Environmental Policy

1.0 Statement of Intent

Phillips Direct Limited is committed to conducting its activities and operations with due regard to protecting the environment.  Both the internal workplace environment and also the wider external environment, therefore, interact.  We shall ensure that all by-products do not in any way have a detrimental impact upon the wider environment itself.We consider that a pro-active Environmental Policy is one that evaluates the possible environmental impact resulting from the conduct of all of its activities.

Phillips Direct Limited has achieved the following ISO Standards:

ISO 9001: 2015

The Company has been awarded certificates in respect of attaining these Standards.

ISO 9001: 2015 – Certificate dated 27th September 2018 – expiry 22nd February 2022;

 The key points of its strategy to achieve this are:

  • minimise waste by evaluating operations and ensuring they are as efficient as possible.
  • Minimise toxic emissions through the selection and use of its vehicles and machinery and the source of its power requirement.
  • Actively promote recycling both internally and amongst its customers and suppliers.
  • Source and promote a product range to minimise the environmental impact of both production and distribution.
  • Meet or exceed all the environmental legislation that relates to the Company.

2.0 Environmental Protection Act

Phillips Direct Limited is aware of the principle in law that the polluter must pay for any environmental damage which might have arisen, as a result of the commercial activities of the Company.

2.1 The Control of Hazardous / Dangerous Substances

It is our stated policy on our approach to the control of substances hazardous to health used in work activities. This Company, therefore, will ensure the collection of up to date health and safety data sheets for substances hazardous to health. This information will be made available to those of our employees using hazardous substances at work. These can include gases, vapours, liquids, fumes, dusts and solids and can be components of a mixture of materials and micro-organisms. Our substances’ purchasing policy will operate on the principle of elimination of hazardous substances, or at least to substitute hazardous substances with a safer product.

2.2 The Working Environment

Workplace environmental standards are of paramount importance to Phillips Direct Limited. We are aware of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which came fully into force on 1.1.1996.

2.3 Lighting

It is our policy to ensure suitable and sufficient lighting within every workplace occupied by our employees, which can be the Company premises but also client sites. Lighting shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be by natural light.  There is a requirement to maintain suitable and sufficient emergency lighting, to ensure persons at work / customers are not exposed to danger.

2.4 Heating and Cooling

The policy is to provide and maintain a reasonable working temperature within all of our premises.  We shall not use any method of heating or cooling which results in escape into our premises, or the wider environment, any fumes, gases or vapours, of such a character and to such an extent that might be injurious or offensive. Temperatures within the Company premises shall be monitored and to this end we will provide suitable thermometers for display in proper locations, to enable workplace temperatures to be measured.

2.5 Cleanliness and Waste Materials

All furniture, fittings, and furnishings will be kept sufficiently clean. All floor surfaces, walls and ceilings inside of our buildings, will be kept sufficiently clean. The process of cleaning will not itself create a risk to health and safety, or be detrimental to the environment. Waste materials will be minimised not be allowed to accumulate, except in suitable receptacles. There are proper controls in place for the collection and disposal of controlled waste both from the Company premises and client sites.

2.6 Room Dimensions and Space

All of the rooms in which employees are at work, have sufficient floor areas, height and unoccupied space, for the purposes of their health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable.

2.7 Workstations and Seating

All workstations within Company premises have been arranged to ensure that these are suitable. We have provided suitable seating for all employees.

2.8 Maintenance of Workplaces and of Equipment, Devices and Systems

All work equipment, devices and systems are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.

2.9 Housekeeping, Handling and the Storage of Materials

These aspects are part and parcel of our approach stated under ‘Cleanliness and Waste Materials’ above. However, suffice it to say here, that the respective workplaces, including all client sites shall demonstrate good housekeeping standards in relation to the delivery, distribution and storage of components used in seating builds. Materials and components will be distributed by mechanical means where reasonably practicable and we shall always attempt to have systems of work to minimise the risk of injury from manual handling operations.

2.10 Smoking at Work and Odours

Suitable arrangements are in place to ensure compliance with the ‘smoke-free’ workplace requirements of the Health Act 2006.

2.11 Noise

We shall discharge the general duty to reduce the risk of hearing damage to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable.  This will apply to the entire working environment but control measures apply within the Factory and Workshop side of the business.

2.12 Radiation

It is the policy of the Company to select and introduce work equipment that is classified as having ‘low radiation’ emissions, such as the display screen equipment (DSE) provided for the use by our employees.

2.13 Fire Extinguishing Equipment

We are aware that the agent HALON has been found to contribute to the depletion of the atmospheric OZONE layer. Because it attacks Ozone, Halon has been prohibited from use as an extinguishing agent in fire fighting systems. Protecting the environment means protecting the OZONE layer and not damaging the atmosphere.

2.14 Environmental Monitoring

If there is any doubt concerning the adverse environmental impact arising from any of our activities and operations (even if carried out by others on our behalf), we will carry out, or require any other employer involved, to undertake a suitable form of environmental monitoring. This will be to determine that the work activities will not give rise to any level of atmospheric pollution.

2.15 Work Activities and A Policy For Protection Of The Environment

Phillips Direct Limited is committed to operating in a manner that provides the required degree of protection for:

  • all water courses with which we may have contact or effect in some way, tree life and the quality of soil,
  • the foundations of buildings and other structures,

We will require the proper degree of controls for the application of pesticides and associated chemicals to ensure that there is no pollution to the environment. The other elements that form part of this Policy are those relating to noise abatement in the environment from work activities; fire protection in relation to natural vegetation, buildings and animal life; a duty of care in relation to waste disposal; and the re-instatement of those areas in which this organisation or its agents have been involved with their respective operations. We are also aware of our obligations under the Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations 2009 in protecting sites of sites of special scientific interest, protected species and natural habitats, surface or ground water and land. Will ensure that should an incident occur that affects any of the above, all practical steps will be taken to prevent further damage, and to inform the Environment Agency or Local Authority.

2.16 Quality Assurance and Purchasing Policy

It is the custom and practice of this Company to have a purchasing policy for substances used in work activities; work equipment; personal protective equipment, that conforms to the principle that selection and purchase is on the basis of the safest substance / item of equipment and the most environmentally ‘friendly’.

2.17 Transport Arrangements

Wherever possible we will ensure that the use of vehicles as part of our work activities is to be used in such a way as so to minimise our impact on the environment.  The minimum number of vehicles necessary will be used to travel to site locations.

Vehicles are subject to routine maintenance, servicing and ‘MOT’ testing, so as to ensure that our vehicles do not exceed current immersion levels, or discharge oils and other fluids.

2.18 Recycling of packaging materials / Other Materials

Packaging material will be kept to a minimum and efforts made to reuse, and recycle.

2.19 Minimising waste

Wherever possible the quantity of waste created by the company will be kept to a minimum.  Any materials that are not used ‘on-site’ such as timber etc. We will ensure that all waste is dealt with in accordance with the relevant regulations appropriate to its category.  This includes the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation 2006 and the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005, and the Site Waste Management Plan Regulations 2008.

2.20 Effective use of water and energy

Every effort will be made to minimise power used in turning off excess lights, sensor lights.

2.21 Details of rivers, streams and any other water courses located on, or close to your site

The premises are in close proximity to the Grand Union Canal.  We will ensure that the Company’s undertakings do not damage or interfere with this water course environment in any way.

2.22 Review

This policy will be subjected to continuous review and revision in line with the development of Phillips Direct Limited, changes in current legislation, or the perceived demands of Society.