RoSPA AWARDS 2017 : CALDERDALE COLLEGE
“ The key to our continuing success is providing a consistent and manageable health and safety regime . Keeping up to date with legislative changes and reviewing best practices helps to streamline the process . Having senior management proactively on board also encourages all of our staff and learners to be aware of their health and safety responsibilities .”
Q In July , you attended the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards Presentation Ceremony and Gala Dinner at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel . How was it to receive the Order of Distinction Award on behalf of the College , and did you enjoy the evening celebrations ? Would you recommend the RoSPA Awards to other organisations ?
“ I felt very privileged to receive the award on behalf of the College and to meet with likeminded health and safety professionals . The evening celebration was a showcase for the high achievers and hopefully at some point , Calderdale College will be honoured at the evening awards too .
“ We are very proud of our achievement and will undoubtedly continue to enter the RoSPA Awards in years to come . I would certainly recommend the RoSPA Awards to other organisations and often mention the College ’ s success at the regional Association of Colleges meetings .”
Q How important is health and safety to you and Calderdale College ? How do you ensure that the highest standards are met ?
“ Health and safety is of paramount importance across the whole of Calderdale College . Undoubtedly , there is a duty of care to end users , particularly in catering for the diverse range of learners including mature students and those with a specific learning difficulty or disability .
“ Most of our curricular activities involve the delivery of health and safety in accordance to the specific requirements of each particular subject ; from Woodwork to Hairdressing and even Animal Care . A safety culture is instilled in all our learners as they work through their courses , with the objective of reducing accidents and incidents .
“ The college has an ongoing Occupational Health Surveillance programme which is reviewed annually , ensuring that we look after our staff well . We also have programmes in place for noise , hand-arm vibration syndrome ( HAVS ) and dermatitis ( as there is a possibility of contact with carcinogens with some of our trades ).”
Q Does Calderdale College hold any accreditations and are you a member of any associations ? If so , how do these organisations help the College ?
“ The College is a member of the Association of Colleges , from whom we received a Beacon Award for our employer engagement programmes in 2016 / 2017 . Membership is vital to the running of the college and keeping up
“ The college is also a member of RoSPA , where the relationship was forged many years ago in a conscious effort to improve our health and safety systems .”
with many and varied changes that are currently being experienced within the Further and Higher Education System .
“ The college is also a member of RoSPA , where the relationship was forged many years ago in a conscious effort to improve our health and safety systems . This improvement ethos has cascaded down through the lecturers to our core users our learners .”
Q What are your values towards corporate responsibility ; the environment and the world around you ?
“ Calderdale College has an Environmental Policy and in keeping with the policy , its Sustainable and Environmental Technologies Centre comprises specialist sustainable technologies . These include photo-voltaic panels , solar hot water installations , rainwater recycling , a wind turbine , a demonstration plant room and wind catcher ventilation installations ; all of which enabled the building to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating .
“ Our waste management is provided by a local company who recycle for us as we don ’ t have the facilities for specific recycling points on campus . They produce a monthly report indicating how much of our waste has gone to landfill and exactly what has been recycled . These statistics are used by our governors to ensure we are being corporately responsible .”
Q The College recently unveiled £ 9m of new facilities , completed by GRAHAM Construction . Can you tell us about the refurbishment project and what it means for the College and your pupils ?
“ Calderdale College has completed a multi-million pound building programme , transforming three floors of the main campus into state-of-the-art learning facilities .
“ The Unlocking Potential project started in November 2015 . Co-funded by the college and the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership , this exciting development allows the College to deliver new courses to meet local skills and employment needs �.
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