Health & Safety Policy - Flexible Power Systems

Statement of Intent, Organisation and Arrangements

Part 1: Statement of intent

The following is a statement of the organisation’s health and safety policy in accordance with Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

It is the policy of Flexible Power Systems Ltd (“FPS”) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees working for the company and of other persons who may be affected by our undertakings, including visitors, contractors, customers’ staff and members of the public.

FPS acknowledges that successful health and safety management requires an effective policy, organisation and arrangements, which reflect the commitment of senior management. To maintain that commitment, we will measure and monitor our performance, maintain an annual health and safety plan, and review this policy at least once a year, or sooner if there is a significant change to our activities, premises or legislation.

The Managing Director has overall responsibility for health and safety, will implement this policy and will recommend any changes needed to meet new circumstances. FPS recognises that successful health and safety management contributes to successful business performance and will allocate adequate finances and resources to meet these needs.

Management regards the promotion of health and safety as a mutual objective for itself and for employees. It is therefore the policy of management to do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent personal injury, ill health and damage to property, and to protect everyone who comes into contact with our activities from any foreseeable hazard.

All employees have duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and are informed of their personal responsibility to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and to ensure that they do not endanger others by their acts or omissions. Employees must co-operate with the company so that it can comply with its legal duties and implement this policy. FPS will consult with the workforce regularly so that all viewpoints and recommendations can be discussed.

FPS will take a systematic approach to identifying hazards, assessing risks, determining suitable and sufficient control measures and informing employees of the correct procedures needed to maintain a safe working environment. We will provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe places and systems of work, safe equipment, safe handling of materials and substances, adequate safety equipment, and appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision. We will select and control contractors and subcontractors so that work carried out on our behalf meets the same standards.

We regard all health and safety legislation as the minimum standard and expect managers to achieve their targets without compromising health and safety.

Part 2: Organisation and responsibilities

Managing Director

Has overall responsibility for health and safety at FPS and will:

sign this policy and make sure it is reviewed at least annually;
make sure suitable people are appointed to carry out the duties in this policy and that they have the time, competence and authority to do so;
make sure health and safety is considered in business decisions, including new products, premises, contracts and tenders;
review health and safety performance with the senior team at least annually, including accidents, incidents and progress against the annual plan.

Chief Financial Officer

Responsible for the resources that support health and safety, and will:

make sure adequate budget is available for training, equipment, maintenance and specialist advice;
maintain Employers’ Liability and Public Liability insurance and display the Employers’ Liability certificate (electronically or at each workplace);
make sure health and safety requirements are included in supplier and subcontractor contracts.

Chief Engineer, Electrical Systems (nominated competent person)

The Chief Engineer, Electrical Systems is the company’s nominated competent person for health and safety advice and is also the person responsible for fire safety at the workshop. In this role they will:

advise the Managing Director and staff on health and safety matters;
make sure risk assessments are carried out, recorded and reviewed for all premises and activities, and that control measures are put in place;
manage day-to-day health and safety at the workshop, including electrical safety, work equipment, hazardous substances and fire safety;
track and close the actions arising from fire risk assessments and workplace inspections;
manage the selection, approval and monitoring of subcontractors who carry out site works on FPS’s behalf;
investigate accidents, incidents and near misses, and make RIDDOR reports where required;
maintain the company’s SafeContractor (SSIP) accreditation;
keep health and safety records and bring changes in legislation or guidance to the Managing Director’s attention.

Head of Platforms

Will co-ordinate display screen equipment (DSE) assessments for all staff, make sure actions are completed, and support the nominated competent person in reviewing risk assessments.

Line managers

make sure their team members receive induction and the training they need for their role;
make sure DSE and home-working assessments are completed and actions followed up;
make sure safe working practices are followed, and report hazards, accidents and near misses.

All employees

take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others affected by their work;
co-operate with FPS on health and safety and follow the instructions, training and safe systems of work provided;
not interfere with or misuse anything provided for health and safety;
report hazards, defects, accidents, near misses and any health concerns to their line manager or the nominated competent person straight away;
follow the site rules and induction requirements of any customer or third-party premises they visit.

Part 3: Arrangements

1. Our workplaces and activities

FPS is a software and engineering company. Most of our work is office-based or home-based computer work. We operate from:

London office: a serviced, shared office. The building operator manages the building’s fire detection, alarm, emergency lighting, means of escape and building maintenance. FPS follows the building’s fire and emergency procedures and makes sure staff know them.
Workshop: a single-storey industrial unit with an office, rest room and workshop, used for engineering development and testing of electrical equipment. FPS is the responsible person for fire safety at this site.
Home and hybrid working: many staff work from home for some or all of the week.

FPS does not carry out installation or construction work at customer sites itself. All site works, including charge point and electrical installation, are carried out by approved subcontractors (see section 13).

2. Risk assessment

Risk assessments are carried out for each workplace and for significant activities, using a 5 × 5 likelihood × consequence matrix. Risks rated high (15 to 25) must stop until further controls are in place; medium risks (8 to 12) are reduced within set timescales.
The current risk assessments for the London office and workshop were completed in April 2026. They cover slips and trips, fire, manual handling, display screen work, stepladders, electrical work, asbestos, hazardous substances and hand tools.
Risk assessments are reviewed at least annually, and also after an accident or near miss, when work or premises change, or when new equipment or substances are introduced. Significant findings are shared with the staff affected.

3. Consultation with employees

FPS consults employees directly on health and safety. Health and safety is a standing item at monthly all-hands meetings, and staff can raise concerns at any time with their line manager or the nominated competent person.

4. Information, instruction, training and induction

All new starters receive a health and safety induction before starting work. It covers this policy, fire and emergency procedures for their workplace, first aid, accident reporting, DSE and home working.
Staff working at the workshop receive additional training on the workshop risk assessment, electrical safety rules, work equipment, manual handling and hazardous substances.
Fire safety training is given at induction and refreshed annually.
Training needs are reviewed at annual appraisals. Training records are kept as part of our ISO compliance activities.
The HSE “Health and safety law” poster is displayed at the workshop, and staff are given the equivalent leaflet electronically.

5. Fire safety and emergency procedures

London office: staff follow the building’s fire procedures and evacuate to the building’s assembly point when the alarm sounds.

Workshop: a fire risk assessment has been carried out by a competent external assessor. Its action plan is owned by the nominated competent person and progress is reviewed monthly until all actions are closed. The arrangements are:

anyone discovering a fire raises the alarm by shouting “Fire, Fire, Fire”, evacuates by the nearest exit and calls 999;
everyone evacuates to the assembly point; the person in charge accounts for everyone and meets the fire and rescue service on arrival;
no one re-enters the building until told it is safe by the fire service;
fire drills are held at least annually, preferably twice a year, and recorded;
emergency lighting is tested monthly by FPS staff and serviced annually by a competent contractor; fire extinguishers are visually checked monthly and serviced annually; all checks are recorded in the fire logbook;
escape routes and exits are kept clear at all times; smoking is not permitted on the premises;
visitors and contractors are told the fire procedures on arrival or are accompanied.

6. First aid

Workshop: a first-aid kit is held on site. The appointed person / first aider is the nominated competent person.
London office: first-aid provision is provided by the building operator.
Home workers are advised to keep a basic first-aid kit and to call 999 in an emergency.

7. Accidents, incidents and near misses

All accidents, cases of work-related ill health, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the nominated competent person as soon as possible and recorded in the accident book.
The nominated competent person investigates reported events, identifies causes and makes sure corrective actions are taken.
Reportable injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences are reported to the HSE under RIDDOR 2013 within the required timescales.

8. Electrical safety

Electrical work is carried out in line with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and BS 7671.
Only competent persons may work on electrical equipment, and only with suitable equipment. Live working is not permitted; safe isolation procedures must be followed.
Portable equipment is inspected and tested in line with HSE guidance. Defective equipment, including sockets, must be reported straight away and labelled “do not use” until repaired or replaced.
The fixed electrical installation at the workshop is inspected and tested by a competent electrical contractor at intervals of no more than three years.

9. Workshop safety

Work equipment and hand tools: inspected before use and maintained in line with PUWER 1998; only approved tools are used, by trained staff.
Working at height: stepladders are used only for short-duration work, fibreglass ladders are used for electrical work, and defective ladders are taken out of use.
Manual handling: staff use good lifting technique, break down or share heavy or awkward loads, and use lifting aids where available.
Hazardous substances (COSHH): substances are kept to a minimum, stored securely, and used in line with their safety data sheets. A COSHH assessment is held for each hazardous substance used. Flammable materials are stored in suitable containers.
Personal protective equipment: provided free of charge where the risk assessment requires it, and must be used and looked after.
Asbestos: if asbestos-containing material is known or suspected, work stops and the material is tested by a specialist contractor before work continues.

10. Display screen equipment (DSE)

Every employee who uses DSE completes a DSE self-assessment on joining, when their workstation changes, and at least annually. The most recent company-wide review was in April 2026.
Actions identified, such as separate keyboards or chairs, are provided and recorded.
Staff are encouraged to take regular breaks away from the screen.
Eye tests are provided on request for DSE users, and FPS contributes towards glasses needed specifically for DSE work.

11. Home and hybrid working

Home workers complete a DSE and home-working assessment covering their workstation, electrical equipment and environment.
FPS provides suitable equipment for home working where needed.
Line managers keep in regular contact with home workers, and accidents at home while working must be reported in the same way as any other work accident.

12. Visits to customer and third-party sites

Staff visiting customer depots or other sites must complete the host’s site induction, follow the host’s rules, and wear any PPE the host requires.
Staff on site visits do not carry out installation or electrical work. Such work is carried out only by approved subcontractors.
Staff visiting sites alone must tell a colleague where they are and when they expect to finish.

13. Contractors and subcontractors

All site works carried out on FPS’s behalf are subcontracted. Before appointment, subcontractors are assessed through our supplier audit process, which checks:

SSIP accreditation, or an equivalent assessment of their health and safety arrangements;
Employers’ Liability and Public Liability insurance;
competence for the work, including relevant electrical registration where needed;
a site-specific risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), which FPS reviews before work starts.

FPS gives subcontractors the information they need about the site and the work. FPS monitors their performance during the contract, and any accidents or incidents involving them must be reported to FPS. Contractors working at FPS premises are given the site fire procedures and any relevant hazards, and their work is checked on completion.

14. Lone working

Lone working at the workshop is not expected. Where it is unavoidable, the lone worker must agree it in advance with the nominated competent person, must not carry out higher-risk electrical work alone, and must check in at agreed times.

15. Driving for work

Staff who drive for work must hold a valid licence for the vehicle, and their vehicle must have business-use insurance and a current MOT. Staff must not use hand-held phones while driving and should plan journeys to allow for rest breaks.

16. Health and wellbeing

FPS takes work-related stress and wellbeing seriously. Staff can raise concerns about workload or wellbeing with their line manager or the Managing Director in confidence, and reasonable adjustments will be considered.

17. Monitoring and review

Workplace inspections of the workshop are carried out monthly by the nominated competent person, and findings are recorded and acted on.
Accidents, incidents, inspection findings, fire risk assessment actions and training records are reviewed by the senior team at least annually as part of the annual health and safety plan.
This policy is reviewed at least annually by the Managing Director and the nominated competent person, and re-signed whenever it is revised.