health, safety, and safeguards

HEALTH and SAFETY POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT

Horse Bit Fit is committed to maintaining safe and healthy working conditions and
to preventing accidents and instances of work-related ill health by ensuring that all activities carried out on company premises or undertaken by its Consultants & learners are managed in such a manner so as to avoid, reduce or control all foreseeable risks to the health and safety of anyone who may be affected by such activities as far as is reasonably practicable.

HORSE BIT FIT RESPONSIBILITIES

In furtherance of the above policy statement and the need to ensure compliance with
the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and other relevant health and safety legislation,

Horse Bit Fit will provide and maintain safe equipment and safe systems of work;

- ensure materials used are properly stored, handled, used and transported;

- assess the risks to the health and safety of anyone who may be affected by work activities;

- consult with Consultants & learners on matters affecting their health and safety andensure that all Consultants & learners are competent to do their tasks;

- provide information, training, instruction and supervision;

- provide a safe place of employment and learning;

- provide a healthy working environment;

- provide a written Health and Safety Policy;

- look after the health and safety of other people, in addition to Consultants & learners;

CONSULTANTS & LEARNERS' & LEARNER RESPONSIBILITIES

Consultants & Learners have a legal responsibility to take care of the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions or omissions and to co-operate with supervisors and managers on health and safety issues.

Consultants & Learners should not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety and should report all health and safety concerns to the appropriate person as set out in this policy.

ROLES

The Consultant in charge on the day has overall responsibility for health and safety in the workplace and for ensuring that adequate resources are made available to allow the implementation of this policy.

The Centre Manager has day-to-day responsibility for ensuring that this policy is
implemented.

All Consultants must adequately supervise the work activities of Learners and others under their control to ensure that safe systems of work are being followed.

Related Procedures

Health and Safety Procedure

This policy has been approved & authorised by:

Name: Carol Cobbett

Position: Founder and Director Horse Bit Fit

Date: 1.6.18


Safeguarding Learner Policy
Introduction
All staff working with children and vulnerable adults have a legal duty to work together
to protect them from harm or abuse. (‘No Secrets’, DH) Horse Bit Fit Safeguarding lead has
overall responsibility for the safeguarding of learners, and is responsible for ensuring the
effectiveness of all work done to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young
people on programme. Horse Bit Fit Policy covers: The recruitment and employment of staff
working with vulnerable adults and the provision of a safe learning environment under the
requirements of this act Horse Bit Fit . Assessment Centre Manager & HR department are
responsible for ensuring that Horse Bit Fit follows safer recruitment procedures. This includes
carrying out Disclosure and Baring checks on all staff working with vulnerable learners every
three years. This also applies where staffs have already been checked by a previous
employer.
Statement of Intent:
Horse Bit Fit first priority is to ensure the safety and protection of all learners
taking part in learning. In order to protect young people and vulnerable adults from harm we
will act in accordance with the following legislation and guidance: ‘No Secrets’ DH 2000
Scope
This policy statement applies to all learning provided by Horse Bit Fit , and includes:
All learning provision for adults delivered directly by employed staff employed
All learning provision for adults commissioned through partnership arrangements
Definitions
Safeguarding The term “safeguarding” describes the broader preventative and precautionary
approach to planning and procedures that are necessary to protect children, young people
and vulnerable adults from any potential harm or damage.
Safeguarding means:
Protection from abuse and neglect
Promotion of health and development
Ensuring safety and care relating to the environment and activity
Ensuring optimum life chances
‘Child’ or ‘Young Adult’ An individual is considered to be a child or young person up to their
18th birthday
‘Vulnerable Adult’ A Vulnerable adult is any person aged 18 or over ‘who is, or may be in
need of, community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness and
who is, or may be, unable to take care of him or herself or protect him or herself against
significant harm or exploitation’ (‘No Secrets’ DH 2000).
The list below is not exhaustive but a vulnerable adult may be someone who:
is elderly and frail
has a mental disorder
has a physical or sensory disability
has a severe physical illness
is a substance misuser
is homeless
has a learning disability


‘Abuse’ is
“a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons” (‘No
Secrets’ DH 2000). Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts, abuse may happen
intentionally or unintentionally and can take place in any relationship or setting. Examples of
abuse that could occur in a learning environment include:
Physical abuse – shoving, hitting, slapping
Sexual abuse - involvement in any direct or indirect (e.g. innuendo, pornography)
activity against the learner’s will or knowledge
Emotional/psychological abuse e.g. intimidation, bullying or humiliation
Discriminatory abuse e.g. racial, sexual or religious harassment
Financial or material exploitation e.g. coercing money or goods
Institutional abuse e.g. failure to ensure privacy, dignity or uphold individual human
and civil rights.
Neglect or acts of omission e.g. ignoring physical or medical needs, failure to access
appropriate health, social care or educational services, withholding medication.
An abuser: may be anyone including relatives, friends, professional staff, other learners and
service-users, neighbours, care workers, volunteers, and strangers.
Policy Statement
Horse Bit Fit is committed to promoting safeguarding through the provision of an
inclusive, supportive and safe environment for its learners, staff and others closely associated
with its work and affirms the rights of individuals to be treated fairly and with respect.
Horse Bit Fit intends to pursue this commitment by
1. Promoting a culture of value and respect for all within a supportive and safe learning
environment
Ensure that all internal tutoring staff, and learning and personal support staff in contact
with learners have a current Disclosure and Barring check for working with adults
and/or children
Provide accessible information for learners, tutoring staff and subcontracting providers
on equality, diversity, bullying, harassment, dignity and respect in the learning
environment
We will provide opportunities for adults and young people to voice any concerns they
may have regarding inappropriate behaviour, abuse, harassment or misconduct and
providing strong sanctions to deter victimisation or cover up of malpractice
Supply information to learners on Horse Bit Fit procedures for following
up complaints relating to the conduct of tutoring staff and/or other learners
Require all tutoring staff and others associated with the delivery of our provision to
carry and produce appropriate identification on request
Ensure that premises used to deliver learning activities are risk assessed by
appropriately trained staff
Ensure that learning activities are risk assessed by appropriately trained staff
Ensure that care and safety issues and concerns are reported
2. Providing Information, training and briefings on safeguarding vulnerable adults and
children that includes:
Include information on Safeguarding as part of learner induction
Provide information to tutoring staff and learners about the standards we expect with
regard to confidentiality and disclosure
Provide appropriate training for tutoring staff on safeguarding, disclosure and diversity
matters
Distribute information to all internal on the signs of abuse and the action to take if/when
abuse is reported.
Provide accessible information for learners, and tutoring staff on the complaints
procedure
Provide headline information for learners on safeguarding, e-safety, bullying and
harassment equality of opportunity and diversity.
Provide learners with the name of the designated safeguarding contact and the
procedure to be followed in the case of any alleged case of bullying or harassment
3. Gathering and analysing information from learners on matters related to feeling safe
in the learning environment
Generate questions on the feedback form to elicit how safe learners feel in the learning
environment
Analyse the information obtained and acting on the results
Monitoring the effectiveness of this Safeguarding Policy and reviewing it annually
Monitor the safeguarding practices within provision
Identify and sharing good practice in safeguarding with sub contracted providers
Review the Horse Bit Fit safeguarding policy on an annual basis
Link with learning networks and the local authority safeguarding unit to ensure that
information on safeguarding is current and up to date
All enquiries relating to safeguarding issues should be addressed in the first instance to the
designated safeguarding officer Horse Bit Fit Assessment Centre.
Email address horsebitfit@yahoo.com
Related policies
Health and Safety
Grievance procedure
Disciplinary procedure
Bullying and Harassment policy
Code of conduct of employees
Whistle blowing policy
Equality and Diversity policy
Learner complaints and appeals procedure
Reporting an incident
After direct or indirect disclosure or signs of abuse are spotted, please inform, in the first
instance the Assessment Centre Manager, with the following information:
What your concerns are.
Where, when, who from and how you got the concerns.
What you have done.
Whether the parents/carers and learner is aware of this referral?
Any additional info about the learner. (Use the registration form)
Contact information for anyone involved
Write a report within 48 hours. Include all details of the disclosure including who was present
and the reasons for your decision to make a referral. Ensure this is stored in a secure file. If
there is immediate danger call 999
Send all report to
Safeguarding Officer; horsebitfit@yahoo.com
This policy has been approved & authorised by:
Name: Carol Cobbett
Position: Founder and Director Horse Bit Fit
Date: 1.6.18

SUBSTANCE MISUSE – ALCOHOL AND DRUGS POLICY

1. PURPOSE
Horse Bit Fit Ltd aims to provide and continually improve upon a safe and welfare all employees, all those who work on behalf of Horse Bit Fit Ltd and learners.
2. SCOPE
This policy applies to all employees, Instructors. Assessors and all those who work on behalf of Horse Bit Fit Ltd and learners.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES
Everyone who works for or represents Horse Bit Fit Ltd is responsible for health, safety and welfare. Dr James Cooling has the ultimate responsibility for matters relating to Horse Bit Fit Ltd business. Managers have a responsibility to monitor and support the wellbeing of staff.

It is expected that, employees, Learners and those who work on behalf of Horse Bit Fit Ltd adhere to the principles within this policy and encourage a positive safety culture ensuring that they act safely by adhering to documented policies and procedures.

Horse Bit Fit Ltd responsibilities:

• It is the responsibility of all employees and those who work on behalf of Horse Bit Fit Ltd to take reasonable steps to safeguard their own health and welfare and that of others
• Learners must take care of their own health & welfare and report all health & safety concerns to the appropriate person which may be their Instructor or Assessor
• Promote a responsible attitude to the consumption of alcohol amongst employees
• Offer assistance to those employees who require it
• Treat alcohol and substance abuse as a health problem and arrange for employees to seek professional assistance
• To consult on matters affecting health and welfare
• To ensure that all incidents are reported and documented
• Identify where legal drugs may impact on concentration and/or performance
• Risk assessment records and health, safety and welfare audits
• Compliance with relevant health, safety and welfare legislation, policies and procedures and provide guidance.

It is the Instructor/Assessor responsibility to assess and reasonably foresee any significant risks prior to commencing any training or assessment activities. The Instructor/Assessor must ensure that a risk assessment is carried out and that everyone is well informed of any significant health, safety and welfare risks associated with the delivery of training or assessment. In order to do this the Instructor/Assessor must:

• Discuss potential health, safety and welfare risks with all Learners
• Ensure risk assessments are carried out and control measures are communicated
• Ensure that all risks have been considered
• Update the risk assessment if further significant risks are identified • Return completed risk assessment to Horse Bit Fit Ltd.

4. Substance Misuse
Horse Bit Fit Ltd policy is that during training courses or assessments
Learners/Instructors/Assessors, employees or any other individual involved in training or assessment delivery, must be free from the influence of both illegal drugs and alcohol to SUBSTANCE MISUSE POLICY

ensure the health, safety and welfare of other Learners and others with whom they come into contact with.

In addition, Learners/Instructors/Assessors, employees or any other individual involved in training or assessment delivery, need to –

• Ensure they are aware of the side effects of any prescription drugs
• Advise Horse Bit Fit Ltd, or the Instructor/Assessor immediately of any side effects of prescription drugs, which may affect their concentration, performance or the health, safety and welfare of themselves or others. For example, drowsiness.
• All Learners, Instructors/Assessors, employees or any other individual involved in training or assessment delivery will be treated consistently and fairly in line with this policy.
• The rules on alcohol and drugs will be strictly enforced.
• If a learner, Instructors/Assessors, employee or any other individual involved in training or assessment delivery is found to be under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol before or during a course they will be asked to leave the course immediately
• LANTRA will be informed of any incident relating to a LANTRA training event or qualification
• All matters concerning alcohol and illegal/legal drugs shall be treated as confidential.
• This policy is designed to comply with relevant legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

5. Drugs and Alcohol Employee Guidelines
Alcohol and substance misuse can have a detrimental effect upon health, it can adversely influence work performance and relationships with colleagues and customers. It can result in reduced efficiency and absenteeism.
5.1 Existing conditions
Horse Bit Fit Ltd will treat any absence due to long term alcohol and substance abuse in the same way as sickness absence on condition that you have discussed the situation with us, have obtained professional treatment and are maintaining regular contact with the appropriate occupational health service.
We will treat all relevant discussions in strict confidence.
If inadequate work performance or unacceptable behavior, including poor work relationships, occur or persist, the matter may be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure. Careful consideration about disciplinary action will be given if you have acknowledged the existence of a problem and/or have agreed to obtain medical help for the condition. However, if you fail to complete a prescribed course of treatment or have a relapse following treatment, disciplinary action may be taken.
5.2 Alcohol or drugs at work
The consumption of alcohol or drugs on company premises is explicitly forbidden. Alcohol or drugs should not be brought onto Horse Bit Fit Ltd premises or venues where
Substance Misuse Policy (Example Jan 19 V1.1) 1

SUBSTANCE MISUE POLICY


Horse Bit Fit Ltd is working, under any circumstances. Any breach of this rule will result in disciplinary action being taken which is likely to result in summary dismissal.

There are occasions such as corporate events or celebrations when management may make an exception. Prior notice will be sent to those employees attending.
5.3 Under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work
If an employee is known to be, or strongly suspected of being, intoxicated by alcohol or drugs during working hours, arrangements will be made for them to be escorted from Horse Bit Fit Ltd premises immediately and arrangement made for their safe transport home. When the employee has recovered, it may be necessary to take disciplinary action or issue them with a letter from HR warning them that any further occurrences may result in formal disciplinary action, which may include dismissal.

If an employee is known to be, or strongly suspected of being, suffering from the after effects of alcohol or drugs during working hours they will be assessed by their Manager, a Senior Manager and/or HR to ascertain if they are capable of performing their role to a satisfactory level. They may be asked to leave the premises (on all occasions if working in a customer facing role) or to continue as normal. The employee will be issued with a letter from HR warning them that any further occurrences may result in formal disciplinary action which may include dismissal.
5.4 Medication
Employees taking drugs which have not been prescribed on medical grounds, or which are not recognised proprietary brands, will, in the absence of mitigating circumstances, be deemed to be committing an act of gross misconduct and will thus render themselves likely to be summarily dismissed as will any employee believed to be buying or selling drugs, or in possession of unlawful, non-prescription drugs.

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/drug-misuse-and-dependency
This policy is reviewed regularly and updated annually or as and when required. 

Substance Misuse Policy (Example Jan 19 V1.1) 2