EI Annual Health Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2022-2023
Renfrewshire Council · 15 June 2022
Back to Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board — 15 June 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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To: INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND AND ENVIRONMENT POLICY BOARD On: 15th June 2022 Report by: DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE Heading: ENVIRONMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING PLAN 2022/23 1. Summary 1.1 The Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy 2019-2022 promotes a positive Health and Safety culture to ensure compliance with relevant Health and Safety legislation. The existing Council Plan was developed before COVID-19, and therefore, our approach and vision must continue to adapt in response to the pandemic by focusing on supporting staff in the “here and now” – still living and working in the midst of the pandemic. 1.2 Health, safety and wellbeing plans are important service documents which are reviewed and updated on an annual basis to ensure there is sufficient focus on Health and Safety compliance and improvement activity. 1.3 Environment & Infrastructure has reviewed its Health, Safety and Wellbeing plan for the period 2022/2023 and identified a range of actions that will be undertaken to support and improve Health & Safety compliance and performance. 1.4 The Plan is attached as Appendix 1 and reports on the Health & Safety performance of Environment & Infrastructure in the previous 2 financial years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, reflecting the reduced reporting structures undertaken during the peak of the pandemic in 2020/21. This plan also sets out the future objectives in an Action Plan for the current financial year 2022/2023. 1.5 Over the last 2 years there have been significant health safety interventions and developments introduced across the department. Through COVID control measures to keep the service and wider workforce safety through public building controls, to replacement of staff welfare facilities and safety enhancements at underwood road. The service has also created both dedicated service and corporate resource to focus on maintaining and improving our health, safety and welfare arrangements.
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2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board:- 2.1 Approves the Environment & Infrastructure Health and Safety report for 2020- 2022 and the Action Plan for 2022/2023 attached as Appendix 1. 3. Background 3.1 Environment & Infrastructure Services are provided directly to the public of Renfrewshire, to other services within the Council and to community partners. The service has approximately 1,500 employees. The principal role and purpose of Environment & Infrastructure is to provide key frontline services: • Operations and Infrastructure - Waste, StreetScene, Roads, Infrastructure & Transportation, Fleet & Social Transportation. • Facilities Management (Hard & Soft Services) – including PPP & Compliance and Building Services. 3.2 Environment & Infrastructure is committed to continually improving health and safety performance in the delivery of its services. The British Standard for Occupational Health and Safety OHSAS 18001:2007 registration has been embedded within the Service, independently audited and successfully retained in 2019/2020. However, this standard has been superseded by ISO 45001:2018. It is widely anticipated that Renfrewshire Council as a whole will move to this new standard in the future. 3.3 The actions outlined in the Action Plan for 2022/2023 will be regularly monitored with updates provided to the Environment & Infrastructure Leadership Team to ensure key actions are implemented. Implications of the Report 1. Financial - None 2. HR & Organisational Development – The report supports the Council’s commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of employees. 3. Community Planning – Renfrewshire is well – the safety of employees and public are of paramount importance to Renfrewshire Council and the Health and Safety plan is reflective of this. 4. Legal - The service will continue to comply with current Health & Safety legislation. 5. Property/Assets - None 6. Information Technology - None
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7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – The report supports and demonstrates Environment & Infrastructure commitment to ensuring effective Health & Safety management. . 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – The report supports the overarching management of risk within Renfrewshire Council. 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. Cosla Policy Position – None 13. Climate Risk – none List of Background Papers – None Author: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment & Infrastructure E-mail: Gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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APPENDIX 1 ENVIRONMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE ANNUAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING PLAN 2022/2023
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1.0 Introduction 1.1 The Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy 2019-2022 promotes a positive Health and Safety culture to ensure compliance with relevant Health and Safety legislation. The existing Council Plan was developed before COVID-19, and therefore, our approach and vision must continue to adapt in response to the pandemic. The council is actively developing financial, economic and social renewal recovery plans, which will refocus our activities on recovery from the virus before a new Council Plan is launched in 2022/2023. In turn, a similar approach will be adopted to the initial phase of this strategy’s implementation - by focusing on supporting staff in the “here and now” – still living and working in the midst of the pandemic 1.2 The intention of the Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy is to: • Reinforce effective health, safety and wellbeing management across the Council. • Refocus and engage with those who undertake or influence health, safety and wellbeing management which support more robust governance. • Ensure legal compliance and, where appropriate meet industry standards and good practice; and • Ensure that effective health, safety and wellbeing risk management is embedded in the organisation and thereby aid in the reduction in the number of incidents and the potential for harm to workers and the public. 1.3 Environment & Infrastructure has reviewed its Health, Safety and Wellbeing plan for the period 2022/2023 and identified a range of actions that will be undertaken to support and improve Health & Safety compliance and performance. 1.4 The Plan reports on the Health & Safety performance of Environment & Infrastructure in the previous financial years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. It also sets out the future objectives in an Action Plan for the current financial year 2022/2023. 1.5 Environment & Infrastructure Services are provided directly to the public of Renfrewshire, to other services within the Council and to community partners. The service has approximately 1,500 employees. The principal role and purpose of Environment & Infrastructure is to provide key frontline services: • Operations and Infrastructure - Waste, StreetScene, Roads, Infrastructure & Transportation, Fleet & Social Transportation, CMRP. • Facilities Management (Hard & Soft Services) – including PPP & Compliance and Building Services. 1.6 These wide ranging and highly visible services are delivered at 270 Council premises, to over 92,000 households and businesses with more than 849km of roads and transport structure being maintained across Renfrewshire. The Health, Safety and wellbeing of our staff, contractors and visitors is of paramount importance. 1.7 Since March 2020 – The impact of the pandemic on Renfrewshire’s communities, residents and businesses has been unprecedented and no Council service was untouched by the lockdown and associated restrictions at that time. The Council worked with partners to continue to deliver vital frontline services throughout the period, as well as create new services (such as the Local Assistance Team) to respond to immediate, critical needs. The workforce demonstrated its resilience and
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flexibility by adapting to new ways of working. Finding new ways to support our most vulnerable by taking on entirely new duties, as part of an existing role, through redeployment or adapting to full-time home-based working. Staff continue to respond to an ever-changing set of circumstances and demands. The operating environment has changed frequently and often at short notice and the service has had to be flexible and adaptable to manage this change and adjust services accordingly. The result has been that Health, Safety & Welfare matters have become very demand / reactive based to suit the large range of activities being undertaken. This ‘as required’ approach has been essential to keep our workforce safe and to meet the guidance issued by the Scottish Government, Health Protection Scotland and the NHS. The reactive nature of our current way of working is likely to have a significant impact on timescales for programmed or scheduled development and improvements in Health, Safety & Welfare matters. 1.8 The service has worked closely with colleagues from within the Council’s Health & Safety team and Regulatory Services to ensure that all workplaces and working practices meet the requirements for health & safety in relation to Covid-19. This is an ongoing process as new guidance is introduced or existing guidance changes or is updated. Communications with the workforce plays an important part of this process to ensure they are provided with the latest information. 2.0 Management of Health and Safety within the Service Broad Context of Health and Safety Policy 2.1 The Director of Environment & Infrastructure has overall responsibility for the application of Environment & Infrastructure Health & Safety Policy. The Leadership Team of Environment & Infrastructure also takes a lead and active role in the monitoring and application of the integrated “Quality and Health & Safety” management system. 2.2 The Health & Safety Policy continues to reflect and provide a guidance framework for the management of Health & Safety in Environment & Infrastructure. 2.3 The objective of Environment & Infrastructure is to ensure that health, safety and welfare is an integral part of its business and all service areas continually seek to develop a positive culture and attitude amongst its staff to achieve this. 2.4 The integrated “Quality, Health & Safety” management system has been further developed as part of the continuous improvement of our management system to reflect structure changes, service improvements and enhanced service delivery arrangements. 2.5 The BS OHSAS 18001:2007 registration has been embedded within the service. The retention of this registration reflects a strong commitment to ensuring robust, health, safety and welfare management arrangements are in place throughout Environment & Infrastructure. It is the intention that Renfrewshire Council will look to meet the requirements of the new Health and Safety quality standard ISO 45001:2018 in the future. 2.6 Continued review of the “Quality, Health & Safety” system will be carried out during 2022/2023 to take account of the structural changes required to reflect the changes which have occurred within the service in recent times.
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3.0 Organisation for Implementing Health & Safety Management Health & Safety Committee 3.1 Environment & Infrastructure is represented on the Corporate Health & Safety Committee and seeks to play a positive part in the quarterly meetings of the Committee. A programme of meetings of the Environment & Infrastructure Health & Safety Committee are arranged to align with the quarterly meeting cycle of the Corporate Health & Safety Committee. 3.2 The Environment & Infrastructure Health & Safety Committee will continue to keep the Health & Safety Policy up to date and assuring its relevance to, and implementation by, all employees. The committee meets quarterly and comprises Environment & Infrastructure Senior Managers together with a representative from the Corporate Health and Safety Team. 3.3 The committee provides a forum for discussion and sharing of ideas in the development of the Quality, Health & Safety Management system. The group has previously been instrumental in the successful retention of BS OHSAS 18001:2007 registration. However, during 2020 - current, these external audits were postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition to the quarterly meetings outlined above, the Service Coordination team and Corporate Health and Safety team meet regularly to ensure that a Health & Safety culture continues to be embedded in Environment & Infrastructure Services. It is anticipated that Renfrewshire Council will seek ISO 45001:2018 in the future. 3.4 The meetings are chaired by the Service Coordination Manager or delegate and consider: (a) Accidents - statistics, trends, investigations and other information to identify causes and provide so far as is practicable solutions for their prevention. (b) Workplace inspections (internal) and audits (Corporate and external) (c) The planning, performance management and review of our approach to Health & Safety (d) The monitoring and implementation of the Health & Safety action plan (e) The identification, assessment and recording of risks (f) Actions arising from the Corporate Health & Safety committee (g) Actions arising from the corporate and service Risk Management and planning arrangements, and (h) New developments in Health & Safety arising from legislation and Government and Council policy Consultation Mechanisms 3.5 Information on Health & Safety issues currently communicated to employees using various internal channels such as strategic meetings, operations meetings, trade union meetings, toolbox talks, text, e-mail, and notice boards.
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3.6 The Environment & Infrastructure Health & Safety Committee is complemented by joint working arrangements which have been introduced for employee and Trade Union consultation. Regular meetings take place with the Environment & Infrastructure Directorate and Trade Union representatives where key Health & Safety issues may also be discussed. The communication with employee groups is essential and allows for better awareness and practice of Health & Safety; the management of risk; the prevention of accidents and ill health, and the maintenance of safe working practices. 3.7 Separate service subgroup meetings also take place involving Union and staff representatives to discuss and resolve specific service-related concerns, including Health & Safety issues. 3.8 The department also enhanced its ability to communicate digitally with front line staff over the last 2 years, through digital messaging. This continues to be developed to include as many staff as possible in what is a quick and effective way of communicating important information. 4.0 Planning and Setting Standards Setting of Health and Safety Objectives 4.1 The Environment & Infrastructure Health & Safety Committee reviews and assesses a number of matters, including: • Developments in the regulation of health and safety in the workplace and in working practices, • The identification of areas of work where there is a need for improvement that may entail the implementation of works or investment in equipment, and • The need for training and raising awareness in relation to health & safety. 4.2 The Q-pulse management system assists with monitoring of Health & Safety performance. However, it is envisaged that Environment & Infrastructure will move away from the Q-Pulse system over the next 12 months. Training 4.3 Training is integral to the approach to Health & Safety within Environment & Infrastructure. In 2020 and 2021 health and safety training has been noted to be lower than in previous years, due to the pandemic restricting training opportunities, with 365 and 512 staff being trained in these financial years respectively. The service has been working through a programme to increase training across service areas, impacted by the pandemic. 4.4 All training is recorded in Q-pulse system, with Service Managers having access to the system to allow performance monitoring of training programmes that have been developed. Much of the training has been in the form of online through MS Teams, Webex etc. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, some direct ‘face to face’ training has taken place in small staff groups in an outdoor setting, with restrictions lifting this will be easier in the coming year to deliver more and larger training sessions
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5.0 Measuring Performance 5.1 The action plan from the current annual Health & Safety plan is monitored on a regular basis and quarterly reports are produced to monitor performance against the key actions detailed in the plan. Active Monitoring 5.3 A Corporate programme of planned workplace inspections for 2022/2023 is currently being developed in line with COVID-19 guidelines. 5.4 The Environment & Infrastructure Health & Safety Committee monitor of health and safety performance throughout the year to ensure there is regular and focussed monitoring of the key Health & Safety activities within Environment & Infrastructure. This is done through internal and external HSE inspection, accident review, well being indicators and legislative and industry guidance. 5.5 Seven key themes have been identified in Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy 2019-2022 and Environment & Infrastructure has and will continue to actively work with Corporate Health & Safety in these key activities over the coming year: • Violence and Aggression • Mental Health • Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) • Fire Safety • Musculoskeletal • Managing Contractors • Audits and Inspections Accidents 5.8 Over the past 2 years there have been 137 accidents reported, and 27 of these reportable accidents to the Health and Safety Executive. 5.9 Accident recording and management had been a priority for Environment & Infrastructure committee in 2021/2022. We had concentrated our focus to promote an open, positive health and safety culture and encouraged staff and management to report all accidents, incidents and occurrences. All incidents, accidents and occurrences have also been reviewed on a weekly basis which has resulted in more accurate and real time data. This will remain a priority for Environment & Infrastructure in 2022/2023 taking any actions need to be taken to ensure the safety of our employees and members of the public. 5.10 Accident trends analysed over the lasts 2 years are broken down below accident and service area is provided in the charts below:
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Chart 1: No of accidents in each service area in 2020/2021 & 2021/2022 Chart 2: Total number of each type of accident in Environment & Infrastructure in 2020/2021 & 2021/2022 Accident Reporting and Investigation 5.13 Environment & Infrastructure has fully implemented use of the Corporate Accident/Incident Recording system on Business World in February 2019. Local arrangements are in place to accommodate staff who do not have access to a PC. Support is provided to Service Managers in recording and investigating accidents as required. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Accidents by Service 2020/2021 2021/2022 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Accidents by Type 2020/2021 2021/2022
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6. Review of Health and Safety Management 6.1 The Environment & Infrastructure Health and Safety Committee will continue to review Health & Safety management across the service. 6.2 A review of the Quality and Health and Safety management system will be carried out in 2022/23 to reflect the operational and structural changes required by the departmental and Council reviews. 6.3 Supporting attendance is a key priority for Environment & Infrastructure. Arrangements are in place to utilise the services of the Council’s Occupational Health provider. The main elements of the service utilised by Environment & Infrastructure have been: Early intervention programme, Employee counselling service, Treating employees referred to the service, Physiotherapy, and Cognitive behavioural therapy for employees Statutory Occupational Health benchmarking – i.e. HAVS, Audiometry etc. The health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce remains a top priority for the Council. A Council wide Health and Wellbeing questionnaire will be sent to all staff in June 2022. The findings will assist the Council to prioritise where our employees need help and support. Environment & Infrastructure may thereafter develop service specific health and wellbeing questionnaires to ensure we were meeting the needs of our employees and the priorities of “Our People, Our Strategy 2021-2026” - People Strategy.
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Environment & Infrastructure Health and Safety Plan 2022-2023 Action Due Date Ascertain if transition is required to meet the new replacement standard of ISO 45001:2018 March 2023 Monitor the implementation of the annual Corporate Health and Safety inspection programme for Environment & Infrastructure March 2023 Encourage staff to complete Health, Safety & Welfare modules on iLearn and attend training courses as required. For example, Personal Safety / Violence and Aggression, Mental Health First Aid, First Aid (General), Wellbeing, General risk assessment training, prevention of accidents etc March 2023 Ensure that there are sufficient Fire Wardens & First Aid at work provision throughout Environment & Infrastructure March 2023 Secure a reduction in the number of accidents in the workplace and the resulting days lost due to accidents 2016/17 110 2017/18 86 2018/19 83 2019/20 61 2020/21 31 2021/22 96 (Number of recorded workplace accidents for Environment & Infrastructure employees (RIDDOR, Major and Minor) March 2023 Monitor and review the number of workplace accidents to seek to deliver a downward trend in the number of accidents from 2021/2022 March 2023 Monitor post action recommendations and ensure they are robust and fully completed for RIDDOR and major accidents March 2023 Training – Ensure health and safety training is appropriately delivered and recorded March 2023 Monitor new working practices, legislation changes, internal and external accident trends and provide training for employees on specific activities to ensure safe working practices are followed March 2023 Seven key themes have been identified in Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy 2019-2022 and Environment & Infrastructure will actively work with Corporate Health & Safety in these key activities between 2019/2022. • Violence and Aggression • Mental Health • Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) • Fire Safety • Musculoskeletal • Managing Contractors • Audits and Inspections March 2023