The committee considered the annual health and safety report from the head of corporate strategy. This scrutinised performance against the 2011/12 health and safety action plan and proposed an action plan for 2012/13. The committee noted that there had been no significant health and safety incidents during the year and no incidents requiring the Health and Safety Executive’s involvement.
In answer to a question regarding the lone worker policy, the officer reported that the council had decided not to request reports from the council’s lone worker system as this brought additional cost without benefit. The committee requested that this was explained in future reports.
The committee noted that the fire policy had been published for all council property run by the council for its operational purposes but a fire policy needed to be published for other property, such as investment property. This would be added to the action plan for 2012/13.
The committee asked whether Cabinet retained an overall responsibility for health and safety. In the past, health and safety responsibilities had fallen on the chief executive and the leader of the council. In previous years, all members of the then Executive were given health and safety training. The committee noted that the leader of the council, the chief executive and strategic directors were all members of the Health and Safety Review Board, which monitored health and safety performance and impending legislation or guidance. The officers agreed to check whether other Cabinet members had health and safety responsibilities also. The committee noted that all councillors would be offered a health and safety briefing shortly.
RESOLVED: To
(a) note the health and safety report 2011/12 and endorse the action plan for 2012/13;
(b) add to the action plan for 2012/13 that the fire policy needs to be published for council properties not used by the council to provide services; and
(c) check whether the Cabinet members have health and safety responsibilities, and if so, receive health and safety training.