Reporting a Health, Safety and Wellbeing Issue

We believe that nobody should ever be at greater risk because they work for us – everybody should return home in the same state as they come to work. Moreover, we hope that our culture of fostering health, safety and wellbeing awareness will carry over into our lives beyond the BRE gates.

Every BRE initiative must put health, safety and wellbeing at the heart of every stage from inception to completion.

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY

While senior managers have a special responsibility to ensure health, safety and wellbeing procedures are being properly implemented, everyone is personally responsible to operate safely, report any accident/incident/near miss and to speak up if they have any concerns.

For example:

Q: On your way to the office you walk past contractors doing some building work. You can see bricks stacked on the outside edge of the scaffold which could easily fall and injure them or passers-by. You don’t feel confident enough to bring the potential danger up with the contractors – Surely someone else will see this and, having more experience, be better able to speak up?

Should you have a word with the contractors?

A: ABSOLUTELY! It is everyone’s responsibility to speak up about something that could endanger the health, safety and wellbeing of BRE employees, visitors, contractors or customers. You shouldn’t be afraid to challenge people regardless of their age, gender or position in the company. The key is to be positive and constructive. One strategy is to ask them if they think there is anything they could be doing more safely. In the unlikely event of a negative response, move on and report the situation using the near miss reporting form.

REPORTING ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS AND NEAR MISSES – TH!NK SAFE – DON’T WALK BY!

Employees must report accidents, incidents and near misses when working on BRE premises or off-site. If in doubt – report it! Complete a Near Miss Form. Taking action now might prevent an accident in the future.

WHAT IS:

  • AN ACCIDENT? An unplanned event that causes injury or harm.
  • AN INCIDENT? An event that results in damage or accidental release of any substance which may affect health or cause pollution.
  • A NEAR MISS? An unplanned event that does not result in injury, illness, harm or damage although it has the potential to do so, the outcome being purely a matter of good chance.

 

On-site reporting

On-site accidents

Accidents details must be entered onto an Accident and Incident Reporting and Investigation Form available at the Health and Safety A-Z on the BRE intranet. Accident details must also be reported in the official Accident Book, ideally by the first aider; the page must then be detached and promptly given to the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team.

On-site incidents

Incident details must be entered onto an Accident and Incident Reporting and Investigation Form available in the Health and Safety A-Z on the BRE intranet. Incident details must also be recorded in writing (e-mail), and the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team should be informed as soon as possible.

On-site near misses

Near miss details must be entered onto a Near Miss Reporting and Investigation Form, which is available on the BRE intranet (once completed press the send button). Receipt of near miss reports will be acknowledged by the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team. Please refer to the BRE reporting chart.

Emergency numbers

To report a fire, summon first aid, report spills of chemicals or oils as well as any sort of suspicious activity on BRE premises in Watford, use the emergency number x3333 from an internal phone or 01923 664333 from a mobile.

If you are based in our East Kilbride Office at BRE Scotland, BRE Wales & South West or the BRE National Solar Centre, you need to call 999 in the event of a fire or another serious accident and then inform BRE staff. If you work at the BRE National Solar Centre you should also report any health and safety issues that happen on site to the Eden Project H&S Manager.

BRE Scotland and BRE Wales emergency Call x999

BRE National Solar Centre emergency Call x999 (Also notify the Eden H&S Manager)

Off-site reporting

ALWAYS NOTIFY THE BRE GROUP HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLBEING TEAM

When you work off site follow the “BRE Group Off Site Working Guidance and Checklist”. As soon as you find out that you will be making an off-site visit, prepare a risk assessment and method statement for your work.

You should also familiarise yourself with the first-aid and emergency procedures at the site before arrival if possible, but in any case before commencing work.

Off-site accidents

If an accident occurs whilst working off site, notify your contact person there and record the accident details in the site’s accident book. An entry must also be promptly made in the accident book at your BRE base site, and the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team notified.

If there is no accident book at the site, notify the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team of the accident details by e-mail.

If an accident happens while working off-site but not at another company, fill in the accident book at BRE on your return and notify a representative from the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team as soon as possible.

Off-site incidents and near misses are reported in the same way as on-site ones. Please refer to the BRE reporting chart.

Reporting traffic accidents

All accidents whilst driving on BRE business must be reported. As a general rule, you should inform your line manager and the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team of accidents whether they occur on or off site. Additionally, accidents whilst using a hire vehicle or a company van must be notified to Purchasing without delay, so that insurance requirements can be satisfied (Refer to our Driving on Company Business Procedure in the BRE staff area of this site).

Without exception you should send a brief account of any on-site or off-site accident to the BRE Group Health, Safety & Wellbeing (by telephone, e-mail or internal mail) as soon as possible.

Business travel in the UK and overseas

Worldwide emergency helpline number Call +44 (0)20 8762 8326 (24 hour) – Quote policy reference number: 0010543216

As a BRE employee you are covered by the BRE Travel Insurance when you are required to travel for business. If you need help, you should contact the business travel insurance worldwide emergency helpline.

It’s a good idea to save all applicable emergency helpline numbers as contacts in your mobile phone to ensure quick reaction in case of an emergency.

Please refer to the BRE Business Travel Operational Procedure and the BRE Business Travel Insurance Guidance for further details, and to our Accident, Incident and Near Miss Reporting and Investigation Procedure in the BRE staff area of this site.