Agenda item

To receive the Quarterly Health and Safety report.

The Committee received the Council’s Quarterly Health and Safety report. The Corporate Health and Safety Manager introduced the report. The main points highlighted were as follows:  

• An audit had been undertaken within the Council’s Electrical Team and the score was 82.64% which was very positive for the Council and a big improvement from the position of 5 years ago. A number of actions had been identified that service was working to implement. 

• On Safety panels and working groups, the report showed the percentages of risk assessments currently being reviewed. Within the Place, Operations and Sustainability and the Housing and Communities service areas. Both services had made good progress on the number of documents they had reviewed, however it was noted that there were around 100 risk assessment documents within each department. Some teams were struggling with capacity on this matter and so the Corporate Health and Safety Manager had since met with directors and service managers, and they had come up with strategic plans for the next financial year. Support would be provided so that these document reviews could be completed. 

• On Accident and Incident reports, the Committee heard that 65 reports were submitted, which was a decrease from the previous quarter. There had been an increase in injuries reported and reduction in near misses. The reduction in near misses was due to an overall reduction of submissions form the Street Scene team and damage from pub toilets. 

• There were a total of five Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDOOR) reports. 2 of these reports were contractor related, and this was noted as a significant increase from the previous quarter with a total of 185 days lost at time of report. 123 of these days were in the Housing and Communities service area and 65 were in the Place, Operations and Sustainability service area. 

• There was a downward trend in member of the public reports per quarter during this financial year, although when compared to the previous financial year, there has been a significant increase in the number of reports. This is primarily due to the increased work with the Health and Safety Team undertaken from managers and supervisors in the Housing and Customer Services. 

• There were a total of 5 contractor reports.  

• On the Significant Incidents, namely incidents 3782 and 3783, the Committee heard that there was an unsafe gas appliance at a property in Beach Crecent. Further inspection showed that the appliance was fitted outside of the manufacturer’s instructions. The property worked had an unsafe boiler which was immediately made safe and shut off alongside a report being submitted to Health and Safety England under RIDDOR 2013. Work was ongoing at the property with 21 actions identified at the address and a full audit of gas works undertaken by the gas contractor.  

• Actions were then agreed actions going forward with the contractor. The contractor will not use any sub-contractors going forward and all gas works will go through the Council’s team to make sure all requirements are met. Furthermore, the Council’s Gas Manager will attend quarterly KPI meetings. Since the incidents, good progress had been made through meetings with the gas contractors.  

• Incident 3779 regarded the discovery of asbestos in a property at Manor Close. This followed a review of the Asbestos Management Survey by the corporate Asbestos Management Team. The loft space of the property was locked and made secure before a contractor removed the material. A full accident investigation was currently on-going with the Health and Safety Team. A number of actions were identified for the Asbestos Management Team and the Asbestos Controller contractor. The Corporate Health and Safety Manager reassured the Committee that he continued to work with the Housing team to ensure the identified actions would be implemented as soon as possible. 

• Following a question from a member, the Corporate Health and Safety Manager explained that he would look confirm the figures on the transport vehicle incidents 

RESOLVED: 

That the Committee:  

• Acknowledged the findings identified from service safety panels and working groups. 

• Acknowledged the findings from the Q3 2024 – 2025 accident/incident form.