Health & Safety Policy

At OWLS we recognise our duties under current Health and Safety Legislation (Health & Safety at Work Act 1974) and we will endeavour to meet the requirements of this legislation and maintain a safe and healthy working environment. The Directors are aware of their responsibilities to ensure that they take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety, health and welfare of those that are likely to be affected by the operation of our business.

OWLS recognises its duty to make termly assessment of the hazards and risks created in the course of the business.

We also recognise our duty so far as is reasonably practicable:

To meet our legal obligations to maintain safe and healthy working conditions
To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks so identified
To consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety
To provide and maintain safe plant equipment
To ensure the safe handling and use of substances
To provide information, instruction, training where necessary for our workforce (taking into account any who do not have English as a first language.
To ensure that all workers are competent to do their work and to give them appropriate training
To prevent accidents and cases of work related ill health
To actively manage and supervise health and safety at work
To have access to competent advice
To seek continuous improvement in our health and safety performance and management through regular (at least annual) review and revision of this policy; and
To provide the resource required to make this policy and our Health and Safety arrangements effective
To ensure that the termly health and safety inspections are carried out and any issues dealt with immediately (copies of the inspections can be found in the Health and Safety Inspection log File in the main office)
To ensure that the Fire Safety checks are carried out termly (copies of these can be found in the Fire Safety Inspection log file in the main office) Fire drills are in place weekly & fire safety equipment checked daily. (all reported in our fire log book).

Fire drill procedure:

· Weekly fire drill – both fire horn one in the reception area & one in the main barn to be held for 3 seconds twice. (These are to be logged in the fire logbook) All staff & students to report to fire meeting point when a drill is in place.

· Fire assembly meeting points – Car park & South gate Exit.

In the event of a fire all staff & children will report to our assembly point. Where our fire safety staff Gemma Parkinson & Catherine Johnson will ensure all students and staff are safe. Call the fire brigade immediately.

How to stay safe:

· Posters are around to support staff & students

· Comply with the health and safety law

· Regular meeting are in place for both staff & students to ensure they are all safe

· Staff to read & understand all policies

· Students to understand who they can talk to regarding any problems not only onsite but offsite if they feel they need to discuss this with a member of our team.

· Ensure persons have sufficient experience, knowledge, and training to perform the tasks required for them.

· Review the schools health & safety policy and performance annually.

· Measure health & safety performance both actively and reactively.

· Make or arrange for risk assessments of the premises and working practices to be undertaken.

· Arrange for termly evacuation drills and weekly fire alarm tests.

We also recognise;

Our duty to co-operate and work with the other employers and their workers, when their workers come onto our premises to do work for us to ensure the Health and safety of everyone at work

To help achieve our objectives and ensure our employees recognise their duties under health and safety legislation whilst at work we will also inform them of their duty to take reasonable care for themselves and for others who might be affected by their activities We do this by explaining their duty and setting out the rules as part of the Induction Process.

The staff responsible for these checks are Gemma Parkinson

Review date: September 2026