Introduction

The health, safety, and wellbeing of everyone involved in or affected by our business is our number one priority. We strive to invest in our management systems, processes, and daily operational activities to ensure we focus on reducing risk and keeping all concerned safe and well.

We take a long-term view to the continued development and improvement of our systems and processes with increasing focus placed on health and wellbeing both, physical and mental, and we are integrating the use of new technology to further enhance how we take care of our colleagues and local communities.

COVID-19

We continue to follow all applicable UK Government, National Health Service (NHS) and rail industry guidelines to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 on our workforce and industry colleagues and to ensure our business premises are COVID-19 Secure.

To support the easing of national restrictions through the UK Governments published roadmap, we are participating in the Department for Health and Social Care workplace testing programme, to provide twice weekly testing across our workforce.

Please phone your local office on-call number to advise if you are required to stay at home. During office hours 8am to 5pm you can also call your local office.

Please remember the importance of:

• Wash hands – Keep washing your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds
• Sanitiser – use sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• Cover face – Wear a face covering (unless you are exempt) in enclosed spaces
• Make space – Stay at least 2 metres apart, or 1 metre when if wearing a face covering or with other precautions

You can find out more on the government’s advice on their website here.

Close Call

The reporting of close calls plays a key role in keeping our workforce, environment, and the infrastructure on which we work, safe. A close call is defined by Network Rail as ‘anything that has the potential to cause harm or damage’.

This includes the potential to:

• Harm a person including minor, major injuries, and fatalities
• Harm the environment and/or protected species
• Damage railway infrastructure, plant, vehicles, tools, equipment, systems and information

Safety is everyone’s responsibility, therefore do not assume that an issue will be picked up and reported by someone else. If you see something that could cause harm or damage REPORT IT.

Please remember if you report a close call, it can be done in confidence and we will do everything we can to close it out and share best practice within the industry.

A close call can be reported in the following ways:

• Phone or text to the ISS Labour 24/7 Close Call Hotline: 07870 842610
• Completing our online Close Call Report Form Below
• E-mail the ISS Labour HSQE Team using: sqeteam@isslabour.co.uk
• Using a client’s close call reporting system

Speak Up & Work Safe

Ensuring our workforce go home safely every day is our number one priority and we work collaboratively with our industry colleagues to continuously reduce levels of safety risk to a level ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable’ (ALARP).

We take a very clear position that ‘If it’s not safe or authorised, don’t do it and report it’ and we actively encourage, support, and recognise safe behaviours and open reporting of health and safety matters.

Remember:

Worksafe – A copy of our Work Safe procedure can be found here.

Fatigue – Do not drive to your place of work OR declare yourself fit for duty if you have not had sufficient rest between shifts or you are feeling tired.

PPE – If you are unsure whether you have the correct PPE for your role that is fit for purpose, please report it to your supervisor or your local on-call.

Behaviours – Do not participate in unsafe activities or ignore hazards that could lead to an accident/ incident.

Safe working – If you are not sure of the safe way of carrying out any task, report it to the person in charge of work or local on-call.

Speak-up – There are times when even the most resilient people feel low. We have a range of support options available including Trained Mental Health First Aiders and wellbeing assistance schemes.

Road Safety Risk

Work related road driving is one of most dangerous activities undertaken by the rail workforce. We endorse and support Network Rail’s Lifesaving Rules in relation to safe driving behaviour and we always insist on 100% compliance.

Remember:

• Never work or drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Never use a hand-held or hands-free phone or any other mobile device while driving
• Do not drive to your place of work if you have not had sufficient rest between shifts or you are feeling tired
• Always leave sufficient time for your journey to be completed safely and within set speed limits
• Never exceed set speed limits and always leave enough space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front to enable you to brake safely
• Take extra care when driving in difficult conditions such as: ice, snow, fog, wind, rain, and sunlight
• Always ensure that you and all other people in your vehicle are wearing a seat belt

Safety Handbook & Video

Our ‘10 Rules to live by’ support the foundations of how we manage health and safety and must be must always complied with. We believe that if these rules are followed the chance of preventable accidents and incidents occurring are eliminated.

We have provided below links to our safety induction video which covers our ten rules to live by and a download our HSQE handbook. Keep a copy of our handbook with you for a point of reference and as a reminder of the contents of the video.

Please note our video will be updated as industry standards change and can be watched anytime on our website to refresh your memory. Thank you for watching our ten rules to live by.

Health and Wellbeing

The health and wellbeing of our workforce is a key priority, and we fully endorse Network Rail’s vision of ‘Everyone fit for the future’.

We have in place a range of measures to raise health and wellbeing awareness and provide support to our workforce including regular health and wellbeing events, targeted campaigns on key risk areas, access to free Employee Assistance Programmes and on-site health checks for frontline workers.

We have provided below links to a range of guidance and good practice to help you maintain your health and wellbeing We hope you find the content informative and helpful.

Mental Wellbeing

• Samaritans – Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) / Website: www.samaritans.org
• Mind – Mental health charity providing access to free help, advice and guidance. Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm) / Website: www.mind.org.uk
• Lighthouse Club – Construction Industry Charity providing access to free help, advice and guidance. Phone: 0345 6051956 / Website: www.lighthouseclub.org.uk

Addiction

• Alcoholics Anonymous – Phone: 0845 769 7555 (24-hour helpline) / Website: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

• Gamblers Anonymous – Website: www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk
• Narcotics Anonymous – Phone: 0300 999 1212 (daily 10am to midnight) / Website: www.ukna.org

Bereavement

• Cruse Bereavement Care – Phone: 0844 477 9400 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm) / Website: www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
• Relate – The UK’s largest provider of relationship support. Website: www.relate.org.uk