Our health and safety aims

Health & Safety Policy Statement

The health and safety of The Abbeyfield Society residents, staff, and volunteers, visitors to our premises, and contractors or any other person who may be affected by our undertakings is central to achieving our mission to enhance the quality of life for older people.

The Abbeyfield Society is fully committed to achieving and maintaining the highest standards of Health and Safety by pursuing continuous improvements in health and safety performance, and it will conduct its undertakings in such a manner that:

1. All work is carried out in accordance with relevant statutory provisions, with all reasonably practicable measures taken to reduce risk to our staff, residents and others on our premises.
2. All Abbeyfield premises are maintained in a safe condition, without risk to health and wellbeing, with safe access and egress, and with adequate facilities.
3. Health and safety related documentation, procedures, policies, guidance, and risk assessments will be recorded and reviewed regularly.
4. Abbeyfield will provide suitable and sufficient instruction and training to ensure all staff and volunteers carry out their duties within a supportive health and safety culture. This will be further enhanced through learning, development and supervision to achieve good practice.
5. Abbeyfield will maintain safe and healthy working conditions, provide and maintain plant, equipment and machinery, and ensure safe storage and use of substances.
6. Abbeyfield will endeavour, where possible, to reduce accident and incident potential. Where accidents, incidents, and cases of work-related ill health do occur, they are reported promptly to enable oversight and trend analysis to be carried out. Investigations are conducted to enable lessons learnt to be identified and for controls to be put in place to prevent a recurrence, wherever possible.
7. Appropriate engagement, consultation, and provision of information to employees, volunteers, contractors, and our residents on matters relating to health and safety.
8. Abbeyfield has in place procedures to effectively deal with foreseeable emergencies, for example, evacuation in the case of a fire or other significant incidents.
9. Make adequate resources available to ensure the health, safety and welfare of persons on Abbeyfield premises.
10. Health and safety related documentation, procedures, policies, guidance, and risk assessments will be recorded and reviewed regularly.

Accountability for health and safety lies with The Abbeyfield Society Board who will delegate responsibility to the Chief Executive Officer. They will, in turn, ensure health and safety is given priority in all aspects of The Abbeyfield Society’s undertakings.

Fire Safety Policy Statement

The Abbeyfield Society are committed to achieving and maintaining high levels of fire safety within our properties and will pursue continuous improvement to ensure the safety of our residents, staff, volunteers, visitors and contractors. To achieve this, we are committed to:

• Using reliable contractors for Fire Safety work that are qualified, third-party accredited, and registered under the Safe Contractor scheme.
• Maintaining our buildings in line with Fire Safety legislation and relevant guidance to ensure our residents and staff are provided with a safe, secure, and comfortable home and workplace.
• Ensuring that all our properties have a Fire Risk Assessment in place, which is undertaken by a competent person. We are also committed to addressing any actions that arise from these assessments in a timely manner.
• Ensuring our properties have appropriate emergency arrangements and equipment in place, should a fire occur.
• Working closely with our Primary Authority Partner for Fire Safety, local fire authorities, and local housing authorities to maintain positive working relationships and seek advice where necessary.
• Providing our staff with suitable instruction and Fire Safety training that is tailored to their job role and responsibilities.
• Ensuring all our properties are up-to-date with regulatory Fire Safety checks and work, including those completed by our staff on-site and those undertaken by external contractors.
• Taking reasonably practicable steps to prevent and control the risk from fire in the properties that are controlled by Abbeyfield.
• Providing our staff, residents, visitors, volunteers and contractors with clear advice on fire safety, including policies, procedures, evacuation strategies and fire signage within buildings.
• Keeping residents, staff, volunteers, contractors and visitors to our properties safe from fire risk and meeting our obligations as the Responsible Person under all current and relevant legislation as well as following best practice guidance.

If you would like any further information about Health & Safety or fire safety, please contact the Health & Safety Team via healthandsafety@abbeyfield.com