Customers, Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee. (Environment and Public Protection)

Transcription

1 REPORT TO: REPORT NO: Customers, Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee HHPPE/11/15S DATE: 28 January 2015 LEAD MEMBER: Councillor David A Bithell (Environment and Public Protection) CONTACT OFFICER: Nigel Lawrence (Tel: ) SUBJECT: Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan 2014/15 Annual Report WARD: N/A 1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT To consider a report on the progress and delivery of the Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan 2014/ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2.1 The partnership agreement with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2010 resulted in a 3 year Strategic Health and Safety Improvement Plan being developed. The 3 year Plan has been successfully implemented and has strengthened the management arrangements for health and safety across the Council. 2.2 An update of the year 3 Strategic Health and Safety Improvement Plan was presented to the Customers, Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee on 23 October 2013 (Report No HHPP/73/13S). 2.3 The work continues to deliver on the expectations of this Plan to further develop systems and procedures to ensure the Council is compliant with its health and safety responsibilities. Taking forward the Corporate Health and Safety Strategy this year has resulted in additional pressures on the Corporate Health and Safety Team which is likely to increase in the future due to further reshaping work across the Council. Health and Safety management will, therefore, need to be carried out in smarter ways across Departments to ensure appropriate health and safety management controls are maintained. This will be a key area of work for the 2015/16 plan. 2.4 A Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan 2014/15 for this year is attached at Appendix A.

2 2.5 The Strategic Health and Safety Improvement Plan was subjected to an Internal Audit review in The overall Audit objective was to provide assurance that the agreed Strategic Health and Safety Improvement Plans for were being effectively implemented. 2.6 The overall level of assurance that the controls are effective was now reported as Green/Amber indicating controls exist to enable the achievement of service objectives and to manage health and safety effectively against foreseeable risks. 2.7 The work involved in delivering the outcomes requires not only the input from Corporate Health and Safety but also the input of individual Departments across the Council. The Plans also help play a pivotal role in identifying key risks across the Council putting in co-ordinated solutions for mitigating them in a constructive way. 3 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 That Members consider the information contained in this report which details progress with the Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan 2014/15 in order to review performance. 3.2 The Customers, Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee continue to monitor and support the delivery of the actions. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (i) (ii) Assurance that the Customers, Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee are satisfied with the progress being made in the delivery of actions contained within the Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan 2014/15. Compliance with good practice and our Health and Safety Policy to report health and safety performance. 4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 4.1 The Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan 2014/15 (Appendix A) provides the direction to continue the progress in improving health and safety management across all Departments. The 2014/15 plan is the first of the annual plans that replace the 3 year Strategic Health and Safety Improvement Plan, which was developed to respond to the HSE intervention in 2010/11. The Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan will be updated and reviewed annually. 4.2 Similar to the 2013/14 (Year 3) Plan it is divided into four sections. The sections cover the four key areas that together promote positive health and safety outcomes. The following paragraphs give a brief description of each section of the Plan: 4.3 Control - The four outcomes in section 1 are focused on identified key areas of risk. The main focus is to ensure the Council has suitable arrangements in place to ensure these risks are controlled:- (1.1) Ensure effective health and safety systems are in place to manage contractors This is an extension to the previous actions to manage Contractors

3 who work for the Council. Contractors and their health and safety performance will be monitored to ensure that arrangements that are now in place are implemented and effective; The increasing methods in the control of Contractors has been a shared effort between relevant Departments to ensure all Contractors are incorporated into a database and monitoring system. The close monitoring of their health and safety performance will be shared and recorded for reference and review purposes. (1.2) Ensure there are suitable arrangements to manage asbestos related risks in Departments and they are to a consistent standard across the Council The current management arrangements will be evaluated to ensure these are managed proportionate to the risk and at a consistent level across the Council. (1.3) Each Department to focus on their methods of risk identification, assessment and control This is an action on Departments and, therefore, a focus on each Department s identification and management of risks will look at a sample of risk assessments to ensure they are suitable and sufficient for the activities they cover. Department s significant risks will be monitored to ensure they are included in their Health and Safety Action Plan. (1.4) Ensure effective arrangements are in place to assess and control radon risks - Radon risks in Council owned or occupied buildings will be reviewed to ensure they are being managed to the required standard. The identification of controls and their suitability will be determined and a report produced to outline any areas of improvement. 4.4 Co-operation -The three outcomes in Section 2 focus on the performance of Departments and individuals to comply with the requirements of the Council s Health and Safety Policy:- (2.1) Monitor and audit 10% of drivers who claim for mileage allowance (Grey Fleet) checking their licence and insurance details are correct - Monitoring driver s licences and their insurances through an audit of 10% of the grey-fleet will give a measure of compliance with the Council s Policy on Occupational Road Risk. 100% compliance is expected and if not achieved further and more in-depth monitoring will be required. (2.2) Review the management arrangements for health and safety in the Adult Social Care and Children and Young People Departments - The Social Care Departments (Adult Social Care and Children and Young People) is being subjected to an Internal Health and Safety Audit to ensure that adequate arrangements and resources are in place to cover the Department s health and safety needs. This is a continuation of planned audits on Departments across the Council. (2.3) Monitor schools co-operation in completing the Health and Safety checklist for schools - Schools completion of the annual health and safety checklists will be monitored and assessed for content to ensure they have systems and procedures in place. This is the first year of the checklists being sent out to all schools. A selection of schools for the pilot proved successful last year and useful information and data was gained. In addition to training for school governors there are plans to provide specific health and safety training for head teachers in 2015/ Communications - The three outcomes in Section 3 focus on the methods used to improve health and safety awareness across the Council:-

4 (3.1) Implementation of the Communications Strategy and Plan - The outcome is to make health and safety more visible (leadership, responsibility and action) with key messages on topics agreed in the Plan. (3.2) H&S Climate and Behavioural Safety; to take a lead from SMT on the way forward for Departments in the implementation of actions identified in previous surveys using the HSE s Climate Tool - Review of how the Council will take forward behavioural based safety. The correct behaviour turns systems and procedures into reality. Using the information from previous work using the HSE s Climate Tool we need to make decisions on the way to take this forward. (3.3) Implementation of actions to achieve the Corporate Health Standard and attain the Gold Level by Communication of actions to encourage improvements in workplace health and well-being to help to demonstrate the Council is doing enough to gain the Gold level of the Corporate Health Standard by Competence- The three outcomes in Section 4 focus on putting arrangements in place to improve the health and safety competence of employees and others, such as Contractors, who work for the Council:- (4.1) Promote e-learning modules developed to improve employees awareness of a range of topics - Increase the access to e-learning for employees on a range of health and safety topics. (4.2) Raise the awareness of the importance of risk assessments and promote the corporate standard to all Departments for Managers to use - Ensure Managers and Supervisors are competent in their Risk Assessment process and that there is a consistent approach to the identification, assessment and control of risks across Departments. (4.3) Improve Contractor engagement in health and safety - Demonstrate how important health and safety is to the Council and how Contractors and partners can provide safe working amongst their own employees and Sub-Contractors. 4.7 The Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan is updated monthly and these updates are reported to the Health and Safety Steering Group every two months. The actions contained in the Plan are also the topics of reports provided to Senior Management Team (SMT) on a regular basis and in planned meetings with the Chief Executive, Lead Member and the Strategic and Performance Director with responsibility for health and safety. The progress is detailed in the updated Plan in column 5 and the status on the actions is indicated in column 7 using a letter/colour to show status. 4.8 Policy Framework The delivery of the Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan is integral to the Council s Health and safety Policy and Strategy in complying with duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and associated health and safety legislation for the purpose of safeguarding employees and the public. 4.9 Budget Any budgetary implications will be met from within departmental cash limited budgets and existing arrangements for the management of risk. Collaboration will be explored with neighbouring Authorities to focus on delivering some key areas of work for 2015/16.

5 4.10 Legal Reinforces the legal requirements to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and all relevant health and safety legislation Staffing There are no identified staffing issues related to the delivery of the Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan. See comments made above under 2.3 and Equality/Human Rights The Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan contains actions which include the development of policies, corporate standards and procedures/guidance to improve the overall safety management system. Each of these actions will individually be subjected to an Equalities Impact Assessment Risks The Council would be in breach of its statutory duty if it failed to manage the health and safety of employees and others who would be affected by our acts or omissions in the course of conducting our business. The delivery of the Corporate Health and Safety Improvement Plan demonstrates the commitment of the Council to realise and manage, so far as is reasonably practicable, the risks associated with its activities and processes. 5. CONSULTATION 5.1 Not applicable. BACKGROUND PAPERS LOCATION WEBSITE INFO