Agenda item

The Select Committee is asked to review the 2017–18 Health and Safety Action Plan and support the development of the 2018-19 Action Plan.

Declarations of interest:

None

Witnesses:

Ken Akers, Head of HR/OD

Abid Dar, Senior Equality Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager

Paul Booker, Senior Health and Safety Manager

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Chairman queried if officers believed there was a prevention culture in place within the organisation. The Senior Health and Safety Manager confirmed that he believed that there was a health and safety prevention culture in place with supporting processes.

2.    In regards to slips, trips and falls, Members queried what was being done in relation to preventing these. The Senior Health and Safety Manager explained that a campaign was undertaken last year to promote the prevention of these on the S-net. Managers had also been asked to disseminate advice amongst their staff. A manager’s guidance note has been produced and published in the health and safety manual to support this.

3.    The Head of HR/OD added that the service recognised that there was a high number of slips, trips and falls within schools. Work was being undertaken to benchmark this data with other councils' schools. The Head of HR/OD also added that there would be an opportunity to work with the health and safety team in children’s services to promote a child centered campaign to reduce the number of incidents.

4.    The Chairman queried what liability the authority had in relation to slips, trips and falls in schools. It was explained that there would be no liability in relation to academies but officers would need to check the legislation in relation to other types of schools.

5.    In regards to the health and safety action plan for 2017-18, a Member commented that it would be good to have more timelines in the action plan around when actions would be completed.

6.    In relation to preventing abuse, violence and threats in the workplace it was queried if the workshops set up to address these issues had been completed. The Equality Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager explained that workshops had been completed in the following critical areas of Adult Social Care facilities, libraries and children’s residential services.

7.    It was explained that a ‘toolkit’ as a result of the workshops would be developed with each service leading on how they deliver these. The Equality Inclusion & Wellbeing Manager stated that the ‘toolkit’ would be finalised by the end of Quarter two, as it had been pushed back due to the late delivery of workshops.

8.    A Member of the Committee queried if officers agreed that a health and safety culture was being promoted by the leadership team of the County Council. The Head of HR/OD explained that a health and safety dashboard with KPIs was shared quarterly with CEDR. Updates on the delivery of the health and safety plan was also shared with CEDR. It was further added that for the first time senior managers were provided with health and safety training from a barrister which going forward would also be offered to Members.

9.    It was explained that an online health and safety reporting system was used to record health and safety incidents. Dangerous occurrences also known as Near Misses were reported on this system and sent to senior managers for review.

10.  It was confirmed that health and safety KPI’s and targets would be included in the 2018-19 health and safety action plan.

11.  There was an expectation that 90% of health and safety incidents were reviewed within a set timeframe. It was confirmed that this target was being met. The Head of HR/OD stated that it was the responsibility of managers and staff to promote health and safety. It was added that there were Health and Safety committees within the organisation which included directors and trade unions as members.

12.  The Chairman queried if the Head of HR/OD was confident that health and safety standards were being met. It was confirmed that in a recent audit, the organisation was graded as being compliant with health and safety policies. Using a network of health and safety experts a programme of checking health and safety compliance on the ground would be introduced. The results and monitoring of this would be included in the action plan.

13.  The Senior Health and Safety Manager confirmed that the health and safety action 2018-19 would be ready for June 2018.

12.30- Cllr Sinead Mooney left the meeting

14.  The Chairman agreed for the health and safety action plan 2018-19 to be included on the committees forward work programme along with an update on the development of the Preventing Assaults, Violence and Threats ‘toolkits’, KPI’s that have been developed to support and monitor the action plan and an update on revised governance arrangements.

15.  It was also confirmed for the Committee to review and scrutinise the annual health and safety report for 2017/18 in September 2018.

Actions:

·         For the health and safety action plan 2018-19 to be added to the committee's forward work programme. For this report to include an update on the development of  the preventing assaults violence and threats ‘toolkits’, KPI’s that have been developed to support and monitor the action plan and an update on revised governance arrangements.

·         For the Committee to review and scrutinise the annual health and safety report for 2017/18 in September 2018.