Senior management’s commitment
As a world-class provider of financial services, we will manage health & safety to a high standard. We recognise that good health and safety management makes a significant contribution to our business performance by reducing injuries and ill health as well as reducing unnecessary losses and liabilities. We believe that this is just as important as any other aspect of our business.
Line management has the responsibility for the health and safety of our people; this applies whether in offices, field staff or home-workers; and extends to visitors, tenants and other members of the public who may be affected by our business activities, including business travel. Our business leaders will be accountable for health and safety. They will monitor the implementation of the agreed policy within their respective business areas.
Whilst line management is responsible for health and safety in their own functional areas, the legal accountability falls to the employing company boards. These boards have formally delegated the oversight of health and safety matters to the Health and Safety Strategic Management Group (H&SSMG). They have made the H&SSMG responsible for reporting on health and safety at board meetings, and they consider the Chairman of the H&SSMG to be the responsible Health & Safety Director. The H&SSMG will lead policy-making on behalf of the statutory employing boards and
the Executive Committees. The H&SSMG brings together Health & Safety practitioners,
Managers representing each Business Unit and employee representatives. We will maintain an effective communication process and we will take account of views expressed by our people on key decisions.
We will ensure the health, safety and welfare of our employees and other people affected by our business activities. We will meet our statutory duties at all times. We will regularly assess the health and safety risks arising from all business activities, and this will form the basis for making improvements. Zurich in the UK aims to exceed the national statutory requirements in specific areas where we can achieve:
- a significant benefit to the business; or
- consistency with our recommendations in the marketplace as a leading liability insurer; or
- an improvement in the well-being of employees consistent with corporate and local personnel policy.
Responsibilities of local management for implementation of the agreed policy
In Zurich-occupied premises, health and safety accountability for the building and
associated business activities, is through an appropriate senior manager. In multioccupancy buildings, this person is the senior manager of whichever business has the largest number of employees. These senior managers have overall responsibility for implementation of the agreed health and safety policy by delegation of certain tasks, and are directly supported by a Health & Safety Officer.
The senior managers are responsible for appointing competent people to assist in meeting statutory duties. Local management must:
- bring this policy statement to the attention of all our people,
- ensure that all processes and systems of work take account of health and safety requirements and have an appropriate degree of supervision,
- provide all of our people with sufficient information, instruction and training to enable the safe performance of work activities.
Responsibilities of our people
Each person at work has a legal obligation to take reasonable care of their own health and
safety; and for the well-being of other people who may be affected by their acts or
omissions. They have a duty to co-operate with management for compliance with
statutory requirements. Our people are required to immediately report incidents that have led or may lead to injury. This policy requires full co-operation from everyone, irrespective of level. The Health, Safety & Environmental Adviser will provide support for developing our safety culture along with proposals for new guidance notes. Local management is expected to maintain adequate facilities and arrangements so that our people and their representatives can raise issues about health and safety.
Audit and review
The Health, Safety & Environmental Adviser will regularly monitor the implementation of
this policy to ensure that our objectives are being achieved. The H&SSMG will review this
policy annually and, if necessary, revise it in the light of legislative or organisational
changes.
Guy Munnoch
CEO - UK General Insurance
(and UK Shared Services) |
David Sims
UK Life CEO
|
Approved by the statutory employing boards in October 2007
