Download original attachment
(Word document)
This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request
'Health & Safety / DDA requirements'.
(Word document)
Contents
Para
|
|
Page No. |
1 |
Introduction |
2 |
2 2.1 2.2 |
Organisation Health & Safety Steering Group Joint Consultative and Negotiating Committee |
2 2 2 |
3 3.1 3.1.1 3.1.2
3.1.3 3.1.4 3.2 |
Responsibilities Management Responsibilities Chief Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Cultural Services Chief Officers Line managers/supervisors Employee Responsibilities |
2 3 3 3
3 4 4 |
4 4.1 4.2 |
Health and Safety Support Corporate Safety Team Health and Safety Advisers |
5 5 5 |
5 |
Employee Consultation/Safety Representatives |
6 |
Introduction
NCC's commitment to the health, safety and welfare of its employees and others affected by its activities is outlined in the document `Health and Safety Our Commitments and Values'. The overall health and safety management approach adopted by NCC is in line with the health and safety management model described in the Health and Safety Executive's publication Successful Health and Safety Management (HSG 65).
This document addresses the parts of the model concerned with organising, planning and implementation. A separate guidance document outlines the corporate standards for measuring performance, reviewing performance and auditing.
Organisation
NCC recognises that the overall responsibility for health and safety lies with senior management, with line managers and supervisors having direct responsibility for activities and employees under their control. However, all employees have a legal and moral responsibility to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and for those other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
There are formal organisational structures at a corporate level which have a health and safety remit:
2.1 Health and Safety Steering Group
This consists of health and safety professionals from the various departments within NCC. It is chaired by the Corporate Health and Safety Manager and meets monthly. The main purpose is to set strategic direction and to co-ordinate the activities of the heath and safety professionals within the organisation in order to deliver that direction in the most effective and efficient means possible.
2.2 Joint Consultative and Negotiating Committee
This is a County Council elected Member and Union representative body. Health and safety is a standing agenda item at each meeting and this fulfils the role of the Health and Safety Committee. It is also supplemented by departmental health and safety committees, along with quarterly overview meetings involving the Corporate Health and Safety Manager and the lead Unison officers for health and safety.
3. Responsibilities
NCC through the designated cabinet member for Corporate and Commercial Services, has overall responsibility for NCC's Health and Safety Policy.
3.1 Management Responsibilities
3.1.1 Chief Executive
Has overall responsibility for the implementation of NCC's Health and Safety Policy.
3.1.2 Director of Corporate Resources and Cultural Services
Is responsible to the Chief Executive for ensuring that NCC's Health and Safety Policy remains valid, is reviewed annually and is effectively implemented.
3.1.3 Chief Officers
Have responsibility for health and safety within their Directorates. In particular, they must ensure that:
The Council's health and safety policy is implemented within their Directorate;
Effective Directorate policies are developed and implemented where necessary, including clearly defined responsibilities for all levels of staff, systems for assessing and controlling risks and for monitoring health and safety performance;
A positive health and safety culture is actively demonstrated and promoted within their Directorates including a commitment to continuous improvement.
Corporate health and safety policies and procedures are implemented within their Directorate and where specific departmental risks arise departmental procedures are developed and implemented that complement corporate strategic direction.
They and their Directorate Management Team understand and are competent, through recruitment, training or otherwise, to carry out their duties for health, safety and welfare;
Adequate budgetary provision is made to meet the cost of fulfilling the Directorate's responsibilities in relation to health, safety and welfare, including the appointment of competent advisers.
Adequate time and resources are given to managers and employees to fulfil their roles as defined by this policy.
There are adequate and effective arrangements in place for consulting all employees and their representative trade unions within their Directorates on matters that affect their health and safety;
They have systems in place for monitoring health and safety within their Directorates, including setting targets for improvement and reviewing performance;
Where their Directorates work with partnership organisations, ensure that suitable health and safety arrangements are established and monitored in partnership activities.
3.1.4 Managers
Managers will be responsible for all employees and activities under their control and will ensure that the requirements of relevant safety policies and procedures are complied with. In particular, they will, where appropriate:
Ensure that risk assessments are undertaken by persons competent to do so and that adequate control measures are taken to minimise the health and safety risks to their employees and to any other persons who may be affected by work carried out by these employees.
Monitor and review health and safety performance through:
Undertaking health and safety inspections of the relevant work area/practices in accordance with relevant corporate and departmental policy.
Setting health and safety targets and objectives through appraisals and other supervisory reviews.
Develop safe systems of work and procedures and ensure that they are implemented.
Set a personal example by including health and safety management into daily management practice and demonstrating safe personal working practices.
Ensure action is taken to resolve any situations that may adversely affect the health and safety of employees or other persons. They will rectify any problem within their own resources or see it is raised with the appropriate Head of Service without delay where they do not have the budgetary or management control to do so;
Ensure that all employees under their control are given adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to carry out their duties safely, paying particular attention to new/inexperienced employees and trainees;
Ensure that all plant and work equipment provided is selected through a risk assessment process, suitable, properly maintained and all necessary tests and examinations have been carried out;
Ensure that accidents and incidents (including near misses and violence and aggression) are properly reported, processed, investigated by competent persons and the findings acted upon without delay.
Ensure that employees and their trade union representatives are consulted on matters of health and safety that affect them.
Ensure information that may assist safety representatives in their role is provided to them as necessary.
Work with Premises Managers to ensure premise issues affecting their employees are adequately managed and communicated
When commissioning work through partners and contractors ensure that they are selected and managed in accordance with statutory requirements and Council Policy.
Attend corporately and departmentally provided training relevant to their role.
3.1.5 Premises Managers
Premises managers are those persons who have a responsibility for ensuring the safety, security and maintenance of the premises occupied by the Council. In some premises there will be specific designated roles with premises management responsibilities written into the job description, in others and particularly in corporate offices there will not. In these cases the most senior officer based at the premise is responsible for ensuring it is appropriately managed.
Premises management duties include:
Undertaking fire risk assessment and ensuring adequate evacuation procedures are in place including for persons who require assistance during an emergency evacuation and the adequate provision of appropriately trained staff to enact evacuation.
Ensure that fire safety equipment are adequately maintained and tested in accordance with statutory requirements and Council policy.
Undertake first aid risk assessment and ensure an adequate number of trained first aid personnel are available.
The management of asbestos containing material at the premises in line with the Council's policy on this area.
The management of legionella controls at the premises in line with the Council's policy on this area.
Undertaking premise inspections to ensure maintenance and safety issues are monitored and identified for action as appropriate.
Ensure any trees on site are inspected in accordance with the Council's Tree Management Policy.
Coordinate and consider any other tenants in multi-occupancy buildings to ensure the actions of the Council and others do not compromise health and safety arrangements.
Facilitate and monitor the work of contractors whilst on the premises.
Act as the main point of contact for NPS Facilities Management including liaising over the decommissioning and commissioning of buildings they manage.
Ensure that all premise related plant and equipment are adequately maintained and tested in accordance with statutory requirements.
Ensure that the fixed electrical system and portable electrical equipment are adequately maintained and tested in accordance with statutory requirements and Council Policy.
Attend corporately and departmentally provided training relevant to their role.
3.2 Employee Responsibilities
All Employees have individual responsibility to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and for those other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions. In particular, employees must:
Comply with the Council's Health and Safety Policy and procedures at all times;
Co-operate with their management in complying with relevant health and safety safe systems of work and procedures;
Use all work equipment and substances in accordance with the instruction and training received;
Wear, use, store, maintain and replace personal protective equipment as appropriate;
Not intentionally misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare;
Take part in and contribute to health and safety inspections, risk assessments etc as appropriate;
Report all accidents (personal injury and vehicle), ill-health, incidents of violence and aggression, near misses, hazardous situations, general health and safety concerns, defective equipment or premises in line with Departmental procedures.
Attend corporately and departmentally provided training relevant to their role.
4. Health and Safety Support
4.1 Corporate Health and Safety Team
The corporate health and safety team is lead by the Corporate Health and Safety Manager reporting to the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development, the team's responsibilities include:
Setting the strategic direction for health, safety and wellbeing matters
Developing and reviewing corporate health, safety and wellbeing policies
Monitoring, benchmarking and reviewing NCC's health and safety performance
Reporting to the Chief Officers Group, the Cultural Affairs Overview and Scrutiny Panel and any other appropriate body, on matters related to corporate health and safety
Establish an annual Corporate Action Plan for the management of Health and Safety for adoption and agreement by the Chief Officers Group and the Cultural Affairs Overview and Scrutiny Panel
Developing a corporate health and safety training strategy and providing training services that align with this.
4.2 Health and Safety Advisers
Each directorate within NCC has appointed suitably qualified and experienced Health and Safety Adviser(s). They are responsible for providing advice and guidance on all health and safety matters to the directorate and in particular:
Advising managers, and other employees, on health and safety matters to enable them to meet their health and safety responsibilities;
Supporting line managers, supervisors, Headteachers and other managers in implementing safety policies procedures and arrangements;
Contributing to the development of corporate strategy, policies and procedures and developing departmental policies and procedures for specific departmental risk areas;
Working across directorates to provide a seamless health and safety service across NCC in the most effective and efficient deployment of resource.
Monitoring the implementation of the Council's health and safety policy, including carrying out safety inspections and audits and preparing reports for the appropriate managers and consultative bodies;
Investigating reported incidents of injury and ill-health to employees and, where appropriate, other persons, including incidents of aggression and violence and `near-misses';
Preparing an annual report and action plan for the directorate for approval by the directorate management team;
Providing health and safety training as appropriate.
5. Employee Consultation / Safety Representatives
Consulting employees on health and safety matters is very important in creating and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. It also helps in motivating staff and making them aware of health and safety issues.
Trade Union safety representatives represent employees in day to day consultation with management on issues of health and safety. Such representatives are recognised by NCC as having an important role in achieving employee involvement and in creating and sustaining a positive health and safety culture.
By mutual agreement between the Council and the appropriate Trade Unions, safety representatives will represent both union and non-union employees in particular work areas. Non-union employees may also be consulted directly.
Safety representatives should be consulted in a timely fashion where possible on all matters of health and safety that may affect employees and on the provision of health and safety information and training.
Before making any decisions which could have health and safety consequences for employees, employers should inform safety representative about their proposed course of action and give them an opportunity to express their views.
The functions of safety representatives are:
To investigate potential hazards in the workplace, the causes of accidents and general complaints by employees on health, safety or welfare issues at the workplace;
To take up matters arising out of the above with the appropriate officer of NCC;
To carry out inspections of the workplace, both on a planned basis and following substantial changes in working conditions, where new hazard information has been published by the HSE or where incidents and accidents have occurred;
To inspect and take copies of any document relevant to health and safety providing reasonable notice is given to the manager concerned;
To represent employees in consultations with the managers and to receive information from managers;
To represent employees in consultations with the inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive and to receive information from inspectors;
To attend meetings of safety committees.
Health and Safety Organisation and Responsibilities Policy
Version Number: 8
Date: 08 February 2010
Approved By: Corporate Health and Safety Manager
Page 9 of 9