.
This statement and associated policy are the Board of Directors’ collective intent of responsibility for safety, health and environmental issues.
We are committed to:
- developing and maintaining a positive culture of health, safety, environmental and service excellence issues throughout the organisation.
- reviewing at least annually our management systems and performance in accordance with the Acorn Group objectives.
- developing organisational structures appropriate to meeting those objectives in each operating location within the Acorn Group.
- the systematic identification and management of risks to health, safety, the environment and quality issues.
- providing information, instruction, training, supervision and consultation with employees and other stakeholders as necessary to implement, maintain and exceed industry standards.
- providing adequate resources to ensure our intentions are delivered.
- ensuring all our workplaces are smoke-free and acknowledge that all our employees have a right to work in a smoke-free environment. Smoking is prohibited throughout the entire workplace, all properties and includes all company vehicles.
All employees within Acorn Group are encouraged to co-operate fully and provide assistance to ensure the successful implementation of our Policies and Procedures, as far as their respective roles will allow.
Duncan Rothwell
Commercial Director
Policy
1.0 Policy Statement
1.1 Each office/site will post the Acorn Policy Statement on notice boards.
2.0 Planning
2.1 Safety, Health & Environmental Issues.
2.1.1 Acorn will, at least annually, review the Safety, Health & Environmental risks to the company and its employees. This review will also confirm arrangements for eliminating or reducing those risks identified to a manageable level.
2.1.2 On publication of the same each site must review and add any local concerns as well as identifying any control measures required.
2.2 Statutory Requirements
2.2.1 Acorn will at least annually review Safety, Health and Environmental Legislation along with Codes of Practice. This is to establish to what extent, if at all, they impinge upon our activities as a result of either our changing activities or changes in legislation. Results will be published.
2.2.2 On publication of the above each site must review their operating practices against the new (if any) criteria.
2.3 Acorn will annually confirm the goals expected.
2.3.1 On publication each site will review and set their goals to ensure compliance with head office objectives to ensure continued development.
2.3.2 Each site will develop and publish a plan showing how, and by when, goals will be achieved. The site will ensure that resources are available to communicate, implement, monitor and review its progress.
3.0 Implementation
3.1 Organisation and Reporting Structure.
3.1.1 Each site/project will ensure that the roles and responsibilities are defined, confirmed and formalised ensuring clear communication to those involved.
3.2 Training & Competence.
3.2.1 Acorn will, at least annually, review the Policy on Safety, Health and Environmental training.
3.2.2 On publication of the above, each project will review their training plan against the requirements of the company training policy. They will develop a training plan to:
- Satisfy the requirements of the company training policy
- Achieve local needs.
- Raise the profile of staff development within Acorn.
4.0 Communication.
4.1 This Policy requires all employees to be consulted and informed on all matters of health & safety. Each site will establish procedures to control communications in line with Acorn Policy.
This will include:
- Bulletins, newsletters etc. from Head Office
- Meeting minutes, memos etc.
- Newsletters or meeting minutes to other stakeholders
- Site-specific inductions/local briefings
4.2 Documentation:
4.2.1 Each project will control all documents in line with Acorn Management Systems.
5.0 Checking & Corrective Action
5.1 Each project shall monitor progress against the Policy.
5.1.1 Each project will ensure effective management of the procedures arising from this framework. They will address non-conformance by taking corrective action – this will include encouraging and monitoring feedback to allow continuous development.
5.2 Each project will identify and maintain records in line with those required by Policy.
6.0 Management Review
6.1 Each project will convene periodic Management Reviews to include Safety, Health & Environmental issues. The first will revise/confirm plans, goals and initiatives set at the outset, subsequent meetings will monitor progress.
7.0 Roles and Responsibilities
| Post | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Construction Director | To ensure all Health, Safety and Environmental issues are complied with. |
| Contract Manager | To ensure that all Acorn Management systems are implemented.To ensure all obligations, statutory and project specific, are complied with along with meeting specification and programme requirements. |
| Project Manager | To ensure all project requirements are complied with.To plan, control and monitor the works including co-ordinating subcontractors. |
| Site Manager | To organise and supervise allocated areas of work. |
| Surveyor | To ensure financial control is maintained. |
| Fire Safety Co-ordinator | To develop/ensure a site fire safety plan is produced and implemented. |
| Site Fire Marshall | To implement, monitor and update the fire plan. |
| Safety Manager | To provide advice on Health, Safety & Environmental issues ensuring the Management System is current.To monitor and ensure the implementation of Acorn Safety and Environmental Management Systems. |
Environmental Legislation.
Environmental issues common throughout Acorn are indexed and controlled through our Risk Control Arrangements.
1.0 Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA ’90)
1.1 Controls Major Industrial Process under:
- Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPC) regime where these processes are defined.
- Also controls industrial process that pollutes the atmosphere under the Local Air Pollution (LAPC) regime. As defined by Integrated Pollution Prevention Control
- These processes are defined by Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991.
2.0 Waste: Duty of Care
2.1 Section 33 makes it an offence to treat, keep or dispose of controlled waste without a licence.
3.0 Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994
3.1 Most waste from industry and commerce is controlled, including excavated materials. The producer is responsible for controlling and disposal.
Controls nuisance which includes noise, fume, smoke, gas, steam and deposits, nuisance being something that interferes with a person’s enjoyment.
4.0 Environment Act 1995
4.1 Addresses aspects of environmental concern including establishing frameworks for National Air Quality and National Waste Management Strategies along with establishment of Environment Agency – also sets up system for dealing with Contaminated Land.
5.0 Clean Air Act 1993
5.1 Controls emissions of dark smoke, grit, dust and fume.
6.0 Water Industries Act 1991
6.1 Controls discharge of trade effluent into public sewer systems. Requires consent of the relevant undertaker.
7.0 Water Resources Act 1991
7.1 Controls the discharge or other entry of polluting matter into controlled waters. Also controls extraction from controlled waters, which include:
- Rivers
- Lakes
- The Sea
- Groundwater
8.0 Groundwater Regulations 1998
8.1 Prevents the discharge of substances into groundwater either directly or indirectly.
9.0 Special Waste Regulations
9.1 Specifies substances that can only be handled by appropriately licensed Waste Management Contractors.
10.0 Countryside Act 1968
10.1 This Act gives English Nature, Scottish National Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales the authority to have say in the management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s)
11.0 Protection of Badgers Act 1992:
11.1 This act makes it an offence to kill, injure or interfere with the set of a badger.
12.0 Town and Country Planning Act 1990
12.1 This act allows these preservation orders e.g. making it an offence to fell or cut off any part of a tree.
13.0 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
13.1 This act allows for the protection of specific species of plants and animals along with their habitats.
Goals
Acorn is committed to continual improvement. To achieve this goals and objectives will be set annually following management reviews. Our goals are simply stated, in that we intend for our operations to be carried out incident free with minimal disruption to other stakeholders, on budget and on time.
1.0 Safety – Accidents & Incidents
1.1 To achieve and maintain 100% success with site-specific inductions.
1.2 To achieve an incident rate as a company (IR) better by 10% than the previous year.
1.3 To analyse third party (sub-contractor) non-compliance and implement improvements.
1.4 To enter for and maintain progress with safety awards, achieving better awards year on year.
2.0 Environmental
2.1 To maintain the number of incidents below industry average
2.2 To develop documented procedures to ensure compliance with legislation.
2.3 To analyse third party (subcontractor) non-compliance and implement improvements.
2.4 Establish environmental goals for each site.
2.5 Ensure compliance with waste disposal requirements.
3.0 Health
3.1 To develop a Health Policy within Acorn, addressing the highest risk personnel first.
4.0 Enforcing Authority
4.1 To maintain a low level of enforcement notices received.
5.0 Training:
5.1 Acorn has a policy of ensuring its staff and operatives are suitably trained to undertake the tasks they carry out. Should the minimum standards set be deemed unsuitable, then the Contract Manager will address same for the individual job requirements.
5.1.2 In general terms, training will be refreshed at intervals not exceeding three years.
Viruses
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General
Any details given are intended to give a general indication of proposed developments and where applicable, floor layouts. ACORN reserves the right to alter any part of the development, specification or floor layout at any time. The contents of any details shall not form part of any contract or be a representation inducing any such contract. All properties are offered subject to contract and subject to availability and applicants are advised to contact the developer’s agent to ascertain the availability of any property so as to avoid a fruitless journey. These particulars are believed to be correct but neither the agent nor the developers accept any liability whatsoever for any misrepresentation made either in these particulars or orally. Applicants are therefore advised to make their own enquiries to check these particulars to satisfy themselves that the property is suitable.
