HEALTH AND SAFETY QUESTIONNAIRE – GUIDANCE FOR PROVIDERS

Introduction

1. Participants are entitled to learn in a safe, healthy and supportive environment. In order that The Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd (SDS) can assure itself that the Provider has appropriate arrangements for managing health and safety in place, it requires the Provider to complete a questionnaire as part of the contracting process.

The Health and Safety Questionnaire (SEN HSQ1)

2. The questionnaire (SDS HSQ1) is a mandatory element of the Contracting process. It provides The Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd with written confirmation, at the contracting stage, that the Provider has appropriate arrangements for health and safety management.

3. The questions relate to the Provider’s responsibilities under health and safety law, including the need to review health and safety arrangements as circumstances change. The Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd will not contract with any Provider who is unable to show that it is meeting these responsibilities. The Provider must have effective arrangements for managing health and safety whenever they are responsible for a non employed participant.

4. The contract with the Provider requires that the Provider satisfies itself in writing of the same issues in respect of Work Placements. The Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd checklist (available at https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/for-training-providers/requirements/health-safety-requirements can be used to collect the relevant information on a Work Placement’s health and safety arrangements. The Provider may collect this information by other means provided all of the issues included in the checklist are covered.

5. The Provider is responsible for ensuring that its Work Placement has appropriate health and safety management arrangements, and for monitoring the effectiveness of these arrangements. The health and safety checklist (see hyperlink above) is not a substitute for the Provider checking and monitoring that the Work Placement is providing a safe, healthy and supportive environment for non employed participant.

Completing the Health and Safety Questionnaire

6. The Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd, Safety Officer will check that

·  all questions are answered;

·  no responses which lead to concerns;

·  the declaration has been signed.

7. The ‘not applicable’ (N/A) response is acceptable only where it is indicated on the questionnaire that this is an option.

Where to Find Out More – Information for Providers (SDS HSQ1)

8.  It is not the responsibility of The Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd Safety Officer/SDS contracting staff to give advice to the Provider on issues relating to its health and safety arrangements. The forms SDS HSQ1 Annexe 1 & https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/for-training-providers/requirements/health-safety-requirements have been developed to assist any Provider who is prompted by the questionnaire to seek further information. Annexe 1 and https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/for-training-providers/requirements/health-safety-requirements to the health and safety issues in the questionnaire.

9. The HSE publications referred to in SDS HSQ1 Annexe 1, have been selected mainly to provide a good introduction to the specific health and safety matters. Where possible, free publications have been selected. A catalogue listing all publications is available from HSE.

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Annex 1.

The following table refers to HSE publications that providers/employers may find useful. Please note: the HSE publications selected* are given as a guide only and prices given represent those current in July 2008.

Topic / Question No(s) / HSE publication and ref no(s) / Cost
GENERAL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS / 1 / Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf. / Free
2 / An Introduction to Health & Safety, http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/managing/writing.htmf. / Free
3 / What to expect when a health and safety inspector calls. http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc14.htm. / Free
4 / Health & Safety Law - what you should know poster - 0717624935.
Health and safety law: what you should know leaflet, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/law.pdf. / Free
5 / Management of health & safety at work http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l21.htm
Managing for health and safety, http://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/. / Free
Free
6 / Consulting employees on health & safety - A guide to the law - INDG 232. http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg232.pdf. / Free
7 / The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations INDG184L, http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l64.pdf.
Workplace health, safety & welfare - INDG 244 http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg244.pdf. / Free
Free
RISK ASSESSMENT / 8, 9, 10 / Five steps to risk assessment - INDG163. http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf.
The Right Start, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg364.pdf. / Free
Free
SUPERVISION / 11,12,13,14 / Health & Safety Training what you should know INDG345, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg345.pdf.
Using equipment safely INDG229, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg229.pdf. / Free
Free
TRAINING / 15, 16,17,18,19 / Health & Safety Training what you should know INDG345. http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg345.pdf. / Free
WORK PLACEMENTS H&S ARRANGEMENTS / 20, 21, 22, 23,24 / The Right Start INDG364. http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg364.pdf.
Young people and work experience http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg364.pdf / Free
Free
ACCIDENTS & EMERGENCIES / 25, 26, 27 28,29,30,31
32 / First aid at work - your questions answered - INDG214, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg214.pdf.
Basic advice on first aid at work – INDG347, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg347.pdf. / Free
Free
RIDDOR explained, http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm / Free
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND WELFARE / 33, 34 / A short guide to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations INDG174, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg174.pdf. / Free
Workplace health, safety & welfare - INDG 244 http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg244.pdf. / Free
OTHER USEFUL PUBLICATIONS / Managing for health and safety (HSG65) http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg65.pdf
Consultation with Employees Regulations, http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg232.pdf.
Leading health and safety at work http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg417.pdf / Free
Free
Free

*A listing of all publications (both free and priced), from the HSE home page on http://hse.gov.uk/.

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