Agenda item

To provide an update on the changes to the Health and Safety Policy.

Minutes:

There was submitted a report by the Deputy Chief Executive, presented by the Fraud and Risk Manager (Clare Lewis), which updated Members regarding the changes made to the Council’s current Health and Safety policy. The Health and Safety policy had been last updated in June 2014.

 

It was reported that Health and Safety responsibilities had been removed from Environmental Services under Operational Services and transferred to Corporate Services within the Fraud and Risk Team in April 2017.

 

The Health and Safety team were committed to identifying gaps in the Council’s training requirements relating to all Health and Safety matters. Since Health and Safety was moved to Corporate Services in August 2017 a number of Health and Safety related training requirements had been carried out. This ensured the Council was complying with the responsibilities of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to provide necessary information, instruction, training and supervision to enable employees to safely carry out their job role.  Failing to provide this training could leave the Council open to risk of accident or incident.

 

The Committee was further informed that the Health and Safety team would continue to identify gaps in the Council’s training needs relating to Health and Safety to ensure the Council was not put at risk of fine by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or by prosecution by an employee for a work related incident and to ensure staff continued to receive the training they needed to carry out their role effectively and as safely as possible.

 

Members were advised that the Policy stated that it should be reviewed yearly. This would ensure that changes in regulations could be taken into account to ensure the Council was up-to-date with its legal responsibilities.

 

It was reported that the following amendments had been made.  Additional wording had been added to the statement of intent.

 

“2.4      Additional wording added to show that the Chief Executive has overall         responsibility for Health and Safety.

2.4.1    Additional bullet point added at the end of the subject.

2.4.3    New wording added to subject.

2.4.4    Additional bullet point added at the end of the subject.

2.4.5    Additional wording added relating to working at height training.

2.5       Service managers removed and Head of Departments added.

2.5.4    Wording changed to show incident report forms to be emailed to

            31TUhealthandsafety@tendringdc.gov.ukU31T

2.5.4    Data Protection Act 1998 replaced by General Data Protection Regulations2018.

2.5.7    New header and wording.

2.8       Additional wording added to statement.

2.8       Changes made to the wording on the last two bullet points.

3          Safety at work regulations added to header.

3          Service managers removed and Head of Departments added.

3.2       Service managers removed and Head of Departments added.

3.2       Second paragraph wording changed.

3.2       Third paragraph wording updated

3.3       First bullet changed to include the wording “all relevant staff”

3.3       Second bullet changed to include first aid.

3.3       Additional paragraph added at the end of the subject.

3.4.1    RIDDOR website added

3.4.3    Service managers removed and Head of Departments added.

3.4.4    Health and safety email added to second paragraph.

3.4.5    Details of the personal protective equipment regulation added.

3.4.5    Service managers removed and Head of Departments added.

3.4.6    First paragraph wording changed.

3.4.7    New wording added to subject.

3.4.8    New wording added to subject.

3.4.10  Regulation details added to header.

3.5       Service managers removed and Head of Departments added.

3.5.2    Service managers removed and Head of Departments added.

3.5.2    Inspection frequency added to paragraph three.”

 

As part of the Council’s consultation processes UNISON had been consulted on all updates to the Health and Safety Policy.

 

Members raised questions which were responded to by the Fraud and Risk Manager.

 

It was moved by Councillor Callender, seconded by Councillor Chapman and unanimously RESOLVED that:

 

(a)        the contents of the Health and Safety Policy 2018 be agreed and adopted.

 

(b)        that the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to update the Policy with any future legislative or best practice changes, in consultation with the Fraud and Risk Manager.

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: