Agenda and draft minutes

Any Member who is substituting for another Member should so indicate together with the name of the relevant absent Member.

The following substitution was announced :

Councillor Betty Mclatchy for Councillor Patrick Chung.

The approved Terms of Reference for the West Suffolk Joint Health and Safety Panel, as amended on 15 June 2015, requires that the Panel shall appoint a  Chairman from the Employers’ Side and a Vice-Chairman from the Employees’ Side.

The Panel is requested to ELECT a Chairman and APPOINT a Vice-Chairman in accordance with this arrangement.

It was proposed, seconded and

                    RESOLVED – That  Councillor Chris Barker be elected

                                        Chairman of the Panel for 2016/2017.

It was proposed, seconded and

                        RESOLVED – That Mr. Nigel Dulieu be appointed

                                            Vice-Chairman of the Panel 2016/2017.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rona Burt, Patrick Chung and Frank Warby.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2016 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held 22 February 2016 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report : HSP/JT/16/006

The Joint Panel received and noted Report HSP/JT/16/006 (previously circulated) which incorporated the minutes of the Joint Health and Safety

Meeting held 17 May 2016.

Report :  HSP/JT/16/007

The Joint Panel received and noted Report HSP/JT/16/007 (previously circulated) which provided statistics relating to accidents/incidents involving employees and members of the public from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016.

The Health & Safety Manager drew relevant issues to the attention of the Joint Panel, including providing details of the type and location of accidents/incidents experienced by employees and members of the public during the reporting period.

In response to Members questions he outlined :

(i)    action taken to deal with cases involving verbal abuse of staff;       

(ii)   training given in relation to manual handling;

(iii)  the reporting regime in respect of accidents occurring at work; and

(iv)  steps taken to assist staff who were off work through stress.

Report :  HSP/JT/16/008

The Joint Panel considered Report HSP/JT/16/008 (previously circulated) which sought approval of amendments to Issue 3 of the Joint Health and Safety Policy as follows :

(a)  Instruction 28 – Work Experience    (Appendix A of the  Report);              

(b)  Annex P – Induction safety checklist for Work Placement Students;

                                                           (Appendix B) ; and

(c)  Annex N – Risk Assessment Form     (Appendix C)

            RESOLVED – That the amendments to Issue 3 of the Health and

                                Safety Policy as contained in Appendices A to C of

                                Report HSP/JT/16/008 be approved.

Health and Safety Manager to give an oral report.

The Health and Safety Manager reported verbally that 9 members of staff had attended an Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)course and that each had passed.

He also advised that an Event Safety course would be staged later in the year which would be relevant to staff involved with local community events.

Health and Safety Manager to give an oral report.

The Health and Safety Manager gave a verbal update as follows:

(i)  activities had been staged at West Suffolk House during Mental Health   

      Awareness week during 16 to 22 May 2016;

(ii)  changes to the senior management of the Health and Safety

      Executive had taken place whereby Martin Temple was the new Chief  

      Executive and Sian Clayton was the lead manager for the Waste

      Industry;

(iii) Construction Design Management Regulations had been introduced for

      the Entertainment Industry;

(iv) changes had been made to the Personal Protective Equipment

      Regulations which placed emphasis on manufacturers to bring their

      products up to  a required standard;

(iv) indications  from  reports of recent cases were that sanctions in

      respect of Health and Safety offences had become more severe with

      prison sentences and substantial fines being imposed; and

(v)  ‘Legal highs’ were now prohibited by new legislation but the use of

       such substances was already not permitted under the Councils’

       Health and Safety Policy

The Panel has previously approved the following meeting dates :

Monday 17 October 2016 at 4.00pm at West Stow; and

Monday 27 February 2017 at 4.00pm at Forest Heath DC Offices.

The Joint Panel had previously approved the following meeting arrangements:

Monday 17 October 2016 at 4.00pm at West Stow

Monday  27 February 2017 at 4.00pm at Forest Heath DC Offices.