Genial | Health Safety Policy

Health & Safety Policy

1. HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT

Genial Productions (the Company) recognises its health and safety duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and all related health and safety legislation. To this end the Board of Directors (Board), have agreed that the Board Directors (referred to as ‘The Directors Responsible for Safety (Board)) will be jointly responsible for health and safety. The Board of Directors will keep workplace procedures under constant review and liaise with the enforcing authorities wherever necessary.

In recognition of its duties to report serious accidents, incidents and occupational diseases the Company has instituted a system for notifying the Enforcing Authorities as appropriate. This supplements the statutory duty to keep records and an Accident Book (loose leaf forms) that are available for inspection by an Enforcement Officer.

Specifically, compliance with all health and safety legislation means that Genial Productions will

Provide and maintain a safe place of work, a safe system of work, safe appliances for work and a safe and healthyworking environment.

Provide such information and instruction as may be necessary to ensure the health and safety at work of its employees, whilst promoting awareness and understanding of health and safety throughout the workforce and ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation.

Ensure safety and the absence of health risks in conjunction with the use, handling, storage and transportation of articles and substances.

Ensure the progressive identification and assessment of risks, and their elimination or control.

Provide employees with health surveillance where necessary.

Appoint competent personnel to ensure compliance with statutory duties.

Ensure the establishment, maintenance and development of arrangements for effective joint consultation on health and safety.

Prominently display the Certificate of Employer’s liability that covers employees for any death, injury or disease arising from their employment with the Company.

All workers employed by the Company are required to comply with and co-operate with the Company in its statutory duties. Failure to comply with health and safety duties, regulations, work rules and procedures may lead to dismissal from employment.

We expect all our workers and others affected by our undertakings to respect and adhere to this policy document.

Signed:

Board of Directors Responsible for Health and Safety

Dated:

2. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITES

It is the responsibility of every member of management to ensure that the safety management system is being implemented in his / her work area.

The responsibilities for all staff that perform health and safety duties are defined below. Every person performing a task is responsible for ensuring that it is carried out in accordance with the documented safe practices and procedures.

2.1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors (Board) have the overall responsibility for ensuring that the Genial Productions Health and Safety Policy is effectively implemented and that proper resources are available for this.

The Board will plan ahead as necessary to make human, financial and other resources available to secure a high standard of health and safety management, taking competent advice where relevant and will ensure that the Genial Productions Health and Safety Policy is effectively implemented in the respective areas of operation, and that adequate resources are made available to achieve this.

The Board have the responsibility of ensuring that our health and safety policies and the associated risk control procedures are suitable and sufficient. For devising an annual strategic health and safety plan with the assistance of our external health and safety consultants. (The annual strategic health and safety plan, developed by the Board, is concerned with establishing and maintaining the policy, organisation and culture necessary for effective risk control and as such it is a high-level executive activity).

Perhaps more than anything else, the Board is responsible for cultivating the commitment of the fellow Directors and other Heads of Department to a safety management system that will support staff and others at all levels.

The Board of Directors has the following responsibilities:

There should be no explicit or implicit intention to obtain, retain or reward a business advantage
It should comply with local law
Providing leadership in health and safety to foster a positive health and safety culture.
Factoring health and safety into decision-making.
Ensuring that the Board is familiar with the policy and implements it.
Ensuring that the Board is suitably trained to carry out delegated duties.
Providing the final authority on matters concerning health and safety at work.
Ensuring that responsibility for health and safety is properly assigned and accepted at all subordinate levels.
Ensuring that the annual strategic Health and Safety plan is properly implemented.
Monitoring health and safety performance by reference to the annual report.
Remaining aware of the level of compliance with health and safety requirements and the standard of health and safety management within their areas of operation through systematic monitoring of health and safety performance.
Ensuring that decisions taken on health and safety matters are based on competent risk assessments.
Ensuring the correct assignment and communication of responsibilities down through the lines of management.
Identifying and making adequate provision for the “on-the-job” health and safety training needs of all employees in the light of any new statistics or reports.
Ensuring that any additional health and safety policies are prepared and put into effect, and that these are reviewed systematically and revised as necessary. These will supplement Genial Productions overall Health and Safety Policy by clarifying specific responsibilities and arrangements.
Ensuring that effective means of communication and consultation on health and safety are established and maintained.
Planning the management of health and safety, including all aspects noted above, in a systematic manner, then recording this plan and putting it into effect. This may require liaison with the Company Safety Advisor – our external consultants.
Ensuring that the Health and Safety Policy is kept under review and revised as necessary.
Establishing the annual strategy via the development of a strategic health and safety plan. This will include specific targets to implement health and safety policy and integrate this into the general business activity of Genial Productions.
Ensuring adequate resources are provided to fulfil the objectives identified in the strategic and operational plans as agreed within the Health and Safety Committee.
Developing an annual health and safety report.
Reporting any Board decisions back to the Health and Safety Committee.
Developing a structure for planning, measuring and reviewing health and safety policy.
Developing a structure for implementing policy and supporting plans.
Agreeing plans for improvement and reviewing progress to develop both the organisation and the policy.
Producing written statements of general health and safety policy and strategic objectives for Genial Productions.
Producing written statements on the organisation of planning, measuring and reviewing.
Producing written statements on the organisation of implementation.
Liaising with our external consultants where necessary, particularly with respect to inspections, reports, recommendations, changes in legislation and advice obtained from other parties.
Ensuring that the Directors and Heads of Department are familiar with the policy and implement it.
Monitoring the outputs of the Health and Safety Committee.
Monitoring the implementation of operational plans.
Endorsing, communicating and developing an overall health and safety policy, and insisting that high and continuously improving standards of health and safety performance are a key business objective.
Maintaining a clear structure of accountability for health and safety at all levels, making clear that ultimate responsibility for health and safety rests with the Board. Also ensuring that every employee and business partner is competent and adequately resourced, and that the Board and all other parts of the organisation have access to competent advice.
Insisting that corporate health and safety performance is adequately monitored – both actively by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and reactively through investigation of accidents, incidents and cases of work-related health damage.
Periodically reviewing and reporting to stakeholders on progress and ensuring that lessons learned help ensure continuous improvement. This should incorporate the findings from monitoring and from independent auditing of health and safety management systems.
Developing and maintaining personal competence to lead health and safety and keeping up to date with the risks associated with their organisation.
Developing and maintaining personal competence to lead health and safety and keeping up to date with the risks associated with their organisation.
Insisting that health and safety will be an integral part of all corporate activities, including dealings with other business partners, and that questions of health and safety will always be given priority.
Insisting on full openness, transparency, consistency, proportionality, and fairness in all health and safety matters.
Ensuring that, whether achieved by groups and/or individuals, outstanding health and safety performance is always recognised and rewarded.
Leading by example by visibly supporting the development of a positive health and safety culture. This might include direct participation in health and safety activities, or simply ensuring that personal behaviour always supports corporate health and safety values and demonstrates acceptance of responsibility for corporate health and safety leadership
Attend and Chair the Health and Safety Committee Meetings (as part of a rota).
Endorse the minutes of the Health and Safety Committee Meetings.
Develop, implement and monitor the annual strategic training plan.
Approve the minutes and associated actions of the Health and Safety Committee.
Seek feedback from colleagues on specific areas of concern.
Monitor the service supplied by the Company Safety Advisor.
Ensure that all employees receive adequate supervision, training, information and clear instructions to enable them to work safely.
Ensure training courses are arranged for all staff, including Induction and special types of training.
Arrange for Occupational Health medicals and health surveillance to be undertaken where necessary.
Monitor the implementation of health and safety related concerns generated through staff supervision / appraisal sessions.

2.2 THE HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE

The Health and Safety Committee provides a forum in which the senior management team can formulate and discuss company policy and its implementation. This forum also provides Genial Productions with a place to inform and consult with nominated Health and Safety representatives. This has been established in accordance with the terms of the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 and the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996.

The Health and Safety Committee is made up of the following personnel:

A Board Director that is Responsible for Health and Safety (Chair).
Office Manager.
Head of Production.
Company Safety Advisor Representative.
Administrator (Scribe).

The Company Safety Advisor representative attends by virtue of position, as may other external business consultants. As the Health and Safety Committee sees fit, it invites guest speakers to assist in its work.

Formal training for the Health and Safety Committee Members will be given and incorporated into the annual training plan by the Board.

The minutes will be endorsed by the Board

Meetings will be arranged by the Administrator and held in head office 4 times a year, with additional meetings convened to meet any special circumstances.

The Health and Safety Committee has the following responsibilities:

Examine accident and incident trends, accident / incident investigations and any corrective action taken to prevent reoccurrence.
Examine pro-active monitoring information and corrective action to be taken.
Examine production review reports.
Endorse and formulate health and safety targets.
Consider documentation pertaining to Health and Safety presented to the company by external statutory authorities, the Company Safety Advisor or other external consultants.
Consider documentation pertaining to health and safety presented by the Board or by Health and Safety Committee members.
Assist in the development of structures / risk control procedures / other methods identified to control risks and help maintain these.
Monitor the annual strategic health and safety plan and supporting operational plans to ensure the stated objectives remain on target.
Monitor the adequacy of safety communication and publicity to employees.
Monitor changes in legislation, regulations and guidance.
Monitor and identify the allocation of resources for health and safety purposes.
Keep the health and safety policy under review.
Initiate audit reports and ensure actions are incorporated into strategic and operational plans.
Report to company staff (including production personnel) on any changes to policy on practical issues that affect them.
Put forward the views of staff (including production personnel) on matters pertaining to health and safety.

Each business unit representative has the authority to commit his or her business unit to an action.

Where a decision requires executive action, the Board presents its recommendation to the Board for their approval.

2.3 HEAD OF PRODUCTION

The Head of Production is responsible for implementing and enforcing the Health and Safety Policy and associated arrangements at production level.

The Head of Production has the following responsibilities:

Attend the Health and Safety Committee meetings.
Act as a point of contact for the Company Safety Advisor, Producers, Production Managers and/or Line Producers and Studios on all production safety related issues.
Monitor the performance of, and line manage the activities of the Company Safety Advisor for production related issues.
Liaise with the Company Safety Advisor to oversee management of vetting process of competent contractors.
Monitor the implementation of the production health and safety plans.
Ensure that Producers and Production Managers and/or Line Producers have a complete health and safety induction and understand their health and safety contractual responsibilities.
Develop an annual supporting plan for the Board in conjunction with the Company Safety Advisor to meet strategic production related targets.
Provide regular verbal feedback to the Health and Safety Committee on the actions identified in the Production Health and Safety Review reports (as prepared by the Company Safety Advisor) and distribute these as necessary.
Sign off the Production Review reports.
Write an annual production business unit health and safety report and present this to the Board.
Ensure that production logs and risk assessment files are retained for the specified timescales.
Carry out visits to production sites to monitor health and safety performance as necessary and appropriate.
Monitor the performance of, and line manage the activities of the Company Safety Advisor for office / production office related issues.
Hold the organisation’s accident book and records and ensure that accidents/incidents and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) reporting procedures are followed. This includes ensuring that reports are made to the enforcing body within the specified timeframe.
Investigate accidents and incidents that are not reportable to the enforcing authority and prepare a report as necessary for the Health and Safety Committee.

2.4 OFFICE MANAGER

The Office Manager is responsible for administrating office related Health and Safety policy and enforcing the policies at office and induction level.

The Office Manager has the following responsibilities:

Conduct office inductions for all new staff.
Monitor office fire wardens and first aiders to ensure adequate cover.
Develop and maintain office related security systems.
Act as a point of contact for office related health and safety issues.
Ensure all persons who work at weekends have adequate emergency procedure cover.
Ensure lone working arrangements are adequate and monitor effectiveness of resources.
Ensure the safe provision, use, maintenance and – as appropriate – inspection and/or testing of office work equipment.
Take any measures found to be necessary for the proper management of health and safety.
Seek competent advice on health and safety where relevant, including liaison with the Company Safety Advisor.
Disseminate information on Health, Safety and Welfare within the organisation as appropriate on new legislation, hazards etc.
Maintain the office health and safety notice boards.
Coordinate the office inspections and supervise general administration arising from health and safety matters, giving the Board a report highlighting any apparent problems.
Ensure that records are kept of all staff training, copies of all inspection/audit reports are retained and Accident/Incident/Ill health reports and statistics are archived.
Compile for the Board an Annual report. This should include details on: the office training program, repairs and maintenance that are required in the interests of health and safety, office related safety procedures that need to be introduced, accident statistics, office-related revisions that are required to the organisation’s Health and Safety Policy and Codes of Practice.
Ensure that an adequate stock of accident books is maintained.
Investigate office related accidents that affect staff and take any necessary action to ensure that the circumstances are not repeated. This may be done in conjunction with the Company Safety Advisor where deemed appropriate.
Produce and collate company Accident / Incident and Ill Health statistics on a quarterly basis and submit these to the Health and Safety Committee for discussion at the meetings.
Liaise with Fire Authorities, Environmental Health Officers and other official bodies as appropriate.
Monitor the office related safety performance of the organisation as a whole. Reference should be made to accident records, the use of first aid facilities, the length of time prior to action being taken on repairs and maintenance, reports from enforcement authorities, reports from nominated Staff Representatives and the Company Safety Advisor.
Ensure that office related risk assessments are performed, reviewed and recorded as required by legislation.
Hold and maintain a central file of office related risk assessments, ensuring that they are amended as and when required and reviewed annually.
Retain and maintain office related health and safety documentation, duplicate records of which will be placed in a specific location within each office so that it can be easily obtained for enforcement inspections if necessary.
Monitor the performance of contractors appointed to work in the office, in accordance with the laid down procedures and instructions.
Physically inspect the area for which they have responsibility on a regular basis, completing a health and safety checklist of identified issues.
Ensure that office related equipment, plant, materials and potentially hazardous substances have been checked and are safe, and that written instructions and procedures are available where necessary. If any equipment is found to be defective make sure it is rendered or labelled unusable until repaired. Arrange contracts for the servicing and maintenance of equipment by competent contractors as necessary.
Ensure that First Aid boxes are located in an accessible position known to all staff, that they contain adequate supplies and are replenished after use, and that there are adequately trained first aid personnel in the office. Where staff are working on other sites ensure that a First Aid box is provided for their use.
Ensure that office Landlords provide adequate welfare facilities in the form of toilets and fresh drinking water.
Make checks to ensure that office Landlords have in place an asbestos register and perform the electrical testing and inspection of the main circuitry.
Ensure that all fire alarms and emergency lighting are regularly serviced and maintained by the Landlord and that proper records are kept.
Ensure that office related portable electrical equipment supplied by Genial Productions is electrically tested and inspected by a competent person, that all equipment is labelled and identifiable, and that proper records are kept of the test results. Ensure that re-testing occurs at the designated time and organise this wherever necessary.
Conduct periodic visual / combined inspections on company supplied portable electrical appliances for the office.
Identify a maintenance regime for work equipment supplied by the Company.
Draw up emergency plans for the office.
Conduct informal daily checks of office fire precautions to ensure they remain effective.
Ensure that fire-fighting appliances are serviced and maintained by a competent contractor.
Ensure fire escape routes are known to all staff and visitors and are free from obstruction.
Give periodic verbal instruction to staff on the office fire evacuation procedure to maintain familiarity.
Maintain the office health and safety library.
Ensure an adequate stock of personal protective equipment is maintained.
Arrange for display screen risk assessments to be carried out
Issue Eye Sight Test Forms and Optometrist letters and vouchers where necessary to Users of Display Screen Equipment and submit payments to be made to Finance.
Provide regular verbal feed back to the Health and Safety Committee on the implementation of the annual office Health and Safety plan.
Ensure the maintenance of records and office related reports and retain these for the specified timescales.
Ensure the administrator organises the quarterly Health & Safety Health and Safety Committee meetings. Produces minutes to be approved by all members of the Health and Safety Committee, making these available to the Health and Safety Committee within two weeks and placing them on the Intranet within three weeks.

2.5 COMPANY SAFETY ADVISOR

Our external consultants (as stated on the front page of this document) have been appointed as the Genial Productions competent source of health and safety advice. Their advice and assistance help ensure that adequate arrangements are made for effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and training and for all other Health and Safety matters throughout the organisation.

The Company Safety Advisor will report via the Head of Production to the Board.

The Company Safety Advisor has the following responsibilities:

Assisting Genial Productions in ensuring full and early compliance with health and safety legislation, including any new regulations, EU Directives or codes of practice, and making staff fully aware of any changes.
Oversee a central record of accident, injury, sickness and near miss statistics, including causes of incidents and types of injury, and recommending any ways of avoiding recurrence.
In conjunction with Board and local Management, ensuring adequate training of staff on health and safety matters.
Offering advice on Health and Safety training to management and staff as required.
Maintaining and updating the Genial Productions Health and Safety Policy Document at regular intervals.
Working to create awareness among Genial Productions staff and contractors of the need for good health and safety practices.
Consultation with local management to review protective and preventative measures throughout Genial Productions.
Monitoring Genial Productions health and safety management system, including progress in implementing new or revised health and safety procedures.
Auditing Genial Productions safety systems and performance.
Assisting the Board with the development of an annual strategic health and safety report for Genial Productions.
Providing a resource for the approval, monitoring and maintenance of the Company contractors list.
Retaining and archiving the contractor documentation presented for approval onto the Genial Productions contractor list and ensuring that this can be easily retrieved within 48 hours.
Compiling a bespoke Production Health & Safety Plan, Production Log, H&S Staff Handbook and Risk Assessment file for each and every production if required.
Carrying out a production health and safety briefing session to handover the Production Health & Safety Plan, Production Log, H&S Staff Handbook and Risk Assessment File, and any other supporting documentation required on behalf of the Head of Production for each and every production.
Acting as a point of contact for Producers, Production Managers and/or Line Producers regarding production safety issues as they arise.
Acting as a point of contact for studios regarding production safety issues as they arise.
Attending studio safety briefings, pre-production planning meetings and location planning meetings as appropriate.
Conducting Production Manager and/or Line Producer briefings, de-briefings and signing off the Production Safety Log.
Developing and signing off production related risk assessments as necessary.
Monitoring the activities of the contractors appointed on production when required.
Developing information sheets and risk control procedures as necessary.

2.6 LINE MANAGERS

Have a responsibility to ensure that the Health and Safety policy and supporting plans are implemented and actioned in the areas under their control. This includes the day-to-day overseeing of safe operations as part of their normal routine.

The Line Managers will ensure that the sector under their control is operated under safe and healthy working conditions. These responsibilities include:

The identification and assessment, or making arrangements for the assessment, of significant risks to health and safety arising out of their sector, and the recording of these assessments.
The establishment of safe systems of work in order to eliminate or minimise risks, and the communication of these systems and information about significant risks to employees under their control.
Ensuring that all employees receive adequate supervision, training, information and clear instruction to enable them to work safely.
The taking of any measures found to be necessary for the proper management of health and safety.
The encouragement of joint consultation with employees, including making themselves reasonably available to receive and discuss health and safety queries raised by employees under their control.
Co-operate with the Company Safety Advisor during the course of the investigation of accidents and near misses in order to take proper preventive action and to avoid recurrence as far as possible.
Ensuring that the Company Safety Advisor will be actively involved in the assessment procedure whenever any new equipment, process or operation is commissioned. They will also consult with staff involved in the new process etc (and/or their representatives), in order to ensure that all reasonably foreseeable health and safety concerns have been properly considered.
The seeking of competent advice on health and safety where relevant, including liaison with the Company Safety Advisor.
Ensuring the correct allocation of responsibilities and the communication of these to all staff.

2.7 PRODUCER

The Producer has responsibility for the safe operation of the production. On a day-to-day basis this task may be delegated to the Line Producer and / or Production Manager, and help obtained from the Company Safety Advisor. However, the Producer will always have overall responsibility for the health and safety of the production as a whole.

The Producer must ensure that Genial Productions Health and Safety Policy and the Production Health and Safety Plan are properly implemented. Producers delegating any health and safety tasks, including those identified in the Health and Safety Plan, must ensure that those given such responsibilities are competent to carry them out. The holding of relevant qualifications, or attendance at relevant training courses may determine competence.

The Producer has the following responsibilities:

Ensure that health and safety requirements are incorporated into the budget and that sufficient resources are supplied for its management.
Implement the Production Health and Safety Plan and monitor this.
Ensure that health and safety is a key subject discussed at all relevant production meetings (particularly during pre-production planning) and remain aware of health and safe related feedback from all production-appointed Heads of Department.
Take advice from specialists in order that properly informed decisions may be made about the safe operation of the whole production.
Ensure organisations or individuals selected to work on the production adhere to the Company’s Competent Contractor and Training Procedures.
Ensure that risk assessments are completed for all aspects of the production and sent to the Company Safety Advisor for approval by the fastest practicable means prior to the activities taking place.
Clearly identify who has responsibility for health and safety at the venue, studio or location.
Have the authority to stop the work and take remedial action where a hazard or defect presents a risk to health and safety, particularly where there is danger to life or limb.
Attend a post-production review meeting and develop a post-production review report in conjunction with the Company Safety Advisor.

2.8 LINE PRODUCER AND/OR PRODUCTION MANAGER

The Production Manager and/or the Line Producer is delegated the tasks of the Producer on a day-to-day basis insofar as they have more local control of the production. His/her responsibilities extend to ensuring that all persons involved in the production are aware of the bespoke H&S Production Plan produced for their production, along with all associated systems to support it.

The Production Manager and/or the Line Producer has the following responsibilities:

Ensure that health and safety is taken fully into account when the production is scheduled and crewed, and that there are an adequate number of individuals on the production with up to date health and safety training.
Ensure as far as reasonably practicable that all persons under his/her control have received adequate instruction to enable them to work safely, protecting themselves, their colleagues, property and plant. This involves circulating copies of risk assessments to all crew members via the call sheet or studio script, circulating the health and safety handbook and filing training records. Where appropriate, health and safety inductions may be held for all crew at the outset of production.
Ensure that health and safety is a key subject discussed at all relevant production meetings (particularly during pre-production planning).
Ensure that the production is operated under safe and healthy working conditions by completing risk assessments.
Check that a risk assessment has been carried out and that all hazards have been identified and safeguarded against.
Ensure proper instructions and information have been given to any persons likely to work with potentially harmful substances or be affected by them, particularly when any substance is used for special effects.
Read and implement the information sheets / risk control procedures that are presented by the Company Safety Advisor.
Ensure effective communication and co-ordination with the person(s) responsible for health and safety at the venue, studio or location throughout the production.
Adhere to the Company’s Competent Contractor Policy and training requirements and attend a Production Health and Safety Log handover training session with the Company Safety Advisor.
Implement and complete the Safety Log, the associated Risk Assessment File and the Production Health and Safety Plan that is developed by the Company Safety Advisor throughout the production process to demonstrate active health and safety management.
Immediately bring to the attention of the Producer, the Company Safety Advisor and the Head of Production any concerns regarding the health and safety performance of any individual working on the production.
Liaise with the relevant Heads of Department to ensure that safeguards and safe methods of operation are properly used and maintained.
Have the authority to stop the work and take remedial action where a hazard or defect presents a risk to health and safety, particularly where there is danger to life or limb.
Report all accidents and near misses to the Company Safety Advisor, irrespective of how minor, and bring serious accidents or incidents to the immediate attention of the Head of Production.
Investigate accidents and near misses in order to take proper preventative action and ensure as far as possible that circumstances are not repeated. Contact the Company Safety Advisor in line with the accident reporting procedure as identified in the Production Log.
Ensure that adequate supervision is available at all times, particularly where young (under 18 years of age) or inexperienced workers are concerned, and that all persons are encouraged to act safely and have general awareness of health and safety matters.

2.9 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

The Production Coordinator acts as a health and safety administrator to the Production Manager and/or Line Producer. The role is also to oversee the adherence to the bespoke H&S Production Plan, the distribution of the H&S Handbook to all staff and crew, and the completion of the Production Log and relevant risk assessments (that are filed in the Risk Assessment File) as required for the production. If there is not a Coordinator allocated to a production, these responsibilities revert to the Production Manager.

The Production Coordinator has the following responsibilities:

Coordinate contractor-vetting arrangements to ensure that all relevant documentation is requested from and received from contractors, and subsequently approved by the Company Safety Advisor.
Maintain the Production Log and associated Risk Assessment File to ensure that they are completed and up to date.
Ensure that all appropriate risk assessments are requested, completed and approved by the Company Safety Advisor, then distributed to all necessary persons and kept in the Risk Assessment File.
Read, implement and distribute as necessary information sheets / risk control procedures that are presented by The Company Safety Advisor from time to time during production.
Implement and monitor action points as identified in the Production Health and Safety Plan where requested to do so.
Assist the Production Manager and/or Line Producer in the induction process carried out for all new production staff.
Ensure that all the production personnel who will be ‘resident’ to some extent in the office receive an office induction by the Office Manager.
Ensure that the cast and crew are given any relevant codes of practice and a copy of the appropriate induction Health and Safety Handbook.
Ensure that an end of production de-brief takes place between the Company Safety Advisor and the Production Manager and/or Line Producer as soon as is practicable after the last shooting day.

2.10 LOCATION MANAGER

The Location Manager has the following responsibilities:

Implement health and safety procedures and all safe-working practices in the areas under his/her control.
Familiarise himself/herself with the Production Health and Safety Plan and the H&S Handbook and implement actions were asked to do so.
Read and implement information sheets / risk control procedures that are presented by the Company Safety Advisor.
Ensure, as part of preparation, that there has been regular and early contact with The Company Safety Advisor.
Ensure that when selecting locations all potential hazards are considered and a location risk assessment completed and approved by the Company Safety Advisor.
Ensure that the completed risk assessment for the location is given to the Production Manager and/or Line Producer and the Company Safety Advisor well in advance of any filming activity. This will enable any environmental hazards to have risk control initiatives allocated to them as part of the production generic risk assessment documentation.
Act as Safety Coordinator on set, in conjunction with the First Assistant Director, and take responsibility for filming conditions on location.
Ensure that all communication procedures and arrangements are in place when filming in public places. This may involve liaison with the Highways Department of the Local Council, Police and other emergency services, local Authority Film Offices, Venue Management etc.
Keep relevant members of the public fully informed of all filming activities. In particular, neighbours and residents where location vehicles are to be parked in close proximity to their houses, garages etc.
Ensure that safe working practices are adhered to and all crew and artists are fully aware of the risks associated with the location.
Report to the Producer or Production Manager and/or Line Producer any accidents or near misses and take part in any investigation with a view to taking preventative measures.
Carry out regular inspections of the location in order to identify any hazardous situations, and take action as required.
Monitor the working practices of contractors to ensure that they are working in line with the content of their risk assessments and method statements.
Ensure that the appropriate safety equipment PPE (personal protective equipment) such as hard hats and high visibility jackets are available and in good order and monitor that they are used at all relevant times as identified during risk assessment or in method statements.
Maintain security on locations at all times.
Ensure that he/she is personally competent in risk assessment techniques.Ensure that he/she is personally competent in risk assessment techniques.

2.11 DIRECTOR (PRODUCTION)

The Director has a general responsibility to give health and safety full consideration. In consultation with all other key personnel concerned with the production, the Director will take advice on health and safety matters and give them the same amount of consideration as any other issues.

The Director has the following responsibilities:

Throughout the production the Director will, as far as reasonably practicable, remain aware of the health and safety aspects of the production and ensure that no persons are instructed to work in a manner that incurs an unacceptable risk to health and safety.
Be fully aware of Genial Productions Health and Safety Production Policy and the content of the bespoke Production Health and Safety Plan.
Read and implement information sheets / risk control procedures that are presented by The Company Safety Advisor.
Remain aware of the systems and codes of practice that are put into place for the purposes of managing health and safety.
Consult with the Company Safety Advisor in conjunction with the Production Manager or Line Producer in relation to the production risk assessments that have been prepared in order to contribute his/her personal professional expertise, experience and knowledge, or in relation to last minute good ideas / script changes before a shot is taken.
Ensure that health and safety is not compromised in the interests of visual shots or continuity.
Ensure that adequate rehearsal and/or planning time are built into any schedule dependent on the degree of risk, numbers of artists/ crew involved location constraints etc.

2.12 FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

The First AD has the day-to-day task of controlling the set. He/she is delegated the tasks as set by the Director and will, in the main, have responsibility for the filming conditions and act as Safety Coordinator on set.

The First Assistant Director has the following responsibilities:

Liaise closely with the Location Manager to ensure the chosen locations are safe for the purpose of work.
Give full consideration to health and safety when deciding how each shot is to be set up and recorded.
Be fully aware of Genial Productions Health and Safety Production Policy and the content of the bespoke Production Health and Safety Plan.
Read and implement information sheets / risk control procedures that are presented by the Company Safety Advisor.
Consult with the Company Safety Advisor in conjunction with the Production Manager and/or Line Producer about the production risk assessments that have been prepared in order to contribute his/her personal professional expertise, experience and knowledge.
Consider advice and information given by the Special Effects Supervisor and any other competent individuals (including stunt personnel) and ensure that the set is controlled in a manner that adheres to Genial Productions Health and Safety Policy.
Not knowingly instruct any person to work in a manner that incurs unacceptable danger and, if in any doubt, report the matter to the Production Manager and/or Line Producer.
Ensure adequate health and safety briefings have taken place including audiences, general public, crew at location and studio venues, artistes, extras etc. as applicable.
Ensure that the shooting schedule has addressed all relevant health and safety issues, and that planning and rehearsal time to meet the degree of risk involved has been given full consideration.
Liaise with the Production Manager and/or Line Producer to ensure all contractors are approved as competent, and that the necessary contractor health and safety documentation and risk assessments have been completed and approved, and that they are familiar with the content of the risk assessments before any activity commences on set.

2.13 PRODUCTION DESIGNER

The Floor Manager will, in the main, have responsibility for studio recording conditions and act as Safety Coordinator on the studio floor, including carrying out an audience safety briefing. He/she must report any concerns immediately to the Producer or Production Manager and/or Line Producer. It is vital that he/she has a good knowledge of the studio emergency procedures and means of escape and can brief the crew accordingly.

The Floor Managers has the following responsibilities:

Ensure they have effective communication with the Company Safety Advisor and the relevant Heads of Departments.
Ensure that designated escape routes are kept clear at all times.
Ensure that fire exits, and fire points remain accessible at all times.
Ensure that fire exit signs are visible and illuminated.
Ensure that nothing obstructs the operation of fire shutters.
Ensure that all threshold doors are closed.
Ensure that no cables are placed on the floor directly in front of audience access doors.
Ensure that studio stipulations regarding the drinking of water from cups or bottles on the studio floor are respected and adhered to.
Ensure that the audience receives a health and safety briefing prior to recording.

2.14 FLOOR MANAGER

There are a number of important areas to identify, in terms of health and safety responsibilities, for the Audience Co-Ordinate. The below points relate to staff Audience Coordinators only. Any 3rd party Audience Support Services that are engaged for a production must be approved in line with competent contractor assessment procedures.

The Audience Coordinator has the following responsibilities:

Ensure that all audiences have been given a full and informative health and safety briefing by either the Floor Manager or Warm Up Artist. This briefing will include emergency evacuation, medical assistance, overhead cranes, cables, smoking etc.
Ensure that there has been full communication with the venue to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the audience. This communication should begin as early as is practicable through a studio visit and attendance at production meetings and should be followed up by correspondence confirming all arrangements.
Ensure that there is adequate medical back up whenever audiences are required in the studio.
Ensure that all Audience Stewards (Ushers) are conspicuously dressed so that they can be easily recognised by members of the audience e.g. wearing a tabard, coloured armband etc. (Although most venues now supply stewards as part of the hire charge, this does not delegate our health and safety responsibilities for audience safety).
Ensure that there is an adequate ratio of Audience Stewards (ushers) to meet with the demands of the audience (see risk assessment). Consideration must be given to the requirements of the elderly, persons with special needs, children etc. This should be discussed at the production-planning meeting and should form part of the generic production risk assessment.
Ensure that full consideration has been given to emergency procedures in respect of fire evacuation exits, assembly points, clearance of fire lanes, audience seating etc.
Liaise with the studio to ensure that adequate security is in place and that all personal possessions have either been left in a supervised cloakroom or are safely stored under seats rather than being left in gangways, aisles etc.
Regularly monitor the audience during the production to ensure that all rules regarding eating, drinking, smoking, leaving of coats etc. are being adhered to.

2.15 AUDIENCE COORDINATOR

There are a number of important areas to identify, in terms of health and safety responsibilities, for the Audience Co-Ordinate. The below points relate to staff Audience Co-Ordinates only. Any 3rd party Audience Support Services that are engaged for a production must be approved in line with competent contractor assessment procedures.

The Audience Coordinator has the following responsibilities:

Ensure that all audiences have been given a full and informative health and safety briefing by either the Floor Manager or Warm Up Artist. This briefing will include emergency evacuation, medical assistance, overhead cranes, cables, smoking etc.
Ensure that there has been full communication with the venue to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the audience. This communication should begin as early as is practicable through a studio visit and attendance at production meetings and should be followed up by correspondence confirming all arrangements.
Ensure that there is adequate medical back up whenever audiences are required in the studio.
Ensure that all Audience Stewards (Ushers) are conspicuously dressed so that they can be easily recognised by members of the audience e.g. wearing a tabard, coloured armband etc. (Although most venues now supply stewards as part of the hire charge, this does not delegate our health and safety responsibilities for audience safety).
Ensure that there is an adequate ratio of Audience Stewards (ushers) to meet with the demands of the audience (see risk assessment). Consideration must be given to the requirements of the elderly, persons with special needs, children etc. This should be discussed at the production-planning meeting and should form part of the generic production risk assessment.
Ensure that full consideration has been given to emergency procedures in respect of fire evacuation exits, assembly points, clearance of fire lanes, audience seating etc.
Liaise with the studio to ensure that adequate security is in place and that all personal possessions have either been left in a supervised cloakroom or are safely stored under seats rather than being left in gangways, aisles etc.
Regularly monitor the audience during the production to ensure that all rules regarding eating, drinking, smoking, leaving of coats etc. are being adhered to.

2.16 PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN (GAFFER)

In health and safety terms the Production Gaffer is a vital Head of Department within the production crew. Gaffers must be up to date with their responsibilities and knowledge and have sufficient experience in either location and/or studio environments as appropriate. This will require evidence of competence, knowledge and experience.

The Gaffer has the following responsibilities:

Ensure the safe installation of all electrical wiring including lighting circuits.
Ensure the inspection and testing of all portable equipment brought onto the production by contractors, hire companies and crew has been carried out.
Supervise the installation and use of all Residual Current Devices (RCD) used within the production, and in particular to ensure that these devices are operating within their designed parameters e.g. 30-millisecond cut out.
Ensure contractors, e.g. Special Effects Supervisors, Stunt Co-ordinators, lighting, sound is utilising safe systems of work (isolation of supply and insulation of equipment, tools etc.)
Ensure where applicable that the most up to date edition of the Institute of Electrical Engineers Regulations and Guidelines is being referred to for safe installation and working practices.
Ensure when working in a public place that the safety of the public is paramount. All cables must be ‘safe by position’ so that no equipment is left exposed in such a manner that it can be tampered with. Particular care must be taken when working in the vicinity of children or those with special needs.
Ensure that all stages, towers and rostra that require electrical feeds are earth bonded to protect all persons using electrical equipment from shocks.
Liaise with venues/studio management/owners of domestic premises used as locations to ensure that the correct supply of electricity is available and to establish the maximum load capacity. This will reduce the risk of sudden power failure. The load bearing capacity of lighting grids should also be verified.
Ensure all portable and vehicle generators are being used in the appropriate manner, have all safety devices, RCD, ECB in place and are working to the required standard of efficiency.
Supply lighting risk assessments for approval by the Company Safety Advisor.
If any lighting equipment is supplied by the Gaffer, CO2 fire extinguishers must also be supplied.
Monitor lighting systems to ensure safety bonds are in use, lighting equipment has been PAT tested and the load bearing capacity of the lighting grids are not exceeded.

2.17 ALL EMPLOYEES

Everyone at work must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others affected by what they do or do not do.

Employees have the following responsibilities:

Co-operate with Directors, Line Managers and the Company Safety Advisor to ensure that safe and healthy working practices and workplace are maintained.
Report promptly to their Line Manager and the Company Safety Advisor, as appropriate, any hazardous situation, defect, accident or near miss.
Make full and proper use of any protective equipment or any other equipment with a health and safety function and keep such equipment in good order.
Make proper use of the washing facilities and eating and drinking facilities provided so as to ensure high standards of personal hygiene where hazardous substances put personnel at risk.
Act responsibly at all times.
Co-operate with Genial Productions in the implementation and observation of all statutory requirements placed upon it.
Observe the duty not to misuse or interfere with anything provided in the interests of health and safety.
Individual employees are responsible for co-operating with management to meet the requirements of these arrangements. They must swiftly bring to their immediate manager’s attention any weaknesses in these arrangements so that additional control action can be implemented.

2.18 ALL SELF-EMPLYED PERSONS

All Self- employed persons have the following responsibilities:

To take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that they themselves are not put at risk, and that others who may be affected by their actions are likewise not put at risk.
With respect to the legal regulations that require employers to protect their employees from risk, the same types of regulations apply to the self-employed, requiring them to protect themselves and others. These legal duties apply whether or not people accept and choose to comply with this policy.
To make proper consideration of health and safety before embarking upon any work and will take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others at all times.
Not to intentionally or recklessly interfere with anything provided in the interests of health and safety
Adhere to specific legal requirements, such as assessing and adequately controlling risks to health before work commences.
To give information about the health and safety aspects of their work to any person who might be affected by that work

2.19 SUB CONTRACTORS

Sub-Contractors have the following responsibilities:

Have their own health and safety policy. However, those companies who employ fewer than 5 it is acknowledged that this does policy does not have to be written or recorded. Contractors however must, as Employers, keep to the “spirit and intention” of a policy and still have a legal duty to comply with all Health and Safety legislation as set out in the policy statement in section 1.0 of this document.
Contractors, as Employers, must also assess and control any risks they create, and to inform all the other Companies with whom they share the work place what control measures they are adopting to minimise the risk of injury to other personnel. These assessments must be recorded if the Contractor employs more than 5 Employees
To inform their Employees about risks to which they might be exposed when sharing the work place with them before work activities commence.
Use their own tools and equipment (where practical) that are fit for their intended purpose and used in a safe manner.
To assess the competency of and manage Sub-contractors under their control
To monitor so far as is reasonably practicable the work activities of both their own Employees and those Sub- contractors under their control and remain generally aware of their health and safety performance.

3. COMPANY HEALTH & SAFETY STRUCTURE

* Note, the number and variety of roles will vary from production to production and arrows go up and down.

4. HEALTH & SAFETY STRUCTURE

The arrangements below are supported by procedures that have been developed by the Company Safety Adviser and are to be carried out at a local level.

4.1 ACCIDENT REPORTING PROCEDURE

All staff have a duty to report accidents and incidents, no matter how minor, to their Line Manager as soon as possible in person, by phone or by email. Staff must also ensure that any accident or incident is recorded via the accident/incident reporting procedure, in which they will receive training.

All otherwise unrecognized hazards, sometimes illustrated by “near misses”, will be similarly reported and recorded.

Line Managers will identify any relevant incidents and ensure that the Office Manager is notified of these as appropriate.

All accidents that are entered in the Accident Book are to be reported to the Office Manager and the Company Safety Adviser, who will decide if further investigation is required.

All RIDDOR accidents, incidents and occupational diseases are to be reported directly to the Incident Contact Centre (ICC) based at Caerphilly by the Office Manager only. Under the RIDDOR Regulations the company is required to keep a record of incidents for inspection by visiting officers. To assist with this process, once reported to the ICC a copy of a report will be sent within 7 days to the company, and the company is given the opportunity to correct any errors in it.

4.1.1 FORMS

An official Accident Book, in which details of all accidents/occurrences must be inserted, will be issued for each production. Each office should also have its own accident book. A copy of each entry should be sent to the Office Manager and the Company Safety Advisor.

Accident, incident, occupational disease and RIDDOR records should be examined on a quarterly basis by head of department, to ensure and confirm that all accidents are being reported in the appropriate manner.

4.1.2 STEP BY STEP REPORTING PROCEDURE

An accident, incident or occupational disease is reported by staff to the Line or Location Manager, who should then inform the Head of Production and the Company Safety Advisor.
As necessary, first aid treatment is administered to the casualty by the appointed first-aider / the casualty is taken to hospital / the casualty consults their GP, etc.
A formal record of the accident, incident or occupational disease is entered into the accident book. In the case of an occupational disease written confirmation from a doctor is required.
The entry is signed and dated by the person making the entry in the book to confirm that it is a true and accurate record.
The entry is signed and dated by the casualty or the member of staff who has reported the incident. If the casualty is unable to sign and date the book due to injury this will be carried out upon their return to work.
Witnesses are required to sign and date the accident book below the signature box of the person who has had the accident to confirm that it is a true and accurate record.
Details of how the accident / incident / occupational disease occurred are recorded on the accident form by the Line Manager (or Senior Management in the Line Manager’s absence).
In all cases the Company Safety Advisor is contacted for advice.
The Head of Production will report the incident to the Incident Contact Centre if the incident falls within the requirements of RIDDOR.
All RIDDOR F2508/A incidents are to be reported to the following address:
Incident Contact Centre
Caerphilly Business Park
Caerphilly CR83 3GG
For Internet reports see www.riddor.gov.uk (or link via the HSE www.hse.gov.uk)
By telephone (charged at a local rate): 0845 300 9923
By fax (charged at a local rate): 0845 300 9924
By email: riddor@natbrit.com
Where appropriate, the Line or Location Manager (with such assistance as they require) interview the casualty and witnesses to discuss the incident.
An investigation relating to the underlying cause of the accident is arranged by the line manager, location manager or senior manager, in line with the Accident Investigation procedure outlined in this health and safety policy document.
Accidents involving members of the public or non Genial Productions’ employees must also be reported to the line or location manager. If this person is taken by ambulance to hospital from the site it should be reported by the Head of Production as a RIDDOR notification to the Incident Contact Centre.

4.1.3 ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Line or Location Managers have the responsibility of investigating accidents that affect their staff, work area or work activity (including accidents to contractors, visitors, passers-by or even trespassers).

In complex or serious cases, or those which fall within the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) the Company Safety Advisor will carry out an investigation.

Genial Productions has adopted a documented Accident Investigation procedure (below), which outlines the accident investigation process. Accident investigations will be conducted in accordance with this written procedure at all times. The Accident Investigation Form is used to record all relevant information, both from the immediate preliminary investigation and any necessary subsequent detailed investigation. Checks have been put in place to ensure that the Line or Location Manager has been trained in both accident investigation, notification and reporting techniques if not training will be arranged. The Company Safety Advisor will co-ordinate and carry out the accident investigation, notification and reporting techniques in conjunction with the Line or Location Manager or the Office Manager were office related.

The objective of accident investigation is to establish the underlying root causes and to identify actions that should prevent or significantly reduce the risk of a recurrence. Senior Managers shall become actively involved in the investigation of serious or high-profile accidents.

Serious accident / incident reported.
Director of Production contacts Company Safety Advisor – discussion held.
Implications for company identified – civil / criminal.
Investigation
Accident report produced.
Actions and recommendations actioned.

4.1.4 REVIEW

Task analysis, procedures, work instructions and safety rules shall, as appropriate, be reviewed following accidents. Risk assessments shall be examined, and a reassessment undertaken in accordance with the relevant risk assessment procedure. Corrective actions will be identified and prioritised. The relevant manager(s) will incorporate these corrective actions into their operational plans.

Corrective actions identified during accident investigations will be submitted to the Health and Safety Committee and / or Safety Performance Groups for monitoring and consultation purposes.

4.2 ARRANGEMENT FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING POLICY

4.2.1 DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY REVIEW

At Production and Department level, the Board / HOP / Line Managers will ensure that the policies are being adhered to. This could be via regular update meetings or via specially arranged meetings to assess any new issue.

4.2.2 FORMULATION & DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY

It is the responsibility of the Board to develop and install the safety management system, using the Company Safety Advisor as the company’s source of health and safety advice and assistance.

4.2.3 EXECUTIVE STATEGIC PLANNING & TARGETS

An annual health and safety strategy are developed by the Board in conjunction with the Company Safety Advisor. This is concerned with establishing and maintaining the health and safety policy, along with creating an environment in which effective risk control can take place. The annual strategic health and safety plan contains easily identifiable, achievable objectives and is formally approved by the Board and the Board prior to implementation.

The strategic planning meeting held between the Board and the Company Safety Advisor is held annually and organised to establish and achieve the following outcomes:

Establish priorities for executive health and safety objectives
Identify and address any outstanding objectives from the previous year’s health and safety plan
Set achievable and easily identifiable annual targets
Produce an overview of how to support the policy and targets
Produce an annual strategic health and safety plan to support the Company’s executive health and safety targets
Allocate resources to achieve these targets and to control any risks identified

4.2.4 DEPARTMENTAL PLANNING & TARGETS

Departmental planning and targets are concerned with meeting the executive targets set by the annual strategic health and safety plan, assessing the risks arising from the Company’s activities and maintaining risk control measures.

Line Managers will use Health and Safety Committee, Team Safety Performance Groups, input from safety representatives, feedback from training and appraisal sessions, and suggestions from staff to encourage their department employees to become involved in the planning process. They will manage this process by developing departmental plans with the following goals in mind:

Establish priorities for executive health and safety objectives.
Produce an overview of how to support the executive policy and targets.
Set achievable and easily identifiable operational targets.
Produce executive operational plans to support the targets.
Allocate and / or request resources to achieve these targets and to control identified risks.
Present this plan to the Board and Health and Safety Committee on an annual basis.

Line Managers will also be required to develop and present an annual health and safety report based upon the implementation of the plan to the Health and Safety Committee and the Board.

4.2.5 PRODUCTION PLANNING & TARGETS (H&S PLANS)

Production planning and associated targets are concerned with achieving the Production Department’s targets. A production plan has been incorporated into the Production Log and will be developed for each production by the Line Producer or Production Manager and presented to the Producer. The plan will be implemented at a local level by the Production management team.

The Head of Production will monitor the implementation of the production plan for the duration of the production, and feedback will be incorporated into the production review report produced by the Company Safety Advisor and presented to the Health and Safety Committee.

4.3 AUDIT

At suitable intervals (and probably at intervals of two or more years) The Board will commission The Company Safety Advisor to examine Risk Productions entire organisation – from a health and safety perspective – to test whether Risk Productions is meeting its safety aims and objectives.

The audit will provide an analysis of our strengths and weaknesses and examine the effectiveness and efficiency of:

Leadership
Hierarchies
Safety planning processes.
Decision-making.
Delegation
Policymaking
Policy implementation.
Monitoring

The report of the audit will be considered by a special meeting of the Health and Safety Committee.

4.4 COMMUNICATION

The manager responsible for each building, studio or location is responsible for issuing and displaying, as appropriate, the emergency arrangements. All staff working in a place are trained in responding to emergency situations as part of the induction programme.

Mobile staff will carry with them a list of telephone numbers necessary or useful in an emergency.

4.5 COMPETENCE

4.5.1 PROVISION OF INFORMATION TO ENHANCE COMPETENCE

Genial Productions will liaise with external bodies e.g. the Company Safety Advisor or the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that relevant, up-to-date, health and safety information and advice is obtained.

The company ensures that all staff are provided with relevant information on:

Standards, guidance and legal requirements
Feedback on the outcome of planning, measuring, reviewing and audit of their risk control procedures
Contractor cooperation and coordination arrangements
Emergency arrangements
Any specialist training or qualification needed to do the job safely
Health surveillance monitoring techniques implemented to control risk

4.5.2 PROVISION OF TRANING AND INDUCTION

An annual Health and Safety training plan will be developed for Genial Productions staff by the Board. This plan will be monitored by the Board, the Health and Safety Committee and Heads of Departments to ensure it remains on target. All training takes place in work time with no loss of earnings to staff.

Training plans are developed annually and will incorporate:

Induction
Legal requirements
Training standards as advised by the Company Safety Advisor
Risk control measures which have been identified as part of the risk assessment process
New or specialist training
Special needs of staff
Pregnant workers
Young persons
Those returning to work after sickness or ill health
Those transferring from one job to another

Individual safety capabilities of staff are identified during the recruitment and selection process. Evidence of any formal health and safety training attended prior to engagement will be held on the individual’s personal file to act as a formal record of their competence and retained by the Office Manager.

All staff will be briefed or trained on relevant health and safety policies and procedures within two working days of joining Genial Productions. An additional induction training session will be given to production personnel at a local level and any specialist training identified by the Line Manager or the Company Safety Advisor during pre-production.

Staff will also receive personal copies of the following health and safety handbook/s during the course of the induction training session as appropriate:

Genial Productions Induction Handbook
Studio Related Codes of Practice and Information – Issued by the Studios

Formal training as appropriate to job specification and risk is included in the induction briefing / annual training plan and as part of the core competencies for staff and senior management. Records of such training are retained by the Board and in the Production Log, and a relevant entry will be made in the individual’s personal file where appropriate.

4.6 CO-OPERATION & CONSULTATION

The Health and Safety Committee has been established under the provisions of the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 and is an advisory group to the Board and the Board.

The company seeks to enable the active involvement of staff in implementing its policies and procedures on health and safety at work. The company will give full support to:

Appoint staff Health and Safety Representatives
Provide Health and Safety Representatives with the information and training necessary to carry out their functions
Provide facilities to enable the Health and Safety Representatives to carry out their functions
Involve staff or their representatives in the assessment of significant risks and the development of risk control measures
Involve staff or their representatives in Safety Performance Groups

4.7 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

Where necessary, the management of health and safety will be supported by appropriate use of the disciplinary process.

Employees who refuse to co-operate with safety management may become subject to the escalating process of verbal and written warnings. Such action might be triggered by, for instance, refusal to follow safe operating procedures, refusal to wear personal protective equipment, refusal to conduct risk assessments, etc.

Similar action may be taken against staff who act with a significant lack of care for the safety of others or themselves.

Extreme cases, such as dangerous behaviour, transparently inadequate risk assessment, ordering others to act in a dangerous fashion, etc, may even lead to dismissal.

4.8 DOCUMENT & DATA MANAGEMENT

Provision has been made to ensure that documentation relating to health and safety is adequately controlled. The issue, control and recall of all documents shall be the responsibility of the Office Manager. For the effective functioning of the safety management system, the most recent procedures shall be posted on the intranet and distributed by the Office Manager to those staff listed as holding paper copies. Every intranet document shall carry a date mark.

Every document shall have a unique title, document number and issue number. They shall be approved and signed by the appropriate Line Manager or the Board, as applicable.

All changes to documents shall be implemented in writing and as per the Quality System Procedure, then processed in a manner that ensures prompt action at the specified locations. Records shall be maintained of changes as they are made. Documents shall be revised and re-issued, as a new edition, after a practical number of changes have been issued.

A master list has been established by the Office Manager to identify the current version of health and safety documents in order to preclude the use of non-applicable documents. Provision has been made to remove and recall all obsolete documents.

When required for legislative or “traceability” purposes (accident report forms, risk assessments etc.) copies of each superseded document will be retained and archived by the Office Manager.

4.9 FIRE

A Fire Risk Assessment will be carried out as arranged by the Company Safety Advisor for office premises that are under the control of Genial Productions and where Genial Productions has been identified as the ‘responsible person’ which will be reviewed annually.

An assessment of the fire risks on the production is a statutory obligation and will be completed by a competent person, preferably at the planning stage or at least as one of the first jobs after occupation of a premises

The manager responsible for the building will liaise with the managers responsible for the work in order to assess and control fire risks.

The manager responsible for the building will ensure the significant findings of the fire risk assessment and the additional control measures are properly recorded and will prepare an emergency plan.

Fire Extinguishers appropriate for the hazards and risks within buildings/on location will be provided, being wall mounted where appropriate. Designated staff i.e. Fire Wardens will be trained in their use. On location risk assessment(s) will identify the level of provision and the individual required to provide the necessary extinguishers i.e. Gaffer. All extinguishers will be serviced and maintained annually by a competent person.

4.9.1 FIRE WARDENS

The Fire Warden has responsibilities both to prevent fire and in the event of a fire starting.

To aid the prevention of fire Genial Productions’ Fire Wardens will:

Become familiar with fire zones, escape routes, fire point etc.
Ensure that fire escapes are known to all staffs and visitors, and that escape routes are free from obstruction.
Check that safety signs, fire points and fire routes do not become obstructed by set dressing or equipment.
Ensure that firefighting equipment and methods of raising the alarm are not interfered with or moved.
Report any suspected fire hazards immediately to the First Assistant Director or other appointed Line Manager.
Implement the bomb procedure when it has been identified as responsible to do so.

In the event of a fire being discovered, a Fire Warden will:

Raise the agreed alarm and ensure that people respond correctly to the alarm in the event of a need to evacuate the building.
Ensure that persons are evacuated from their designated area of set and are sent to a place of safety and notify other tenants of the need to evacuate.
Search their fire zone thoroughly to ensure that everyone has left the building – do not forget toilets and other rooms not frequently used.
Tackle only a VERY MINOR fire using the correct type of extinguisher for the type of fire in question However, if the fire is established they will not attempt this. Once they have left a fire, they must leave the building whether they believe it has been extinguished or not and must not return to it. The Fire Brigade will check if it is really out.
Liaise with the Fire Brigade as required.
NOT go into any areas containing smoke or an established fire. If he/she finds a door that is closed, he/she is to feel it with the back of their hand and if it is hot is NOT TO OPEN IT.

4.10 HEALTH SURVEILLANCE & PROMOTION

Where it improves general or individual health without undue imposition on the individual, appropriate programmes of health surveillance will be instituted. Health checks will be managed by external consultants. These consultants will report to Genial Productions via the Board, advising on the:

Rates of participation.
Indications of harm to health.
Individuals at particular risk.

The consultants will only provide information on identifiable individuals where each individual has provided written consent.

Health surveillance programmes will form part of health and safety plans and will include appropriate monitoring elements.

If health surveillance indicates that an individual is sustaining damage through a failure to comply with control measures, disciplinary action may be initiated.

4.11 INSURANCE

On productions, the Producer will ensure that policies have been set in place to provide the required cover for Employer’s liability, Occupiers liability, Motor Vehicles, Fire and Theft and Travel.

Commercial protection (i.e. Producer’s indemnity, tape stock insurance etc.) should also be considered.

Employer Liability Insurance certificates are to be displayed in the main offices and sub production offices where these have been set up and will be retained for 40 years.

4.12 PERFORMANCE MONITORING

4.12.1 ACTIVE MONITORING

As well as recording, analysing and evaluating reports of safety failings (incidents, accidents, ill-health), Genial Productions will actively monitor performance. Health and safety plans will include core monitoring methods to enable Genial Productions to determine that the plan is being fully implemented, and to give early warning of difficulties. A number of other checks will be employed, including safety tours, inspections and spot checks, e.g. such as carried out by the Head of Production during the course of their visits. The Company Safety Advisor, the Health and Safety Committee, or safety groups will make additional checks.

4.12.2 SAFETY TOURS BY SENIOUR MANAGERS

These provide an opportunity for senior managers to promote the safety culture by demonstrating an informed interest in health and safety, and by keeping in touch with ‘ground-level’ conditions. A Safety Tour is a ‘walk round’ of the manager’s area of responsibility on an ad-hoc basis. No record need be kept of the tour other than a note in the diary that it has been performed. However, if any problems are identified these should be recorded.

4.12.3 SPOT CHECKS & CONTRACTOR MONITORING

A range of checks will be carried out. For instance, on the:

Proportion of risk assessments in place for a given risk (manual handling, noise, etc).
Quality of those risk assessments.
Completeness of communication down a management line.
Employee understanding of a given issue/instruction.
State of the paperwork for a particular unit / location / contractor.
Use of personal protective equipment within a management line/for a particular activity.

Some of these checks will be coordinated by the Health and Safety Committee or Safety Performance Groups, whilst others will be at the initiative of Line Managers or the Company Safety Advisor. Results of these spot checks will be fed back to the Health and Safety Committee as appropriate.

Where personal protective equipment is a necessary control measure, managers will make appropriate checks on its proper use.

4.12.4 INSPECTIONS

Line managers will routinely inspect their areas to check that all is as it should be. Where appropriate, inspection checklists shall be employed as an aid, but inspections will not become a tick-box exercise. In fast-changing environments (such as locations), inspections may need to be as frequent as daily or more often.

4.12.5 REACTIVE MONITORING

The Health and Safety Committee is responsible for ensuring that re-active monitoring is used to measure safety performance against company targets.

4.12.6 ACCIDENT, INCIDENT & ILLNESS STATISTICS

All accidents (whether resulting in injury, damaged equipment or property, or down time), near misses (that would have been accidents but for chance), and instances of ill health related to work activities, will be entered onto the accident database maintained by the Office Manager. Incidents affecting contractors, visitors and others whilst on Genial Productions’ premises, or whilst engaged in or affected by activities under Genial Productions control will be included.

Quarterly analysis is carried out on company accident and incident statistics to identify:

Reportable or lost-time injury (and illness) frequency and severity rates.
Location, injury type, body part, activity involved, agency involved, day, time of day (whichever is appropriate).
Direct, underlying and root causes.

Valid conclusions shall be drawn, and corrective action taken to prevent re occurrence. These statistics will be circulated by the Office Manager to the Health and Safety Committee and the Heads of Department and Line Managers where necessary for monitoring purposes. The analyses will be used to improve the company’s safety performance and encourage employee participation.

4.13 REVIEWING HEALTH &SAFETY PERFORMANCE

4.13.1 ANNUAL REVIEW OF HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The Board (with the assistance of the Company Safety Advisor) and the Health and Safety Committee have the responsibility of reviewing the company’s safety performance. A full review of the safety management system will be carried out annually to ensure it is being fully implemented and that it remains capable of achieving the stated objectives.

The annual review will include a report from the Board on the overall performance of the safety management system and will encompass the following:

Findings of the health and safety Audit.
Successes or failures of the annual strategic health and safety plan.
Accidents / Injury / Ill Health Statistics for the last year.
Effectiveness of both active and reactive monitoring techniques.
Instances of failed risk control procedures.
Adequacy of emergency plans.
Health and Safety Committee meetings and membership.
Significant changes in best practice, legislation or guidance.
Possible action to generate continual improvement.

Remedial actions resulting from the review will be drawn up by the Health and Safety Committee with assistance from the Company Safety Advisor and incorporated into the annual health and safety strategic plan.

An annual report will be prepared by the Board, in conjunction with the Company Safety Advisor based upon the implementation of strategic and supporting departmental plans.

4.13.2 ONGOING REVIEWS OF SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Ongoing reviews of the safety management system form part of the Health and Safety Committee and Department meetings (including production review meetings) and encompass, among other things:

Risk assessments carried out – unusual findings, and rates of completion.
Accident / incident statistics.
Remedial action taken to control risk.
Significant hazards reported by staff.
Progress on operational plan objectives.
Progress on annual strategic / operational health and safety plan objectives.
Outputs from staff appraisal sessions.

A Production review report detailing the success of the implementation of the production plans will be presented to the Health and Safety Committee on an ongoing basis by the Head of Production.

The Office Manager will give verbal feedback to the Health and Safety Committee about the implementation of the office Health and Safety plan.

4.13.3 RISK ASSESSMENT REVIEW

Risk assessments carried out by or on behalf of Genial Productions will be formally reviewed by the Company Safety Advisor when so requested by the Board. Such formal risk assessment reviews will be incorporated into the annual strategic health and safety plan. A risk assessment will be reviewed when there is reason to believe it is no longer valid. We have decided that in any event, assessments shall have the following shelf life:

General office activities – one year
Manual handling – two years
Hazardous substances – five years
Personal protective equipment – two years
Work equipment – two years
Display screen equipment – two years
Fire – office buildings – one year
Production risks – after the production

4.14 RISK ASSESSMENT

General Risk Assessments will be carried out by the Company Safety Advisor on behalf of Genial Productions, or by another competent person/s.

As well as the topic-specific requirements for risk assessment, there is an overall requirement for employers to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees while they are at work, and of the risks to other people (including contractors, passers-by, freelancers) caused by the activity of the company.

4.14.1 RECORD KEEPING

Both the significant findings of the risk assessment and the control arrangements will be recorded. These records will identify:

Scope of the assessment.
Date
Assessors.
Uncontrolled risk ratings.
Risk ratings bearing in mind current controls.
Additional required controls and resultant risk ratings.
Support actions aimed at ensuring that standards are achieved and maintained, such as supervision, information, inspections, maintenance and training.
Verified by.
Recommended date of next review.
Authorised by.

5. A-Z OF HAZARDS & RISK CONTROL MEASURES

5.1 ALCOHOL

All employees are required to take due care for their own health and safety, and that of other people affected by what they do or do not do. No person is allowed to work whilst under the influence of alcohol or consume alcohol during scheduled working hours.

5.2 ANIMALS

If an animal covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act is used, it will be accompanied by its keeper and licence, and a vet will be present on set.

When using animals in productions the Producer will seek advice and instruction on the arrangements and controls necessary from the Company Safety Advisor. Unless the animal is of negligible risk the Producer will ensure that the animal is accompanied by a competent handler.

Staff may not bring pets to work.

5.3 ASBESTOS

No member of Genial Productions staff may work with asbestos. No other person may work with asbestos on behalf of Genial Productions unless they have been trained in safe working methods and under carefully controlled conditions as per the regulations, as agreed with the Company Safety Advisor.

Before occupying a new building, the manager responsible will ascertain that the building was either constructed after 1998, or has been entirely stripped of asbestos, or has been subjected to a ‘management survey’ or a ‘refurbishment and demolition survey’ as set out in HSG264 Asbestos the Survey Guide.

Management Surveys

This type of survey identify asbestos in all accessible areas, provide risk assessments on all asbestos containing materials identified and make recommendations where problems are identified.

Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys

This type of survey is much more intrusive and use destructive methods in order to access areas which would normally be classed as inaccessible within a management survey. This type of survey would only be required if carrying out major refurbishment or demolition. The aim of this survey is to locate all asbestos within all areas of the building so that the correct measures can be taken prior to refurbishment or demolition.

Copies of asbestos surveys will be held by the manager responsible for the building, the Line Producer or the Production Manager and / or the Office Manager as relevant. The manager responsible for the building will ensure that, as appropriate, contractors are provided with suitable information about the location and condition of asbestos.

There are strict legal controls over work with asbestos, and considerable practical difficulties. Any manager contemplating commissioning work with asbestos will consult the Company Safety Advisor at the earliest opportunity and comply with any advice given. The Company Safety Advisor will introduce assistance from external experts.

Any suspected exposure to asbestos will be reported as an accident/incident and an investigation carried out.

5.4 AUDIENCE / PUBLIC

Adequate arrangements are made for the welfare and health and safety of audiences and any member of the public who may be affected by a production. These arrangements include supervision, communication systems, emergency procedures and protection from effects.

The Floor Manager will give a health and safety information briefing to the audience as per the roles and responsibilities section.

5.5 BUILDINGS

As owner / occupiers Genial Productions are responsible for providing a safe place of work and all welfare aspects of Health & Safety legislation.

As tenants Genial Productions will discuss and agree with the Landlord and other tenants as to who will be responsible for complying with what requirements.

5.6 CATERING

All catering contractors, other than those only providing low risk light refreshments (tea, coffee, wine, biscuits, crisps etc) supplying Genial Productions will be safety-vetted by a team incorporating the Company Safety Advisor.

Where food or drink is bought in shops or cafés for mass consumption for transport to a Genial Productions site, then unless the product does not require temperature control (e.g. dry goods, sealed bottles or cans, UHT cartons, etc) or the journey time will be less than 15 minutes, it will be kept at a safe temperature – being above 63C for hot food, below 8C for cold food – and consumed within the hour. Checks will be carried out to ensure that appointed catering contractors are fully compliant with the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006.

Any instance of vomiting and/or diarrhoea suspected of being caused by food supplied as above, or in any hotel or restaurant where Genial Productions is paying the bill, will be reported using the accident/incident procedure and investigated.

5.7 CHILDREN

When children are used in productions, employment legislation and local authority regulations will be adhered to.

Suitable arrangements for the welfare, health and safety, chaperoning / supervision, working time will be put in place and risk assessments carried out in relation to particular hazards and risks to children.

If the risk assessment finds that a significant risk remains despite risk control efforts, then a young person will not be employed to do the work.

5.8 COSHH (CONTROL OF SUBSTANCES HAZARDS TO HEALTH)

This does not cover fire or explosive hazards.

The manager in control of any activity causing significant exposure to a substance hazardous to health will ensure that an assessment is made by a competent person or The Company Safety Advisor as appropriate.

The manager of staff exposed to hazardous substances due to activities under the control of another person will ensure that such an assessment exists and that it adequately addresses the safety of his/her staff. Where that ‘other person’ is a contractor, this responsibility falls to the Genial Productions manager responsible for the contract, who will ensure that colleagues receive appropriate information.

Records will be kept of all assessments and associated monitoring activities. Those associated with the exposure of identifiable individuals will be kept for at least 40 years.

Any local extract ventilation equipment will be thoroughly examined and tested by a competent person at least every 14 months and checked for effectiveness at more frequent intervals (determined by the risk assessment).

Suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training will be communicated to all employees or other persons who may be affected. This information should include the following:

Nature and degree of known risks, including symptoms of ill health that could be caused by exposure.
Control measures to be adopted and how to apply them.
Reasons for and correct use of personal protective equipment.
Monitoring arrangements, including health surveillance.

Any exposed person who develops symptoms that could be due to the substance will withdraw from exposure and seek medical advice. In the case of serious symptoms (breathing difficulty, narcosis, etc) such advice will be sought without delay. It is the Line Manager’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate medical advice is sought.

5.9 CONFINED SPACES

Any enclosed area that is restricted in terms of access and may be underground, dark or subject to collapse, entrapment or oxygen deficiencies will be treated as a confined space.

A Permit to Work will be secured before work commences.

When working in confined spaces the Producer is required to ensure a pre-entry risk assessment and testing for adequate oxygen is carried out. In addition to a suitable rescue plan, training for the persons working in the confined space and a safe system of working for the activity should be implemented prior to entry.

5.10 CONSTRUCTION

Construction and any subsequent alterations and demolition of sets and structures are potentially hazardous activities and it is essential the HOD’s who are technically skilled in set construction and rigging etc are also trained in their Health & Safety responsibilities and can carry out competent risk assessments of their activities.

The significant hazards will all be considered, and appropriate control measures will be agreed at the planning stage.

5.11 CONSTRUCTION DESIGN & MANAGEMENT

The Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 requires ALL construction projects to be planned and executed by competent persons and with due regard for the health, safety and welfare of everyone involved. Only projects that are notifiable require formal recorded plans and appointments, however, smaller projects should be carried out with the same regard to health and safety. Notifiable projects are those that will last for over 30 days or involve over 500 man days. Genial Productions will appoint a CDM Co-ordinator for these projects who will, as soon as possible after appointment, notify the Health and Safety Executive of the project.

The manager responsible for any such construction work will liaise with the Company Safety Advisor to ensure that Genial Productions fulfils its duties under the Regulations to ensure co-operation, co-ordination, communication and competence throughout the project.

As Client, Genial Productions will be responsible for ensuring that the manager:

Appoints a competent CDM Co-ordinator
Provides pre-construction information to the Co-ordinator.
Provides all available relevant information on health and safety to the Co-ordinator
Appoints competent designers and principal contractors (PC) who are adequately resourced to carry out their health and safety responsibilities. We will require that the Co-ordinator provide advice on competency and resources.
Obtains a pre-tender health and safety plan.
Ensures that the construction phase health and safety plan has been agreed between all parties concerned before construction work starts.
Ensures that the Co-ordinator has prepared and provided to Genial Productions a health and safety file at the end of the project that is kept available for future use.

The health and safety file is a record of information which is required to inform persons who may be involved in the maintenance, repair, alteration or demolition of the building of the key health and safety risks that will have to be managed. Any alterations to the building and its support systems will be recorded in the file.

The Company Safety Advisor and any other relevant persons will be advised of the location of the health and safety file and of any alterations to the file. The file will be maintained by a competent person.

The CDM Co-ordinator is responsible for:

Notifying the Health and Safety Executive of the project.
Ensuring co-operation and co-ordination between all person concerned so that they have enough information to comply with their duties.
Liaise with the Principal Contractor
Providing advice to Genial Productions as required.
Ensure that Genial Productions is aware of its duties.
Ensure that health and safety is duly considered in the design stage, to include consideration of avoiding foreseeable risks during the construction stage as well as during future usage and maintenance.
Provide adequate information about health and safety risks as required.
Co-operate with the Co-ordinator and other designers as necessary.

The Principle Contractor is responsible for:

Coordinating and managing health and safety during the construction phase.
Providing the construction phase health and safety plan.
Ensuring that there are adequate monitoring systems in place to ensure that required health and safety standards are achieved.
Ensuring the competence of sub-contractors.
Ensuring that there is suitable communication and cooperation on health and safety issues, and providing information as required.
Provide information to the Co-ordinator to aid the preparation of the health and safety file.
Ensuring adequate welfare facilities are available during the construction phase.

5.12 CONTRACTORS

All contractors will be expected to comply with the Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) national standard assessment scheme that has been adopted by Genial Productions and to undergo an evaluation of their paperwork by the Company Safety Advisor.

The CHAS assessment approval scheme is essentially a 3-stage process:

Assessment and evaluation of policy against the CHAS national standard.
Assessment of competency and evaluation of risk assessments and method statements relating directly to the production that they have been asked to work on.
Monitoring and feedback from the Production Managers and the Producer to The Company Safety Advisor.

Details of the assessment and the second stage will be placed onto the national CHAS database by the Company Safety Advisor for the benefit of other subscribing organisations.

All contractors are required to have adequate and sufficient insurance coverage, of which evidence will be required.

All persons working on the site will be properly trained and / or be under adequate supervision to ensure that they are competent to undertake their duties without causing danger to themselves or others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

All contractors will report to the site manager and a safe system of work shall be agreed before any work commences. The agreed safe system of work shall not be changed without reference to a Genial Productions Representative.

If high risk activities are to be undertaken a permit to work and a hand over certificate system will apply.

The following activities will be considered as high risk:

Welding
Demolition
Excavation
Confined spaces
Any work involving pressure systems
Work with asbestos
Electrical work and luminaries
Overhead work
Temporary structures
Staging
Pyrotechnics
Lasers
Other work as specified by your contract before work commences

Contractors are expected to provide their own tools, plant and equipment necessary for the satisfactory performance of the work in hand. Use of the organisation’s equipment (not the contractor’s) should be by written permission of the site manager.

Contractors will also ensure that their employees are provided with any necessary personal safety equipment, for example helmets, goggles, etc.

These points are relevant guidelines to be applied to contractors where their work interfaces with the activities of others (shared premises or other contractors). Other, more technical, aspects that need to be considered which take into account the needs of both employees and members of the public include:

Electricity, gas, air mains – on no account should use be made of the organisation’s electricity, gas or compressed air mains without express permission. Where permission is granted, the Site Manager should approve the method of connection.
Building operations’- all building work should be carried out strictly in accordance with the regulations made under the Construction Design and Management Regulations, in particular the requirements for scaffolding and access equipment.

5.12.1 CONTROL OF CONTRACTORS

Health and Safety aspects will be given equal consideration to commercial matters in the choice of any contractor.

Contractors will be competent. Those commissioning contractors will be able to assess the contractor’s competence themselves or have access to advisers with additional expertise who can do so.

For all contracts of a substantial nature, the agreement or contract between the two parties will specify the legislation and standards to which the contractor will be expected to comply and will require the contractor to adhere to Genial Productions Health and Safety Policy. Where relevant (for those contractors employing 5 or more persons) they will be asked for a copy of their own Health and Safety Policy which will be examined properly before any decision is made.

Contractors will also be asked to supply their risk assessments and method statements for planned operations involving significant risks.

For substantial projects the contract will specify that Genial Productions will monitor the health and safety performance of contractors and may impose certain penalties for poor performance.

The monitoring will be carried out by audit and/or inspections on a planned basis. Where sub-contractors are involved, and the main contractor is considered competent, inspections of a routine nature may be delegated to the main contractor.

All work by contractors at the Main Office will be subject to a Works Authorisation process, which will be under the control of the Office Manager. Genial Productions have selected, use and implement The Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) to carry out its first stage assessment.

The Company Safety Advisors have been appointed to carry out an evaluation of the documentation supplied by the contractors against CHAS criteria and maintain and oversee the approved list and retain records on behalf of Genial Productions.

5.13 DANGEROUS MACHINERY

Machinery will be safe when it is used. Dangerous parts of machinery and danger zones will be identified, and the risks associated with its use assessed.

Dangerous machinery will not be used by any young person or anyone not trained in its use.

A machine is dangerous if in the ordinary course of human affairs, danger may reasonably be anticipated from its unfenced use.

A dangerous part is any part that could potentially cause injury to somebody acting in a way in which a human being may be reasonably expected to act in circumstances that may be reasonably expected to occur.

A danger zone is a volume of space around a dangerous part in which it is likely that contact would be made with the dangerous part.

In all cases any moving part of machinery will be properly guarded so as to prevent ‘access’ by fingers or clothing. No guard is to be removed unless the machinery has been isolated i.e. disconnected from the electrical supply.

All persons using machinery must be fully trained in its use, the guards, the emergency stop buttons and any personal protective clothing and equipment that should be used.

5.14 DISABILITIES

Genial Productions is committed to not discriminating against visually, aurally, mentally or physically impaired persons if they are capable of doing the job.

All areas of work including locations, studios, offices etc. will have reasonable provision made for mobility-impaired persons (staff, visitors, audiences etc.) to enjoy adequate access. ‘Reasonable adjustments’ will be made to premises and systems to allow persons with disabilities to work and visit with undue discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

5.15 DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT

The Company Safety Advisor has been appointed by Genial Productions to carry out Display Screen Risk Assessments upon request.

The Office Manager will identify those individuals who are users and arrange for the Company Safety Advisor to perform an assessment and train the user in safe working at a display screen within the first week of work.

During the course of the assessment employees will be instructed in:

Reasonably foreseeable risks.
Measures the user can take to reduce risks.
Eye test procedures.
Change of posture.
Use and adjustment of workstation and its layout.
Reporting inappropriate workstation or work-activity conditions that are outside the control of the user to correct.
Organising work so they have short, frequent breaks or changes of activity, (every 15-30 minutes) with longer breaks/changes every 2-3 hours.
Exercise routines to reduce visual and muscular-skeletal fatigue.
Recognition and reporting of signs of harm.
Regular cleaning and maintenance of equipment.

An assessment will also be carried out for persons who are either self-employed or who are employed by another Company (temporary and agency staff) but use the Company’s equipment regularly.

The Assessor will complete the assessment form in consultation with the employee who uses the workstation. A copy will be retained by the Office Manager and a copy will be sent to the employee’s Line Manager. The recommendations and action to be taken will be communicated to the employee.

The assessment will be kept up to date and reviewed if there is a major change to software used; the employee changes; there is a major change to the hardware and workstation furniture; there is a substantial increase in the amount of time required to be spent using the workstation; there is a substantial change in other task requirements i.e. more speed; the working environment changes; the workstation is relocated. The assessment will also be reviewed if the user reports a medical condition.

Equipment purchased shall conform to British Standards or European Standards. Maintenance of equipment will be carried out on a regular basis, normally in accordance with the manufacturer’s or supplier’s instructions. Damage or faults to equipment will be reported to the relevant manager or person responsible for that equipment as appropriate. The equipment will be taken out of use, stored in a lockable cupboard if possible, and labelled accordingly. Where repair of equipment is required, work will be undertaken by a competent person.

Eyesight tests shall be provided on request to Display Screen Equipment (DSE) users and especially to new users on appointment to post, with repeat tests at regular intervals. (Also, to employees who have informed their manager that they are suffering visual distress that they suspect is due to DSE use.) These tests will be on a voluntary basis and without cost to the employee.

Following eyesight tests, if the optician declares that glasses are necessary solely for DSE use, Genial Productions will contribute towards the cost of these glasses by issuing vouchers. Claims for such rebates should be made using the Eye Care Form and submitted to the Office Manager.

There is no evidence that working with DSE will cause higher levels of miscarriage and birth defects. But in order to avoid anxiety among women who are pregnant or are planning a family, an opportunity to discuss their concerns with a knowledgeable person is essential. Pregnancy can increase the risks of WRULD (work related upper limb disorder) and postural injuries because tissues swell, tendons slacken, and the bump interferes with a safe position at the DSE. For these reasons, a declared or patent pregnancy is a trigger for reviewing DSE assessment.

5.15.1 MINIMUM EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS (MER)

The minimum equipment requirements are set out in the DSE Guidance Notes. They apply only insofar as the component is present at the workstation, the MER are not precluded by the inherent requirements of the task, and the requirements relate to worker health and safety. Thus, for example in a TV production gallery the screens do not need to independently swivel and tilt, because it is necessary for many people to view them simultaneously. It is not necessary to change the brightness or contrast on a screen set to broadcast specifications. The compact portability of a laptop removes the need for the screen and keyboard to be separate.

5.15.2 PORTABLES / NOTEBOOKS / LAPTOPS

Frequent or intense users of laptops may need to be trained as Assessors. The manual handling risks associated with laptops can be considerable and will be assessed. The provision of spare charger leads, and an increased use of electronic documents should reduce the weight people carry.

5.16 DRIVING

Driving of company vehicles on and off premises constitutes a work activity and is subject to all relevant Health & Safety legislation.

Vehicles will be maintained to the appropriate requirements of motoring legislation. Special consideration will be given to ensure employees using their own vehicles are fit for the purpose and have adequate insurance.

All drivers will carry a full driver’s license appropriate to the vehicle.

Drivers will not operate the vehicle while using a hand-held mobile phone or while eating and/or drinking.

Drivers and passengers will wear a seatbelt and secure items and objects that may pose a risk of injury in the event of a collision.

5.17 DRUGS

No person may work for Genial Productions or control the work of Genial Productions employees while rendered unsafe by the use of drugs, including alcohol. The source and legality of the drug is irrelevant – an over-the-counter cold remedy can cause more danger to safety at work than a Class A drug.

Anyone who strongly suspects that someone is working in defiance of this requirement will take appropriate and proportionate action to make the situation safe (e.g. an explosives contractor sedated by antihistamines requires more immediate and serious action than a drowsy finance clerk).

Before consuming any medication, staff are required to inform their manager and instruct them of any possible side effects that will affect their work.

5.18 ELECTRICAL SATEFY

All fixed electrical installations under Genial Productions control will be inspected and tested at least every five years in accordance with the IEE Wiring Regulations and associated British Standards. Where another employer is the major occupier of premises, responsibilities for testing of the fixed wiring will be agreed.

All electrical equipment should be visually inspected before use.

All equipment and circuits will be protected from short circuit or current overload. All electrical equipment and circuit(s) on location will be suitably tested and inspected as well as protected from adverse weather conditions. The risk assessment will consider abnormal conditions and the control measures to be taken.

Hazards of the environment will be taken into account when selecting electrical equipment and portable electrical equipment. All portable electrical equipment including extension leads should be identified by a unique identification number and recorded in a register.

All temporary site distributions systems, new permanent installations and extensions or alterations to an existing system should be inspected and tested on completion in line with BS7909 and BS7671 by competent persons.

As above, the fixed wiring for buildings under our control e.g. office will be inspected and tested at least every five years and in accordance with Regulations.

New systems will not be made live until all enclosures are complete. Any circuits not in use should be locked off, the keys kept by a responsible person and not energised until authorised by an appointed competent person.

Only a qualified electrical engineer may repair, alter, maintain or adjust the fixed wiring.

All portable appliances must be inspected prior to use. Any hired equipment will need to be tested and inspected by the hire company prior to issue, and the on-location Gaffer or other designated person will double check that equipment displays the appropriate identification/test sticker. All portable appliances must be tested regularly by a competent person and records held either by the Line or Production Manager, or the Office Manager. The regularity of testing will be decided by Risk Assessment.

5.19 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Arrangements will be put in place to deal with instances of serious and imminent danger (fire, gas leaks, explosion) disclosed by risk assessment. Where such a procedure is the responsibility of someone other than the manager responsible for the building or location, that person will liaise with the building/location manager so that the impact on other occupants, and the arrangements with the emergency services are fully considered.

Information for staff and others about emergency procedures will be particularly clear and simple. Appropriate training will be given, and this will usually involve a rehearsal of the procedure.

5.20 FATIGUE

Every Producer will make a strategic assessment of the risks of fatigue and will ensure that every manager in control of activities involving a significant risk of fatigue understands, assesses and controls those risks.

Up to a point, the significance of fatigue depends upon the work being done. As well as sheer physical effects – increased muscle pain, reduced immune function, simple tiredness – fatigue affects mental resilience (increasing the risk of stress) and in particular affects concentration. People who are tired will make silly arithmetical mistakes, silly wiring errors, forget what they have just done, not see mistakes etc., which is one thing in an office but quite another when fixing explosives, lighting a set, checking continuity or allocating cues. People who are fatigued also become restricted in the range of their thinking, making poor quality one-dimensional decisions. This is bad for business and dangerous in risk assessment.

Travelling time to and from work will be also be taken into consideration.

5.21 FIREARMS

Weapons, including replicas and dummy firearms, can only be used with the authority of the Producer. Advice will be sought from the Company Safety Advisor on arrangements and procedures regarding the use of weapons.

An armourer or designated competent person will be present at any studio or location where weapons are used and will be responsible for the weapons’ storage and handling at all times.

Adequate insurance and liability will also be arranged for any weapons.

5.22 FIRST AID

Refer also to ACCIDENT REPORTING

Genial Productions aim to provide above the minimum first aid requirement at all offices and make provision for first aid training where necessary.

Where fully qualified First Aiders are appointed, their certificates will be renewed every three years.

The provision of first aid equipment is managed by the Office Manager, who will arrange for regular checks on the contents of the first aid kits and ensure an adequate stock of first aid supplies is maintained.

The location of First Aid equipment and the names of First Aiders will be publicised in the workplace and this information will be imparted to new staff at their induction.

In the event of injury or illness the role of the First Aider is to summon an ambulance or other professional help, give immediate assistance to casualties and record treatments administered, look after first aid arrangements / equipment in place and take charge in an emergency.

A first aid risk assessment will be carried out for the productions to take into the account the need for specialist medical support such as Unit Nurses, Paramedics etc.

First Aid kits will be taken to all production locations and all unit members will be advised of the First Aid arrangements.

5.23 FLYING

Apart from special production related filming activities, Genial Productions staff will only fly on Genial Productions business in aircraft operated by a company with an Air Operators Certificate.

No member of staff should fly above 8,000 feet if they cannot clear their Eustachian tubes.

When booking long-haul flights, the risk of deep vein thrombosis will be assessed and controlled (e.g. estimate of available leg room, use of support hosiery, moving around, foot gym, etc.)

Where aircraft and any other form of flying activity is used in production, several factors will be taken into consideration:

Type of licence held by pilot
Competence of pilot to undertake task
Civil Aviation regulations
Safety, both on the ground and in flight
Insurance
Ground to air communications
Type of aircraft involved, type of activity and environmental conditions

5.24 GAS SATEFY

Work on gas appliances or fittings will only be done by a competent person who is ‘Gas Safety Registered’. The only exception is hot air ballooning, or the use – on locations – of portable gas heaters.

The manager responsible for the building, and the Office Manager will ensure (or make enquiries to ensure) that gas fittings and gas flues are in good working order and regularly maintained, and that safety checks on gas appliances and fittings are made once every 12 months. They will also ensure that a Written Scheme of Examination exists and is provided to the maintenance contractor.

5.25 HEIGHTS

The risks of any person falling from height, or of objects falling onto people from height, will be eliminated or controlled. The assessment of outdoor work at height will include weather effects including windy conditions.

Where there is work at height the manager responsible for the work will ensure arrangements are made to control the risk, and prevent any person, tools, equipment or materials from falling. Specific fall arrest, restraining devices and tool belts will be used.

When working on roofs, special consideration will be given to the material and weight-bearing capacity of the roof. The risk assessment should take into account advice from a competent person.

5.26 HOMEWORKING

Refer also to DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT

The manager of any member of staff who works at home, other than on an occasional basis, will ensure the risks of that work are assessed and, as necessary, controlled.

5.27 INDUCTION

Within two working days of joining Genial Productions, every new member of staff will be told about:

Facilities such as toilets, first-aid etc.
Essential workplace safety rules and practices.
The need for, use, maintenance and replacement of personal protective equipment.
Emergency procedures such as fire, gas escape, spillage control actions, the location and operation of emergency alarms, evacuation routes, assembly points and refuges.
General access, egress routes for safe travel within work areas.
Special local terminology.

and:

Receive copies of safety policies and guidance notes relevant to their work.
Be made aware of the procedures for reporting accidents and ill health, obtaining first aid, action in the event of a fire, declaring themselves to be at increased risk.
Receive copies of risk assessments relevant to their work.
Receive copies of particular safety procedures for their work.

Their manager will check that the new employee understands the risk control procedures relevant to their work.

Within ten working days, the manager of every new member of staff will determine what initial health and safety training that person needs and determine the prioritisation of that training.

The manager responsible for any contractor working in a Genial Productions building or with Genial Productions’ staff will ensure that on reception into the site they receive a copy of the contractors’ safety rules, together with the emergency procedures for the relevant building. This will be in addition to any safety rules attached to the particular work.

Induction will be part of an ongoing programme that reinforces the induction messages and is the initial stage of a continual process of knowledge and skill development.

Prior to any production commencing the Line or Production Manager will carry out a basic form of induction training for those working on the individual production, particularly where filming is occurring on different premises.

5.28 LIFTING OPERATIONS & LIFTING REGULATIONS (LOLER)

Lifting operations will only be carried out after risk assessment.

Recces will be carried out for all lifting operations and should take into account factors such as ground and weather conditions as well as the load.

Operators carrying out lifting operations will be trained and competent to carry out their work tasks. Producers will ask to see relevant CITB ID cards and through examination inspection certificates for equipment.

Arrangements will be put in place for a competent person to inspect and test all lifting equipment owned by and used on a production. Appropriate current test and inspection certificates issued by a competent person will accompany equipment brought in by others.

Within buildings the owner or managing agent will be asked to provide written evidence that any passenger or goods lift has undergone regular inspection and servicing.

5.29 LIGHTING GRIDS

Grids used for supporting lighting or flown scenery will be risk assessed and controlled when work takes place. The risk of items falling should be controlled where possible by not taking loose items onto the grid or by fitting safety bonds to them to prevent falls.

Safe working limits shall be marked on each part of the grid.

5.30 LOCATIONS

Working on location brings many more hazards than studio productions. These hazards will be identified and assessed during recces and appropriate measures taken prior to activity commencing on the site.

Information about specific risks and hazards on the location will be communicated to workers through call sheets.

5.31 LONE WORKING

The Line Manager of any person who works alone will assess and, as necessary, control the risks involved in working alone. As a minimum, lone working control measures will include a check-in procedure.

Some work may never be done alone – e.g. work on live electrical systems. Some people may not work alone – for instance someone with moderate to severe epilepsy.

5.32 MANUAL HANDLING

Whenever possible the Line Manager will eliminate significant manual handling activities. If this is not possible, tasks will be thoroughly assessed by a competent person or the Company Safety Advisor, and actions taken to reduce the risk of injury as far as is reasonably practicable. All persons carrying out manual handling activities will receive the appropriate level of training for the work being carried out.

If the risk assessment has identified that there is a significant potential for causing musculoskeletal disorders, consideration should be given to having the exposed persons included in the health surveillance programme.

5.33 NIGHT WORK

Working at night requires the Line Manager to carry out an additional assessment of all areas, with particular reference to darkness, cold and fatigue.

5.34 NOISE

When exposures remain above the Second Action Level because they cannot be reduced or because reduction will take time, people exposed will be provided with suitable and efficient personal hearing protection, and they will wear it. It will be noted that hearing protection only protects the user and then only while it is being used.

When exposed above the Second Action Level (a daily personal noise dose of 85 dB(A), steps will be taken to reduce exposures below this level, preferably by eliminating the activity, or reducing the noise level at source (e.g. turning down the volume), less preferably by, e.g. controlling the duration of exposure, least preferably by providing personal hearing protection.

When exposed between the First and Second Action Levels, people will be told about the risks and offered suitable and efficient personal hearing protection, but they are not obliged to wear it.

Managers, in conjunction with The Company Safety Advisor, will identify places or activities in which staff might be exposed above the First Action Level (a daily personal noise dose (Lepd) of at least 80 dB(A) but less than 85dB(A)) without taking any account of the use of hearing protection, and will then ensure the noise risks are assessed and controlled. Noise assessments require particular competence.

5.35 OFFICE WORKPLACE

The Office Manager will ensure that:

The general air temperature in an office is no less than 16 degrees Celsius and no more than 30 degrees Celsius, if necessary by the provision of portable heating or cooling devices. Any such device will be safe for use in that environment.
The target temperature range is 19 to 23 degrees Celsius.
There is a sufficient supply of fresh air.
The offices, desks and other equipment are cleaned at least once a week, and waste is removed every day.
The general lighting is adequate and minimises glare.
Additional task lighting shall be a matter for agreement between the manager responsible for the building and the manager responsible for relevant staff.
Toilet and washing facilities are maintained in a clean and fully equipped state.
Drinking water is readily available.

And will assist the managers responsible for office staff in ensuring that:

The working space available to each individual is sufficient to work and move around safely.
The background noise level is not so high as to interfere with concentration.
There is safe storage of equipment and papers.
There is a sufficient level of security.

5.36 OVERSEAS

Staff working abroad shall, so far as this is practicable, receive the same level of health and safety protection as though they were working in the UK. The manager responsible will assess and as necessary control the risks of work abroad.

Genial Productions will provide effective health and travel insurance. Frequent flyers and people travelling to non-western countries will be incorporated into the occupational health scheme so that we can be sure they have had all necessary vaccinations and disease prevention measures, that there are no health problems that would increase the risks of travel, and that any travel-induced health problems are identified and dealt with on their return.

Genial Productions staff will not travel to countries or areas where the FCO has advised that UK citizens should leave/not attempt to visit.

5.37 PERMIT TO WORK

In addition to risk assessment, some particularly hazardous activities require a Permit To Work (PTW). A PTW is a formalised procedure to ensure that essential steps have been implemented in the correct sequence and that vital information has been given to key people. A PTW does not in itself make work safe, but is a guide and spur to increased observance by the people involved.

Permits to Work will be required for, among other things:

Hot work within a building or on a location.
Work on live electrical systems/equipment.
The disablement of fire detection or alarm systems.

A PTW may only be issued on a shift-by-shift basis, and all PTW forms will be passed through The Company Safety Advisor in good time before the work will begin.

5.38 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Where risks cannot be sufficiently reduced by other means, or where those other means cannot yet be implemented, staff (and others as necessary) will be supplied with personal protective equipment (PPE). A specific risk assessment of the use of the PPE will be carried out by a competent person or the Company Safety Advisor.

PPE will either be supplied by Genial Productions and issued by a manager e.g. the Office Manager/ Line Manager or supplied and issued by the contractor where appropriate.

Arrangements will also be made to ensure that PPE is suitable and given to those who require it. Users will be properly instructed in its use and monitored to ensure it is being used correctly.

Arrangements will be made either by Genial Productions or the contractor to ensure PPE has suitable accommodation – whether a clothes hook, carrying case, locker or whatever – so it can be safely stored when not in use.

5.39 PREGNANT WORKERS

When a woman declares that she is pregnant, or when it becomes obvious that she is pregnant, her Line Manager will arrange for the Company Safety Advisor to assess the risks of her work . The Line Manager or the Office Manager will implement any necessary control measures. The assessment will be reviewed as the pregnancy progresses.

A similar assessment will be made when a woman who has recently given birth or is breast-feeding returns to work.

5.40 PRESSURE SYSTEMS

The Site Manager shall ensure procedures are set up to comply with the Pressure systems Regs 2000 for their own equipment. Special Effects companies may use such equipment for their effects and the Producer should ask to see the appropriate certification for contractors’ items being used within the Production.

5.41 PROPS & PRACTICLES

It is the duty of suppliers to ensure items supplied are safe and labelled as such. Items not delivered with evidence of a test become the responsibility of the Production to inspect and test prior to use.

5.42 RADIATIONS

Where an activity under the control of Genial Productions might involve a risk of exposure to ionising radiation there will be an assessment of the likelihood and potential scale of exposure. Such an assessment should be based on advice from a Radiation Protection Advisor – either commissioned by Genial Productions or employed by the organisation controlling the source of radiation. Where any person receives a significant exposure a written record of that exposure will be placed on the individual’s personal file (if staff) and they will be given a copy of the record together with an explanation of its significance.

Exposure to the sun will be identified in risk assessments and appropriate measures taken to control the risks of excessive sun exposure.

Exposures to radio-frequency radiation will be kept below daily personal exposure levels and below short-term exposure levels. Exposures above the limit will be reported as ‘accidents’.

The use of display lasers will be supervised by a competent person.

Communication lasers above Class I will be clearly labelled. Fibre-optic links will be so labelled and/or protected so that the risk of any person being exposed to the beam is insignificant.

If any person’s unprotected eye is exposed – even briefly – to the beam of a laser of Class 3B or higher, or is exposed to a class 3A for more than a few seconds, that person will be examined by an opthalmological consultant within 48 hours.

Any member of staff who regularly works with display lasers will be subjected to Health Surveillance.

5.43 REHABILITATION

Where a member of staff is injured or made ill by their work and as a result is unable to perform their normal duties for a period longer than one week, their manager will consult the Company Safety Advisor and the Board to determine what efforts Genial Productions can and should make to assist that person’s return to full fitness for work.

5.44 ROAD SAFETY

Special consideration to Health & Safety will be given when filming on or near roads.

The Producer will need to go through relevant channels with local authorities to gain permission to shoot on a road. Full risk assessment and control procedures will be carried out well in advance, with an emphasis on crew visibility, good communication and signage.

5.45 SCAFFOLDING

Producers will satisfy themselves of the competence of the scaffolding contractor to design and erect / strike scaffolding.

Scaffolding being used for a period of time will be inspected on a regular basis by a competent person, who should produce a written record. Inspections should also be carried out after serious weather or any incident that may affect the stability and strength of the scaffold.

5.46 SECURITY

Unauthorised persons can threaten the physical and/or mental safety of our staff, contributors and guests; they can threaten our equipment, and they can jeopardise our productions. Secondly, trespassers can endanger themselves. The manager responsible for any Genial Productions building or location will ensure there are effective arrangements to control unauthorised access, and to ensure that every person entering the building/site carries suitable identification and understands the key emergency procedures.

Arrangements for security will not significantly compromise safety – for instance, by requiring three hands to open a door, or by requiring excessive amounts of equipment to be carried at a single time.

5.47 SMOKING

Refer also to FIRE

In order to comply with legal requirements all premises used by Genial Productions as workplaces, whether permanent or temporary, shall be smoke free. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed and substantially enclosed workplaces. This includes company vehicles. The policy applies to all employees, contractors, freelancers and visitors.

In compliance with legislation we will ensure that at least one entrance to our premises displays the mandatory A5 ‘No smoking on this premises’ signage. All other entrances will carry the international red ‘No smoking’ sign.

All company vehicles which are enclosed or substantially enclosed and used by more than one person, regardless of whether they are in the vehicle at the same time, must be smoke-free and display a ‘No-smoking’ sign in a prominent position. The sign should carry the international red ‘no smoking’ symbol. Company owned or leased cars which are used primarily for private use will not be affected but employees will be expected to comply with company policy when using the vehicle for work purposes.

Genial Productions recognise that are very few exemptions to the new Smoke-free Regulations, however, Part 2 Section 6 of the Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007 does refer specifically to actors/performers, stating:

“Performers”
Where the artistic integrity of a performance makes it appropriate for a person who is taking part in that performance to smoke, that part of the premises in which that person performs is not smoke-free in relation to that person during his performance

In allowing actors/performers to smoke during a performance in an otherwise smoke-free workplace, the following procedures will be followed in addition to assessing and reviewing the fire precautions in place for the set:

When working in a location such as a domestic residence, or a workplace which is normally subjected to the Smoke-free Regulations, and there is a need for smoking “in-vision” to take place, the Location Manager explains the “Part 2 Section 6 Performer Exemption” to the homeowner or person in control of the part of the premises being used and a written consent is obtained from them to allow smoking within their property.
Only the designated performer(s) shall be permitted to smoke.
Consent should be obtained from the crew and any other persons who may be affected by the smoke.
Care shall be taken not to expose the crew, cast and others to second-hand smoke for extended periods of time. Location Managers are required to ensure that there is adequate, effective ventilation in place.
Areas of the premises where smoking will take place will be agreed in advance. It is only those areas which will be deemed a smoking area, and then only in relation to the designated performer during his or her performance.

5.48 SPECIAL & VISUAL EFFECTS

When an explosive or pyrotechnic effect is needed the Producer will ensure that a competent expert is engaged to control the effect.

A thorough Risk Assessment will be carried out taking into account ancillary risks and procedures in the event of the effect not occurring as planned.

All cast and crew will be fully briefed before participating in a rehearsal.

5.49 STRESS

Health and Safety includes not just physical but also mental health.

Wherever possible, work should be organised to promote the wellbeing of workers. When budgets are tight, the welfare of the crew should not be treated as a luxury.

Stress is the body’s reaction to too much of the wrong sort of pressure. Stress can be caused by (amongst other things) shift work, task design, organisational factors as well as “home” factors. Both overload (too fast, too much, too difficult) and underload (boredom, no prospects) can be a cause.

When conducting general risk assessment managers should be alert for stress producing factors. As with other assessments, individuals or groups at particular risk will be identified – managers are not expected to be psychotherapists but should take into account any disclosures about significant other pressures, or any known previous stress-related illness. As far as it is reasonably practicable employees should be directly involved in the assessment process and have a positive input into devising control measures.

Staff should report to their Line Manager or to the Head of Production if they feel a colleague (in whatever position) seems to be suffering from stress or is creating stress. Staff are encouraged to advise their Line Manager if they are under intense pressure in their personal or domestic life.

All reported incidences of stress are to be recorded on an accident reporting form and submitted to the Board who will carry out an investigation in conjunction with the Company Safety Advisor.

5.50 STUNTS

Competent specialists will be engaged to assess the risks, provide the necessary training and oversee the stunt.

Stunt artists are responsible for taking measures to ensure their own safety and that of others who may be affected by their activities while they are performing the specified stunt. This responsibility extends to the selection of equipment and materials used.

No member of the public may participate in a stunt or be put at serious risk of injury by the performance of one. When cast, contributors and crew are involved in stunts, an assessment of their fitness will be made.

Whenever stunts are undertaken no change will be made from the planned procedure without the knowledge of the appointed expert.

5.51 STUDIOS

When hiring a studio, the Producer will discuss and agree with the Hirer / Owner responsibilities for Health & Safety including Lifting Operations, Lifting Equipment Regulations, general inspections, the conditions of the Fire Certificate and emergency procedure training, fixed electrical installation inspections and the details of the asbestos register.

5.52 SUPERVISION

Anyone who is not competent (to undertake whatever task) will be adequately supervised until such time as they become competent.

Health and safety performance will be included in personal performance plans and annual appraisals.

Supervision of individuals within Genial Productions for health and safety is the responsibility of Line Managers. Supervision is incorporated into the annual appraisal programme and included in the health and safety plans. The Health and Safety Committee and Departmental Groups monitor the health and safety elements of the appraisal programme and its outputs.

A synopsis of the appraisal session including any action to be taken by senior management will be placed on the individual’s personal file to act as a formal record. Supervision sessions which have been cancelled will be re-arranged as soon as possible and a record of the cancellation recorded on the personal file.

The following individuals, tasks and or situations have been identified as requiring a higher level of supervision than normal:

New workers / those who are learning (an old hand may be new to a task or situation).
As determined by a relevant risk assessment.
Lone workers.
Pregnant Workers.
Young Persons.
Individuals who have been involved in an accident / incident.
Disabled workers.
Individuals returning from a long sickness absence.

During the appraisal session the following points are discussed:

Hazards reported that have a bearing on the member of staff.
Risk Assessments that have a bearing on the member of staff.
Accidents / incidents to staff.
Staff ill health.
Relevant vaccinations/medication (e.g. tetanus, malaria, etc).
Specialist training identified by the staff to improve risk control and competence.
New / updated working practices adopted by the company.

Between appraisals, Line Managers are expected to make appropriate enquiry into safety understanding and performance, and into an individual’s state of health/injury.

The risks include serious or persistent harassment (which may include racial or sexual harassment), extortion, intimidation, abuse, theft of equipment or money, threats and actual physical attack. As well as emotional/mental injury, people may be physically injured or even killed.

Violence should be assessed, controlled and reported in the same way as other health and safety risks. The Producer will Risk Assess reasonably foreseeable situations for violence and put in place controls.

5.53 VIOLENCE

Children and young people should not be exposed to the risk of violence.

Line Managers will assess, control and manage the risks of violence. In particular:

Managers of reception and security staff will assess the risks of verbal abuse.
Managers of staff who handle significant quantities of cash or valuable goods will assess the risks of violent theft.
Programme makers will consider violence in their risk assessments, particularly if working in a place which is politically unsettled or has high levels of street crime or gang activity, or a significant threat from people under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If a dangerous weapon (which might even include an aggressive dog) is produced unexpectedly, staff will withdraw immediately.

Staff who are subject to violence should complete an accident or incident report form, obtain appropriate medical assistance for physical injuries, and contact the staff counselling service (via the Company Doctor) if they require assistance with mental/emotional injury or require support during the incident investigation.

Intoxication, by whatever means, will not be accepted as an excuse for violent behaviour, and may provoke disciplinary action.

5.54 VISTITORS

Every visitor will have a Genial Productions host. That host is responsible for:

Determining whether the visitor has any special needs (for instance in terms of mobility, vision or hearing).
Ensuring the visitor is familiar with the emergency evacuation procedure and that any special evacuation arrangements have been made.
Ensuring the visitor is properly briefed and supervised where this is necessary to assure their health and safety.
Ensuring that any necessary personal protective equipment is available and is properly used.

5.55 WORK EQUIPMENT

The safe use of any machinery or equipment will be defined by the Line Manager responsible for its use on the basis of a risk assessment.

New, second-hand or hired machinery or equipment will be checked for compliance with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and a risk assessment carried out before it is brought into use.

Before any item of lifting equipment is brought into use for the first time it will be thoroughly examined by a competent person unless it has been supplied with physical evidence of examination or, if brand new and never used, has an EC declaration of conformity.

All guards will be in place when any machinery or equipment is used. For fixed items of equipment, the Line Manager will, each day, check that all machinery safeguards are in position and secure. Interlocks will be in good condition and fully operational. Defects are to be remedied before the machinery is used.

Designated, competent, people may remove guards for the purposes of adjustment, lubrication etc., but this will not be carried out with dangerous parts of machinery in motion. Guards will be secured before the machine is run.

Any maintenance schedule will be planned on the basis of a competent risk assessment.

A written scheme of examination will be followed for every item of lifting equipment. Each item will be examined at least every 12 months and, if used for lifting persons, at least every 6 months.

5.56 WATER – FILMING ON

The Producer will seek the best available local professional advice before production, which will be utilised as part of a thorough risk assessment of the weather conditions, tides, currents etc. Where a captained vessel is used, the Captain will be involved in the risk assessment and the suitability of the safety precautions involved.

It will be ensured that a competent captain mans any craft involved.

When action is taking place in or alongside water, the Producer will know which members of the cast and crew can swim and precautions will be taken to ensure that any person who gets into difficulties can be rescued.

All persons on boats should be equipped with a suitable lifejacket.

5.57 WELFARE / WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Producer will ensure all activities take place in a safe and healthy working environment and that full welfare preparations are carried out. These include supplying:

Toilets and hand-washing facilities.
Drinking water.
Access to suitable food, and areas to eat.
Reasonable thermal environment or suitable protective measures.
Shelter and rest areas.
Particular attention will be paid to the potential for difficult weather conditions on location during risk assessments.

5.58 YOUNG PERSONS

See the Production Safety Policy for additional rules concerning children in productions.

A young person is someone under 18, and a child is a person who has not reached the minimum school leaving age (usually 16).

Anyone caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of a young person will be vetted according to the young person’s procedure.

Young persons present on work experience will have a personal Risk Assessment undertaken by the Office Manager or the Company Safety Advisor prior to commencement of any work placement, with a copy of the Risk Assessment passed to their parents or guardian.

Children and young people are specifically prohibited from certain high-risk work, including:

Working on dangerous machines.
Lifting excessive weights.
Handling devices containing explosives – (including fireworks).
Cleaning machinery in motion.
Working with fierce or poisonous animals.

If the risk assessment finds that a significant risk remains despite risk control efforts, then a young person will not be employed to do the work.

6. BROADCAST HEALTH & SAFETY VETTING SCHEME

Commissioning broadcasters have joined forces to reduce the burden of Health & Safety checks for both commissioners and independent producers.

Broadcasters have responsibility for making sure the programmes they air are made safely and responsibly, whether programmes are made in-house or by independent producers. Because of this and as part of their commitment to improving the safe working culture across the entertainment industry, broadcasters ensure the production companies they commission have sufficient Health & Safety skills and competence in place. Currently, most broadcaster’s complete health & safety checks as part of the commissioning process. The checks are similar and duplicate work for both producers and broadcasters.

From 1st January 2015 the BBC, ITV and BskyB will work together, sharing information provided during pre-commissioning Health & Safety checks. With support from PACT, the collaborative project aims to reduce the number of Health & Safety checks being completed and therefore reduce the burden on both producers and broadcasters. Other broadcasters are being invited to join the collaboration.

THE PROCESS

From January, all partner broadcasters will complete Health & Safety reviews as part of the commissioning process. To unify the reviews, the broadcasters have agreed a single set of Health & safety questions that form the shared ‘Health & Safety review’ questionnaire. Model answers have also been agreed to make sure there is consistency in the responses accepted.

Commissioned production companies will be sent the questionnaire and asked to submit the completed questionnaire plus supporting documentation to the commissioning broadcaster. Once information that meets or exceeds the agreed model has been received, details will be entered into a shared database. Database information will be shared only with member broadcasters and be valid for all productions with a low-medium risk profile for a period of 3 years, regardless of broadcaster. Specific productions involving higher risk activities or locations will be subject to additional review from the commissioning broadcaster.

If a company fails to meet the model response the commissioning broadcaster will let the producer know and give advice as to how to meet the standard. The broadcaster also has the option to continue the commissioning process without adding the producer to the shared database.

It should be noted that only Health & Safety information gathered via the questionnaire and its supporting documentation will be made available, no other information requested as part of the commissioning process will be shared.

HEALTH & SAFETY MONITORING

Each broadcaster will continue to have their own terms relating to Health & Safety compliance and monitoring that should be followed. Monitoring information gathered by any broadcaster will not be shared.

HEALTH & SAFETY ADVICE

Responsibility for health and safety management on commissioned productions has not changed. Independent producers continue to be responsible for health & safety arrangements within their organisation and are responsible for meeting their legal duties. For this reason, producers should have access to independent health & safety advice. Broadcasters won’t normally provide advice, unless it is a condition of the commission contract.

CONTACTS

The following people should be contacted if you’d like more information or clarification of the process.
BBC – Richard Perry, Head of Safety Policy & Compliance – richard.perry@bbc.co.uk
ITV – Jackie Little, Health & Safety Manager, Assurance & Compliance – jacqueline.little@itv.com
BSkyB – Sunny Bains, Health & Safety Advisor – sunny.bains@bskyb.com
Vittorio Safety Consultancy – Vittorio Vanloo, Managing Director, vittorio@vittoriosafety.com