Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Lance Alexander, Tony Edwards and David Green from the Employees’ Side.

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

No substitutes were required.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2017 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held 19 June 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report No: HSP/JT/17/006

The Panel received and noted Report No: HSP/JT/17/006 (previously circulated) which incorporated the notes of the Joint Health and Safety Group meeting held on 30 August 2017.

Report No: HSP/JT/17/007

The Panel received and noted Report No: HSP/JT/17/007 (previously circulated) which provided statistics relating to accidents/incidents involving Forest Heath District Council and St Edmundsbury Borough Council employees and members of the public from 1 April 2017 to 31 August 2017.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) drew relevant issues to the attention of the Panel, including providing details of the types and locations of accidents/incidents of employees and members of the public during the reporting period. He then reported the amount of days lost due to workplace accidents/incidents.

In response to questions, the Service Manager explained the security measures that were in place at various Council owned premises to provide some protection to staff if they became involved in a potentially dangerous situation with members of the public.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) to give a verbal report.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) updated the Panel on a recent visit from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to inspect the Council’s procedures in managing Hand Arm Vibration (HAV).

Phil Clifford, Fleet and Technical Manager, bought to Members’ attention a new vibration management system called ‘Curotec’ that the Council had recently bought to monitor the use of vibration tools. The system consisted of a small device called a ‘Curo’ that could be attached to power tools and vibrating equipment to record trigger time vibration in order to protect operators from over exposure to HAV. A traffic light system was used to indicate users of their exposure threshold and the data would be monitored.

Members were informed that as part of the depots’ ‘toolbox talks’, all staff were reminded of the risks associated with over exposure to HAV and had been trained to use the new ‘Curotec’ system correctly.  

Report No: HSP/JT/17/008

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) introduced this item by providing the Panel with background information that related to the success of the Christmas Fayre in previous years.

An explanation was given on the proposed security arrangements for this year’s Christmas Fayre.

A brief discussion took place and Members asked questions of the Service Manager to which comprehensive responses were provided.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) to give a verbal report.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) informed the Panel of a new Health and Safety Management software system that had been identified for implementation following testing of various suppliers throughout 2016 and 2017.

The next stage would be to purchase and install the software.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) to give a verbal report.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) updated the Panel on progress made towards achieving the Workplace Wellbeing Charter. The Council had completed and submitted a self-assessed log of evidence and an assessment would take place on 25 October 2017.

The Panel was informed that after the assessment, the Council would continue to provide beneficial healthcare initiatives to all Members and staff. NHS checks had been scheduled in at West Suffolk House through to January 2018 and the Council had recently offered blood pressure checks in the week 18 – 24 September 2017.

In response to questions, the Service Manager explained that all Members and staff were made aware of events that were being run through the intranet site.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) to give a verbal report.

The Panel received a demonstration from the Service Manager (Health and Safety) on how the Sky Guard Technology worked in providing support to lone workers.

The Service Manager explained that the Council had been trialling the Sky Guards and had issued them out to service areas on a risk assessed basis. The Housing team had been issued with six Sky Guards that were being trialled with staff and had been proving beneficial.

The Panel was informed that the Council was coming towards the end of the trial period and work would be done to establish how many Sky Guards could be bought for use within service areas.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) to give a verbal report.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) informed the Panel that a series of Drug and Alcohol tests had recently been carried out at the Council’s premises and, pleasingly, all test results received were negative.

In response to questions, the Service Manager briefly outlined the Council’s disciplinary procedure in relation to Drug and Alcohol misuse. The Panel was also informed of the Drug and Alcohol testing procedure in which it was explained how often tests were carried out and on which staff.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) to give a verbal report.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) informed the Panel of training courses that had been scheduled for staff. An Asbestos Cat B training course had recently been undertaken by various staff in Property Services. Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Managing Safety training courses would be scheduled in for staff in 2018.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) to give a verbal report.

The Service Manager (Health and Safety) gave a verbal report on recent cases related to other councils in the country that had received coverage for breaching Health and Safety regulations. The Panel was also informed of a national draft guideline that the Sentencing Council had out for consultation, which related to corporate manslaughter caused by gross negligence. The Service Manager explained the proposed criteria for the new guideline that would enable courts to decide the offence category by determining the level of culpability and harm caused by the offender.

The Chairman advised the Panel that this was the last meeting of Phil Clifford, Fleet and Technical Manager, before his retirement. Both Members and employee representatives gave their thanks to his contributions to the Panel as well as the work he had done across the Council.