Health & Safety
Richer Sounds are always trying to minimise the risks, through regular risk assessments and by encouraging colleagues to report risks no matter how serious it is. Colleagues are also advised to attend health and safety training courses. These courses specifically focuses on the main types of hazards and risks and will teach colleagues how to escape these problems if one occurred and will also minimise the risk of one taking place. Richer Sounds health and safety policy states that it is their duty to ensure that the staffs are working in safe conditions and to ensure that members of the public aren’t at any risk, when inside the company stores. The manager of health and safety in Richer is responsible for the health and safety for the colleagues and customers of the business. His responsibilities in the business are to ensure that;
- Regular risk assessments are carried out on the existing store/work locations
- All the stores new and old meet the health and safety standards
- Annual check ups are done on all electrical devices, so that colleagues aren’t in the risk of being shocked with volts of power.
- All accidents are reported, this is to ensure that the same accident doesn’t occur twice within the business. As this can cause colleagues to feel insecure or unsafe within the business.
- Trained first aiders are available if required in emergency.
Lifting and moving stock may cause back injuries or muscular strain.
Staff can avoid this by using trolleys, lifts or other devices possible for lifting heavy items. Employees should train staff on proper lifting techniques.
Faulty shopping trolleys can cause collisions or muscular strains and selection of wrong trolley may lead to injuring users or others.
This can be avoided by providing user advice on proper trolley selection.
Obstructing exit routes e.g. by stock and accumulations of packaging can prevent emergency escape and people can stay trapped inside.
Uneven, slippery or ubstructed floor surfaces and training cables may lead to accidents and injuries.
Richer Sounds should make sure all passageways, stairs and even delivery areas are levelled and kept clear.
Clear up spilages immediately and display warnings of wet surfaces.
Fasten all cables securely to the floor or reroute overhead if possible.
Glass doors e.g. automatic doors can trap and injure customers.
Richer sounds should mark or highlight glass door surfaces and post warnings if the doors are resolvable or are automatic.
Badly designed and maintained car park surfaces may cause trolleys to overturn or run out of control.
Staff can regularly check the car park and pavement surfaces and provide ramps and crossing points where possible.
Robberies of goods and cash may place staff at risk of violence therefore Richer Sounds have C.C.T.V., alarms and other security measures.
Employers at richer sounds can keel all escape routes and fire exits clear and make regular checks to ensure all exits are safe to use and also clear any rubbish left over on regular bases.
The Act places a general duty to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees.
Employers must comply with the Act. They must:
Provide and maintain safety equipment and safe systems of work.
Ensure materials used are properly stored, handled, used and transported.
Provide information, training, instruction and supervision. Ensure staff are aware of instructions provided by manufacturers and suppliers of equipment.
Provide a safe place of employment.
Provide a safe working environment.
Provide a written safety policy/risk assessment.
Look after health and safety of others (public)
Talk to safety representatives.
An employer is forbidden to charge his/her employees for any measures which he/she is required to provide in the interests of health and safety, example,. Personal protective equipment.
Resolving Disputes with employees over their rights and responsibilities
- Disputes are resolved through company policies and procedures on equal opportunities, sexual harassment and HIV/AIDS. These written to prevent any discrimination from occurring, between different colleagues. Colleagues who don’t take the policies seriously will be disciplined or if necessary dismissed from working with the business.
- Disputes can also be solved through the company’s grievance procedures. These procedures are there to make colleagues feel more confident in taking action anytime, when they feel they have been unfairly treated.
- Disputes can be resolved through disciplinary procedures. This is used if a colleague does not abide by his/her Contract of Employment or Terms and Conditions of employment and for those who will not take any formal advice. This is also used if serious offences such as theft are committed.
Grievance Procedures
- First the colleague must approach the direct Head of Department/manager and discuss the matter thoroughly.
- After discussing the matter and if it is not resolved to the colleagues satisfaction, then the colleague must seek advice from the director or the colleague representative. If it is a case of suspected dishonesty amongst colleagues, then the director should be consulted directly.
Grievance procedure
Any worker may have concerns or complaints about their work, employment terms, working conditions or relationships with colleagues that they want to discuss or bring to your attention. They will want you to address and, if possible, resolve these grievances by doing a grievance procedure. A grievance procedure lets you make complaints to solve any problems you have with your employer. Problems with your employer could involve:
your terms of employment
pay and working conditions
disagreements with co-workers
discrimination
not getting your statutory employment rights
All employers must provide their employees with sensible complaint methods. Failure will result in an extra award of four weeks pay to an employee who succeeds in an employment tribunal claim against the employer.
Standard grievance procedure The standard grievance procedure has three stages which should be followed:
Employee gives written statement of grievance. The employee must explain the grievance in a written statement. Where the grievance is against the line manager the matter should be raised with someone higher in the hierarchy like a senior manager if there is one.
Meeting is held and employer informs employee of the result, hold the meeting with the employee and if relevant, their colleague. Inform the employee of any decision made and notify them of their right to appe al. The employee must appeal to complete the statutory procedure.
An appeal if necessary if the employee wishes to appeal against the disciplinary action that has been decided and you must invite the employee to a further meeting. If reasonably practicable, a more senior manager who has not been involved in the grievance procedure so far will deal with the appeal. After the meeting you should inform the employee of the decision taken. See the page in this guide on .
The modified grievance procedure
The modified grierance procedure will apply in relation to the grievance only if:
the employee no longer works for the employer
it has been agreed in writing that it will apply
the employee raised the grievance before they left, but the standard procedure wasn't completed, or the employee didn't raise it until after they left
There are two steps within the modified grievance procedure:
Written statement of grievance - the employee must put their grievance in a written statement and send a copy to the employer.
Employer gives written response - you must write back to the employee giving your response to the points they have raised.
As well as the statutory rules, the Acas is helpful when dealing with grievances. You should be aware that in any later tribunal claim, the tribunal will take into account whether you have followed the Code.
Disciplinary Procedures
- This provides warnings to be given to those who fail to meet the company’s standards of job performance, conduct, (whether it is during work hours or outside work hours) attendance and for violating any of the terms and conditions of employment. The procedure isn’t contractual.
- The procedure states that disciplinary actions can be taken after the case has been fully investigated. If it arises then the colleague may be suspended for a short period with pay, so that the case can be investigated.
- If the company comes to an agreement that a colleague has committed gross misconduct, then the company may dismiss that colleague without a notice period or pay in lieu of notice.
Disputes can also be resolved through trade unions. When an employee can’t resolve anything from talking to the manager directly then it is ideal for that employee to join a trade union. This way the trade union will negotiate on behalf of the employee, until they come to an agreement. Trade unions can help to obtain higher pay, better working conditions, shorter working hours and legal protection against unfair dismissal.
ACAS is another organisation, which aims to prevent and end industrial disputes. ACAS stands for Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
- The organisation provides advice and information to firms, trade unions and individual employees.
- It provides conciliation, which means taking both sides of the story in an industrial dispute, so that it can find an agreement to end the dispute.
- It arbitrates between the two sides, so it listens to both sides and then decides what a fair settlement is. Both sides then must agree in advance to accept the ACAS’s verdict.
