Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Service Delivery (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Service Delivery that provided an update on Health and Safety statistics and activity during Q4 (1 January to 31March 2024. The Assistant Director – Place and Community introduced the report and deferred to the Corporate Health and Safety Manager. The Manager took the Committee through the report advising on the numbers of accidents / incidents and near misses and incidents of unacceptable behaviour during this quarter.

In addition, the report set out a number of health and safety actions and provided an update on their progress. Members were informed that a Senior Manager Group and Safety Action Team had been established with inaugural meetings held. The report also provided further update in respect of system resources, training, fire risk assessments and accident / near miss reporting. The priorities for the next quarter were set out in the report and noted by Members.

In response to a number of questions raised during the debate, the following information was provided by Officers:

·                All frontline staff had received training regarding confrontation and dealing with unacceptable behaviour. The Assistant Director – Customer Services and Operation explained that these incidents reported were extreme and the frustrated, annoyed, angry customers that frontline staff dealt with on a daily basis would not generate an incident report. However, Officers were undertaking a review of the incidents that fell below the reportable level and looking to record these to highlight any lessons learnt, additional support for staff and how they could be avoided. Members were advised that most incidents occurred in the Council’s reception area which was covered by Closed Circuit Television (CCTV). Although the Council did operate a zero tolerance policy staff were mindful of the circumstances that may have brought customers into the Council offices and therefore the reasons for the behaviour. It was noted that staff could escalate an incident at any point.

·                The Health and Safety Manager outlined the procedure should a fire alarm sound at the Council Offices, including how the new sign in procedure would be used to take a roll call at the muster point. It was explained that in respect of those persons not required to sign in on arrival at the Council offices, the reception area was swept by staff on the way out to the muster point and partner organisations had separate arrangements. A test of the new system was planned and would include the use of a tablet / phone by fire marshalls to carry out the roll call.

·                It was noted that the Council’s Waste Contractor was responsible for its own safety and required to record details of any incidents which were then reported to the Council via the regular contract management meetings.

·                In response to a query regarding the incident in a churchyard the Health and Safety Manager advised that he was not aware of any damage caused, just the need for a stone to be repositioned.

There being no further discussion the Chairperson thanked the Health and Safety Manager and moved the recommendations set out in the report. This was duly seconded and agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)             That Members considered the accident and incident statistics;

(ii)            That Members considered progress with all health and safety actions as set out in section 3.2 of the report.