Issue - meetings

Health and safety

Meeting: 05/07/2022 - Joint Audit and Governance Committee (Item 20)

20 Health and safety pdf icon PDF 301 KB

To consider the report of the Head of Corporate Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The people and culture manager introduced the report and explained that this report had followed the recent report presented at the last committee meeting due to a change in staffing structure which had impacted the traditional report dates. The people and culture manager confirmed that they were currently undertaking work on the health safety policy, and champions. Additional work was taking place regarding training that related to staff workplace roles. The committee were told that other work was in progress towards having a baseline of compliance training, but that this was on track and that officers were happy with the progress.

 

The committee asked if there had been any learnings from the spike relating to incidents reported during 2021. The manager responded that there had been a major learning on the personal risk element. The near misses also related to a national trend which was noticed through interactions with the public. The committee were subsequently informed that the councils’ health and safety advisor was involved in the training of staff to help put the appropriate measures in place.

 

The committee asked a supplementary question asking if the increase in incidents a result of an increase of abuse were to staff and visitors. The response from the officers were that cases remained very low; however, they were seeing more incidents reported, which was positive as it helped identify when these situations were occurring.

 

The committee raised the suggestion that information relating to abuse directed towards councillors would be beneficial due to the public role the elected officials hold, and the subsequent abuse they receive would be beneficial for tracking and monitoring.

 

RESOLVED: to

a.     Continue undertaking a half-yearly progress review of health and safety as outlined in the health and safety strategic review.

b.     Note the report.