Risk Assessment and Health and Safety
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require the employer to identify the organisational arrangements for implementing its health and safety policy.
1.1 Confidentiality is vital to ensure safety of all the children, staff and Gotoco’ers.
1.2 We provide health advice and information before departure and ensure Gotoco’ers are briefed for living in rural places with basic facilities beforehand and during the programme.
1.3 The Gotoco team is available 24/7 to discuss any medical complaint or concern. For any cases of illness, allergic reaction, mental health issues, ect. We will be in contact with Gotoco’ers to ensure the situation is monitored and solved and followed up on.
1.4 We are focused upon providing key support to help Gotoco’ers tackle challenges and gain the most of each day. In the end this leads to huge personal growth and self-development.
1.5 The Gotoco staff is easily approachable, personable and always on hand to discuss issues and provide emotional and motivational support.
1.6 If there is an accident that occurs whilst on the programme or during cultural tour, the Gotoco staff seeks for immediate help from medical professionals, if required, and all incidents are reported back to Gotoco managers as well as an incident report form is filled in, to document any injuries/illnesses/accidents.
1.7 Our staff must complete the incident form as soon as possible, maximum a month after the incident has occurred.
1.8 It is a legal requirement on a person injured at work/ placement to record their injury and on Gotoco to investigate the circumstances. It is essential that the causes of incidents and near misses are identified in order that appropriate action is taken to prevent a recurrence in line with the objectives set out in the Gotoco health and safety policy statement of intent.
1.9 Gotoco operates in a “no-blame culture” and incident investigations should seek to identify non-conformities, corrective actions and preventive actions without prejudice or agenda. Where non-conformities are identified and negligence shown, however, then appropriate action may include disciplinary measures being taken against the staff member or the Gotoco’er.
2.0 The duty to carry out risk assessments is paramount. The assessments need to be kept under review to ensure that they are applicable, valid and up-to-date.
2.1 The recorded findings on risk assessment must also provide enough detail to prove that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment has been carried out. This should include:
- Details of the situation
- Process being assessed
- The people at risk
- The hazards involved and the level of risk.
2.2 Gotoco’ers must be provided with the right information, instruction and training to make sure they can carry out their activities safely.
2.3 Gotoco follows risk management core strategies - risk avoidance, control, financing and transfer. Upon staff and Gotoco’ers travels, each person is ensured for the duration of the programme.
2.4 . Once a risk assessment has been completed the significant risks must be communicated to staff and others, to enable their co-operation and informed decisions. Such communication can be done verbally, or where appropriate more formally by providing a copy of the risk assessment and discussing the findings.
2.5 All risk assessments should be regularly reviewed.
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Published by Daniel Parrott (Director), last updated 20th February 2023