Health and Safety Policy

Caravan and Motorhome Club Health and Safety Policy 2024

Introduction from the Chairman

Effective health and safety management is good for everyone at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, for our members and their families, our employees and the people we work with.

The Executive Committee, staff Directors and I recognise the importance of providing and maintaining a safe and healthy environment in which we can all enjoy caravanning and the great outdoors. It is our intention to meet our obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 with our focus firmly on reducing risks and protecting people.

To achieve this, part of my role is to encourage a culture at the Club where health and safety is seen as essential, because it manages those risks to which our people might otherwise be exposed. I believe that to do this, health and safety has to be regarded as a core management function, with the proper planning and resources in place, if we are to protect people effectively. I want Managers to use sensible risk management as an essential tool in decision making and recognise its benefits in protecting our people, our reputation and our future.

The Health and Safety Policy describes how the Club manages its risks and explains:                    

  1. The intentions of the Executive Committee and the staff Directors;
  1. The key roles and responsibilities of people across the Club; 
  1. The arrangements by which management will discharge those responsibilities.

I would like to ask you all for your support in maintaining the Club’s good record by playing your part in keeping this a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

Signed by David Turner, Chairman

26 April 2024

 

Responsibilities for implementing the Policy

 

  1. Organisation for health and safety management


    The Executive Committee

  2. As Directors of The Caravan Club Ltd, which trades as the Caravan and Motorhome Club, the Executive Committee is ultimately responsible for the health, safety and welfare of the Club’s employees, its members and their families, and others under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. 

  3. The Executive Committee delegates operational responsibilities for health and safety to the Director General and the staff Directors. The Executive Committee leads the Club on health and safety matters by engaging with the staff Directors and management in the following:

    a. Review the Club’s performance in health and safety management through the review of regular health and safety reports from the Health and Safety Office, Health and Safety Forum and the staff Directors;

    b. Based on such reviews, ensure that management develops risk management and internal risk control systems, appropriate to the scale and scope of the associated risks, for its business objectives;

    c. Agree targets and objectives for performance in health and safety management;

    d. Encourage good risk management behaviour.

Committees with delegated powers from the Executive Committee 

  1. These committees are responsible for ensuring that effective precautions are taken to manage any risks arising from decisions taken by committee members and are accountable to the Executive Committee in this regard. Members of these committees should ensure that the Managers they deal with put appropriate risk control systems in place and take competent advice on all such matters.

Staff Directors

  1. The Director General and the staff Directors are responsible for the Club’s health and safety performance and are accountable to the Executive Committee in this regard. The staff Directors lead the Club in forming and implementing its health and safety management plan. Their main responsibilities are to:

    a. Ensure that the Club has both policy and procedures for managing health and safety, which are reviewed and updated at regular intervals and that this policy is communicated to all employees and others;

    b. Review the risk profile of the Club, and effectiveness of the control systems designed to reduce risks and protect people;

    c. Ensure that the Club manages health and safety successfully, including approving and implementing the Club’s health and safety management plan;

    d. Ensure that the health and safety management plan is supported with sufficient resources. This includes the allocation of responsibilities for risk management to key individuals and teams, along with corresponding accountabilities for their performance;

    e. Draw management’s attention to the potential for risk implicit during periods of significant change and ensure that appropriate risk control systems are put in place;

    f. Nominate a staff Director to act as chairperson for the Health and Safety Forum;

    g. Monitor the performance of health and safety management at the Club and, in particular, the implementation of the health and safety management plan;

    h. Review reports on the Club’s health and safety management system, as they reflect on its performance in reducing risks and protecting people.

Management 

  1. Day-to-day operational responsibility for health and safety lies with line management. In general, it is determined by the extent of each Manager’s operational control and the people and activities for which he or she is responsible. It is an essential part of every Manager’s role that they conduct business in a way that reduces risks, protects people and complies with the law on health and safety.  
  2. Sensible risk management is an essential tool which should feature in every Manager’s decision making. This means that business objectives should be pursued subject to health and safety priorities and Managers must consider carefully the impact on the health and safety of all people who might come to harm if risks are not adequately controlled. To ensure that these principles are put into practice, every Manager should both lead by example and review regularly the health and safety performance of their direct reports. 
  3. For those sections and departments where the nature of any activity is such that significant risks arise, the Senior Manager has specific responsibilities to:

    a. Lead their team on health and safety management in accordance with the Club’s policy and procedures and promoting good practice;

    b. Ensure that risks are assessed and action is taken to control them effectively;

    c. Allocate resources to support their section’s plan for managing health and safety and monitor that the plan is implemented;

    d. Seek the advice of the Health, Safety & Environment Office where necessary;

    e. Review the performance of their health and safety plan, especially in regard to the Club’s targets and objectives.

All Employees 

  1. Employees at all levels are expected to work safely and to cooperate with the Club in its efforts to comply with the law and its own health and safety policy. All employees have an important contribution to make in protecting themselves, their colleagues and our members from harm as they go about their work. In particular, they must:

    a. Work in a way which ensures that they do not place either themselves or others at risk of harm;


    b. Follow the Club’s policy and procedures on safe working practices, cooperate with their Line Manager and colleagues in their efforts to work safely and report any hazardous conditions where they encounter them;

    c. Not interfere with or misuse any equipment or process which is provided to protect people;

    d. Work within the boundaries of their competence, as supported by any health and safety training provided. 
  2. The Club may take disciplinary action against an employee where it is found that they have behaved recklessly or negligently in discharging their health and safety responsibilities and well below the standards expected by the Club, as described in this policy. The Club reserves the right to recover bonuses in such circumstances.

The Health and Safety Forum 

  1. The function of the Forum is to assist the Executive Committee and staff Directors with their executive responsibility for the health and safety management of the Club. The Forum is chaired by one of the staff Directors. Other standing members of the Forum include the Head of Sites Operations, the Principal Development Manager (Estates) and the Health and Safety Manager. Other persons may be invited to attend meetings of the Forum to address matters of particular interest, as they arise. The Forum may consult with the Sites Network Operations Forum on the impact of health and safety matters and will seek to take their views into account when making decisions. 
  2. The Forum will meet at least six times per year and has the following functions:

    a. Develop the Club’s health and safety management plan;

    b. To direct line management on the implementation of the plan and the appropriate management of risks associated with the activities of their section or department;


    c. To monitor the implementation of the health and safety management plan and review its success in reducing risks and protecting people;

    d. To consider reports from the Health, Safety & Environment Office on the Club’s performance, in regard to health and safety management;

    e. To consider new law and standards on health and safety with regard to their impact on the Club, and to make recommendations to the Executive Committee and the staff Directors where action needs to be taken;

    f. To consult with the Sites Network Operations Forum and Staff Council on health and safety matters.

The Health, Safety and Environment Office 

  1. The Health, Safety and Environment Office’s main functions are to advise the Club at all levels on health, safety and environmental compliance and to monitor its health, safety performance. It acts as the Club’s competent assistance and advises the Forum on the development of all aspects of the health and safety management system. The Health, Safety & Environment Office provides a range of services in support of these functions:

    a.
    Identify health and safety hazards;

    b. Arrange periodic audits of the Club’s compliance with applicable UK H&S and environmental law and regulations;

    c. Profile significant risks and produce corporate risk assessments;

    d. Provide competent advice on occupational health and safety matters;

    e. Provide advice on environmental compliance matters;

    f. Develop the Club’s health and safety management plan on behalf of the Health and Safety Forum;

    g. Conduct inspections, audits and other methods of measuring both the Club’s health and safety performance and implementation of the management plan;

    h. Conduct accident recording, investigations and reporting;

    i. Liaise with external enforcement agencies;

    j. Act as secretary to the Health and Safety Management Forum;

    k. Prepare reports for the Health and Safety Forum, the Executive Committee and the staff Directors on the Club’s health and safety performance and progress made against the management plan, including:

    (1) Risk profile report (to staff Directors and Executive Committee annually);
    (2) The Health and Safety Management Plan (annually to staff Directors);
    (3) ‘Dashboard’ reports on audits of risk control systems (Quarterly reports to Executive Committee);
    (4) Review of Policy (annually to staff Directors and Executive Committee);
    (5) Changes to procedures (as necessary);
    (6) Major incident reports (as necessary). 

Risk Assessment 

  1. Health and safety law requires the process of managing risks to begin with risk assessment. The Health, Safety & Environment Office is responsible for conducting corporate risk assessments, each of which describes the nature and scale of the risk, who is likely to be exposed as a result and the essential features of the risk control system needed to protect people. Line management should then adopt the Club’s approach outlined in the corporate risk assessment and adapt it as it applies to their local conditions.  
  2. Managers are encouraged to contact the Health, Safety & Environment Office for advice and guidance, when needed.

Consultation and Communication

  1. The Site Networks Operations Forum and Staff Council will be the primary consultative routes for colleagues and the Club on matters of occupational health and safety. The Health Safety and Environment Office will provide regular updates to colleagues at these meetings. Communication, written arrangements and health and safety support and guidance will be via the Club staff intranet pages.

Health and Safety Training

  1. We provide a wide range of suitable and sufficient health and safety related training to colleagues in relation to their job roles and the hazards they are exposed to.

Summary

  1. The arrangements which are described in general terms in this policy explain how the Club understands its health and safety risks, determines the precautions needed to control them, monitors its performance and takes action to improve that performance. 
  2. This policy will be reviewed by the Health and Safety Forum annually. 
  3. This policy does not set out our specific arrangements for managing health and safety risks and compliance. Our written arrangements are set out in a suite of risk specific policies and written arrangements, including for example:
    • Asbestos Policy and Asbestos Management Plan
    • Fire Safety Policy and Fire Safety Management Plan 
    • Occupational Health Policy
    • Lone Working Policy
    • Links to all the policies and written arrangements are via the staff intranet. 


(A) Document Control

Owner

Health, Safety & Environment  Manager

Responsible for content and approval of the document including any updates.

Responsible for communication to all relevant CAMC staff.

Responsible for the correct version readily available to all relevant CAMC staff.

Maintenance and Annual Review

Health,  Safety & Environment Manager

Responsible for the annual review, maintenance and updates of the document

Current Version

1.0

 

Issue Date

03-Jun-24

 

 

B) History

Version

Author

Reason for change

Date

Distributed to and method

0.1

Sean Turner  -     HS&E Manager

Initial draft

29-Jan-24

 

0.1

H&S Forum members

Initial draft

08-Feb-24

Shared through H&S Forum meeting

0.2

Exec Committee

Second draft

19-Apr-24

Shared through Exec Meeting

1.0

HS&E team

Final signed version published

 

All staff through H&S Intranet home page