Health and safety policy statement

General statement – policy of intent

Re-engage is a charity that is positive about older age and is committed to fighting loneliness so that people can have social lives and friendship groups however old they are. We inspire and enable meaningful connections and shared experiences within communities across the UK for people over 75 facing loneliness and social isolation.

Our volunteers work together to create better communities and help to enrich the lives of our members by giving them something to look forward to. We make sure that people know they are important well into their old age.

Re-engage employs 53 people. All staff are contracted to work remotely, from home. We consider a safe and healthy working environment a prerequisite to achieving our charity objectives.

Our health and safety policy is here to:

• Prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health.
• Provide clear instructions and information, as well as adequate training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the health and safety at work of our employees and other persons.
• Encourage and support our home working employees to maintain their workspace in a safe condition that takes account of both their physical and mental wellbeing.
• Create for staff, as far as is reasonably practicable, a working environment where potential work-related stressors are avoided, minimised or mitigated through good management practices, facilities and arrangements for welfare, effective HR policies and staff development.
• Make sure that all staff are aware of their health and safety responsibilities, know what is expected of them and what they must do to discharge these responsibilities.
• Consult with employees on matters affecting their health and safety, where appropriate.
• Ensure the maintenance of safe systems of work and equipment.

We determine, annually, those policies which will be mandatory for all Re-engage employees and make copies available, with a schedule for their review and update. The following policies, documents and training must be read in support of this health and safety policy statement:

• Serious incident reporting.
• Staff absence policy.
• Anti-bullying and harassment policy.
• Flexible working policy.
• Substance and alcohol misuse policy.
• Sickness absence policy.
• Working from home policy.
• Accident, incident and near miss policy.
• Complaints policy.
• Safeguarding vulnerable adults at risk policy.
• How to respond to abusive communication guidelines.

Responsibility for health and safety

We recognise our responsibilities under all relevant legislation and will keep up to date on any changes in legislation.

Re-engage will:

• Set high targets and objectives to develop a culture of continuous improvement.
• Have adequate resources available to address health and safety issues, so far as it is reasonably practicable.
• Provide suitable and sufficient resources to ensure effective health and safety and welfare.
• Have in place arrangements to plan, implement, monitor and review measures to address risks arising from the activities of Re-engage.

Overall and final responsibility

Ultimate responsibility for health and safety is shared between all the members of the board of trustees which is the governing body of Re-engage. The board of trustees have delegated responsibility for ensuring that health and safety is dealt with appropriately to Meryl Davies, chief executive officer.

Day to day responsibility

Senior managers are responsible for ensuring their teams adhere to this policy statement, read the supporting documents and undertake the relevant training related to employee health and safety.

All employees must:

• Co-operate with managers on health and safety matters.
• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
• Report all health and safety concerns to their manager in a timely manner.

Arrangements for health and safety risk assessment, training and consultation

Risk assessment

• The head of finance or the HR manager will conduct a risk assessment for all new employees as part of the employee induction program.
• A senior manager will review risk assessments when / if working habits or conditions change.

Training

• We provide staff with appropriate training related to health and safety and welfare.
• We ensure suitable arrangements are in place for all remote working employees.

Consultation

We communicate with and consult staff routinely on health and safety matters as and when they arise to secure the co-operation of staff. We formally notify all staff of any changes to our health and safety policy statement and / or related policies through BreatheHR.