Health and safety policy

Introduction

Words of Wonder Ltd is committed to ensure that all engaged personnel and others are protected, so far as is reasonably practicable, from risks to health and safety arising from work activities.  

Key principles

The achievement of a safe workplace depends on the wholehearted cooperation of all. Therefore, the responsibility for achieving and adhering to acceptable safety standards in the course of our work rests with the entire Words of Wonder team, including all employees, sub-contractors, freelancers and suppliers within our places of work. All personnel have a duty to read and comply with health and safety related documentation (including production-specific risk assessments); to apply risk management measures that directly relate to their specific tasks or areas of responsibility; and, to cooperate with others to ensure that safety measures not immediately relevant to a worker’s area of direct responsibility are also implemented. All personnel must also participate in sharing information on safe working practices, including for the production of risk assessments and investigative reports pursuant to accidents. 

Words of Wonder Ltd identifies risks to psychological safety as a result of bullying, harassment and other disrespectful behaviour as a critical aspect of health and safety. Therefore, personnel are advised to reflect not only on the health and safety implications of equipment, material and accidents, but on those derived from unacceptable behaviour. This policy should be read in conjunction with the company’s Respect at Work Policy, and its Code of Conduct. The latter provides essential detail relevant to the maintenance of a healthy and safe work environment, and sets out disciplinary measures and processes to address grievances.


Companion documentation

Given the implications of unprofessional and unethical behaviour on health and safety, this Health and Safety Policy forms one part of a series of documents, which includes Words of Wonder Ltd’s Respect at Work (Bullying and Harassment) Policy and Code of Conduct. These documents are available here. Production-specific risk assessments and related  material also fall within the scope of the present policy.

Consultation and communication for safe working practices 

As required by the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996, Words of Wonder senior management consults with all personnel (including contractors and self-employed) on all matters which affect their health and safety. 

Health and safety related information (including foreseeable risks in the execution of their tasks or relevant to their areas of responsibility) will be obtained from all personnel. This information will be used to compile risk assessments, and to identify concrete, practical measures to manage identified risks to ensure safe working practices. Personnel will also be consulted to support the production of incident reports and related documentation. 

Health and safety information will be communicated to personnel in the form of:

  • Production project briefs and concept notes (these are written documents containing production information).
  • Health and safety assessments (documents detailing production related hazards and steps to manage these).
  • Presentations and briefings detailing health and safety measures.
  • Signage and announcements regarding health and safety risks and protocols. 

All personnel are required to comply with this information; as a legal requirement, and a condition of their engagement with Words of Wonder Ltd. 

Health and safety support

Words of Wonder Ltd uses material produced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to guide its efforts to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Personnel are advised to familiarize themselves with HSE resources, and to read, at a minimum the Health and Safety Law poster.

Words of Wonder Ltd engages consultancy expertise from Safehands Health and Safety Consultants Ltd to obtain production-specific advice and support (especially as it relates to equipment and material), and from Louise Page Psychotherapy to ensure psychological safety. The companion documents to this Health and Safety Policy—the Respect at Work (Bullying and Harassment Policy) and Code of Conduct—provide more detail on psychological safety.

Safety rules and penalties

A breach of Health and Safety Legislation is a criminal offence. While it is not possible to prepare health and safety rules that will meet every possible eventuality, Words of Wonder Ltd expects all personnel to act in a sensible manner and to obey all the instructions given by management (or health and safety experts engaged by management) to maintain or improve health and safety in the workplace.

Any disregard of this health and safety policy or identified safe working practices, by any person engaged in a Words of Wonder production, which seriously puts at risk the health of themselves or any other person, will be considered gross misconduct. It may lead to disciplinary action, dismissal or termination of any contractual relationship. Action taken by an enforcing authority against an individual found to have violated health and safety protocols can result in heavy penalties, including fines and/or imprisonment.  

Senior management responsibilities

Words of Wonder Ltd’s senior management assist in maintenance of a health and safe workplace as far as is reasonably practical by:

  • Promoting a healthy, safe, working culture, where health and safety is recognized as a priority and shared responsibility achieved through cooperation, compliance, respect, and a mindful approach to our working environment. 
  • Promoting a respectful work environment, with zero tolerance for bullying and harassment and a strong focus on a Code of Conduct that promotes professional and ethical behaviour.
  • Providing adequate information (including changes to legislation and working practices), instruction, training and supervision to manage the health, safety and welfare of all personnel whilst at work.
  • Incorporating health and safety into the planning, monitoring and review of all work activities.
  • Providing a safe place of work with safe access and egress.
  • Providing a safe and healthy environment including adequate welfare facilities.
  • Maintaining all places of work, work equipment and transport under its control in a safe condition, and reviewing any working practices to ensure they are safe and to minimise any associated risks.
  • Ensuring that all necessary precautions are taken in respect of the safe use, handling, storage and transport of materials and substances.
  • Safeguarding the health and safety of visitors, contractors and any members of the general public who could be affected by its activities.
  • Monitoring implementation of this policy; reviewing and updating it to reflect good practice, learning from accidents, changes to company operations, or legislative amendments; and, notifying all personnel of such changes.

The Technical Programme Manager is responsible for implementing these efforts, acting with the delegated authority of the Director (who is overall responsible for ensuring health and safety).

Responsibilities of employees and other engaged personnel

Employees and other engaged personnel need to assess risks to themselves and others when carrying out work activities and need to identify when it is or is not safe to commence operations. Freelancers, contractors and/or self-employed persons may be employed to carry out work which may be routine or of an unusual or ad-hoc nature. They need to assess risks to themselves and others when carrying out these activities, and identify when it is or is not safe to commence operations. These persons/organisations must:

  • Have in place a Health and Safety Policy that covers their activities.
  • Have in place appropriate Public Liability Insurance.
  • Have in place a Lone Working Policy and procedure to minimise risk (if appropriate).
  • Demonstrate understanding of the health and safety risks associated with their work, and measures to address them. These must be set out in a risk assessment and method statements that define how they will safely complete the specific tasks they are required to perform. This may be done by the contractors producing this assessment, and/or providing inputs to the company’s overall production risk assessment.
  • Possess the information and skills required to safely carry out the work for which they are engaged. This capacity is ascertained by validating references for claimed previous experience.
  • Correctly use all equipment they have responsibility for. All established workplace procedures must be followed at all times, including the precautions described in risk assessments. 
  • Work in a manner which ensures their own safety and that of others who may be affected by their activities.
  • Set a personal example in all matters relating to health and safety, including the wearing of the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Report to management: 
    • defective equipment;
    • systems of work or conduct that constitute a hazard;
    • information and suggestions which may assist the safety performance;
    • any accidents or dangerous occurrence;
    • weaknesses in skills or ability of employees.

Those acting in the capacity of Manager at any time will collaborate with the Technical Programme Manager to support implementation of health and safety protocols. This includes identifying risks, proposing steps to manage risks, monitoring health and safety plan implementation, elaborating corrective actions, recommending development of new procedures as necessary. Personnel serving in this capacity must:

  • Possess the information and skills required to safely carry out the work for which they are engaged.
  • Report to management: 
    • Defective tools and other equipment;
    • Unsafe work places or work environment;
    • Systems of work or conduct that constitute a hazard;
    • Information and suggestions which may assist the safety performance;
    • All accidents or dangerous occurrences;
    • Weaknesses in the skills or ability of other personnel.
  • Correctly use all substances, equipment, machinery, items of safety equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when appropriate.
  • Follow all established workplace procedures at all times, including the precautions described in risk assessments.
  • Work in a manner which ensures their own safety and that of others who may be affected by their activities.
  • Comply with all instructions or control measures which are likely to affect the health and safety of any team member.
  • When unexpected hazards are identified, seek advice from management before proceeding.
  • Fully cooperate in the fulfilment of the Health and Safety Policy.
  • Make proper use of health, safety and welfare facilities.
  • Adhere to the health and safety rules provided for both on and off-site locations

Accidents at Work

All accidents occurring whilst at work, regardless of severity, should be reported at once to the Technical Programme Manager (TPM), who will ensure that details are recorded in the “Accident Book”. All accidents are assessed against Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) requirements of the HSE, and the following reporting procedure is conducted by the TPM, after ensuring that the scene of the accident is safe, and (if relevant), that personnel have evacuated the area, and necessary first aid is given or other medical care provided; and next of kin contacted if necessary.

  • Gather information as soon as possible by observing the scene, recording its full details by writing notes (See Annex 1), taking photographs, and mobile phone videos). Interviewing (See Annex 2) all present when the event occurred, (i.e. the injured person, production personnel, and other witnesses), taking full notes of their verbal accounts, including opinions, observations, details of environmental conditions.
  • Protect information: Prevent interference with the scene by using barriers, tape, screens, closed doors etc.
  • Analyse information: 
    • Identify the cause of the accident, including whether or not the source of the danger and its potential consequences were known; whether or not this information was communicated; or controlled.  If it was not known, communicated or controlled, attempt to determine why not.  
    • Determine whether the organisation and arrangement of the production activities influenced the adverse event, including any potential gaps in: standards of supervision; monitoring of working practices; skills or knowledge; working procedures; planning; renumeration or other working conditions; cleanliness and quality of maintenance (of the workplace, equipment or materials); safety equipment; communication; organisation of tasks (i.e. unauthorised interference or absence of key personnel). This information can support identification of the proximate and root cause(s) of the event.
    • Refer to risk assessments, training records, manufacturer documentation for equipment and materials, and maintenance records to support this analysis, helping to prepare a robust accident investigation report.
  • Propose risk control measures: Include in the accident investigation report risk control measures that failed (causing the adverse event) or that could have been used to avoid the adverse event. Where relevant, if known, include detail on where similar adverse events have happened before.
  • Submit completed accident investigation report (with description of event, analysis of causes, and proposal of risk control measures) to senior management (Director of Words of Wonder, and senior staff of partner organisations involved in the production). 
  • Prepare risk control action plan: The TPM, in consultation with senior management, determines which risk management measures to put in place, and how these will be implemented. This may include revising existing risk assessments, and safe working procedures.
  • Share documentation (where relevant): The TPM notifies commissioning entities, regulatory authorities, insurance company (and, in the case of a fatality, police) of RIDDOR reportable events.

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

Personnel spending a significant proportion of their working day in front of a monitor will be given the opportunity to undertake a DSE self-assessment, and receive support to address any issues identified, so that relevant, health-promoting adjustments can be made. The self-assessment can be undertaken whenever deemed necessary, and always when there has been a physical change to the working environment. Where relevant, eyesight tests will be made available for employees identified as DSE users.  More information on this is available here. 

Electrical Equipment is PAT tested to ensure it is safe for use. Any cable or leads suspected of being faulty should not be reported to the Technical Programme Manager, and should not be used. Personnel should not attempt to repair faulty items. 

First Aid signage and equipment is maintained at working locations. Words of Wonder Ltd complies with current legislation in respect of the provision of these, as well as trained and qualified first aiders.

General Maintenance and Cleanliness

Words of Wonder Ltd will take reasonable measures to ensure that regular general maintenance of working areas is undertaken, including servicing the ventilation, heating and lighting systems. Care will also be taken to achieve a satisfactory level of hygiene within the workplace, including window cleaning. Words of Wonder Ltd also invests in plants, trees, artwork, and tasteful décor to support a pleasant, healthy, work environment. Personnel are expected to contribute to this objective by maintaining a good standard of hygiene in their working spaces, limiting clutter, washing and putting away crockery and cutlery.

General Housekeeping

Personnel must contribute to ensure the following conditions obtain at all times. This requires using initiative to address issues, as well as acting on the instruction of managers.

  • All emergency exits, stairs and corridors are kept free of obstructions and rest rooms, kitchens and washrooms are clean and tidy.  
  • Cables are orderly, never trailing to create trip or electrical hazards.  If cables cannot be sited so that people do not trip over them or catch them, then they must be protected by devices such as ties and cable ramps.
  • Floor areas, stairs, corridors and access routes are kept uncluttered and unrestricted.

Hazards

Personnel must report any faulty or hazardous fixtures, fittings, furniture or equipment – especially electrical equipment–to the Technical Programme Manager. If there is a state of serious and imminent danger, personnel must raise an alarm immediately, so that the danger area may be evacuated and made safe.

Hazardous Substances

A hazardous substance is anything in a container labelled “toxic,” “corrosive”, “irritant” or “harmful” and any other substance with similar properties.  Personnel are unlikely to come into contact with hazardous substances in the course of their engagement with Words of Wonder Ltd. They must take care not to introduce hazardous substances to the workplace without authorisation.

Hours of Work

The Company will observe its legal obligations under the Working Time Regulations 1998 and shall keep records of personnel working time.  Personnel must comply with the time recording policies, to support accurate record keeping. 

Covid-19

In line with the UK Government and National Health Service recommendations, personnel are recommended to be fully vaccinated, in order to limit the impact and spread of the Covid virus and its variants (unless medically exempt).  

Infectious Diseases

Personnel must notify senior management if they are unwell with an infectious disease, or have been in contact with anyone who is suffering from an infectious disease. Senior management will extend the same courtesy to all personnel.

Risk Assessments

Risk Assessments are conducted as part of planning for every production. As described above, personnel are engaged in both using and producing these, and are advised about any risks connected with their work, and the measures taken to reduce these.

Smoking

Smoking and vaping is prohibited in all areas except those designated as “smoking areas.”  

Annex 1

Notes form the basis of an accident investigation report, and are kept until the investigation is complete.

Annex 2 

Interviews are conducted in a calm, objective matter, focused on obtaining information as to cause and responsibility; ascertain what is known, and what is not known. Avoiding assumptions and blame, the interviews try to determine if anything about the working conditions or processes were different to normal, and why. Interviews and observation gather information on the location and circumstances of the event, including the chain of events leading up, and immediately following it. This includes detail on environmental conditions, assessments undertaken, procedures followed, instructions given, guidance received, equipment and materials used (including manufacturing information, position it is in immediately after the event, any modifications made to it, how/where it was maintained, moved, etc); number of employees engaged in various activities, the way they were positioned and behaving etc, to help identify what went wrong. Notes include the names of all people involved/interviewed (production personnel and witnesses), equipment and material involved; what safe working procedures were in place and whether these were followed; what supervision and working arrangements were in place and whether these were followed; what injured or ill health effects (if any) were caused; and what specifically caused the injury (e.g. harmful object, piece of equipment, or surface); a description of first aid given, other medical attention provided, and who was involved (e.g. in taking the injured party to hospital). 

 

Updated: January 2025
Date of next review: January 2027