Health and Safety Policy

Short on time?

This policy in 60 seconds

• Who it is for: learners, staff, associates and visitors, online and in person.
• The Centre Manager (Phenil Mehta, 01908 736 777) is the Health and Safety Lead.
• In an emergency: leave the building by the nearest safe exit, or call 999. In a live online session, the tutor arranges help.
• Report every accident, incident or near miss to the Centre Manager within 24 hours.
• Home and online learners should set up their workspace safely, using the DSE Self-Assessment.

The full policy below is the official version.

1. Purpose

This policy sets out TTT's commitment to protecting the physical and mental health, safety and wellbeing of all learners, staff, associates and visitors. It defines responsibilities, arrangements and procedures for identifying, assessing and controlling risks across all TTT activities and discharges TTT's duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All learners enrolled on TTT qualifications or short courses
• All TTT staff, whether office-based, home-based or working peripatetically
• Associates, freelance assessors and third parties working on behalf of TTT
• All delivery and work contexts, including the Regus House office, home working, online virtual classrooms and any face-to-face sessions at learner or employer premises

3. Definitions

The following terms carry the meanings given throughout this policy.

4. Policy Statement

TTT is committed to the following principles and commitments.

1. 1TTT complies with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, RIDDOR 2013, COSHH 2002, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and all other relevant health and safety legislation.
2. 2TTT will provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe and healthy working and learning environment across all delivery contexts, including online, home-based and face-to-face.
3. 3TTT recognises mental health and psychological wellbeing as integral to health and safety and addresses stress, workload and isolation as specific workplace risks.
4. 4TTT conducts risk assessments for all significant activities, records findings and communicates control measures to those affected.
5. 5All staff and associates receive health and safety induction, with further training appropriate to their role and refresher training annually.
6. 6Accidents, near misses, incidents and work-related ill-health are reported, investigated and, where required, notified to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR.
7. 7TTT consults with staff, associates and learners on health and safety matters and responds constructively to concerns raised.
8. 8TTT communicates health and safety expectations to learners at enrolment and during induction as part of the pre-contractual information required under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
9. 9Breaches of this policy by staff, associates or learners are investigated and may lead to disciplinary action, termination of contract or removal from the programme.

5. Roles and Responsibilities

6. Office-Based Arrangements (Regus House)

TTT's registered office is at Regus House, Fairbourne Drive, Atterbury, Milton Keynes MK10 9RG, a serviced building operated by IWG. Building-level health and safety, including fire detection, alarm systems, electrical installation, common areas and structural safety, is the responsibility of IWG. TTT retains responsibility for activity-specific risks within its hired space.

6.1 Fire and emergency procedures

• On discovering a fire, sound the alarm immediately
• Leave the building by the nearest safe exit without collecting personal belongings
• Proceed to the designated fire assembly point as directed by IWG signage
• Call the Fire Service on 999 if not already done
• Do not re-enter the building until the 'all clear' is given by IWG staff or the Fire Service
• Only trained and competent staff may attempt to tackle a small fire using provided extinguishers and never in isolation

Fire alarm testing is conducted by IWG on a scheduled basis. Portable appliance testing (PAT) of TTT-owned equipment is arranged by the Centre Manager annually.

6.2 First aid

Qualified first aiders are provided by IWG on site at Regus House and can be contacted via building reception. TTT's internal emergency contact for any incident occurring during TTT activity is the Centre Manager, Phenil Mehta, reachable on 01908 736 777.

6.3 Electrical equipment

Portable electrical equipment owned by TTT is subject to periodic PAT inspection. Any defective equipment, including worn cables, damaged plugs or malfunctioning devices, is to be withdrawn from use immediately and reported to the Centre Manager.

6.4 COSHH

Hazardous substances used at Regus House are limited to standard office cleaning materials supplied and managed by IWG. Where TTT introduces any substance that falls within COSHH scope, a COSHH assessment is completed by the Centre Manager before use.

7. Home Working Arrangements

TTT staff and associates undertake the majority of their work from home. Home working carries specific risks around workstation ergonomics, prolonged screen use, isolation and mental wellbeing. TTT applies the following arrangements.

7.1 DSE self -assessment

Every staff member and associate completes a Display Screen Equipment self-assessment at induction and annually thereafter. The assessment covers screen position, chair adjustment, keyboard and mouse placement, lighting, glare, workspace layout and posture. The Centre Manager reviews each assessment and supports any reasonable adjustments identified, including equipment where proportionate.

7.2 Workstation standards

• An adjustable chair supporting the lower back
• A screen at or slightly below eye level, positioned to avoid glare
• A separate keyboard and mouse where possible, particularly for laptop users working more than two hours per day
• Sufficient desk space for documents and materials
• Adequate lighting that does not cause reflection on the screen
• A quiet, private space for confidential calls and learner interactions

7.3 Working hours and breaks

Staff and associates are expected to take short breaks away from the screen at regular intervals during the working day, ideally for a few minutes every hour. Prolonged back-to-back screen activity is discouraged. The Centre Manager monitors overall workload during supervision and adjusts assignment allocation where signs of fatigue or overload are identified.

7.4 Lone working

Home working is a form of lone working. Staff and associates are expected to maintain regular contact with the Centre Manager through scheduled supervision, team calls and day-to-day communication. Anyone working alone who feels unwell should inform the Centre Manager promptly. A buddy system is in place for any associate delivering intensive sessions, so a named colleague is aware of the schedule and can raise an alert if expected contact does not occur.

7.5 Home environment hazards

Staff and associates are responsible for ensuring their home workspace is free from trip hazards, has working smoke alarms, has safe electrical sockets and extension leads and allows safe egress in an emergency. Any substantial concern about the home working environment should be raised with the Centre Manager.

8. Live Online Session Arrangements

TTT delivers most teaching, assessment and IQA activity through digital resources and prerecorded videos. However, there are some sessions that are delivered as live online sessions. The following arrangements apply to all live sessions.

8.1 Pre-session preparation

• Course Tutors brief learners at the start of each session on how to signal distress, a technical issue or an emergency
• Tutors confirm the Emergency Contact for live sessions and the process for escalation
• Tutors note any learner who has previously disclosed a medical condition, maintained in line with the Data Protection and GDPR Policy

8.2 Medical emergencies during live sessions

If a learner becomes unwell or appears in medical distress during a live session, the Course Tutor will:

1. 1Pause the session and check on the learner directly.
2. 2If the learner is unresponsive or reports a serious emergency, instruct another learner or co-tutor to call 999 on behalf of the affected learner using the learner's location if known.
3. 3Contact the TTT Emergency Contact for live sessions (Phenil Mehta, 01908 736 777) without delay.
4. 4Stay with the affected learner on the call until emergency services connect with them or a next-of-kin is confirmed present.
5. 5Record the incident in the Accident and Incident Log as soon as possible after the event.

8.3 Safeguarding and wellbeing escalation

Where a learner's distress relates to a safeguarding concern rather than a medical event, the Course Tutor follows the escalation route in the Safeguarding and Prevent Duty Policy.

9. Mental Health and Wellbeing

TTT treats psychological wellbeing as an integral part of health and safety. The Centre Manager maintains an open-door approach for any staff member, associate or learner experiencing work-related stress, anxiety or low mood. Warning signs include withdrawal, missed deadlines, visible fatigue, uncharacteristic errors and expressions of distress. Anyone identifying such signs in themselves or a colleague is encouraged to speak with the Centre Manager. TTT signposts staff and learners to external support where appropriate, including the NHS 111 service and the Samaritans on 116 123. Wellbeing is discussed during monthly team check-ins and included in annual staff appraisals.

10. Off-Site and Face-to-Face Delivery

Where TTT delivers face-to-face, for example to an employer-based cohort at their premises, the Course Tutor completes a pre-delivery risk assessment covering the venue, planned activities and any specific hazards flagged by the host. The host organisation retains primary responsibility for the health and safety of its own premises. TTT staff follow the host's fire, first aid and emergency procedures while on site and carry the TTT Emergency Contact details for internal escalation.

11. Risk Assessment

TTT applies a five-step risk assessment approach across all activities.

1. 1Identify hazards through inspection, consultation and review of past incidents.
2. 2Identify who might be harmed and how.
3. 3Evaluate the risk and decide on control measures, applying the hierarchy of control: eliminate, substitute, engineer, administer, provide PPE.
4. 4Record findings and share them with those affected.
5. 5Review and update the assessment annually or after any significant incident or change.

The Centre Manager maintains a Risk Assessment Register covering home working (generic), office use, live online delivery, face-to-face delivery and any activity-specific assessments. The HSE Classroom Checklist is used to support face-to-face delivery assessments where appropriate.

12. Accident, Incident and Near-Miss Reporting

All accidents, work-related ill-health, near misses and dangerous occurrences are reported to the Centre Manager within 24 hours using the TTT Accident and Incident Report Form. The Centre Manager maintains an Accident and Incident Log for a minimum of three years. Specified injuries, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences are reported to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR within the timescales prescribed by the regulations. Where a RIDDOR-reportable event occurs during TTT-delivered activity, the Centre Manager notifies the relevant Awarding Organisation where required.

13. Training

14. Monitoring and Review

This policy is reviewed annually by the Centre Manager as part of TTT's self-evaluation process. Interim reviews are triggered by legislative change, Awarding Organisation requirements, a significant incident or stakeholder feedback. The Accident and Incident Log is reviewed annually by the Centre Manager for patterns and lessons learned. All outcomes are recorded in the Version History at Section 16.

15. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

16. Version History

17. Approval

This policy has been reviewed and approved by the Centre Manager of TTT.

18. Key Health and Safety Contacts