# 14.1 Health and Safety Introduction
**Version:** V2
**Effective Date:** October 2025
**Review Date:** October 2026
**Document Owner:** Operations Manager
**Approved By:** Company Director
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## Purpose
To provide an overview of Little Coffee Bean Co’s commitment to health and safety, outlining our responsibilities and the framework for maintaining a safe working environment for all staff, franchisees, contractors, and customers.
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## Scope
This SOP applies to:
– All Little Coffee Bean Co employees
– Franchise owners and their staff
– Contractors and visitors
– All fixed shop locations and mobile Tuk Tuk units
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## Company Health and Safety Policy Statement
Little Coffee Bean Co is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of all employees, franchisees, contractors, visitors, and customers. We recognise that effective health and safety management is essential to our business operations and reputation.
### Our Commitments
**1. Legal Compliance**
– Comply with all relevant UK health and safety legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
– Meet or exceed standards set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
– Maintain all required certifications, licenses, and permits
**2. Risk Management**
– Conduct regular risk assessments for all sites and activities
– Implement control measures to eliminate or reduce identified risks
– Review and update risk assessments annually or when circumstances change
**3. Safe Working Environment**
– Provide and maintain safe equipment, premises, and systems of work
– Ensure adequate welfare facilities at all locations
– Maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards across all sites
**4. Training and Competence**
– Provide comprehensive health and safety training to all staff
– Ensure all employees are competent to perform their duties safely
– Maintain training records and conduct regular refresher sessions
**5. Information and Communication**
– Communicate health and safety information clearly to all staff
– Display required health and safety notices and documentation
– Encourage reporting of hazards, incidents, and near-misses
**6. Consultation and Participation**
– Consult with employees on health and safety matters
– Encourage active participation in maintaining safe working practices
– Consider employee feedback in risk assessments and policy reviews
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## Responsibilities
### Company Director
– Overall responsibility for health and safety policy and implementation
– Ensure adequate resources are allocated to health and safety management
– Review health and safety performance regularly
– Lead by example in promoting a positive safety culture
### Operations Manager
– Implement and maintain health and safety management systems
– Coordinate risk assessments and safety audits
– Ensure compliance with all health and safety legislation
– Investigate serious incidents and implement corrective actions
– Monitor health and safety performance across all sites
### Area Managers
– Ensure health and safety policies are implemented at site level
– Conduct regular site safety inspections
– Support Store Managers in maintaining safe working environments
– Report health and safety concerns to Operations Manager
– Coordinate incident investigations within their area
### Store Managers
– Day-to-day responsibility for health and safety at their location
– Conduct site-specific risk assessments
– Ensure all staff receive appropriate health and safety training
– Maintain health and safety records and documentation
– Report incidents, accidents, and near-misses promptly
– Conduct regular workplace inspections
– Ensure all equipment is properly maintained
### All Employees
– Take reasonable care of their own health and safety
– Take reasonable care of others who may be affected by their actions
– Cooperate with management on health and safety matters
– Follow all health and safety procedures and instructions
– Use equipment and PPE correctly
– Report hazards, incidents, and near-misses immediately
– Not interfere with or misuse anything provided for health and safety
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## Health and Safety Management Framework
### 1. Risk Assessment
All sites must maintain current risk assessments covering:
– General workplace hazards
– Fire safety
– Manual handling
– Slips, trips, and falls
– Equipment use
– Lone working (mobile units)
– Work-related violence (railway stations)
– COVID-19 and infectious diseases
**Reference:** Section 14.2 Risk Assessment SOP
### 2. Fire Safety
– Fire risk assessments conducted for all premises
– Fire evacuation procedures displayed and practiced
– Fire-fighting equipment maintained and tested
– Staff trained in fire safety procedures
**Reference:** Section 14.3 Fire Risk Assessment SOP
### 3. Equipment Safety
– All electrical equipment tested in accordance with PAT testing schedules
– Coffee machines pressure tested as per manufacturer requirements
– Gas safety checks for mobile units using LPG
– Regular maintenance schedules maintained
**References:**
– Section 14.5 PAT Testing SOP
– Section 14.6 Coffee Machine Pressure Testing SOP
– Section 14.8 Gas Safety SOP
### 4. Incident Reporting
– All accidents, incidents, and near-misses must be reported immediately
– RIDDOR-reportable incidents notified to HSE within required timeframes
– Incident investigations conducted to identify root causes
– Corrective actions implemented to prevent recurrence
**Reference:** Section 14.9 RIDDOR Guide / Incident Flow Chart SOP
### 5. Occupational Health
– Legionnaires’ disease risk assessments for water systems
– First aid provisions at all sites
– Occupational health support available to all staff
– Mental health and wellbeing support
**Reference:** Section 14.10 Legionnaires’ Disease Factsheet SOP
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## Health and Safety Documentation
All sites must maintain the following documentation:
– Current risk assessments
– Fire evacuation plans
– Accident and incident records
– Equipment maintenance and testing records
– Staff training records
– Health and safety inspection reports
– COSHH assessments (if applicable)
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## Monitoring and Review
### Site Inspections
– Store Managers conduct weekly workplace inspections
– Area Managers conduct monthly site visits
– Operations Manager conducts quarterly safety audits
### Performance Monitoring
– Accident and incident rates tracked monthly
– Near-miss reports reviewed for trends
– Training compliance monitored
– Equipment maintenance schedules tracked
### Annual Review
– Health and safety policy reviewed annually
– Risk assessments reviewed and updated
– Training needs assessed
– Performance targets set for the coming year
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## Escalation Protocol
All health and safety concerns must be escalated following the company’s Troubleshooting Escalation Protocol:
**Immediate Dangers:**
1. Remove people from danger
2. Contact emergency services (999) if required
3. Notify Store Manager immediately
4. Notify Area Manager and Operations Manager within 1 hour
**Non-Urgent Concerns:**
1. Report to Store Manager
2. Document in site logbook
3. Store Manager escalates to Area Manager if unable to resolve
4. Area Manager escalates to Operations Manager if required
**Reference:** Section 1.3 Troubleshooting Escalation Protocol
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## Regulatory References
This SOP is based on guidance from:
– Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – [www.hse.gov.uk](https://www.hse.gov.uk)
– Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
– Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
– Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
– Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
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## Quality Checks
✓ All staff have read and understood this SOP
✓ Health and safety responsibilities clearly communicated
✓ Site-specific risk assessments completed
✓ Emergency procedures displayed and understood
✓ All required documentation maintained and accessible
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## Training Requirements
All staff must complete:
– Health and safety induction (Day 1)
– Site-specific safety briefing
– Fire safety training
– Equipment safety training
– Annual health and safety refresher
**Training records must be maintained by Store Managers.**
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**Document Control:**
This is a controlled document. Any printed copies are uncontrolled and may not be current. Always refer to the digital version on the company support website for the most up-to-date information.
**Next Review:** October 2026