LEARNER AND APPRENTICE HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

LEARNER HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT

The management of BPIF Training Training is aware of the importance of controlling and monitoring Health and Safety at work and is fully aware of its responsibilities as a guardian of public funds to provide a safe working environment for all its learners particularly young people on any of our government funded programmes.

We recognise that we have a duty of care for any learner who is under our supervision or control whilst on our premises or on training courses and/ or training secondments which take place on premises that we do not own such as sub-contracted partners and employees on our learning programmes.

This document outlines the way we work with our sub-contractors, partners and employers to ensure that our learners are not put at risk whilst undertaking their programme of learning. We require all of our partners and employers to take all reasonable steps to meet our Health and Safety obligations under both the:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Which includes providing:

• Safe equipment and working methods
• Systems for the safe transporting, storage, handling and use of dangerous materials
• Emergency procedures
• Systems to meet the fire regulations
• Personal protective equipment
• Risk assessment (including fire risk assessments)
• Learner Welfare
• Training in all the above

BPIF Training will undertake continuous reviews of health and safety to minimise risk to our learners.  We require the management of the organisation (employer) to give appropriate support and the necessary power and authority to those implementing the policy, in order to ensure its requirements are followed.

ORGANISATION OF LEARNER HEALTH & SAFETY

Health and safety arrangements

Prior to contracting 

BPIF Training requires all employers to undergo a detailed health and safety check to ensure that our learners are within a safe and secure environment during their programme of learning.

BPIF Training staff will require the following documentation to be presented prior to any learner starting on provision as part of our due diligence process:

• Health and safety policy
• Copies of employer and public liability insurance

BPIF staff subsequently will visit the premises of the employer to carry out a detailed health and safety check to ensure that the management and supervision of the learner and the environment minimises the risk to our learners.

The check will examine the following aspects of health and safety:

• Health and safety policy
• Insurance(s)
• Supervision, training, information and instruction
• Risk assessments and control measures (incl PPE and COSHH)
• Accidents, incidents and the provision of first aid
• Fire safety and evacuation processes and provisions
• Learner welfare provision
• Provisions to meet the personal requirements that are particular to the learner e.g.: if they are below the age of 18 years old.

Health and safety policy

All of our employers are required to have a written health and safety policy. The policy must set out the statement of intent, the organisation of details and the arrangements for health and safety within the organisation. The health and safety policy must be signed by the most senior person within the organisation and reviewed annually.

Insurance

All of our employers must hold appropriate employer and public liability insurance to cover the learners whilst they are with the organisation for the whole duration of the learning programme. Insurances must cover our learners may they become injured whilst on the premises or become ill as a result of being on the premises. The total value of both insurance policies must be at least £5million sterling and must be with an authorised insurer (companies working under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000). BPIF Training will check the insurance company, value, date of insurance issue/expiry, insurance number, and notification of young people. BPIF Training will require a new insurance certificate to be provided within one month of expiry of the existing certificate.

Supervision, training, information and instruction

We require all learners to know how to work safely and without risks to health. Organisations are required to provide clear instructions, information and adequate training for our learners. We require organisations to comply with the following requirements:

• Have clear information and training that is in a form that is easy to understand.
• The learner to have undergone a detailed induction detailing their health and safety responsibilities and yours as an employer or training partner delivered by a trained health and safety person.
• A named supervisor for each learner.
• Comply with the employer and learner agreement in all aspects of health and safety training including induction.
• Provide as a minimum training on:
  • Emergency procedures, e.g. fire, first aid, reporting accidents
  • Safe use of equipment and personal protective equipment
  • Electrical safety
  • Manual handling
  • Safe use of display screen equipment
  • Possible exposure to asbestos
  • Stress management
  • Personal safety
  • Risks and control measures in relation to harmful chemicals and other dangerous substances.
• Make specific arrangements for the provision of supervision, training, information and instruction for young learners.

BPIF Training reserves the right to observe any supervision, training, information and instruction in relation to our learners and requires appropriate records to be maintained of training and instruction.

Risk assessments and control measures

BPIF Training requires all organisations to complete a careful examination of what, in the workplace, could cause harm to our learners, and to have taken preventative action to eliminate, reduce or control the risk. Records of risk assessments including COSHH and DSE assessments are required to be available for examination by BPIF Training on an annual basis. Risks pertaining to young people must be particularly assessed where learners are under the age of 18 years.

Where control of risk requires the use of PPE the learner must receive training and the equipment must be properly looked after and stored. The use of PPE must be monitored and reviewed. Records of the use of PPE must be maintained and be available on request for BPIF Training.

Accidents, incidents and the provision of first aid

BPIF Training requires that organisations have appropriate accident and incident reporting procedures in place. The organisation where learning will take place must contain as a minimum, the following:

• First aid box
• Named first aider
• Accident book

BPIF Training requires that all learners who have an accident must be recorded within the accident and reported to BPIF Training immediately. BPIF Training reserves the right to investigate any accident or incident in relation to our learners.

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), certain accidents that occur on or off site (e.g. during learning activities) must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive or the local authority, whichever is in the circumstances the enforcing authority and BPIF Training who will notify the funding body (e.g.: ESFA)

Organisations must report the following accidents if they:

• prevent the injured person from continuing his or her normal work for more than seven consecutive days (excluding the day of the accident); or
• Result in death or ‘specified injuries’.

Specified injuries include:

• fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
• amputation of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe
• any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight in one or both eyes
• any crush injury to the head or torso, causing damage to the brain or internal organs
• any burn injury (including scalding)
• any degree of scalping requiring hospital treatment
• any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
• Any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space.

Accidents to learners are work-related if they are attributable to:

• work organisation (such as supervision on a site visit)
• the conditions of the premises
• Plant or substances (e.g. machinery, equipment, etc.)
• Acts of physical violence.

The organisation is responsible for reporting accidents and must have a nominee. All accidents will be reported on at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor where a form will be completed to report the accident.

Fatal accidents, major injuries and dangerous occurrences must be reported by telephone without delay by calling the Incident Contact Centre (ICC) on 0845 300 9923 (opening hours Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm). (E.g. by telephone). This should be followed by a report in writing within 10 days, using form F2508. The advice of the HSE can be sought if there is doubt as to whether the accident is reportable (www.hse.gov.uk ).

HSE has an out of hour’s duty officer, to report accidents out of hours visit www.hse.gov.uk/contact/outofhours.htm.

Fire safety and evacuation processes and provisions

BPIF Training requires that all organisations carry out a fire risk assessment and review this annually. The risk assessment will determine the appropriate training and fire safety measures that need to be put in place to ensure the safety of our learners. As a minimum we expect that the organisation will:

• Ensure learners receive appropriate training on procedures they need to follow, including fire drills
• Keep sources of ignition and flammable substances apart
• Avoid accidental fires, e.g. make sure heaters cannot be knocked over
• Ensure good housekeeping at all times, e.g. avoid build-up of rubbish that could burn
• Consider how to detect fires and how to warn people quickly if they start, e.g. installing smoke alarms and fire alarms or bells
• Have the correct fire-fighting equipment for putting a fire out quickly
• Keep fire exits and escape routes clearly marked and unobstructed at all times

BPIF Training will check the location and expiry date of all firefighting equipment and expects that all organisations will undertake an annual inspection of all equipment.

Welfare at work

BPIF Training requires that organisations have adequate provisions in place for our learners. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Facilities for;

• Drinking
• Sanitation
• Washing
• Rest and eating
• Security of personal belongings
• Ventilation
• Lighting
• Cleanliness
• Workstations

Where BPIF Training determines that provisions are inadequate recommendations will be made which must be addressed within one month. If the welfare of the learner is determined to be at significant risk then the learning programme will be suspended until BPIF Training is satisfied.

Young People

The term ‘young person’ is defined in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. ‘Young person’ is defined as ‘any person who has not attained the age of 18 years’.

Training placements, work placements and employment

Young persons with the organisation must; in addition to all other parts of the policy, specifically:

• Be supervised by a responsible competent person
• Undergo induction training
• Be provided with information on risk and any control measures in place
• Be provided with information on Emergency Procedures

When assessing risks to young people the organisation will ensure that they are protected at work from any risk to their health or safety that is a consequence of their lack of experience, or absence of awareness of existing or potential risks or the fact that young persons have not yet fully matured.

A young person must not be employed for work:

• That is beyond their physical or psychological capacity
• That involves harmful exposure to agents which are toxic or carcinogenic, cause heritable genetic damage or harm to the unborn child or which in any other way chronically affects human health
• That involves harmful exposure to radiation
• That involves the risk of accidents which it may reasonably be assumed cannot be recognised or avoided by young person’s owing to their insufficient attention to safety or lack of experience or training
• Where there is a risk to health from extreme cold or heat, noise or vibration

Risk Assessments

When completing risk assessments, account should be taken of:

• The suitability of the area (workshops, etc.)
• The suitability of the building (design of stairways, balconies, etc.)
• The level of supervision
• The activities being undertaken

Additional measures that may be considered in order to provide adequate protection for children

Or young persons are:

• Not to expose the young person to the risk at all
• Provide close supervision by a competent person
• Provide relevant and comprehensible instruction and training

The risk assessment must consider

• The inexperience, lack of awareness of risks and immaturity of young people
• The layout of the workplace and workstation
• The nature, degree and duration of any exposure to physical, biological or chemical agents
• The form, range, and use of work equipment and the way in which it is handled
• The organisation of work processes and activities
• The extent of health and safety training provided or to be provided
• Any risks from agents, processes and work listed in the Annex to Council Directive 94/33/ EC on the protection of young people at work

TRAINING

All new staff recruited into the business are taken through a comprehensive induction period including training on health and safety. All staff members are also given the staff handbook which includes detail relating BPIF Training Health and Safety Policy and Health and Safety practices within BPIF Training, both internally and for learners and apprentices.

BPIF Training will provide training in health and safety and others likely to be involved in recruitment or other decision making where health and safety issues are likely to arise.

BPIF Training’s Quality Assurance of Learning and Learning Outcomes Procedures include mechanisms to monitor health and safety practices and identify further training needs.

All board meetings, as well as training management meetings and standardisation meetings have a standing agenda item for health and safety which provides an opportunity to not only share good practice but identify additional training needs which will then from part of BPIF Training’s Quality Improvement Plan and also individual staff development plans

COMMUNICATION, AWARENESS And PROMOTION

BPIF Training will use several different ways to communicate and promote our policy so that all our staff, learners, employers, contractors, and others

• understand our commitment to equality and diversity
• understand their roles and responsibilities
• know where to seek advice and guidance

During the apprenticeship programme we will ensure that health and safety is communicated at key stages throughout the learning journey

• Sign up and induction processes for new learners, and new employers: during the initial induction we will discuss health and safety and the learners’ rights and responsibilities as well as employers’ rights and responsibilities.
• Teaching, learning and assessment visits: At each learner visit (including remote visits) we will discuss health, and safety to raise awareness of any current issues and to test the learners’ knowledge
• Formal Progress Reviews: We will discuss health and saefty at each formal progress review, testing the learners’ understanding and giving the opportunity to ask questions relating to health and saefty
• Learner and Employer Newsletters, Briefing and Topics of the Month: Each month learners and employers are issued with Topics of the Month including a key theme around health and safety to stimulate understanding and discussion
• Surveys: Routinely during the learning programme surveys will be conducted with learners and employers to help BPIF Training identify any issues and allow us to continuously improve

RESPONSIBILITIES

Every employee is required to assist BPIF Training to meet its commitment to ensure a safe working environment for learners and apprentices

BPIF Training will:

• Work with employers and ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities under this policy, making sure that the work environment is b=meeting heir legal health and safety duty.
• Ensure that learner recruitment is free from bias and proactively promote equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Engage learners and employers in planning the learning programme to ensure that individual needs are being met.
• Ensure that learning takes place in an environment free from health and safety risks
• Ensure that participants are aware that they have a legal and formal duty to play their part in this policy.

Learners are required to:

• Ensure that they are following workplace procedures with respect to health and safety.
• Not do anything that would place themselves or others at harm
• Report any issues relating to health and safety in the workplace

Employers are required to:

• Abide by this policy
• Have their own health and safety policies in place

REVIEW

The Learner Health and Safety Policy was updated on 7^th November 2021. The policy is to be reviewed annually, as a minimum with the next review date being no later than 7^th November 2022. Where legislative and regulative changes are made, the policy will be updated