NCFE Business Administration Level 3 Unit 4 Principles of Administration Element 1: Understand how to manage an office facility Summary: Facility management is an interdisciplinary business function that coordinates space, infrastructure, people and organization. Element 1.1 Explain the legal requirements relating to the management of office facilities It is important to understand the 3 types of law, and that legal responsibility for managing an office facility can come under these laws: Civil: contract law, employment law, tort (civil wrongs) Criminal: breaches of regulations, enforcement of notices, punishment for acts (such as assault, burglary, murder), breaches of duty of care (such as waste management, water pollution) Public: planning regulations, building regulations Health & Safety Security (Physical & cyber) Employment Environment Fire Safety Food Information Your task – select a minimum of 5 of the above areas that have legal requirements. You MUST include H&S & security within your selection. Explain what the legal requirements are for each. Element 1.2 Describe the typical services provided by an office facility Typical services may include: Purchasing/sales Processing customer orders Research Resolving enquiries Customer service Auditing Financial records Your task - describe a minimum of 3 services that you provide within your own job role. You must give a detailed breakdown of what the services include, and what you do. Your task - describe a minimum of 3 services that you provide within your own job role. You must give a detailed breakdown of what the services include, and what you do.   Element 1.3 Explain how to establish office management procedures Office procedures are clearly defined practices that everyone who works in an office follows in the event of common or uncommon situations that arise throughout the work day. H&S procedures Employee job descriptions Employee handbooks Hazardous materials disposal HR: e.g. Job descriptions, sickness/holiday entitlements, punctuality, break times Data protection & confidentiality protocols Office etiquette: e.g. personal calls, dress code, email & phone policies File management Your Task - explain a minimum of 3 procedures that have been established in your organisation. HOW were they established? For example, an employee handbook was derived from employee feedback. The fire drill is written to meet the layout of the building in order to establish a safe and logical evacuation procedure. Element 1.4 Explain how to manage office resources Your Task – explain a minimum of 2 human resources & minimum of 2 physical resources in your workplace. HOW are they managed? For example, Stationery: Who are the cheapest suppliers? How often do items need to be ordered? Who is responsible for ordering & maintaining stocks? Who is monitoring waste? Recruiting: Identifying the need for new staff and ensuring that costs are incorporated into t.

1. NCFE
Business Administration
Level 3
Unit 4 Principles of Administration
Element 1:
Understand how to manage an office facility
Summary: Facility management is an interdisciplinary business
function that coordinates space, infrastructure, people and
organization.
Element 1.1
Explain the legal requirements relating to the management of
office facilities
It is important to understand the 3 types of law, and that legal
responsibility for managing an office facility can come under
these laws:
Civil: contract law, employment law, tort (civil wrongs)
Criminal: breaches of regulations, enforcement of notices,
punishment for acts (such as assault, burglary, murder),
breaches of duty of care (such as waste management, water
pollution)
Public: planning regulations, building regulations
Health & Safety

2. Security (Physical & cyber)
Employment
Environment
Fire Safety
Food
Information
Your task – select a minimum of 5 of the above areas that have
legal requirements. You MUST include H&S & security within
your selection.
Explain what the legal requirements are for each.
Element 1.2
Describe the typical services provided by an office facility
Typical services may include:
Purchasing/sales
Processing customer orders
Research
Resolving enquiries
Customer service
Auditing
Financial records
Your task - describe a minimum of 3 services that you provide
within your own job role.
You must give a detailed breakdown of what the services
include, and what you do.
Your task - describe a minimum of 3 services that you provide
within your own job role.
You must give a detailed breakdown of what the services
include, and what you do.

3. Element 1.3
Explain how to establish office management procedures
Office procedures are clearly defined practices that everyone
who works in an office follows in the event of common or
uncommon situations that arise throughout the work day.
H&S procedures
Employee job descriptions
Employee handbooks
Hazardous materials disposal
HR: e.g. Job descriptions, sickness/holiday entitlements,
punctuality, break times
Data protection & confidentiality protocols
Office etiquette: e.g. personal calls, dress code, email & phone
policies
File management
Your Task - explain a minimum of 3 procedures that have been
established in your organisation.
HOW were they established?
For example, an employee handbook was derived from
employee feedback.
The fire drill is written to meet the layout of the building in
order to establish a safe and logical evacuation procedure.
Element 1.4
Explain how to manage office resources
Your Task – explain a minimum of 2 human resources &
minimum of 2 physical resources in your workplace. HOW are

4. they managed?
For example,
Stationery: Who are the cheapest suppliers? How often do
items need to be ordered? Who is responsible for ordering &
maintaining stocks? Who is monitoring waste?
Recruiting: Identifying the need for new staff and ensuring that
costs are incorporated into the company budget. i.e. recruitment
fees and pending salary.
Human resources – for example:
Recruiting
Induction & Ongoing Training
Individual & team responsibilities.
Communication
Physical resources – for example:
Transport
Stationery
Office layout/furniture
Welfare facilities
Equipment (e.g. printers, scanners, faxes, computers, shredders,
dictation machines, label makers, franking machines)
Element 1.5
Explain techniques to monitor and manage work flows
Your Task
Explain a minimum of 5 techniques used in your organisation
and how they enable the management of work flows.
Summary: ‘Workflow’ is the detailed execution of a business
process, during which documents, information or tasks are
passed from one participant to another for action, according to a
set of procedural rule
Examples of monitoring techniques:

5. Observation
Monitoring work performance and output
Monitoring absenteeism and staff turnover
Benchmarking
Financial recording
Employee surveys/questionnaires/feedback sheets
Measuring the time it takes to complete tasks
Monitoring returns (for example, customer returns)
Logging the level of errors/complaints.
Element 1.6
Explain typical support and welfare facilities for office workers
Your Task - explain the requirements of ALL of the listed
facilities: in relation to the amount of employees in your
organisation AND other sizes of organisation's.
Welfare facilities may include:
Toilets and washrooms
Drinking water
Eating areas
Sufficient ventilation, lighting and temperature.
Element 2:
Understand health and safety in a business environment
Element 2.1

6. Explain the legal obligations of the employer for health and
safety in the workplace
Summary: It is an employer's duty to protect the health, safety
and welfare of their employees and other people who might be
affected by their business. Employers must do whatever is
reasonably practicable to achieve this. This means making sure
that workers and others are protected from anything that may
cause harm, effectively controlling any risks to injury or health
that could arise in the workplace. (hse.gov.uk)
Examples of employer responsibilities:
PPE
H&S Policy / Risk assessments
Information & training
Employee consultation
DSE users
Your task – describe the employers responsibilities of ALL of
the above.
Is there another that is specific to your own company?
Element 2.2
Explain an individual’s responsibilities for health and safety in
the workplace
Summary: All workers are entitled to work in environments
where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled.
Under health and safety law, the primary responsibility for this
is down to employers.
Worker s have a duty to take care of their own health and safety
and that of others who may be affected by your actions at work.

7. Workers must co-operate with employers and co-workers to help
everyone meet their legal requirements. (hse.gov.uk)
Your Task – explain your responsibilities for H&S in the
workplace. Are there any responsibilities specific to your
company?
Use the gov.uk website for the most reliable source of
information.
Element 2.3
Describe accident and emergency procedures
Your Task - describe (in full) the accident & emergency
procedures for your own organisation. This must include:
Fire drill procedure and meeting point
Accident reporting
Appointed person and/or 1st aider.
Location of 1st aid box & accident book.
.
Element 3:
Understand how to take minutes of meetings
Element 3.1
Explain the purpose of meeting minutes
Your Task - Use the internet to research and explain:
a minimum of 5 reasons for recording minutes of meetings

8. Element 3.2
Explain the legal implications of meeting minutes
Summary: The minutes of a business meeting are a legal
document you must keep on file. This is particularly true of
corporations, but no matter how you have your company
organized, you may need business minutes to defend lawsuits,
explain expenses to the Internal Revenue Service or support a
copyright claim, to give a few examples. (Legal experts will
maintain that if an action isn’t in the minutes, it didn’t happen).
Your task – research & explain the implications of the
following:
Litigation protection (defending lawsuits)
Audit requirements
Inland Revenue
Copyright claims
Element 3.3
Explain the importance of accuracy in minute taking
Example: Your colleague makes a claim that simply is not true
because they have misconstrued a meeting and the action points.
You agreed to a pay-rise for 6 months. Yet the employee says it
was a permanent pay rise. What was actually agreed?
Your task - The above is one example of the need for legal
protection.
Explain the importance of the following categories, critical to
accuracy:
Legal protection
Structure
Planning

9. Element 3.4
Describe what should and should not be included in different
types of meeting minutes
Your task - use the internet to research and explain what should
and should not be included. You must include a minimum of 4
‘should’ and a minimum of 2 ‘should not’.
Element 3.5
Describe how to take notes during meetings
Your task - explain a minimum of 2 of the above techniques
and how they work.
Examples of techniques:
Comprehensive notes
Mind mapping
Noting on the agenda
Technology tools
Element 4:
Understand how to chair, lead and manage meetings
Element 4.1
Explain the features and purpose of different types of formal
and informal meeting (slide 1)
Difference between informal and formal meetings:
An informal meeting is a meeting which is far less heavily
planned and regulated than a formal business meeting, and so
lacks many of the defining features of a formal business

10. meeting, such as minutes, a chairperson and a set agenda. These
informal meetings are far more likely to take place in a casual
setting, such as a restaurant or a coffee shop, or at one of the
participant’s desks, rather than take place in a boardroom.
A formal meeting is a pre-planned gathering of two or more
people who have assembled for the purpose of achieving a
common goal through verbal interaction. Formal meetings are
characterised by their predetermined topics, a set of objectives
and formal notices. These meetings are held at a specific time,
at a defined place and according to an agreed agenda. Formal
meetings are typically lead by a chairperson with the
discussions and agreements recorded in a written form known as
minutes.
Element 4.1
Explain the features and purpose of different types of formal
and informal meeting (slide 2)
Examples of types of meetings:
Inaugural meetings
Annual General Meetings (AGM)
Extraordinary General Meetings
Directors or Board meetings
Section/department meetings
Conferences
Seminars & workshops
Ad Hoc meetings
Regular or Standing meetings
Your Task
Explain a minimum of 2 types of informal & minimum of 2
types of formal meetings.
What are the features & purpose of them?
Purpose of meetings:
To reach a common decision/agreement
To solve a problem

11. To understand a situation, exchange ideas and experiences
To inform, explain, present ideas
To give and get feedback on new ideas
To give training
To plan and prepare for action
To resolve differences and misunderstandings
To generate enthusiasm and seek cooperation
To review past performance and evaluate it
To create a feeling of continuity and solidarity in a body’s
working.
Element 4.2
Explain the role and responsibilities of the chair
Summary: The chairperson for a meeting (otherwise known as
the chair) is the person who has been appointed as the highest
ranking officer at the event. The chairperson for a meeting
presides over the event to ensure that participants are following
the conventions of the meeting. They may also represent the
organisation or body to the public, outside of the meeting.
Your Task – use the internet to research and explain the roles &
responsibilities of the ‘chair’
Element 4.3
Explain the role of others in a meeting
Examples of other participants in a meeting:
Secretary
Treasurer
Timer
Grammarian
Attendee

12. Your Task – use the internet to research and explain ALL of the
roles of these participants
Element 4.4
Explain techniques to facilitate a meeting
Tips for facilitating a successful meeting:
Choose the most appropriate venue
Prepare the agenda
Invite the correct participants
Organise the appropriate resources: microphone/speakers,
screens, furniture, presentations, printed documentations,
agenda, minutes of previous meeting
Stick to the timings and agenda (give time for
speakers/participants)
Avoid jargon
Your Task – explain the importance of ALL of these points.
Element 4.5
Explain the information requirements of a meeting before,
during and after a meetingBefore a meeting:During a
meetingAfter a meetingCreate an agenda
Schedule the meeting
Post & send out agenda
Circulate supporting information in advance
Make room arrangements
Appoint key people (e.g. minute taker)Start on time
Review previous minutes & agenda
Keep discussion focused
Encourage participation
Come to decisions & action plans
Draft agenda for next meeting

13. Evaluate meeting
Transcribe notes
Distribute notes
Complete ‘follow-up’ actions
Your Task – explain a minimum of 3 points from each category
Element 5
Understand how to supervise an administration team
Element 5.1
Explain the use of targets and budgets to manage workloads
Think about the tasks you have to complete within your own
workload…
Why do tasks have different deadlines?
Which tasks have a financial implication to your organisation?
For example, if the owner of your company had to employ
another member of staff to complete the outstanding tasks of
other colleagues, would the company’s budget be affected?
If invoices aren’t sent out by the end of the month, will the
company have enough revenue for the following month?
How will you organise these tasks so that you can meet the
targets?
Your Task - Describe a minimum of 2 tasks that you have to
complete by a deadline, and why. Why are they important to the
company budget and/or profit?

14. Element 5.2
Explain how to allocate work to individual team members
Key questions to ask before allocating work:
What actually needs doing?
When does it need to be done by?
How and where does it need to be done (what tools or
equipment does it need, or specific locations, such as a
particular part of a workshop where tools are located)?
Who can do it (what kind of skills and knowledge, or
competence, are required)?
Your Task – describe specific tasks that have to be completed
within your own organisation. How are these are allocated to
team members? Explain a minimum of 2 tasks.
Element 5.3
Explain different quality management techniques to manage the
performance of an administrative team
Quality management techniques could include:
Total quality management (TQM)
Statistical process control (SPC)
Continual improvement processes
Your Task –
research and explain a minimum of 2 techniques
Explain how you could use them to manage performance within
a team.
Element 5.4

15. Explain the techniques used to identify the need for
improvements in team outputs and standards
Your Task - Use the 2 techniques that you have explained for
5.3:
How could these be used to improve outputs & standards
Element 6
Understand how to organise events
Element 6.1
Explain the characteristics, requirements and purposes of
different types of events
Events may include, but are not limited to:
1. A meeting
2. A conference
3. A product launch
4. An announcement
5. A celebration
6. A social occasion.
Your Task –
Explain a minimum of 3 different types of events.
Clearly define the characteristics and requirements of each.
Element 6.2
Explain the types of information and information sources
needed to organise an event
For this task select from:

16. 1. A meeting
2. A conference
3. A product launch
Your Task –
List the types of information required for a minimum of 2 of
these events
Who & where would the information be gathered from.
Element 6.3
Explain how to plan an event
Your Task –
Create an outline of an event plan for one of the events that you
have identified in 6.2.
Explain why you have identified each activity, and when it
would need to be completed by.ActivityReasonDeadline
e.g. 2 months before event
Event Plan template:
Element 6.4
Explain how to identify the right resources from an event plan
Your Task –
Using the event that you have planned for 6.3, explain the
human, physical & financial resources required, and
why.Human ResourcesPhysical ResourcesFinancial
ResourcesFor example:
Speakers
Ushers/venue guides
Caterers
For example:
Invitations
Audio/visual equipment

17. Handouts
Catering & refreshmentsFor example:
Cost of physical and human resources, catering, transport,
venue hire
Element 6.5
Describe the likely types of information needed by delegates
before, during and after an event
Your Task –
Using the event that you have planned for 6.3, explain the
information that is needed by delegates before, during & after
the event.BeforeDuringAfterFor example:
Details of content of event
Time, date & duration
Venue address
Transport options (incl. disability access)
Joining instructions
What to bring
Catering selections (in order to specify any requirements)
Any papers/information needed prior to event
For example:
H&S procedures, such as fire exits
ID badges
Location of welfare facilities
Handouts
Refreshments/catering
For example:
Evaluation forms
Summary of events (e.g. minutes)
Any follow-up actions required
Next event details

18. Congratulations!
You have already began to understand the Principles of
Administration.
There is a wealth of information that can be found on the
internet for each element of this unit.
If you need any advice & guidance, please ask your tutor.
Remember: Do NOT just copy & paste your answers from any
websites; this is plagiarism, and your tutor will not be able to
accept it as your own work.
Research each aspect and then put it into your own words.
Wherever possible, relate the answers to your own workplace!
Unit 4: Principles of Administration
1 Understand how to manage an office facility
1.1: Explain the legal requirements relating to the management
of office facilities
The legal requirement relating to the management of office
facilities depends on the size of a company. However, there are
statutory duties of employers and employees relating to health,
safety and welfare, managing information, equality and
diversity.
All organisations should issue a contract of employment to their
employees. This underlines the rules and regulations of the
employment and addresses matters such as holiday allowance

19. and sick pay.
Following the Data Protection Act 1998, companies must adhere
to the legislation surrounding data protection and keeping
personal data confidential and storing it correctly. It is a
criminal offence to breach confidentiality and companies could
face a fine, custodial sentence or community service for doing
so. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) should be
informed if data protection laws are broken.
Companies also have legal responsibilities to their employees
which are defined in legislation such as the Equality Act and the
Employment Rights Act. The Equality Act underlines that all
employees should be treated the same no matter what their age,
gender, race etc. The Employment Rights Act underlines how
employees should be treated such as receiving the correct pay,
the correct holiday allowance etc.
As we sell products at Wills Ridley, we have product liability
insurance. This protects the company if someone is injured by a
defect in a product. This is recommended for any company that
sells products.
In order for a company to control debt efficiently, it is
important to define the terms and conditions of trading to both
external organisations and employees ensuring they agree and
sign a document saying they are fully informed of financial
procedures for the organisation. One important term to include
is the title clause retention. This is very important as this means
title of the products or services being sold remains in the
seller’s name until payment has been given. This is a line that
we include on all relative documents so as invoices and
quotations. This means that if the buyer becomes insolvent, the
seller can repossess the products. At Wills Ridley, we also
include payment terms where we state clearly what is expected
from the customers in exchange for the products.
A primary legislation is the Health and Safety at Work Act
1974. This act requires:
· safe operation and maintenance of the working environment,

20. plant and systems
· maintenance of safe access and egress to the workplace
· safe use, handling and storage of dangerous substances
· adequate training of staff to ensure health and safety
· Adequate welfare provisions for staff at work.
By establishing office procedures, legal requirements can be
met. For example, there should be key personnel responsible for
health and safety. This person should regularly test fire alarms
and ensure there are no hazards within the workplace. Risk
assessments can be carried out to record this procedure and this
would help to protect employees whilst at work, the public and
business resources. This also identifies sources of risks, such as
cables on the floor, broken sockets etc. Staff should also be
trained on the procedures in the event of a fire. Paul is our
safety personnel and the above tasks are his responsibility.
1.2: Describe the typical services provided by an office facility
Services provided by an office facility are agreed organisational
procedures that support management. These services could
include maintaining diaries. This is something that I help my
managers with. When they are away I will add meetings and
notes/reminders to their electronic diaries. Another service that
I do daily at Wills Ridley is receiving and sending messages. I
have conversations with suppliers and customers via email and
relay appropriate messages back to my managers. I also answer
the phones accordingly and in line with company procedures.
My phone greeting is “Good morning/afternoon, Wills Ridley”
and I will deal with the phone call appropriately and in some
cases I will transfer the call to the appropriate person. I also
make calls on behalf of my manager which allows them to focus
on more important tasks. Occasionally, I take minutes of
meetings. From experience, I have found that the best way to do
this is by recording the meeting on a phone and typing the notes

21. up after. This means that if necessary I can contribute to the
meeting without having to write at the same time. Another
service I provide for Wills Ridley is ordering stationery
supplies. We use a local company for paper, folders, wallets etc
and I always provide excellent customer service when dealing
with customers/supplies verbally or face to face. I work well as
a team and support my colleagues with day to day tasks.
1.3: Explain how to establish office management procedures
Procedures are for tasks that have strict guidelines to follow and
they are usually complex and lengthy and can have
consequences if they are not completed correctly. An office
manager is responsible for ensuring all staff have clear job
descriptions and that they are aware of changes in the company
such as new systems or changes to a procedure and they should
be trained accordingly.
Data and records kept within an office need to be accurate and
kept up to date at all times. At Wills Ridley, we must ensure
that employee records are kept up to date and accurate in case
of an emergency, if any information changes, employees should
make this aware and the records should be updated.
Procedures should be clear, concise and to the point. Staff
should be given enough training to fully understand any
procedure. Understandably, employees don’t want to read long
documents but it is very important that they are fully informed.
Communication within an office will have procedures. There
will be a requirement for how phone calls are answered and
made and also how emails are written. Many procedures will be
following emails with a company signature and using polite
language and tone during all communications. Shared diaries
and social media both have company procedures that must be
followed.
1.4: Explain how to manage office resources
Office resources include office equipment, stationery and
staffing. Office equipment such as computers, keyboards etc

22. should be brought with a budget in mind. It is important to not
over spend and only purchase what is needed. A useful
technique for purchasing office equipment online is to research
a few different suppliers and find the best price accompanied by
good reviews. Once equipment has been order, you must
consider the maintenance of the new machine and it should have
regular electrical checks. Staff should be trained on how to use
the equipment correctly. The new equipment must be secure and
installing virus software such as Norton 360 is recommended to
prevent hacking.
To manage office stationery, large companies could make a
record of suppliers so restocking would be an easy task. At
Wills Ridley, we use a local supplier regularly. Many supply
stores will offer a discount if a high quantity of goods is
ordered. If a company has a large stock room, it would be a
good idea to order in bulk to save money. Large companies will
also maintain stock control by monitoring minimum and
maximum stock levels. At Wills Ridley, we have a recycling
policy. We recycle paper and cupboard and we arrange for
collection of this when the bin is full. We also recycle plastic
bottles and we take this to the nearest recycling facility when it
is full. We also recycle ink cartridges and we send these away
via post in prepaid envelopes.
It is a manager’s responsibility to manage certain aspects when
it comes to their staff. Paul and Mike, our managing directors
make sure:
· A minimum of 1 director is present at all time
· Wills Ridley have 3 key holders. 1 key holder must be
available to open/lock up the building morning and night.
· Office and work shop staff must be staggered so we will not
be short staffed in either department. This entails not have more
than 1 member of a department on annual leave at once.
· A first aider must always be present on site during working
hours.
It is a staff responsibility to work safely and to follow safety

23. procedures that they have been given. It is a manager
responsibility to ensure all staff are up-to-date with procedures
and health and safety.
1.5: Explain techniques to monitor and manage work flows
Work flow is the process of completing tasks. They usually
include steps and involving information being passed or
exchanged between departments or people. Work flow
management is important as organisations need to understand
and determine what tasks need to be executed, in what order, by
who and by what. Usually, there will be rules to follow.
Successful workflow management improves efficiency within an
organisation. It helps to track the performances of employees as
process can be monitored to see where interruptions occur.
In order to monitor work flows, techniques such as having team
meetings should take place. This gives employees time to
communicate and discuss work management and bring up any
problems that they have encountered. Managers can observe the
work flow and report progress to the employees, detailing errors
and logging data. In particular, in a marine industry the
completion time of a vessel can be over a long period so we
have some movement with delivery details. If a delivery will be
delayed, Wills Ridley will contact the customer to agree a new
date if possible. We would also speak with other customer with
outstanding dates to see if their delivery date is flexible, if
required, to help with our scheduling. If delivery is delayed,
this could have a setback on a vessel sailing so we try to avoid
delays as much as possible by giving a realistic lead time at the
quotation stage.
Successful marketing starts with detailed plans. Each
department should have a plan or a detailed step-by-step process
written out. Departments could set SMART team objectives so
they are working towards a realistic goal within a certain time
scale and this gives them something positive to work towards.
Employees must also understand that they must prioritise their
work. Our director’s target is to get jobs out before the delivery

24. date and staff are allocated daily jobs to help achieve this.
1.6 Explain typical support and welfare facilities for office
workers
Large organisations will have a human resources department.
This department takes care of recruitment/promotional
vacancies, job description and specification, work place culture
and employer/employee relationships. This team should be
approachable as they are a place where staff can go if they have
any concerns. Staff should be comfortable communication with
this team and addressing any issues. This department also
encourages training opportunities and manages staff
performances.
For employee’s well-being, employers must provide:
· toilets and hand basins, with soap and towels or a hand-dryer;
· drinking water;
· a place to store clothing (and somewhere to change if special
clothing is worn for work);
· Somewhere to rest and eat meals.
A healthy working environment must have the following:
· good ventilation – a supply of fresh, clean air drawn from
outside or a ventilation system;
· a reasonable working temperature (usually at least 16°C, or
13°C for strenuous work, unless other laws require lower
temperatures);
· lighting suitable for the work being carried out;
· enough room space and suitable workstations and seating;
· A clean workplace with appropriate waste containers.
And a safe workplace must have:
· properly maintain your premises and work equipment;
· keep floors and traffic routes free from obstruction;
· have windows that can be opened and also cleaned safely;
· Make sure that any transparent (e.g. glass) doors or walls are
protected or made of safety material.
2 Understand health and safety in a business environment

25. 2.1: Explain the legal obligations of the employer for health and
safety in the workplace
Employers must meet the legal obligations of the health and
safety legislation. It is their duty to protect the health, safety
and welfare of their employees and people who might be
affected by their person such as delivery people and customers.
This involves maintaining safe equipment, performing risk
assessments and members of staff having first aid training. At
Wills Ridley, we have a health and safety policy document
which underlines Wills Ridley’s commitment to health and
safety and the companies’ responsibility of its staff. This policy
is conducted by an external company called Safeguard
Engineering and they assess us to make sure we are compliant
with the requirement of OHSAS 18001. Safeguard Engineering
also advise training needs for Wills Ridley employees.
Wills Ridley provide health and safety information to their
staff. When I was first employed by the company, the Managing
Director provided me with basic training on how to identify
risks and keeping myself and others safe. The factory works are
provided adequate protective clothing as they work with
machinery daily.
It is important that a safe workplace is maintained. This can be
done through regular risk assessments where risks are
identified. Risks assessments are completed by staff in the
workshop for relevant jobs. There should always be safe access
to emergency exits and staff should be aware of a meeting point
in the event of a fire. Employers are required by law to display
a Health and Safety at Work poster on the premises and ours is
displayed as you walk into the workshop.
An employer should be given overall responsibility of health
and safety. This person will identify and report hazards and
dangerous occurrences. Paul is in charge of health and safety at
Wills Ridley.

26. 2.2: Explain an individual’s responsibilities for health and
safety in the workplace
The most important responsibilities of an employee are:
· to take reasonable care of your own health and safety
· if possible to avoid wearing jewellery or loose clothing if
operating machinery
· if you have long hair, or wear a headscarf, make sure it's
tucked out of the way as it could get caught in machinery
· to take reasonable care not to put other people - fellow
employees and members of the public - at risk by what you do
or don't do in the course of your work
· to co-operate with your employer, making sure you get proper
training and you understand and follow the company's health
and safety policies
· not to interfere with or misuse anything that's been provided
for your health, safety or welfare
· to report any injuries, strains or illnesses you suffer as a result
of doing your job, your employer may need to change the way
you work
· to tell your employer if something happens that might affect
your ability to work, like becoming pregnant or suffering an
injury - because your employer has a legal responsibility for
your health and safety, they may need to suspend you while they
find a solution to the issue or problem, but you will normally be
paid if this happens
· if you drive or operate machinery, you have a responsibility to
tell your employer if you take medication that makes you
drowsy - if you have, they should temporarily move you to
another job if they have one for you to do
Some safe working practices are following manufacturer’s
instruction manual, following procedures in events such as a
fire, using correct lifting techniques and storing equipment
correctly and safely.

27. Wills Ridley provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to the
factory workers free of charge. Training and instructions will be
given to make sure the equipment is used correctly. Failure to
use PPE properly could lead to disciplinary action or dismissal.
Employees can refuse to wear PPE if it puts your safety at risk.
For example, if it doesn’t fit properly.
Employees should comply with company health and safety
procedures. Hazards should be reported and accidents should be
written in the accident book.
2.3 Describe accident and emergency procedures
Possible accidents in the workplace could be falls, cut, fainting
and objects falling and causing injury. These accidents will be
recorded in an accident book. Emergencies would be serious
injuries, fires, electrocution and chemical spillage. Each of
these accidents and emergencies will have procedures that
should be followed correctly. There will be trained and
competent staff within a company who will know these
procedures. They should be someone technically trained to deal
with issues regarding machinery. At Wills Ridley, five of our
staff are trained as first aiders. These procedures should be
practiced just like fire drills. We also have an evacuation
procedure on the doors of the office so staff can learn how to
evacuate safety in an emergency. This also includes where our
meeting point is. Every employee at Wills Ridley has received
training on how to use the fire extinguishers and how to raise an
alarm. I am also aware that no one should re-enter the building
until someone with authority says it is safe to do so.

28. 3 Understand how to take minutes of meetings
3.1: Explain the purpose of meeting minutes
The purpose of meeting minutes is so there are accurate records
of the discussions carried out during the meeting and any
actions are noted. The pervious meeting’s minutes should be
discusses to see what the outstanding actions are. Meeting
minutes can be used in legal situations and uses as evidence to
resolve disputes or disagreement in the workplace. Minutes are
also information for staff that are not able to attend so they can
understand the points that were discussed at the meeting and
any actions that they need to take.
3.2: Explain the legal implications of meeting minutes
In some cases, meeting minutes can act as a legal document
during disputes. Therefore, it is important that they accurately
represent what happened in the meeting. If meetings are
inaccurate, this may lead to legal implications and possibly
incorrect sentencing when using them as evidence in a case. The
minutes can protect the organisation and the meeting
participants.
Like with any legal documents, minutes of meeting should be
filed to comply with the Data Protection Act. This act ensures
the information isn’t kept for longer than necessary, and that
confidential information is used appropriately and with
discretion.
3.3: Explain the importance of accuracy in minute taking
It is very important that minutes are as accurate as possible as

29. they provide details to people who were not in attendance and
for future reference. The items recorded can be agreed by the
delegates and a second person such as the chairman should
check the accuracy of the minutes. The agreed actions
encourage completion of tasks before the next meeting and at
the next meeting, these action points will be checked again and
the delegates will agree the status of these actions. Inaccuracy
of minutes could lead to disputes or incorrect decisions being
made. It is also important that minutes are clear and
grammatically correct as poor grammar or spelling could lead to
misunderstanding or confusion. Minutes from board meetings
may be required for auditing and tax purposes.
The note-taker is usually delegated by the person leading the
meeting. As the chairperson doesn’t have to take their own
notes, it allows them to concentrate solely on chairing the
meeting. The note-taker records decisions, actions items and
discusses the minutes clearly and concisely.
3.4: Describe what should and should not be included in
different types of meeting minutes
Meetings can be formal and informal depending on the agenda.
The following will be included in a formal meeting: title of
meeting, time, date, location, number of people present, proxy
voters(usually for company annual general meeting), number of
persons attending, confirmation of a quorum (required number
when voting on a resolution), telephone attendees (conference
call), details of actions taken, exact wording of a resolution
made, names of nominator and seconder of motion, outcome of
resolution voting or a nomination (re-election of a director), any
other matters, time and reason meeting adjourned. All of the
above will be signed off by the chairperson.
At an informal meeting, a lot less needs to be recorded in the

30. minutes. Things to include are: title of meeting, time, date,
location, names and roles of persons present, purpose of
meeting, telephone attendees (conference call), accurate notes,
clear actions to be taken and agreed, date of next meeting.
Again, the minutes of the meeting will be signed off by the
meeting leader/ chairperson.
Things that wouldn’t be included in any meeting would be
verbatim transcript of discussions, unclear actions, details of
any presentations given, resources used. These things are not
included as they are not relevant.
3.5: Describe how to take notes during meetings
Meetings can be recorded in several formats. Minutes can be
written electronically on a laptop or handwritten. Alternatively,
the meeting can be recorded by video or audibly and the note-
taken can write the minutes out after the meeting. This form of
minute taking allows the note-taker to join in with the meeting
rather than just taking notes. The note taker should monitor the
signing in of the attendance sheet listing and indentify attendees
with name badges or place cards. Non-attendees should also be
identified and the note-taker should give their apologies.
Whoever speaks should be noted with their points noted below.
The start time and date should also be included on the minutes.
Main ideas and discussion points should be noted and verbatim
notes should be avoided. Any agreed actions to progress
activities and who is responsible as well as time frame should
be included, also any motions that will be voted on at the future
points. At the end of the meeting the note taker should clarify
the action points that were discussed to ensure accuracy. The
attendees will confirm the date of the next meeting and the
note-taker will include this on the minutes. To conclude, put the
time the meeting ended.

31. 4 Understand how to chair, lead and manage meetings
4.1: Explain the features and purpose of different types of
formal and informal meetings
Formal meetings:
A type of formal meeting is a company’s annual general
meeting. The purpose of this type of meeting could be for
shareholders to elect/re-elect the board of directors or to present
annual report and accounts. This type of meeting requires a
minimum number of members to be present to make the meeting
valid, known as a quorum. At least 14 days notice must be given
for private companies before the meeting is held. For non-
traded public company, at least 21 days notice is required.
A different type of formal business meeting could be a board of
directors meeting which is for senior management of an
organisation. At this meeting, the directors would establish
broad policies and objectives, review performance of chief
executive and directors, look at the adequacy of financial
resources, approve the annual budget, review annual report and
accounts to shareholders and take decisions on changes to
business. This meeting will also have a quorum requirement for
voting resolutions.
Informal meeting:
A type of informal meeting would be a department team
meeting. This meeting would be specific to that
department/team and it will be run by the chairperson
management of that department. During this meeting, the
department will receive updates on company information or
specifically to their department. On-going projects will be
discussed and workloads will be allocated. Any staff
requirements will also be discussed.
Another type of meeting could be a project meeting which will

32. be specific to targeted work. Any member of staff involved in
this project will normally attend. This meeting will give
progress updates, discuss targets that have been met and any
deadlines that have passed and need re-scheduling. Costings and
budgets will be reviewed and sufficient resources will be
checked, Regular meetings will occur to the project end.
Standing meetings are regular meeting that are held weekly,
fortnightly or monthly. This meeting will specific targeted work
related like a project meeting. These meeting will be for
particular aspects of the business and representatives of each
department will attend. This meeting will have a common
format for agenda and minutes.
Finally, an ad hoc meeting is adjourned to solve a specific
problem or task. This type of meeting has no set schedule,
membership or agenda and organised and dealt with when an
issue arises. Therefore, items may be improvised in these
meetings.
4.2: Explain the role and responsibilities of the chair
The role of the chair is to lead and control a meeting. Their
responsibilities check all persons invited have arrived and
signed in. They review the meeting agenda and outline the
purpose of the meeting. The chair controls the meeting and
forms the agenda order, setting the pace. The chair dominates
the discussion and interrupts to keep the meeting in order. The
chair also keeps the meeting to time. All comments from
attendees are addressed through the chair and this person
indicates the progress made and makes sure that they conclude
one point before starting the next to avoid confusion. The chair
will support the note-taker by clarifying misunderstanding and
emphasising main points. Before the end of the meeting, the
chair will summarise achievements and actions agreed and
arrange the time and date of the next meeting. Finally, the chair
will sign off the minutes from the meeting.

33. 4.3: Explain the role of others in a meeting
Attendees should be prepared for their upcoming meetings.
They can do this by reviewing the agenda and minutes of the
last meeting. During the meeting, attendees should listen to
other opinions and take part in discussions. Proceedings should
not be dominated as this is the job of the chair. Conflict must be
avoided as well as side discussions so others are not distracted.
Attendees can ask questions if they need clarification and they
can make notes of actions if they will. After the meeting, they
can brief others as appropriate and undertake actions or delegate
to others. They should ensure that actions are completed within
the deadline given and prepare to report back at the next
meeting.
4.4: Explain techniques to facilitate a meeting
Facilitating a meeting is about ensuring the meeting is efficient
and inclusive. The chair is responsible for ensuring the meeting
is effective and the attendees help in keeping the meeting
flowing and focused. The chair should involve members by
asking them direct questions. This helps to clarify points.
Preparation is a key technique to facilitating a meeting. The
agenda will be planned so attendees know what will be spoken
of at the coming meeting. Staff can make contributions to the
agenda. The date, time and venue should be planned in advice
and invites should be given to staff with plenty of notice and
they will receive the completed agenda before the meeting date.
Responses should be collected and a final list of attendees can
be produced. Staff who are unable to attend should be noted so
the minute taker can give their apologies are the start of the
meeting.

34. The following things should be included in the agenda:
· Items to be covered
· Staff responsible to report against relevant item
· Sufficient time allocated to discuss each item
· Order of items (The chairperson will usually give a clear focus
of the meeting and following that staff will participate)
During the meeting, the chairperson will set clear expectations
of the meeting and the minute taker can manage time and
relevance to keep the meeting flowing. Agreements and actions
should be formalised and the chairperson should be able to
manage any disagreements. As the meeting comes to a close, the
agreed actions should be summarised and the next meeting
should be arranged.
Overall, an effective meeting needs to have the following
qualities: a clear aim, good preparation prior to the meeting,
willingness from all to take responsibility for actions, active
participation and listening, a punctual start, and an assertive
chairperson.
4.5: Explain the information requirements of a meeting before,
during and after a meeting
Before a meeting, the chairperson will prepare, this includes
created a list of attendees and choosing a venue to accommodate
the amount of people. It is important that when choosing a
venue, that the chair thinks outside of the meeting room. They
should also consider catering and be made aware of any dietary
requirements, accommodation and parking. It is the chair’s role
to create and distribute an agenda; this will be taken to the
meeting along will previous minutes.
An attendance list should be present at the meeting so attendees
can sign in and they can be given a name badge and a copy of
the agenda. If they is to be a presentation, the speaker should

35. bring presentation materials such as hand outs and equipment
such as a laptop and projector. During the meeting, the chair or
the allocated time-keeper, will keep a track of the time spent on
each item and aim to keep the meeting flowing …