Agenda item

To present the Annual Report for 2017/18.

The Corporate Health and Safety Annual Report for 2017/18 was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The Environmental Health Operations Manager summarised the main considerations to be drawn from the report as follows –

•           Significant work has been carried out to revitalise Health and Safety within the Council which has involved Senior Officers, Human Resources and Corporate Health and Safety. The development of a new Corporate Health and Safety Policy clarifying roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders within the Council has been the key work stream at a senior level. In addition, the revised role of Health and Safety Co-ordinators to being more proactive in improving health and safety is a significant change in the arrangements.

•           For 2017/18, a total of 1322 incidents was recorded which is a reduction of 111 from the number of incidents in the previous year. A total of 249 employee related incidents were recorded which is 46 fewer than for the previous year. An analysis of the incidents is provided in the report and where trends or patterns have emerged, work has been done to reduce the risk. This should have helped reduce the number of incidents and is a continuous process.

•           A total of 20 incidents were reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as required by RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) with the HSE being provided with a report on each incident. No follow-up action was taken by the HSE indicating that it was satisfied with the work done to prevent reoccurrence.

•           A total of 92 short training courses on a range of health and safety subjects were provided during the year which were attended by a total of 892 members of staff.

•           Partnership work was carried out between the six North Wales Corporate Health and Safety teams with information being provided by the Welsh Local Government Association to assist with Health and Safety work streams. Gwynedd Council has provided Occupational Health and Training support.

•           Information to assist the HSE has been provided. Although there were no interventions by the HSE in 2017/18, the Corporate Health and Safety team carried out 336 proactive interventions to assist with Health and Safety issues. A monthly Health and Safety bulletin was also introduced to raise awareness of health and safety issues within the Council.

•           A Corporate Health and Safety Action Plan has also been developed to further improve Health and Safety standards within the Council.

The Committee considered the information and made points as follows –

•           The Committee noted that the overall message from the report is positive and reflects an improving Health and Safety culture at the Council; the Committee welcomed the greater prominence and visibility given to Health and Safety within the Council along with the actions taken to place Health and Safety on a sound footing.

•           The Committee noted that although the total number of incidents has reduced from the previous year, the number of physical assaults (client and pupil related incidents) has almost doubled in the same time from 56 in 2016/17 to 103 in 2017/18. The Committee noted also that incidents under a separate category for physical assaults by a person were recorded although no satisfactory differentiation was made between the two categories. The Committee sought an explanation for the rise in physical assaults and how this trend might be countered.

The Chief Executive said that the data includes incidents of physical assaults in schools both mainstream and special including pupils with special/additional learning needs in mainstream schools. It is possible that incidents in schools have contributed to a higher percentage of incidents overall. The increase in 2017/18 could also be partly attributed to the fact that schools now have in place a Schools’ Health and Safety Policy based on the Corporate Health and Safety Policy which will have influenced recording and reporting of incidents. The revised Health and Safety Policy was implemented in 2017/18 and sets out more clearly than previously the expectations for schools specifically those in terms of the role of Head Teachers, senior teachers and teachers in relation to reporting incidents to the school’s Senior Leadership Team. Notwithstanding, the reasons for the increase need to be interrogated further with the Corporate Health and Safety Advisor as regards how the results from one year to the next have been moderated and to establish whether the increase in the number of physical assaults is a statistical increase due to clearer reporting or whether it is due to an increase in concerns.

The Environmental Health Operations Manager said that a comparison of the data for 2017/18 against the data in next year’s 2018/19 annual report may provide a clearer indication of how the efficiency of reporting has improved in the context of the number of incidents recorded.

•           The Committee noted that the increase in physical assaults reflects recent trends in the Health Service where assaults on frontline staff have been much publicised; the Council should seek to obtain the same level of publicity for challenging behaviour against Council staff.

•           The Committee noted that accidents and/or injuries sustained whilst on Council duty or more particularly by members of the public on Council premises may result in claims against the Council which can be costly. The Committee sought clarification of whether the Council tracks the number of health and safety claims made against the Council and their resultant costs.

The Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer said that the Council’s Insurance and Risk Manager maintains a record of the number of claims made against the Council as well as  their outcome in terms of the claims accepted and those challenged.

The Head of Audit and Risk said that as part of the Audit Committee’s new wider governance responsibilities, it will be presented with an annual Insurance Report at its next meeting in April which will cover issues relating to claims against the Council.

•           The Committee noted and welcomed the training sessions provided for Council staff during the reporting period as an important preventative measure in maintaining health and safety and work.

It was resolved to accept the Annual Corporate Health and Safety Report for 2017/18 and to note its contents noting also that there is a requirement for the Executive to consider Health and Safety arrangements and performance.

ACTIONS PROPOSED: The Corporate Health and Safety Officer be asked to clarify the following –

•           Whether there are any specific reasons for the increase in the number of physical assaults and whether the upturn reflects an emerging trend.

•           The differentiation between the two categories of “Physical Assault by Person” in the Types of Incident Table at Page 6 of the report.