Equal Opportunities Policy
Environmental Policy
Health & Safety at Work

 Equal Opportunities Policy

General Statement of Policy

Bucks and Berks Recruitment Plc is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all employees, workers and applicants and shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis on all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination.  Bucks and Berks Recruitment will treat everyone equally irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, age, disability, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion, political beliefs or membership or non-membership of a Trade Union and places an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.  Bucks and Berks Recruitment is committed to providing training for all staff in equal opportunities practice.

Bucks and Berks staff shall not discriminate unlawfully when deciding which candidate/temporary worker is submitted for a vacancy or assignment, or in any terms of employment or terms of engagement for temporary workers.  Bucks and Berks staff will ensure that each candidate is assessed only in accordance with the candidate’s merits, qualification and ability to perform the relevant duties required by the particular vacancy.

Bucks and Berks staff will not accept instructions from clients that indicate an intention to discriminate unlawfully.

All new employees will undergo training and/or briefing as part of their induction to enable them to meet the requirements of this policy and the Codes of Practice. All employees will be regularly updated to ensure that they are kept aware of any change in the policy, the Codes of Practice and relevant legislation.

To foster awareness, staff sign up to the Policy on a regular basis.

Disability Discrimination

Bucks and Berks staff will not discriminate against a disabled job applicant or worker on the grounds of disability.

Bucks and Berks will accordingly make career opportunities available to all people with disabilities and every practical effort will be made to provide for the needs of staff, candidates and clients.

Wherever possible Bucks and Berks staff will make reasonable adjustments to hallways, passages and doors in order to provide and improve means of access for disabled people.  However, this may not always be feasible.

If a candidate has a disability which means thay have special requirements such as accessing premises, registering, attending interviews, or working in temporary assignments, then, on request, Bucks and Berks staff will be happy to condiser making suitable arrangements to meet their needs.  Bucks and Berks staff will also liaise with employer clients to encourage their consideration of reasonable adjustments for job seekers introduced by Bucks and Berks.

Bucks and Berks Website

Bucks and Berks strives to make the web site accessible to as wide an audience as possible, and we have looked carefully into the recommendations for those with poor eyesight. Where possible and indeed practical, we have done all we can to comply with the recommendations made by the RNIB, using their "Advice on designing accessible websites" displayed on their website.

issued 10.10.2006

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Environmental Policy

Bucks and Berks Recruitment Plc is an employment agency that deals with office-based recruitment within the Thames Valley. Although we have a low impact on the environment we recognise that we have a duty of care to our clients, candidates, and employees, and as part of our environmental policy we will:

• Recycle waste paper whenever possible
• Send toner cartridges to charity for recycling
• Make this policy available via our website to the clients, candidates and employees
• Ensure individual branches implement and maintain this policy
• Follow the systems prescribed in ISO 14001

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Health & Safety at Work

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation, of which Bucks and Berks is a member, has produced this information to make sure that you are aware of your responsibilities under Health & Safety at Work Legislation, as well as our responsibilities and those of the Client(s) to which we send you.

Everyone must take care of his or her health and safety at work and young or inexperienced workers require special consideration.

If you are under 18 you must tell your supervisor/manager in the Client to which you are assigned.

Please find below details of these Health & Safety requirements

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

The Temp has a duty to:-

• Assess any risks to his/her health and safety during an assignment. This extends to reporting any dangers or inherent risks in the Client’s activities to a representative of the Client.
• Observe the Client’s Health and Safety at Work policy. This should entail, if possible, asking the client for sight of the policy before starting the assignment.
• Co-operate with the Client on Health and Safety matters, following all instructions to ensure a safe system of work.
• Advise Bucks & Berks and the Client if she is pregnant and would like a specific risk assessment to be undertaken by the Client.
• Take all reasonable steps to safeguard his/her own safety and that of any other person who may be affected by his/her actions.
• Report to the Client any injury or accident that occurs whilst on the assignment. You must also ensure that your branch is informed of all details of the injury or accident as soon as possible.
• Wear any protective clothing and equipment that he/she has been told to wear in order to carry out the assignment.

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Clients are required by law :-

• To treat the Temp as they would treat one of their own employees for all health and safety matters. For example, Clients must make the Temp aware of their own Health and Safety policy.
• To assess the risks to which the Temp might be exposed and to draw them to the attention of both the Temp and to Bucks and Berks.
• To advise the Temp of any hazardous substances with which they may be working with under the COSHH Regulations.
• To advise the Temp on emergency and evacuation alarms and procedures.
• To ensure that manual handling is carried out safely by people trained to do so.
• To tell the Temp the name of its authorised Health and Safety representative.
• To ensure that the Temp is wearing the appropriate protective clothing and equipment for the job to be undertaken.
• To record any accidents or injuries in the Client’s accident record book and if necessary inform the Health and Safety executive.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

We are responsible for:-

• Making reasonable enquiries of the Client on their approach to Health and Safety, their Health and Safety policy and Risk Assessment.
• Passing on to you all the relevant information provided by the Client on any qualifications and skills you will need in order to do the job safely - and any health and safety issues connected with the assignment.
• Advising you on any standards of health required by the Client and any medical checks that you may have to undergo.

Health & Safety Computer/VDU Users

Health and Safety legislation affects anyone who habitually uses computers for a significant part of their normal work. It is the Client’s responsibility to analyse the health and safety risks of workstations.

As a temporary worker under a Contract for Services for Temporary Workers – Terms of Engagement you are defined as a ‘user’ of computers and VDUs whilst working through Bucks & Berks. Unlike employees who regularly work with VDUs, ‘users’ are not entitled to free eye tests and should provide their own suitable glasses.

There are many things you can do to help yourself and ensure you avoid potential health problems:-

• Adjust your chair and computer to find the most comfortable position for your work. As a rough guide, your forearms should be approximately horizontal and your eyes at the same height as the top of the screen
• Make sure there is enough space underneath your desk to move your legs freely. If there are any obstacles such as boxes or equipment, please ask your supervisor/manager to move these.
• Avoid excess pressure on the backs of your legs and knees.
• Do not sit in the same position for long periods. Make sure you change your posture as often as practical.
• Adjust your keyboard and screen so that you have a good viewing and typing position. A space in front of the hands is sometimes helpful for resting the hands and wrists when not typing.
• Do not bend your hands at the wrist when typing. Try to keep a soft touch on the keys and do not over stretch your fingers. Good keyboard technique is important.
• Make sure you have enough workspace to take whatever documents you need. A document holder may help you to avoid awkward neck movements.
• Arrange your desk and screen so that bright lights are not reflected in the screen. You should not be directly facing a window or bright lights. Adjust curtains or blinds to prevent unwanted light.
• Make sure there are no layers of dirt, grime or finger marks on the screen.
• Use the brightness control on screen to suit the lighting conditions of the room.
• Organise your work so that you can take regular, short breaks away from the screen (recommended every hour).

Manual Handling/Lifting and Carrying

You should make suitable and sufficient assessment of any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided and reduce the risk of injury in as far as is reasonably practical.

You should not put yourself at risk when lifting and carrying in an assignment. If you have not received specific training in manual handling you should bring this to the Client’s attention, if asked to lift or carry items at work.

General Fire Safety

The Client should inform you when you first start work of the procedures to be taken in the case of a fire. Please make yourself aware of the procedures to be taken, including fire drills, fire alarms and the fire exits at your place of work.

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