We use cookies to track usage and preferences.
Accept cookies
Cookie policy

Health and safety

We are committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all our employees and aim to comply with all applicable health and safety legal requirements, and to ensure that best practice management standards are implemented and maintained across all operations.

Health and Safety header

Framework and support

To support the health and safety of our employees, as well as contractors and visitors to our premises, and those impacted by our operations in public areas, we provide and maintain:

  • information, instruction and supervision on health and safety matters to empower people to take ownership of their responsibility for a healthy and safe environment, as well as encouraging them to report any concerns
  • an Occupational Health and Safety Management System which includes a health and safety policy, risk assessments, performance evaluation and regular health and safety management meetings monitoring performance, objectives and targets
  • a dedicated Health and Safety Manager who reports, ultimately, to the Chief Operating Officer, the Executive Committee member responsible
  • trained fire marshals, first aiders and other qualified personnel in all our offices, as well as defibrillator machines at all sites

ISO certified

Our Group Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) is certified to ISO45001:2018 and compliance is audited bi-annually by a UKAS accredited auditor.

SFS, who support local authority customers with vehicle hire and fleet maintenance, has their own health and safety manager and OHSMS. The operation is currently certificated to BS:18001 and intends to migrate to ISO45001:2018 during its next compliance audit cycle.

Performance indicators

We classify health and safety incidents as operational risk incidents under our risk management system and monitor them through the operational risk management system and the Operational Risk Committee. In the 12 months to 30 September 2020:

  • accidents and incidents remained at a low level
  • 11 incidents (2019: 19) were reported, all of a minor nature with no lost time
  • 1 lost time incident (2019: 0) was reported at SFS under the Reporting of Incidents, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013
  • there were no prosecutions or any enforcement action from visits by the authorities for non-compliance in respect of health and safety matters
Health and Safety report