Agenda item

The following report was submitted:-

                                                           

Health, Welfare and Safety Panel

18th October, 2013

 

Present:-  Councillor R. S. Russell (in the Chair); Councillors Swift and Wootton; Mrs. J. Adams (NUT), Mrs. S. Brook NASUWT), Mr. P. Harris (GMB), Mr. K. Stoddart (ATL), Mrs. K. Hall-Garritt (UNISON) and Mr. J. Ogle (UNISON).

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ali, Dodson, G. A. Russell, P. A. Russell, Sharman and Whelbourn.

 

7.                     HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY PANEL – ROLE AND FUNCTION

 

Members received a presentation from the Principal Health and Safety Officer describing the role, function and purpose of the Council’s Health, Welfare and Safety Panel, including the protocols used for the Panel’s regular visits of inspection.  Issues discussed were:-

 

: trades union representation on the Panel;

: the attendance of workplace trades union representatives at site visits of inspection by the Panel;

: visits of inspection to Academies (schools), in order to provide advice on health, welfare and safety issues; service level agreements are in place between the Borough Council and most of the Academies in the Rotherham area, in respect of the provision of such advice;

: provision of copies of the Panel’s Constitution to Panel Members.

 

8.                     Minutes of the previous meeting held on 12th July, 2013

 

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Health, Welfare and Safety Panel, held on 12th July, 2013, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

 

9.                     MATTERS ARISING

 

(a) With regard to Minute No. 4 (Annual Health and Safety Report 2012), reference was made to the reporting of statistics in relation to incidents of violence to staff in schools.

 

(b) With regard to Minute No. 5 (Visits of Inspection held on 21^st June, 2013):-

 

(i)   up-to-date information was provided as a consequence of Health and Safety Officers’ subsequent inspections of the Hellaby Depot; and

(ii)  information was provided about the regulations affecting the provision of signs at highway repair and construction sites and also about the wearing of protective clothing and use of equipment on such sites.

 

10.                  HEALTH AND SAFETY BULLETIN

 

Consideration was given to the Health and Safety Bulletin, containing recent articles and reports of legal cases relating to health and safety.

 

The following items were highlighted:-

 

- matters of interest from the Health and Safety Executive, including changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995;

- the corporate manslaughter charge affecting the Sterecycle (Rotherham) company and the subsequent hearings in Court;

- safety myths (dog training classes; risk assessments; boiling kettles and employees walking around with open-topped cups of hot drinks in offices; school pupils wearing hair clips and jewellery during PE lessons);

- recent Court Cases, with one incident involving a resident falling and being injured at one of Doncaster Council’s care homes.

 

Resolved:- That the Principal Health and Safety Officer distribute copies of the bulletin throughout the Authority and also publish the bulletin on the Council’s Intranet web site.

 

11.                  Reports on Visits of Inspection held on 20th September, 2013

 

Consideration was given to matters arising from the visits of inspection made by the Panel on Friday, 20th September, 2013. The report included the responses provided by Service Areas to the various issues raised at the inspections.  Particular reference was made to:-

                   

(a) Wath Central Primary School

 

The Panel noted that the air handling unit at the School has been checked and serviced and is operating correctly.

 

(b) Waste Recycling Centre at Warren Vale, Rawmarsh

 

The Panel noted the arrangements being made for the thermosplastic road markings to be renewed at this waste recycling centre.

 

(c) Storage of Heavy Containers and Materials at a High Level

 

The Panel noted that advice is to be issued to Council premises in order to ensure that heavy containers, boxes and materials are not being stored at high levels.

 

(d) Treeton Church of England Primary School

 

The Panel noted that Health and Safety Officers will provide appropriate advice in respect of the correct positioning of the overhead projector used in this School.

 

(e) Hilltop School, Maltby

 

The Panel noted the difficulties of vehicle parking at this School and that School staff were endeavouring to manage these difficulties.

 

(f) Newman School, Whiston

 

The Panel welcomed the display of appropriate posters at this School, informing pupils and students about the importance of health and safety matters.

 

(g) Kelford School, Kimberworth

 

The Panel expressed concern about the use of changing rooms for the storage of equipment at this School. It was agreed that Health and Safety Officers make a further inspection of this School.

 

(h) Internal Doors in Schools – Vision Panels

 

The Panel noted that Health and Safety Officers will provide appropriate advice to schools in order to ensure that vision panels in internal doors are kept clear at all times.

 

(i) Panel visits of inspection on Friday 6^th December 2013

 

Visits of inspection will be made by the Panel to the Tourist/Visitor Information Centre and to the Key Choices premises within the Rotherham town centre. At a later date, a visit of inspection would be made to the administrative building and shop at the Thrybergh Country Park.