Health and safety policy

Date approved: May 2026
Review date: May 2027

See below for the full policy, but please be aware this may include acronyms or technical jargon used internally within Raven. If you have any questions, please contact us.

1. Purpose and scope of the policy

1.1. It is the policy of Raven Housing Trust (Raven) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, its operation and services are conducted in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of employees, residents, contractors, visitors, and all persons likely to be affected by our activities.

1.2. We will aim to deliver the above by managing all risks to as low as reasonably practicable.

1.3. Raven acknowledges its duty to comply with legislation and regulations, to consider official guidance, best practice and  continuously review its policies and procedures whilst making proactive improvements in health and safety standards.

1.4. This policy sets out the management steps and actions Raven will take in relation to the management of health and safety.

1.5. Raven confirms acceptance of its responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA 74) to ensure the safety of all persons likely to come into contact with our properties and undertakings.

1.6. Raven recognises areas of significant risk to the business and its residents. We have produced a further policy document (the Building Safety Policy) to capture and address these risks.

1.7. The Building Safety Policy aims to identify those key risks and to mitigate those risks with the use of high-level mitigation, subordinate procedural documents, and workflows (see below) to understand and deliver the detail.
1. Asbestos Management
2. Electrical Management
3. Fire Safety Management
4. Gas Management
5. Lifts Management
6. Water Systems Management
7. Construction Design and Management (CDM):
8. Decent Homes Standard
9. Damp Mould and Condensation

1.8. The following are further risks associated with Raven building compliance. They will be addressed within the Building Safety Policy and the above procedures and don’t require individual procedures.

• Structural and General Safety of Properties
• Communal Balconies
• Disabled Living Adaptations
• Door Entry Systems and Call Systems
• Lightning Protection
• Scheme Call Systems
• Fall Arrest Systems/ Scaffolding and Working at Height
• Playgrounds
• Radon
• Development handover
• Data Management

2. Detailed health and safety policy content

2.1. Health & Safety Policy – Statement of Intent
As senior management of Raven Housing Trust we have a considerable responsibility to ensure that company requirements concerning health and safety are properly understood by everybody and are adhered to constantly. However, these requirements can only be regarded as a foundation stone, as it is our belief that health and safety rank equally with all other company objectives.

The responsibility placed upon us is filtered down through the management, operations and administrative staff who report to us. As part of their duties, they must ensure that our activities do not adversely impact the environment, that health and safety in the workplace is kept under control, and that the performance of those reporting to them is monitored.

All employees have a legal duty to co-operate with their employer on health and safety. We must all take reasonable care for our own health and safety, and that of others who may be affected by what we do or do not do. As employees within our organisation, it is up to each one of us to ensure that whatever we do is safe for others, as well as being safe for ourselves.

Employees will be suitably trained to perform the tasks that they are likely to undertake, to recognise potential risks in the work situation, and will not be asked to perform any task that is likely to risk their health.

The Company is bound by law to conduct risk assessments in the workplace, and we will accordingly take all steps to control foreseeable hazards, and risk of harm, where it is reasonably practicable to do so.

As a company we take full account of the impact of our operations on health, safety, welfare, and the environment. We continually seek to improve on best industry standards, where reasonably practicable and economic to do so, and shall accordingly provide the time, training, and financial resources to protect all persons affected by our operations.

We believe that people are our greatest resource and are the key to the safe management of our activities, and all should be motivated to understand that working safely, and professionally, is the only way forward.

Finally, we are all committed to the prevention of injury and ill health, and to compliance with all applicable health and safety law.
This policy shall be annually reviewed for continued suitability and shall be made available to the public, upon request.

Jonathan Higgs, CEO

2.2. Policy Details

2.2.1. It is the policy of Raven Housing Trust and all its subsidiaries (Raven) to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all employees, contractors and visitors.

2.2.2. Raven will always, aim to deliver a service to its residents that puts their health and safety first, at all times listening to resident health and safety concerns.

2.2.3. It is the responsibility of all employees to carry out their duties in accordance with Raven policies and procedures, Raven will deliver appropriate training to ensure employees understand the role they have to play in the successful implementation of the policies.

2.2.4. As a progressive organisation, Raven will measure delivery performance and evaluate opportunities for improvement in all areas of our activities. We will regularly review our standards to ensure our delivery meets and exceeds expectations.

2.2.5. The homes Raven creates and maintains shall be checked and monitored on a programmed basis by competent persons to ensure compliance with the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, and all requirements of its Regulator.

2.2.6. Raven will comply with its duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and all associated health and safety regulations, and associated guidance.

2.2.7. Raven demonstrates its commitment to health and safety by following the Plan, Do, Check and Act process and adhering to the following key principles:

• Develop and promote a positive culture.
• Provide Leadership and complete management commitment.
• Encourage open two-way communication.
• ‘Do what you say’ approach.
• Invest in people.
• Measure and monitor.
• Procurement of suitable supply chain partners
• Provide sufficient resources

2.2.8. Raven seeks to ensure that risks to the health and safety of Raven permanent and temporary employees, residents, contractors, and visitors from work related activities are properly assessed and controlled. Risk assessments are undertaken and reviewed (through line management and the process overseen
by the H&S Manager) to cover the range of significant hazards and risks to which Raven staff and others may be exposed, including customers’ homes, estates, and Raven offices.

2.2.9. The definition of a hazard is any source or situation with the potential to cause harm, injury, illness or damage in the workplace. Examples of hazards are, slippery floors, falling objects, extreme temperatures, exposure to toxic chemicals, exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos, poor workplace design, repetitive motions when using tools, stress and workplace violence.

2.2.10. The definition of a risk is the likelihood and severity of potential harm arising from a hazard. For example, the use of power tools is a hazard, the risks are electric shock, cuts, eye injury, puncture wounds. Ravens risk assessments use a matrix to determine the initial risk rating and aim to reduce to a residual risk rating wherever is reasonably practicable.

2.2.11. Whilst company policies and procedures prevent exposure to likely high risks, Raven will provide occupational health advice, health promotion and health surveillance where appropriate, facilitated by the People Team. The need for this is measured by pro-active assessment of accident, incident, and ill-health records, at both individual employee and trend levels.

2.2.12. Plan / Do / Check / Act (PDCA)

2.2.13. The Health & Safety Executive strongly recommends this approach which “treats health and safety management as an integral part of good management generally, rather than as a stand-alone system” (http://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/plan-do-check-act.htm).

2.2.14. All staff within Raven are expected to adopt the above approach concerning H&S matters particularly in respect of risk assessments, associated control measures, training, and information.

2.2.15. Leaders/Managers must ensure that H&S is a standing agenda item at all team meetings. Where there are no H&S matters to discuss, this should be noted.

2.2.16. Raven will consult with the Employee Health and Safety Committee on:

• Strategic documents and proposals for change to ensure frontline input and consistency.
• Reports of accidents incidents and near misses.

2.2.17. The H&S Policy is led by the Chief Executive and managed within Raven. The Policy is approved at Board Level and relates to the whole of Raven.

2.2.18. All Raven approved H&S documents are reviewed at least annually, whenever there’s a significant and related incident, or if there is any cause to believe that it has become obsolete (in whole or significant part) and requires review.

2.2.19. The HR training matrix sets out what H&S training will be provided for each role across Raven. This is updated and maintained by the People Team H&S Manager in consultation with the H&S Manager and line managers. and the People Team.

2.2.20. All staff members (both permanent and temporary) and agency staff receive Induction and H&S training before commencing work. Induction materials are prepared by the People Team and delivered by the line manager with support as required (organised by the Line Manager) from the Health and Safety Manager.

2.2.21. Raven will ensure management and assurance of this policy through:

• Contractor Management Procedure
• Contractor Assurance Procedure
• Internal Audit H&S compliance checks and deep dives into the ‘big 6’.
• Any HSE formal instructions issued to internal teams or contractors reported to next available Raven Board.
• RIDDOR reportable accidents reported to next available Raven Board meeting.
• Leadership Team sign-off of key over-arching high level H&S Policies, with each LT member responsible for ensuring operational implementation for their team.
• An annual report from LT to the Board setting out H&S performance for the past 12 months, and improvement plans for the next 12 months.
• Site visits by H&S Manager across Raven’s work (both contractor and in house) to ensure CDM and general H&S compliance.
• KPI tracking and management for compliance and Health and Safety programme delivery – at operational, departmental, Leadership Team and Board level.
• Formalised ‘deep-dive’ reviews
• Local departmental audits.

2.2.22. The Board of subsidiary companies; DevCo, and Raven Homes are responsible for all Health and Safety within their business and day-to-day activities.

2.2.23. Through the Service Agreement with RHT, the subsidiaries retain RHT to provide all H&S Policies, Procedures, and services appropriate to the work of the subsidiaries. This is supplemented with external support to ensure compliance with the Construction and Design Management regulations.

2.2.24. These will normally be the same as RHT’s. The H&S Manager offers support with site inspections and compliance oversight.

2.2.25. The Chief Executive submits an annual Health and Safety report to the Board detailing Raven’s performance over the previous year which is made available to staff.

2.2.26. Independent H&S related audits are commissioned by the Audit Committee and reported directly to it.

2.2.27. This H&S Policy will be reviewed at least annually. Instances where additional review are required

• Where a H&S-related incident regarded by the H&S Committee to be of sufficient severity occurs.
• Where the operation or activities of Raven change significantly
• Where legislation, Regulation, or official guidance changes significantly enough to warrant review.

2.2.28. Raven’s residents are very important, not only as customers, but as also valued contributors to our ongoing management of safety concerning our homes.

2.2.29. Raven is committed to transparency and two-way communication with residents to ensure we are delivering a service that meets with their expectations and good practice.

2.2.30. Raven will engage with our residents and customers where appropriate in a timely effective way, providing accurate information by means that best suit the individual needs of our residents and customers to enable them to understand and fulfil their safety responsibilities.

2.2.31. Raven will engage with contractors to enable them to understand and fulfil their safety responsibilities.

2.2.32. Residents shall have the means to notify Raven of any health and safety concerns and be assured that their voices will be heard, and action taken.

2.2.33. The associated Procedure documents will contain details on how we facilitate a transparent approach to our maintenance and improvement works i.e. access to asbestos data, electric installation checks and fire risk assessment information.

2.2.34. The policy will be shared via our training platform as well as sharepoint.

2.2.35. The policy shall be circulated to all appropriate staff that are directly responsible for its implementation and will be available in the shared drive of Raven’s document management system.

2.2.36. A short form Policy will be available to all Staff.

3. Applicability

3.1 This policy applies to all Raven employees, subsidiary companies; DevCo, Raven Homes, contractors, and consultants.

3.2 Organisation Roles and Responsibilities

3.2.1 The Board

• Annually approve the Health and Safety Policy.
• Attend Health and Safety training sessions when requested.
• Receive Assurance that any weakness in the H&S management system are being addressed and that a positive health and safety culture prevails.
• Positively reinforce good Health and Safety practices and procedures.
• Ensure that sufficient resources (time, money, and people) are made available to successfully manage health and safety.
• Receive and act on an annual health and safety report which will monitor progress in respect of compliance with the health and safety policy and current health and safety legislation.

3.2.2 Chief Executive

• Chairs the Employee H&S Committee and is ultimately responsible as the Duty Holder, ‘Responsible Person, Competent Person and ‘Accountable Person’ as per the relevant health and safety legislation for meeting policy aims and legislative standards throughout Raven, with responsibilities devolved as below.
• Marketing Department.

3.2.3 Employee Health & Safety Committee

• Is an organisation-wide staff body chaired by the Chief Executive and which is responsible for consultation on the health and safety management of Raven employees and the consistency of implementation across Raven.
• The committee meets bi-monthly and comprises representatives from across Raven. Committee members consult with staff to ensure staff are informed of the Committee’s work and are able to feedback staff views on any issues or proposals.
• Key tasks included are:
  • To consult and agree on the revised H&S Policy
  • To consult and agree on employee related policies and procedures.
  • Monitor the implementation of Raven’s employee policies and procedures.
  • To consult and raise health and safety workforce related issues from the operational teams, including any major incidents, lone working, and feedback information.

3.2.4 Leadership Team:

• The Leadership Team (LT) has responsibility for ensuring health and safety standards are continuously monitored across Raven, at least maintained, or improved where required and provide leadership across Raven.
• Key Tasks:
  • Ensure the positive health and safety culture promotes open two-way communication between staff and management and between residents, customers, contractors, suppliers and Raven.
  • Responsible for approval of key documents, ensuring that policies and procedures are kept up to date and staff have a safe system of working, at all times.
  • Oversee all H&S related matters in their own teams.
  • Ensure external and internal contracts are compliant with policy and procedure and that all persons act in accordance with those contracts.
  • Ensure appropriate records are maintained and made available if required.
  • Ensure work activity risks are identified and reduced to the lowest reasonably practicable level, promoting the HSE ‘hierarchy of risk control measures’.
  • Monitor systems for controlling risks.
  • Promote the HSE’s approach of ’Plan Do Check Act ‘.
  • Ensure adequate induction, training and promotion of H&S takes place.
  • Ensure staff and managers are suitably resourced to implement H&S Policies, Procedures, and guidance.

3.2.5 LT Members and Raven Business Area Managers

• Executive Director of Customer Experience:
  • Homes and Estates, including Repairs, gas and voids (including trades staff)
  • Estate services, including cleaning and grounds maintenance
  • Commercial maintenance and fleet.
  • Housing Management
  • Systems to ensure staff safety when dealing directly with residents and the public.
• Executive Director of Resources and Deputy CE:
  • Finance, including insurance (insurance and claims across Raven) and fleet insurance via the Repairs Administrator
  • Governance, including GDPR, procurement and external contract requirements.
  • People-related matters, including development, records, Occupational Health and Wellbeing,
  • Business Transformation & IT departments.
• Executive Director of Homes:
  • Development Department. New build and conversion sites, from specification to handover and during defects liability.
  • Sales of new homes and disposals.
  • Asset Management
  • Health and Safety and Building Compliance.

Note: The Boards of subsidiary companies are responsible for Health and Safety within their business activity, covering staff, volunteers and involved residents. This responsibility is fulfilled via a services contract with Raven Housing Trust.

3.2.6 Head of Corporate Health and Safety and Building Compliance

• Holds Responsible Person and Competent Person responsibilities and is the operational lead for Health and Safety, acting authoritatively across Raven, delivering the action plan, coordinating related work, enforcing compliance
  and responsible for advising on best practice, legislative changes and providing internal coordination on all health and safety matters across Raven.
• Specifically, to act as the key role model and champion for health and safety awareness and enforcement activity, encouraging and engendering a positive safety culture and buy-in at all levels across Raven.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, guidance and Codes of Practice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is maintained across Raven, particularly in areas of statutory compliance including:
• Maintaining oversight of health and safety related reports from residents to identify wider themes and issues, and where necessary, bring to the attention of the H&S Committee and /or report direct to LT.
• Maintaining oversight of all health and safety compliance contracts to ensure Raven remain compliant in these areas.
• Co-ordinating CDM and site H&S requirements in conjunction with relevant staff members for example the Development Technical Manager.
• Providing or arranging appropriate information and training to enable those with operational roles to meet the necessary standards.
• Reporting information to provide compliance assurance including in-depth analysis for the H &S Action Plan and KPI Review and audit.
• Convening and servicing the Employee Health and Safety Committee.
• Coordinate the H&S Action Plan and all roles, reports, records & responsibilities, including the H&S Action Plan and KPI Review.
• Liaise with relevant Assistant Directors and Heads of Service to ensure delivery of compliance contracts.
• Managing the Accident and Near Miss Process, making RIDDOR notification as appropriate and liaising with statutory authorities in related matters.
• Support and advise the Building Compliance Surveyor who will assist in discharging the above responsibilities.
• To ensure risk assessments are completed to a consistently high standard by the responsible person.
• Ensure risks are identified and added to the Health and Safety risk register where required.

3.2.7 Health & Safety Manager

• Will support the Corporate Head of Health and Safety and Building Compliance in carrying out their roles and responsibilities under the policy, in particular, in the following areas; –
  • Provide or arrange appropriate information and training to enable those with operational roles to meet the necessary standards.
  • Provide details of training undertaken to the People Team to enable timely update of the training matrix.
  • Report information to provide compliance assurance including in-depth analysis for the H&S Action Plan and KPI Review and audit.
  • Carry out site inspections for CDM compliance on a percentage of sites across the business.
  • Coordinate the H&S Action Plan and all roles, reports, records & responsibilities.
  • Support and advise the Building Compliance Surveyor who will assist in discharging the above responsibilities.
  • To ensure risk assessments are completed to a consistently high standard by the responsible person.
  • Ensures that documents are kept up to date and subject to proper control and documentation and brings to policy owner’s attention any document that is due for revision, informing the Leadership Team of documents that may not be reviewed or refreshed on time.
  • Carry out investigations into accidents, incidents and near misses.

3.2.8 The People Team

Responsible for:

• Induction procedures and contents.
• Maintaining the training matrix based on information provided by the H&S Manager
• Maintaining related training records, including collecting and saving copies of H&S related qualifications of new starters and newly qualified staff.

3.2.9 Voids Manager
Responsible for:

• Risk Assessments / COSHH Assessments to frontline staff.
• Leads on disseminating health and safety policies and practices via Toolbox Talks and Team Briefs.
• Leads on Toolbox Talks to frontline staff.

3.2.10 Electrical & Lift Manager and Operational Compliance Manager

• The Operational Compliance Manager is responsible for all contracts associated with gas, carbon monoxide and inspection of smoke detectors in gas properties.
• Electrical & Lift Manager is responsible for electrical works undertaken by Raven’s DLO and for all emergency lighting & non gas smoke detection.
• Electrical Manager is responsible for passenger lift, stair lift, and through floor lift contracts and Automatic doors and barriers.
• Electrical Manager is responsible for quality control of electrical contractors undertaking work to Raven properties.

3.2.11 Assistant Director of Property Services

• Vehicle Fleet policy and management across the organisation.
• Management of the Facilities Manager, Electrical Manager and Gas Manager.
• Line management of operatives and Repairs Surveyors through Repairs & Trades Managers, Team leaders.
• Review of risk assessments, in collaboration with the Health and Safety Team, for frontline staff processes.

3.2.12 Facilities Manager

• Responsible for H&S at Raven House and all Raven controlled places of work.
• Work-place health and safety responsibilities include:
  • Risk Assessments
  • Arranging specialist DSE assessments when requested by a line manager
  • Ensuring all first aid requirements are met
  • Ensuring fire evacuation procedures are up to date and appropriately tested
  • Ensuring proper storage of all hazardous substances at Raven House and other Raven controlled places of work.

Note: H&S checks at Sheltered and TA schemes, controlled by Raven, are carried out by Supported Housing staff and Estate Caretakers.

For clarity the employee and not Raven is responsible for completing DSE assessments for any home working and notification to the Raven Facilities Manager or the Health & Safety Manager of any changes needed.

3.2.13 Individual wider managers and team leaders (including Leadership Team)

Responsible for:

• Monitoring and ensuring safe systems of work are followed.
• Obtaining copies of all relevant certificates and qualifications from new starters (along with all relevant updates) and passing to the People Team for recording on the personnel files.
• Assisting the Director / Head of Department in ensuring H&S responsibilities are met.
• Reporting any concerns relating to plant, equipment, policies, or procedures.
• Consulting with relevant parties regarding changes in processes or arrangements.
• Responsible for risk assessments and procedures and ensuring suitable control measures are in place to monitor and supervise safe systems of work.
• Lone worker risk assessments.
• Following the reporting of Accidents, Incidents & Near Miss Procedure and ensuring the H&S Manager is notified.
• Following the Unacceptable Service User Behaviour Procedure and supporting their members of staff who have been subject to unacceptable behaviour, verbal or physical abuse from our customers
• Ensuring all staff reporting to them (including agency and temporary staff) are inducted and trained, and competent to carry out their work and compliant with procedures and policies.
• Ensure all relevant staff attend all necessary organised training events.
• Ensure all contractors engaged by them are inducted, competent for the work allocated and compliant with procedures and policies including employer’s and public liability insurance.
• Briefing members of their team.
• Providing a reasonable period for staff to read relevant documents.
• Ensuring team members confirm that they have read and understood relevant information.
• Allowing team members time to complete on-line health & safety training within course deadlines.

3.2.14 Employees

• Where activities create a perceived significant Health & Safety risk, for example a possible asbestos release, all Raven staff have the authority to take immediate action to stop or delay the works until such time as the risk has been confirmed as removed or reduced as low as reasonably practicable.
• Responsible for:
  • Cooperating with Raven to ensure H&S standards are achieved.
  • Taking reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions and making related judgements.
  • Co-operating with Team leaders and Managers on H&S matters.
  • Not interfering with anything provided under the statutory provisions for the health, safety, and welfare of employees.
  • Reporting any concerns to their Line Manager, representative on the H&S Committee or H&S Manager.
  • Reading H&S poster/leaflet information, attending and fully taking part in H&S training courses in a timely manner.
  • Completing online health & safety training within set timeframes.
  • Completion of DSE assessments for any office or home working space and notification to Raven Facilities  Manager or H&S Manager of any changes needed.
• Staff are encouraged to raise any H&S concerns they have. If concerned about or dissatisfied with the response on any aspect of H&S management, staff members should raise the matter with their line manager in the first instance, and then with the H&S Committee. If they remain dissatisfied with
  the response, they should raise it with their Leadership Team member and if still dissatisfied, ultimately to the Chief Executive.

4. Definitions

4.1 Definitions of terms (as needed).

5. Related policies and references for more information

• Building safety policy
• Asbestos management
• Electrical management
• Fire safety management
• Gas management
• Lifts management
• Water management
• Construction design and management
• Decent homes
• Misc Building safety contractor management procedure
• Accident and incident reporting procedure
• Corporate lone working procedure
• Damp, mould and condensation policy
• Damp, mould and condensation procedure

6. Implementation procedures

6.1 The procedures listed above all need to be adhered to in order to ensure Raven comply with this policy.

7. Equality, diversity and inclusion

7.1 This policy relates to regulatory requirements and therefore, all Raven employees and contractors must adhere to it. All Raven employees and contractors have duties that they must adhere to comply with this policy and any associated policies and procedures.

7.2 Where required Raven will make reasonable adjustments for staff to enable staff to comply with this policy.

7.3 All employees will be required to sign off as read by way of a declaration through our current training platform iLearn.