Information for Employees

1
Information for Employees
2
Fire Safety

• Call the fire brigade from a safe position. Do
  not spend time worrying if someone else has
  already done this, the fire brigade will not mind
  receiving more than one call.
• If you know how to, and feel confident, use a
  fire extinguisher. However it is not part of
  your job to fight fires. The most important
  thing in any fire is to ensure that people can
  get to a place of safety, not to save property.
  If you do fight the fire never enter a smoke
  filled room and never let fire or smoke get
  between you and the door. If you cannot put a
  fire out with one extinguisher get out and leave
  it to the fire brigade.

• Introduction
• The consequences of fire can be devastating but
  through steps that ELWa has taken and employees
  actions we can ensure that this risk is very
  small. This section concentrates on what you
  need to know to prevent fires starting and also
  what action to take to ensure your own and other
  peoples safety in the event of one starting.
• What you must do if you discover a fire
• Shout Fire and operate the buildings fire
  alarm. Breaking the glass on any fire alarm call
  point will set off the alarm.

3
Fire Safety

• Close all windows and doors if possible to
• slow fire spread.
• Go to the designated assembly point.
• You should never go back into a building
• unless told you can by the Fire Officer.
• What you need to know about fire precautions in
  your building
• Fire Alarms
• Fire alarms are tested weekly so that you
• are familiar with the sound that it makes
• and also to ensure that it is working
• effectively. Prior notification of testing will
• be given to avoid confusion.

• Evacuate the building
• Leave the building by the nearest available
• route.
• What do you do if you hear the fire alarm?
• Leave the building immediately by the
• nearest available escape route without
• using lifts. It is ELWas policy that the
• primary consideration is to save lives.
• When the alarm sounds evacuation must
• be carried out as quickly as possible in an
• orderly manner with disabled personnel
• being given every assistance. Do not stop
• to collect personal belongings.

4
Fire Safety

• Fire Notices
• All ELWa buildings have blue fire notices that
  provide information on what to do in case of
  fire. These are positioned above each fire alarm
  point.
• Fire Extinguishers
• Fire extinguishers are positioned throughout the
  office and staff should make themselves familiar
  with their positioning. It is very important to
  use the right type of extinguisher when tackling
  a fire.

• .

• Escape Routes and Assembly Points
• Make sure you know your nearest escape route and
  where you should congregate when you have
  evacuated the building.
• Signing in/out
• To ensure that the fire evacuation is successful
  and to assist Fire Services Personnel it is
  essential that all staff sign in/out every time
  they enter or leave the building. If the
  emergency services are mistakenly told that
  someone is not accounted for, this could put
  lives at risk.

5
Which Extinguisher to Use
Due to an EU Directive all new fire extinguishers
are coloured red, but either the information
label or a band will still display the following
colour coding system.
6
Fire Safety

• .

• Dont wedge open fire doors.
• Dont block the ventilation slots of electrical
  equipment
• Dont overload plug sockets
• Dont obstruct fire extinguishers or break
  glass points

• How you can prevent fires starting and ensure
  that people can escape if there is a fire
• Keep Escape routes clear of obstruction and
  combustible materials.
• Report any faults in electrical equipment to the
  Facilities Department.
• Switch off electrical equipment when not in use.

7
Occupational Driving

• Is driving required?
• If road journeys are unnecessary they should not
  be undertaken.
• Where possible meetings between offices should be
  conducted via. video
• conferencing. Can alternative means of
  communication be utilised i.e.
• e-mail.
• Mode of Travel
• Can alternative travel be arranged i.e. rail
  transport.
• Could the driving distance be reduced by
  combining car/train?
• Adverse Conditions
• Driving at night after 7.00 p.m. should be
  avoided if possible.
• Driving in adverse weather conditions is
  prohibited, particularly where there has
• been excessive snow or rainfall or if road
  conditions are icy. During winter
• months weather conditions should be monitored to
  ensure drivers avoid
• becoming stranded in remote locations.

8
Occupational Driving

• Reducing Driving Times
• It is recommended that a 15 minute break is taken
  after 2.5 hours of continuous
• driving.
• Employees are not permitted to exceed the limit
  of 10hours driving plus other work
• (i.e. meetings) within the working day, after
  which there must be a break of 11hours.
• Where possible driving during busy periods of the
  day should be avoided.
• Alcohol/Drugs
• The consumption of alcohol before and during
  driving for
• work is strictly prohibited.
• Medical opinion should always be sort as
  appropriate to determine
• fitness to drive when staff are taking drugs for
  therapeutic
• purposes.

9
Occupational Driving

• Accidents
• When a member of staff is involved in a road
  traffic accident during driving for work,
• the accident must be reported to the Regional
  Competent Person who will follow the
• internal accident investigation procedure.
• Expectant Mothers
• Expectant mothers in their third trimester (6-9
  months) should be
• discouraged from occupational driving. When in
  doubt they should
• seek guidance from their Midwife or General
  Practitioner.

10
Occupational Driving

• Insurances/Licences
• All staff who use their own vehicles for the
  purpose of occupational driving
• must ensure they inform their insurance company
  that the vehicle will be
• used for business travel.
• All staff who drive as part of their job must
  produce to the regional Human
• Resources Department a copy of their driving
  license.
• Maintenance
• Both company and privately owned cars used for
  occupational driving
• should be suitably maintained and where required
  have a current MOT
• certificate

11
Occupational Driving

• Mobile phones must not be used while driving!

12
Personal Safety at Work

• Taking care of ourselves and others is a
• basis of all good work practices and helps
• to improve working conditions. The
• following is guidance aimed at reducing the
• risk of violence to employees.
• If an employee has reason to visit a learner,
• Training Provider or member of staff at a
• private residence or any location where they
• may be alone, they should be accompanied
• by a member of staff or training provider
• representative.
• When visiting a private residence, employees
• should-
• Take only a minimum of items into the premises.
• Be alert.
• Be aware of the escape route.
• Leave if there are any problems without
  conducting your business.
• Avoid reacting to the premises (e.g. if there is
  a poor standard of cleanliness).

• Driving
• Vehicles should be in good working order, ensure
• you have adequate petrol for the journey. Where
• appropriate employees are advised that they
• should retain the following in their vehicles-
• Map
• Torch
• Mobile Phone
• If possible routes should be planned and someone
• should be informed of the route and estimated
• time of arrival.
• All valuables should be kept out of sight e.g. in
• the boot or glove compartment.
• Do not pick up hitchhikers.
• Lock your vehicle whenever you leave it. If

13
Personal Safety at Work

• If you see an incident or an accident, or someone
• tries to flag you down, think first - is it
  genuine?
• If you think you are being followed, keep driving
• until you come to a busy place e.g. police
  station,
• fire or ambulance station, pub or garage
  forecourt.
• Using Buses
• Be clear about the journey you are to take,
• particularly in the dark or in unfamiliar areas.
• Check departure and arrival times.
• On a bus sit near the driver and choose an aisle
• seat. If you talk to someone on a bus do not
  give
• personal details such as where you live or work.
• If you know you are likely to be alone when you
• get off a bus at a remote destination or in the
  dark,
• try to arrange for someone to meet you.

• Using Trains
• Wait for the train in a well lit place near
  groups of
• people. Do not hesitate to alert the guard,
• conductor or any railway official if you feel
• threatened by another passenger.
• Note the position of the cord or alarm when you
• get on the train. Do not be afraid to pull the
• communication cord or alarm.
• Mobile Phones
• If you are issued with a mobile phone, ensure
  that
• you carry it with you and the battery is charged.
  
• Incidents
• If you suffer any incident of violence whether it
  is
• verbal, physical or intimidation please report
  the
• incident to your line manager, or another senior
• member of staff.

14
Using Display Screen Equipment

• Are you a User?
• Display screen equipment is any item of
• equipment that displays information - the most
• common form is the computer, if you use the
• computer for over two hours per day, you are
• classed as a User and you are required to
• complete a self assessment DSESA1 as soon as
• possible and return the completed form to the
• Health and Safety Department. This may be
• followed by a more detailed assessment carried
• out by a trained member of staff.
• Eye-Tests
• If you are a User you are entitled to a free
  eye
• test on request, complete form DSET1 and
• forward to your Personnel Department.
• .

• Preventing Upper Limb Disorder
• If employees do not adopt good practices when
• working with display screen equipment they could
• be at risk of developing upper limb disorders
• The following guidelines should always be
• followed when working with display screen
• equipment-
• Take Breaks
• Intersperse with other work (Take note laptop
• users) phone calls, writing/reading work,
  filing,
• proof reading, photocopying, even coffee breaks!
• A five minute break every hour, dont spend the
• whole day on computer-based activities (applies
• equally to work at home). Netsurfing or playing
• computer games do NOT count as a break.

15
Using Display Screen Equipment

• Get Comfortable
• Adjust the seat and back tilt/height to suit you.
  
• Twisted or cramped posture to be avoided.
• If you are copy typing documents use a document
• holder.
• Sit back when you are thinking, rather than
• staying hunched over your screen.
• Use a soft touch when you are keying and avoid
• flexing your wrists. Try to adopt a neutral
• position, if possible.

• Give your eyes a comfort break too. Look away
• from your screen or close your eyes when
• thinking. Avoid staring at the screen throw in
  a
• few extra blinks as natural blinking is often
• unconsciously suppressed.
• Keep your Desk Tidy
• Avoid cluttering it up with books, papers etc.
• Make sure you have enough space to operate your
• mouse easily and to access your keyboard.

16
Using Display Screen Equipment

• The Ideal Working Posture
• Forearms at keyboard height and eyes level with
• top of screen. Chair adjusts to provide back
• support and feet securely rested (in this case by
• use of a footrest). Use this as a guide to
  finding a
• comfortable working posture for yourself.

• The ideal workstation arrangement
• Desk un-cluttered, space for documents etc. if
• needed and to rest hands when not typing. Screen
• positioned to avoid reflections from light coming
• in from the window or the fluorescent light
  tubes.

17
Manual Handling

• Where possible all manual actives should be
• avoided i.e. with the use of an aid such as a
• trolley.
• Where there remains an element of manual
• handling the following techniques should be
• adopted-
• Stop and Think - would it be easier to ask a
• colleague to assist in the lifting, do you need
  to
• travel through doors, could someone assist.
• Place feet - feet apart to give a stable base,
  have a
• leading leg forward, tight skirts and high heels
• could make this difficult.

• Adopt a good posture - Bend knees, hands
• grasping the load at waist level. Do not kneel
  or
• over flex the knees. Keep back straight, tuck
  chin
• into chest. Face the same direction as your
  hips.
• Get a firm grip
• Dont Jerk - carryout movement smoothly,
• keeping control of the load.
• Keep Close to the Load
• Put Down, then adjust - put it down then slide
• into position.

18
First Aid

• First Aid Provisions
• ELWa has in place first aid provisions
• should you have an accident or become ill
• at work.
• First aiders are trained and appointed to
• provide first aid treatment, as a rule where
• an ELWa office has over 50 employees
• there will be a trained first aider.
• For smaller offices, less than 50 there may
• be an appointed person who can provide
• you with first aid provisions such as plasters
• or dressings for minor wounds, and will
• arrange transport to hospital if required.
• Please ensure you are aware of who the first
• aider/appointed person is in your office.

• Accidents
• If you suffer an accident at work, please
• inform a first aider immediately, ensure that
• the details are recorded in the accident
• book. The first aider will be responsible for
• reporting the accident to the Regional
• Health and Safety Manager who will
• conduct an investigation if required.
• If you have an accident while driving for
• work purposes please report the accident to
• the Regional Health and Safety Manager.

19
Health and Safety Training

• There will be many occasions, which will
• require that employees be given training.
• Health and safety training is not a one off
• exercise, but is regarded by ELWa as an
• ongoing feature of routine business activity.
• ELWa will identify through job
• descriptions, appointments and appraisal
• activities the need for health and safety
• training.
• Induction Training - will be provided to
• every employee and is a vitally important
• process for both employees and for ELWa,
• from a health and safety point of view the
• aims of the induction process are-

• To provide employees with the information
  necessary for safety in respects of the hazards
  that may be encountered.
• To introduce new employees to ELWas culture, and
  the emphasis we place upon health and safety.
• To provide reassurance and support for new
  employees.
• Newly Promoted or Transferred Staff
• Staff who are transferred or promoted into a
• new job could face new hazards and
• responsibilities. A programme of
• orientation to their new surroundings and
• responsibilities will be developed in a
• similar way to that provided for new
• employees.

20
Health and Safety Issues

• If any member of staff has a query with regards
  to health and safety or
• identifies a health and safety hazard, please
  report in either of the following
• ways-
• Directly to the Regional Health and Safety
  Manager/Facilities Co-ordinator within your
  office.
• To Safety Representatives who are based in each
  office who will consult directly with Management
  or discuss at the Regional Health and Safety
  Committee. (refer to your health and safety What
  You Should Know Poster).
• To the National Senior Health and Safety Manager
  Vincent Doyle, (details on the national contact
  list).