Health & Safety Policy

The company is committed to health and safety and has a very good safety record. We currently have a real focus on health and safety systems ensuring they are meeting industry standards.

We will endeavour to protect the health and safety of its employees and others affected by its work; and to limit effects on the environment.

Management Commitment

To achieve the above, the Company will:

1. Regularly update established and new safety standards.
2. Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and safe operating procedures, standards and codes of practice
3. Involve employees in the development of safety procedures.
4. Investigate all accidents/incidents, correcting any deficiencies revealed.
5. Ensure adequate fire protection and first aid standards are maintained at all locations.
6. Give due regard to the security of the Company’s premises, equipment, records and any privileged information.
7. Have employees exposed to hazards monitored to ensure control procedures are effective.
8. Support the safe and early return to work of injured employees where practical to do so
9. Support continuous improvement in health and safety
10. Managers and Health and safety team members will undertake training and keep up to date on health and safety issues relative to their roles
11. Performance reviews of the Health and safety responsibilities will be performed annually for all management and supervisory staff
12. The Corporate Services Manager is delegated responsibility to facilitate the Health and Safety Management System
13. Ensure Contract Health and Safety requirements are passed on to Supervisory staff for implementation.
14. Provide quality environmental and health & safety training and supervision.

Technical Staff /Supervisor/Foreman Duties

1. Be directly accountable for implementing safety controls and programmes and ensuring their staff complies with them.
2. Comply with all regulations, code of practices and safe operating procedures that affect the work undertaken.
3. Ensure full compliance to Work Site Safety requirements.
4. Ensure that staff are trained in safe usage practices, and that no staff are required to undertake a job that they have not received adequate training for.
5. Closely supervise staff until satisfied that they fully understand and display safe work practices.
6. Carry out regular workplace safety inspections and audits, promptly correcting any faults revealed.

Employee Responsibilities

In carrying out your duties you will:

1. Take all practicable steps to ensure your safety at work and that of all other people.
2. Correct or report to your foreman, supervisor or contract manager every hazard or safety problem noticed immediately.
3. Immediately report to your foreman, supervisor, or contract manager every accident or incident where someone could have been, or was, injured.
4. Always find out whether there are any dangers to your health before you use any solvents or chemicals.
5. Always use the correct protective clothing or equipment for the task.
6. Always check leads and equipment before use.
7. Keep all tools in good condition. Use the right tool for the right job.
8. Not carry out any task, use any plant, equipment or chemical substance unless you have had relevant training.
9. Advise management as soon as possible if you are aware of any situation or plant that is putting staff at risk.
10. Participate in an early return to work programme if applicable
11. To actively contribute to hazard identification and management
12. Participate in quality environmental and health and safety training
13. Ensure accurate recording and reporting of accidents

Environmental Policy

Rationale: The Company supports the sustainable management of resources and the efficient use of natural resources.
Purpose: This policy outlines how the company aims to minimise the impact on the environment from its operations.
Guidelines: The Company supports the following principles:

1. Reduction and disposal of waste, by endeavouring to operate waste disposal operations through safe, responsible and economic methods.
2. Risk reduction, by minimising any risk to staff and the community by being prepared for emergencies and utilisation of safe technology.
3. Repair, by responsibly restoring the environment where harm has been caused.
4. Disclosure by recording and disclosing any health and safety hazards which pose harm to staff and the community.
5. Compliance, by making every effort to comply with all local, regional and government authority requirements.
6. Energy use by endeavouring to make the wisest economic use of energy resources.
7. Sustainable use of resources by supporting the sustainable use of resources.
8. Pollution by striving to minimise any pollutant that may cause harm to the air, water and earth.

The majority of Whitestone Contracting Ltd activities are carried out under contract to a third party.

The very nature of these contracts determines to a large extent the impact that these works have on the existing environment. In undertaking such works Whitestone Contracting Ltd becomes a party to the environmental consequences that those works may have.

This policy does not consider such wider issues and is intended to focus only on the activities that are under the direct control of Whitestone Contracting Ltd and the manner in which it undertakes these contract works.

To achieve these principles on contracts performed by Whitestone Contracting Limited the company will:

1. Protect the environment in which we are working from any adverse effects that are a direct consequence of our activities.
a. (This may include dust, noise, storm water contamination, oil spill, quarrying, public safety etc.)

2. Use and manage resources in a responsible manner. Adopt waste minimisation strategies where appropriate to do so.
b. (Re cycle and reuse, conserve electricity, consider alternative forms of heating balance the needs of an economic return with a longer term view of sustainability of a particular resource e.g. gravel extraction)

3. Consider all aspects of the activities it undertakes to ensure compliance with statutes (RMA, also H & SE)

4. Monitor compliance with resource consents and report outcomes.
c. (Monitoring reports from Regional Council need to be actioned and outcome reported.)

5. Maintain a modern fleet of plant and equipment that is fuel efficient and does not contribute contaminants that effect air quality’s that are abnormal for that plant and equipment.

6. Set targets for environmental improvements.

Quality

Whitestone Contracting Limited is committed to providing a quality product that meets

1. Customer Satisfaction
2. Contractual Specifications
3. Statutory Obligations

Quality Assurance

The company operates a quality system and prides itself on producing a quality product to the clients’ expectations. The company is QEST accredited, ISO9001 accredited, and ISO14001 accredited.

Quality Objectives

Management and Supervisory staff are responsible for ensuring the following objectives are achieved:

1. Customer needs are clearly determined, defined and documented.
2. Adequate planning of all contracts is achieved to ensure successful completion.
3. Sufficient resources of facilities, equipment, materials and manpower are provided
4. Staff are trained, informed and motivated to help achieve full compliance of the quality system.
5. Corrective action is taken for all deviations from specific quality management procedures, seeking to eliminate the causes of these deviations.
6. Only those suppliers who have demonstrated ability to meet or better, company and customer requirements are utilised.
7. Our environmental policies and procedures are complied with.
8. Continual improvements are made to the Management System.

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