IRVINE, 18 November 2005 - At a Meeting of the Corporate Health and Safety Group of North Ayrshire Council at 2.00 p.m.
Present
Councillors David Munn, Peter McNamara, Alan Munro and Samuel Taylor; J. M. Macfarlane, Assistant Chief Executive, S. Ferguson, Personnel Manager, C. McBreen, Principal Health and Safety Adviser and M. Reid, Safety Adviser (Personnel); J. Leckie, Head of Service (Educational Services); J.Currie, Head of Cleansing, Grounds Maintenance and Transport (Property Services); B. Burns, Manager (Resources) (Social Services); and M. Anderson, Corporate and Democratic Support Officer (Chief Executive's) (North Ayrshire Council); I. Ross (EIS); P. Houston and F. Minnery (GMB); B. Thomson (SSTA); S. O'Reilly (T&GWU); and J. MacDonald and S. Herd (UNISON).
Chair
Councillor Munn in the Chair.
Apologies for Absence
Councillor David O'Neill, M. Gaughan (T&GWU), E. Lamb (PAT) and T. Dalling (UNISON).
1. Minutes
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Group held on 23 June 2005 were confirmed.
1.1 Matters Arising
The Group noted that nominations for the appointment of a Vice-Chair and a Joint Secretary would be submitted by the unions prior to the next meeting of the Group.
2. Health and Safety Strategy and Policy: Progress Report
Submitted report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Personnel) on the implementation of the Council's Health and Safety Strategy and Policy.
The Council's new Health and Safety Strategy was approved by the Corporate Services Committee on 15 March 2005 and sets out a revised and strengthened framework for the management of health and safety within the Council. In terms of progress against the approved action plan for 2005/06, the following points were highlighted:-
Health and Safety Planning Groups: All Groups have established a Health and Safety Planning Group within each service and these have now had their second meetings.
Stress Management: The programme for First Pass (First Stage) Risk Assessments in relation to stress risk management has been ongoing since 28 July 2005 and, to date, 15 assessments involving some 234 employees have been undertaken.
Health and Safety Master File: A total of 5 policies and 9 guidance notes have been amended to date and inserted into the Master File, which was distributed widely at the end of October.
Service Health and Safety Action Plans: All services now have in place individual Health and Safety Action Plans and lead Safety Advisers continue to work with nominated officers in each service to develop the plans and issues arising from them.
Further reports on the progress of the implementation and roll out of the Health and Safety Strategy and Policy will be submitted to future meetings of the Group on a regular basis.
Submitted report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Personnel) on employee injury accident statistics.
In the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 September 2005, there were a total of 45 employee accidents resulting in injury, 15 of which were serious enough to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive in accordance with RIDDOR 1995. Details of these accidents and injuries were set out in the report.
Monitoring reports will be submitted to the Health and Safety Planning Groups and to the Corporate Group. Services will monitor the statistical reports on workplace accidents and incidents to ensure that appropriate action has been taken to reduce risk and avoid a recurrence.
Noted.
4. Violence and Aggression Incidents: Monitoring Report
Submitted report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Personnel) summarising incidents involving violence and aggression towards employees.
During the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 September 2005, there were 42 incidents involving violence and aggression, 1 of which was serious enough to require to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
The new Council Policy and Guidance on Aggression and Violence has now been issued to the Master Health and Safety File and employees with responsibilities or duties under these documents will be required to monitor incidents and follow up actions. The new Policy and Guidance also recommends the display of posters at appropriate locations to highlight the acceptable standards of behaviour towards Council employees.
Monitoring reports will continue to be submitted to the Health and Safety Planning Groups and to the Corporate Group.
The unions requested that more detailed information be included in future reports to provide some background information on incidents.
The Group agreed (a) that a brief background to incidents be included in future reports to the Group; and (b) to note the report.
5. Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Corporate Health and Safety Group will be held on Friday 10 February 2006 at 2.00 p.m. in Cunninghame House, Irvine.