Introduction

The Kenya Occupational Health and Safety Act 2007 (OSHA) provides for the health, safety and welfare of persons employed, and all persons lawfully present at workplaces and related areas such as location, vessel, land where a worker is in the course of employment. The act mandates employers to provide and maintain plant and systems and procedures of work that are safe and without risk to workers’ health. Sunflower Events (K) Ltd recognizes and complies with its moral and legal obligation to provide a safe environment for its employees in line with the OSHA and other relevant guidelines.

Policy Statement

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd is committed to ensuring and promoting, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, welfare and environment of its employees and others who may be affected by it and seeks the co-operation of all employees for that purpose. Sunflower Events (K) Ltd recognizes that injuries and illnesses may happen in any environment and its objective is to reduce the incidence of these in the workplace to an absolute minimum and always to aspire to employ best practice so far as reasonably practical.

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd acknowledges that health and safety in the workplace is the responsibility of all staff.

Purpose

This policy sets out Sunflower Events (K) Ltd.’s commitment to ensure the Health and safety of its staff and premises. It enables Sunflower Events (K) Ltd meet its legal and moral obligations as well as lay out the roles and responsibilities of those involved in ensuring the health and safety of staff in the workplace.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees of Sunflower Events (K) Ltd staff and all her associated parties (both during and outside regular working hours) including members of the Board, Trustees, implementing partners, vendors, contractors and any other third party. It also applies to visitors to any of her premises, which includes anyone else hosted by Sunflower Events (K) Ltd or any of her visiting, implemented or financially supported programs(collectively “Visitors”).

The term ‘Sunflower Events (K) Ltd staff’ will be used throughout this policy to refer to those within scope.

Designated Health and Safety Lead

The Operations Manager has been designated as the lead in health and safety within Sunflower Events (K) Ltd. As the Health and Safety lead, he/she will be responsible for creating relevant guidelines to supplement this policy. This includes risk assessments, training, receiving and managing health and safety concerns.

The health and safety lead will work with the Program Management Team (PMT) to manage risks.

Risk Assessment

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd will conduct a risk assessment with a view to identifying any health and safety hazards.

The risk assessment will guide the proportionate application of preventive and protective measures. Preventive and protective measures will be taken in light of the outcomes of risk assessment to ensure that all equipment, tools and process used by staff are safe and without risk to health and comply with the expected requirements. Such mitigation actions may include the provision of information, instruction, training or provision of safer equipment to staff as is necessary.

Facilities

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd will ensure proper cleanliness, ventilation, lighting, drainage of the floor, sanitary convenience, avoid overcrowding and control air pollution, noise and vibration at the workplace. Staff must not deliberately create situations that will be deemed to be a potential hazard to others but must ensure the facilities are at all times kept in the appropriate condition.

Hazards and warning signs will be put in place to ensure that staff are well aware of any areas that may pose a threat to their safety, such as spillages or wet floors. Where these are displayed staff must take responsibility to avoid and be cautious when moving around such areas.

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd will provide safe equipment at the workplace, which may include appropriate seats, adjustable desks, screens, desktops to minimize any health and safety risks to staff. Staff must make use of such equipment when provided.

Provision of Personal Protective Equipment

Where necessary, Sunflower Events (K) Ltd will provide guidelines as well as protective equipment to staff working with equipment or on areas that may present a health or safety risk. Where these are provided, staff must adhere to this policy, follow the guidelines and use the equipment provided.

First Aid Kit

First aid kit has been provided to ensure that staff get immediate help if taken ill or injured at work. The first aid kit is in the custody of the health and safety lead who will ensure it is suitably stocked.

Fire Safety

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd.’s premises are adequately equipped with fire equipment. Guidance on how to use them will be provided to staff to ensure they are well acquainted with safety measures.

Emergency plans have been put in place, which includes evacuation and assembly procedures, posted evacuation maps, reporting and communication practices, training, and appointed fire marshals as led by the Health and Safety lead shall oversee the implementation of the emergency plans.

Training and Awareness

All members are inducted and trained on this policy and supporting guidelines. It is mandatory that each member understands the requirements of this policy.

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd will also provide training to staff who will be tasked to work on any equipment that may be considered hazardous or pose a risk to their health and safety. The training will inform the users of any risks and imminent danger.

Attendance to the annual health and safety training is mandatory for all staff.

Reporting a Concern

If staff notice a defect or potential risk whether it be in an office, or elsewhere in the workplace they must report it to the Health and Safety Lead immediately. All security incidents must also be reported immediately.

Staff who have any concerns regarding their health and safety at work are encouraged to report it through their Managers or directly to the Operations Manager. Such concerns may include accidents or incidents, near misses or work-related illnesses. Managers who receive such reports and concerns must promptly report them to the Operations Manager or the Chief Operations Manager.

Staff may also report concerns using the whistleblowing as laid out in Sunflower Events (K) Ltd whistleblower policy.

No Retaliation

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd does not tolerate any form of retaliation or discrimination against any staff or person who has reported a concern.

The full protections for persons making reports can be found in Sunflower Events (K) Ltd Whistleblower Policy. Anyone who experiences retaliation for reporting should immediately report to the Chief Operations Officer or make a report using the whistleblowing hotlines.

Managing Health and Safety Concerns

All concerns received regarding health and safety risks will be managed accordingly by the Operations Manager.

Where necessary investigations may be conducted to address reported concerns. These will be overseen by the Health and Safety Lead and be conducted in line with the stipulations written down in the whistleblowing policy.

Deliberate violations of this policy can be grounds for disciplinary action or where a criminal offence has occurred; it may necessitate reporting to authorities.

Staff who are injured at the workplace will be compensated in line with the Workers Injury Benefits Act.

The Health and Safety lead will make external reports of injury at the workplace to the Director in line with the Workers Injury Benefits Act.

Security

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd values the security and wellbeing of staff and has put in place measures to ensure security of staff is safeguarded when undertaking work duties. Line Managers are responsible for security of staff they manage. Staff must report security concerns through their line managers and onto the Chief Operations Officer.

Security risk should be assessed prior to staff travelling traveling to project location.

Security risk management plans covering security protocols will be prepared by the Health and Safety Lead in conjunction with Project Managers. These protocols will provide guidance to staff dealing with different security situations. All staff are obligated to read and understand the security protocols.

Insurance coverage

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd will provide workers injury and health insurance cover for all its staff in line with the Work, Injury Benefits Act.

Sunflower Events (K) Ltd assets will be insured in line with processes laid out in the finance manual.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. All staff have a responsibility to read, understand and fully comply with the requirements of this policy and any other health and safety guidelines. All staff have a mandatory duty to report health and safety concerns and potential hazards they come across and observe all safetyrules and instructions. Staff must also ensure their health and safety and that of other personswho may be affected by their actions or omissions.

2. Line managers are responsible for the health and safety of all employees under their supervision. This includes responsibility for appropriate training and instruction, proper follow up on reported health and safety concerns, and implementation of recommended corrective action. This accountability will be integrated into the performance appraisal system.

3. Chief Operations Manager and Chief Executive Officer are responsible for overseeing the full implementation of this policy in all aspects of operations, including the investigations of complaints related to this policy.

4. Sunflower Events (K) Limited is responsible for providing governance oversight over the implementation of this policy.

5. Sunflower Events (K) Limited Trustees are responsible for ensuring that there are appropriate procedures and systems in place to safeguard the health and safety of staff.

Review of this Policy

The Health and Safety Lead is responsible for overseeing and updating this policy and associated procedure, taking into consideration any legal obligations and other external requirements.

In updating and reviewing this policy and any related procedures or guidelines, Health and Safety Lead will ensure staff participation. This policy will be reviewed every two years.

Related Policies

1. Code of Conduct

2. Risk Management Policy

3. Whistleblowing Policy

4. Misconduct, Disciplinary and Grievance Policy