Agenda item

Quarter 3 2018/19 Health, Safety and Wellbeing Performance Report

Minutes:

The Committee received a report from the Resources Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategic Group that provided an update on health, safety and wellbeing performance for quarter three of 2018/19 (for copy see file of Minutes).

 

The Corporate Director of Resources introduced the report and informed the Members that this was previously reported to the former Human Resources Committee and that following the constitutional changes agreed by full Council would be presented the the Audit Committee going forward.

 

The Occupational Health and Safety Manager reported on two significant incidents following visits to Citizens House at Consett and Framwellgate Moor Primary School by the Health and Safety Executive and assured members that the issues were resolved at both sites. He went on to highlight the key areas of the report including:

 

·         Fire Safety Audits

·         Fire Incidents

·         Fire Inspections

·         Occupational Health Service online referrals

·         Health and Safety Team Audit

·         Open Water Safety Review

·         Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing

·         Flu Immunisation programme

·         Potentially Violent Persons Register

 

The statistical information within the report showed a reduction in the number of serious injuries reported.

 

With regards to the employees who did not turn up for Occupational Health appointments, Councillor Carr queried what the process would be.  He was advised that management would be informed but that there could be a number of operational or personal reasons for this, however, it was followed up.

 

Councillor Carr asked how many defibrillators were in council buildings and stressed the importance of having them available.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager reported that further to a review of the policy three years ago the number of defibrillators had increased from 7 to approximately 23, with 2 being available at County Hall.  The Chairman asked that sufficient staff were trained and that information was updated as and when staff left the authority.

 

Councillor Shuttleworth queried the report coming to Audit Committee and suggested that all members should be sent this information.

 

Referring to the new online referrals for Occupational Health appointments, Councillor Clark was informed that this was still completed by the manager and the appointment was sent to the employee.  Councillor Clark was also informed that the external counselling service was still available for all employees.  She applauded the work carried out in relation to health and safety and agreed that the report should come to Audit Committee from a governance perspective.

 

 

Mr Rudd asked if any benchmarking was carried out with similar authorities.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager said that this was carried out approximately every two years however it was noted that this was difficult for those services that were not ‘in house’.  He added that the comparable data was favourable.

 

Mr Rudd went on to ask for an explanation of the word ‘threat’ within the corporate risk table within the report.  The Risk, Insurance and Governance Manager explained that this was when work was still to be done to ensure the risks were at an acceptable level with controls in place.

 

Mr Robinson accepted the rationale for the report coming to Audit Committee but asked that the quarterly report to be more focused on the reasons why issues were being reported and to perhaps have bullet points about maintaining the existing controls and what the authority were doing to address the risks.

 

Following a comment from Councillor C Carr about ensuring the Committee were appraised on any serious concerns, the Chairman suggested that more detailed discussions could take place in the closed part of the agenda going forward.

 

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Supporting documents: