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Indicator 3.5.13
Requirement
The UoC shall provide appropriate first aid in the event of a work-related injury, including access to professional medical assistance.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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The supplies needed for first aid at the UoC can be determined by the health and safety risk assessment.
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Professional medical assistance can include ensuring that the UoC is able to access doctors and an ambulance, where necessary.
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The following list of first aid kit supplies is adapted from the UK government Health and Safety Executive website:
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general guidance on first aid (an example from the UK government Health and Safety Executive can be found here: <https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg347.pdf>)
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individually wrapped sterile plasters of assorted sizes
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sterile eye pads/eye wash
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individually-wrapped triangular bandages, preferably sterile
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safety pins
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large and medium-sized sterile, individually-wrapped, unmedicated wound dressings
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disposable gloves
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scissors or cutting tool.
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First aid kits are:
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checked regularly, to ensure that any items that are past their expiry date are safely disposed of and replaced
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kept at several locations around the site
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easily accessible
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located near potential hazards or areas of risk.
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Evidence of Implementation
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complete and well maintained first aid kits in easily accessible locations
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information about what the first aid kits contain and how to use them.
Auditors Should Confirm
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employees know where the first aid kits are kept and how to use them;
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the UoC has a process in place to ensure first aid kits remain fully stocked and serviceable.
Useful Resources
Indicator 3.5.12
Requirement
The UoC shall provide and maintain appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) free of charge and monitor its proper use.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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The UoC assesses:
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what Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is needed (meeting legal stipulations if applicable)
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for which functions it is needed
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in which situations it should be used
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how PPE is well maintained.
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The use of PPE should be the final option in protecting employees from hazards and the steps below are what comes before the use of PPE:
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Elimination: Physically remove the hazard
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Substitution: Replace the hazard with a non-hazardous process
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Engineering controls: Isolate people from the hazard
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Administrative controls: Change the way people work
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PPE: Protect the worker with PPE.
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PPE often comes with manufacturers’ instructions, which explain how to maintain equipment, and when equipment needs replacing.
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Providing appropriate storage for the PPE, where it is protected from adverse weather conditions, will prolong the life and useability of the PPE.
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Training for employees on the correct use of PPE is necessary for ensuring that PPE is used effectively.
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When new PPE is introduced, or the method of using it changes, updated training helps to ensure the safety of all employees.
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The list below is adapted from the EU’s Compliance Help Centre. PPE can include:
Type of PPE Use
Head protection (helmets, hard hats) When working in construction, work around heavy machinery, while working in a workplace with low-hanging objects, piping, moving parts.
Hand protection (gloves, wrist cuffs) When working in hot or cold environments, with chemical or hazardous materials, when using abrasive or sharp objects.
Eye and face protection (safety glasses, goggles, eye and face shields, visors) When working with power driven tools, welding tools, when handling hazardous substance.
Respiratory protection (breathing apparatus, mask respirators, disposable face masks, protective hoods) When working in workplaces with high levels of dust, or when in contact with gases, powders and vapours.
Hearing protection (earplugs, ear defenders, noise meters) When working in an environment with high noise levels.
Foot protection (safety boots and shoes) When working around various hazards, hot and cold environments, when handling heavy objects.
Body protection (high-visibility clothing, harnesses, clothing for specific weather conditions, life jackets) When there are vehicles, when doing maintenance work on machinery, when working outdoors, in extreme temperatures, for protection against chemical contamination, for protection against drowning.
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Employees need somewhere for PPE with:
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adequate privacy to change into the PPE
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somewhere to store their belongings
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a designated place to store or return (e.g. laundry) the PPE after use.
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Evidence of Implementation
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a record of available PPE, what it is used for and how it is maintained
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health and safety risk assessment demonstrating when PPE is needed.
Auditors Should Confirm
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employees are using PPE correctly and consistently;
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the PPE is well maintained and in good working condition;
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employees understand the reasoning behind the use of PPE and why it is important.
Indicator 3.5.11
Requirement
The UoC shall ensure that escape routes, fire exits and firefighting equipment are accessible and clear of obstacles.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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The UoC is responsible for:
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removing any obstacles around escape routes and fire exits
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ensuring that emergency doors are not locked
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ensuring that emergency equipment is not blocked by any obstacles.
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Evidence of Implementation
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information about locations of emergency equipment.
Auditors Should Confirm
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escape routes, fire exits and firefighting equipment are accessible
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employees understand where exits and equipment are located.
Indicator 3.5.10
Requirement
The UoC shall ensure that escape routes, fire exits, firefighting equipment and fire alarms are clearly marked and maintained in good working order.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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Fire safety and other emergency measures are in place, for example:
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fire alarms
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marked fire exits
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marked, well-lit and well-maintained emergency escape routes
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assembly points
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firefighting equipment that is maintained annually or as required.
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Fire drills are conducted regularly to ensure that employees understand the emergency procedures.
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Evidence of Implementation
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documented fire and emergency safety procedures
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list of equipment and information about maintenance schedules
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list of hazardous items
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relevant signs around the workplace.
Auditors Should Confirm
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employees have taken part in a drill;
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employees understand what to do in case of a fire or other emergency;
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equipment is up-to-date and in good working order.
Indicator 3.5.9
Requirement
The UoC shall ensure that clear and understandable emergency and fire safety procedures are in place. **
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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The UoC should have procedures in place for emergencies that can have a significant impact on people on the site, including:
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serious injuries
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fire
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explosion
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flood
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poisoning
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electrocution
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hazardous chemical spill.
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Emergency procedures can include:
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outlining what might happen and how to raise an alarm
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what to do if an alarm goes off
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a plan showing the location of hazardous items
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a plan for emergency shutdown, isolation or making processes safe
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how to call the emergency services
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where the escape routes are located
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where the assembly points are
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what the responsibility is of each employee and the management.
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Drills should be conducted regularly to ensure that employees understand the emergency procedures.
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Evidence of Implementation
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documented fire and emergency safety procedures
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list of equipment and information about maintenance schedules
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list of hazardous items
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relevant signs around the workplace.
Auditors Should Confirm
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employees have taken part in a drill;
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employees understand what to do in case of a fire or other emergency;
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equipment is up-to-date and in good working order.
Useful Resources
<https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplace-health/emergency-procedures.htm>
Indicator 3.5.8
Requirement
The UoC shall ensure that appropriate and understandable health and safety notices, instructions, and warning signs are visibly displayed.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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Potential hazards and risk areas around the site are clearly identified by warning signs.
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The choice of signs, notices and instructions are informed by the health and safety risk assessment.
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Written safety instructions for equipment use are accessible to all employees who need to use that equipment and are in a language that employees understand.
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Written safety procedures are available to employees and:
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include details on:
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accident prevention and response
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emergency procedures
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are in a language that they understand
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can include pictures or diagrams, which can be helpful.
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Evidence of Implementation
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warning signs around the site
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written safety instructions and procedures that are accessible for employees.
Auditors Should Confirm
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warning signs are clearly visible and potential hazards are clearly marked;
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employees understand where they can access safety instructions and procedures;
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employees understand what the warning signs mean and what they refer to.
Indicator 3.5.7
Requirement
The UoC shall report to ASC any accidents, according to ASC data submission procedures.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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This is a reporting requirement, not a disclosure requirement, which means that all data is held confidentially by ASC, who does not share it publicly.
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Companies should never publicly share personal employee data.
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The information collected through this reporting requirements will enable ASC to:
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gain insights into common incidents and accidents and health and safety risks, which will inform the future development of ASC’s health and safety requirements
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foster open discussions about health and safety risks and how to prevent them.
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Evidence of Implementation
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confirmation of data uploaded to MyASC.
Auditors Should Confirm
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that data uploaded to MyASC is consistent with results of the wage gap analysis.
Indicator 3.5.6
Requirement
The UoC shall maintain written records of health and safety accidents and near misses, determine the cause and implement appropriate corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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An accident is an unexpected event that causes damage, injury or harm.
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A near miss is an incident that had the potential to cause damage, injury or harm, but was prevented.
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The recording and investigation of both of these is important. By investigating to determine the root cause, the UoC is able to:
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take corrective actions that will allow the incident not to reoccur
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spot potential problems and prevent them from occurring in the first place.
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Corrective actions are actions that the UoC can put in place to ensure that the incident does not occur again. Examples are in Table 4 below:
Table 4. Examples of incidents, their cause and the resulting corrective actions:
Incident | Determine the cause | Implement corrective action
Oil is spilt on the feed barge and an employee slips and hits their head | After working on a mechanism on the barge, an employee left the oil can without a lid on and someone knocked it over without noticing. | Assign a dedicated place to safely store oil cans when they are not being used.
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| | Ensure employees are trained on this and reminded to safely store equipment.
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| | Ensure the appropriate materials are available to clear up oil, if it does spill.
Employee trips over some rope | The rope was left coiled up on the floor. | Set up ropes in a way that people cannot trip over them, or a warning sign in front of any ropes that are a trip hazard.
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There is a difference between immediate corrective action and the corrective actions to take once the root cause has been determined. For example: a fire extinguisher is blocked by a bin being placed in front of the extinguisher:
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staff take immediate corrective action and move the bin
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however, the next day they find that someone has moved the bin back. The immediate corrective action did not prevent reoccurrence
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staff investigate to determine the root cause and find out why the bin was placed there
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the investigation shows that this is the most ergonomic layout of the workstation and the bin will always be moved back to that location by whoever is using the workstation
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staff take long-term corrective action and move the fire extinguisher. This stops the issue from reoccurring.
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Evidence of Implementation
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records of accidents or near misses
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records of corrective actions taken
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training records.
Auditors Should Confirm
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employees feel comfortable to report any accidents or near misses;
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employees understand what the process is for reporting any accidents or near misses.
Indicator 3.5.5
Requirement
The UoC shall ensure that any person working on the site receives health and safety training as required to carry out their job. The UoC shall ensure that training is: a) free of charge; and b) provided in a timely manner; and c) repeated on a regular basis; and d) conducted during regularly remunerated working hours, or the person is compensated for their time; and e) updated as necessary based on new procedures or equipment; and f) documented, and records maintained.
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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Training is important because it contributes to shared responsibility for health and safety, and a workplace where everyone is protected.
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Training is delivered in a format and language that all employees can understand:
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provisions are made for anyone who is illiterate
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the UoC is responsible for ensuring that all employees have understood the training.
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Training is documented so that it is clear who has attended and what they were trained on.
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Evidence of Implementation
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training records demonstrating regular training sessions and content trained on
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attendance records confirming that all employees have been trained.
Auditors Should Confirm
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employees understand the different health and safety risks present at the site;
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employees understand good practices around health and safety at the site;
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employees have not paid for the training and it has taken place either during working hours, or they have been paid for the time that they have given to the training.
Indicator 3.5.4
Requirement
The UoC shall ensure that any person with a medical condition, or who is pregnant, does not conduct hazardous work as determined by the health and safety risk assessment (see Indicator 3.5.1).
How Do I Interpret This Requirement?
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Hazardous work can include:
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working with chemicals or dangerous substances
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working at heights or in dangerous situations
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heavy lifting or work that is physically challenging
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working with heavy machinery.
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Examples of adjusting working conditions for pregnant women can include:
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reducing physical stress, this includes limiting the weight that employees are lifting:
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week 1-19 of the pregnancy: maximum of 10 kilos at a time
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week 20-29 of pregnancy: maximum of 5 kilos up to 10 times a day
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from week 30 of pregnancy, maximum of 5 kilos up to 5 times a day
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from week 28 of pregnancy, the employee also shouldn’t bend or kneel more than once an hour
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up to 6 months after giving birth, any work involving lifting, carrying, pulling, and pushing objects should be slowly built up
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avoiding pregnant women performing tasks under environmental (atmospheric) pressure, such as diving
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not exposing pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to hazardous substances and bacteria that can harm the (unborn) child.
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Evidence of Implementation
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documented health and safety risk assessments.
Auditors Should Confirm
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whether there are pregnant women or people with medical conditions working at the UoC;
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whether or not they have been included in the health and safety risk assessment;
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that staff responsible for health and safety have an understanding of the particular risks that face pregnant women and people with a medical condition, and how to mitigate those risks.
