Health and Safety Policy Statement

Goodenough College is committed to supporting the health, safety and welfare of its employees and of others who may be affected by our activities, such as visitors, guests and contractors. We will take all reasonably practicable steps to achieve this commitment, to comply with our statutory obligations, and to promote a positive health and safety culture throughout the organisation.

Health and safety is an integral part of our activities and, whilst the Director takes overall responsibility, all directors, managers and employees share responsibility for implementing this policy.

Goodenough College manages a complex estate accommodating over 600 postgraduate students and their families, as well as a 65-bed hotel, The Burn (an academic retreat in Scotland) and conferencing and event services. Key safety considerations include the management of residential buildings, high-volume shared areas, catering and housekeeping activities carried out by on-site contractors, and the safe coordination of maintenance works across the estate.

Goodenough College will provide and maintain a healthy and safe working environment with the objective of minimising the risk of injury or ill-health. We will pay particular attention to:

  • Risk assessing our activities, to maintain safe working practices and operations, and implementing safe systems of work;
  • Maintaining a safe workplace with safe access, providing adequate facilities and arrangements for welfare at work;
  • The provision of suitable equipment that is properly maintained, with suitable safety devices installed, where applicable;
  • Minimising the use of hazardous and dangerous substances and, where their use cannot be eliminated, implementing suitable controls;
  • Ensuring safety and health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles;
  • The provision of such information, instructions, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the health and safety at work of our employees and other persons in the course of their duties;
  • Maintaining arrangements for emergency response, including fire and medical emergencies;
  • Investigating all incidences of injury and work-related ill-health;
  • Consulting with staff on health and safety matters through our Health & Safety Committee, which meets every four months to review risks, raise concerns and agree actions. Following each meeting, we will issue a Health & Safety bulletin to all staff to share updates, outcomes and any changes to procedures. Staff can also raise issues at any time through their managers or directly with the Health and Safety team;
  • Informing residents (Members) about health and safety matters, including fire safety arrangements, through regular communication and updates that promote a safe living environment;
  • Ensuring that the organisation has access to competent health and safety advice by appointing at least one member of the management team as the designated competent person. In addition, the College will access specialist health and safety expertise or competencies as necessary to advise on compliance or technical matters;
  • Goodenough College recognises its duty to protect the health and safety of visitors across all its locations, including contractors and temporary workers, as well as any members of the public who might be affected by our operations. We will take steps to check the competence of any contractor before their services are engaged and will ensure that all third parties are provided with appropriate information on entering our premises and in relation to our work activities.

This policy will be presented to all new employees as part of their induction. It is the duty of each employee to take reasonable care of their own and other people’s health, safety and welfare, to familiarise themselves with and implement company procedures and to report any shortcomings in the arrangements.

It is the responsibility of the College Executive team and Board of Trustees to monitor the effective implementation of this policy and ensure that adequate resources are provided.

This Health and Safety Policy Statement, and the Organisation and Arrangements documents which support it, will be reviewed annually (more frequently where there have been substantive changes in the organisation or the activities undertaken).

 

Alice Walpole
Director

 

Updated March 2026