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HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY

1. STATEMENT OF INTENT

The health and safety policy has been laid down for UniAthena, wherein the local regulations on health and safety will be observed by the institute. The aim of this policy is to ensure that all employees of the Institute are healthy, safe and secure in their place of work. This can be done by ensuring that all rules and regulations governing the health and safety aspects of the country are observed, followed and implemented religiously. Secondly the guidelines and directions laid down by UniAthena  on the matter of Health and Safety should not be compromised ever. The intent of this policy is to ensure that no employee of UniAthena suffers or is subjected to any risk whatsoever because of Health and Safety concerns. All risks arising due to health and safety aspects should be mitigated with proper planning and implementation.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY

At UniAthena, the following will be the responsibilities of staffs to ensure that all precautions as per guidelines and directions are maintained at all times for safety of all employees.

Risk Management Team

  1. Overall responsibility: Operations Head.
  2. Officer In-Charge (OIC) Health & Safety: UniAthena will have an OIC for Health & safety, who may preferably be the second in command of the Operations department/ or any other officer deputed by the institute.
  3. Risk Protection & Mitigation Team: A team of four members at least will comprise of this group. Their responsibilities will be to ensure that all hazard protection drills like firefighting, earthquake, etc. are practiced annually, in consultation with the building premises and local civil defence teams, where feasible.
  4. Administrator: He/ she will be responsible for keeping up-to-date details of all hospitals, clinics in near vicinity, contact numbers of police, fire, civil defense, quick reaction teams available, and all other emergency numbers, to ensure that in case of any emergency contact will be made with the concerned authority. The Administrator will maintain all requisite documentation of the health and safety incidents.

All employees should: (1) co-operate with supervisors and managers on health and safety matters; (2) take reasonable care of their own health and safety; and (3) report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person (as detailed above).

3. ARRANGEMENTS FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY

  1. Risk Assessment. The risk assessment templates for assessing risk severity, probability of occurrence and their impact on risks identified have been given as Appendix. Mitigation of risks will be recognized for each consequence of risk identified, stated clearly and explained to all concerned staff members.
  2. Training. Doing risk assessment and planning for the same is important, but more important is the implementation of the risks identified and then taking appropriate action to mitigate these risks. To ensure this, all concerned staff members responsible for managing and implementing these risk controls have to be trained. After carrying out initial training of the staff responsible on all these aspects, annually all the staff members will undergo a refresher cadre to review risks, carry out training refreshment of all our policies and procedures on the matter of risk identification and its mitigation. Apart from the staff responsible, it will be ensured that all employees are also trained on the effects of risk management of all health and safety aspects, and it will be the responsibility of Officer In-Charge (OIC) Health & Safety to keep all employees informed, as well as carry out mock drills regularly on an annual basis. Safety signs and equipment will be available on all prominent places for all employees to see and be aware of how to use them in case of an emergency. For example, all employees should know where the firefighting equipment are placed, how and which fire extinguishers are to be used for different kinds of fire, etc.
  3. Consultation. Officer In-Charge (OIC) Health & Safety will ensure that he/ she remains in constant consultation with the govt. agencies responsible for implementation by all companies. These will primarily consist of civil defense forces, risk assessment organizations and quick reaction teams. Any training or ground activities carried out by any of the Health & Safety organizations will be attended by the concerned staff members.
  4. Evacuation. Evacuation drills will be laid down in case of health and safety hazards like fire, earthquake, etc. which will be the responsibility of the risk management team of the UniAthena Company. Drills of evacuation will be practiced during conduct of mock practice drills, and all implements and resources necessary for evacuation will be procured and made available in each company. These will include first aid boxes with medicines, bandages, and basic medications required for any injury an employee may sustain. Also, stretchers, masks, and any other evacuation resources required in case of any risk should be available in every company premise.