Health and Safety at Work Policy 2022/23

This Health and Safety Policy is the lead document for health and safety in Hull City Council. All other health and safety documents at a corporate or directorate level will match or exceed the principles set out here.

The Health and Safety Management Board and Executive have overall responsibility for considering proposed changes to this Health and Safety Policy, within which individual committees and their Officers will operate.

Anyone who works for or with the council are encouraged to read this policy and consider how they can contribute to achieving its aims.

Our Policy Statement

We’re committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all employees, members and people who work at or visit our premises across Hull.

As an employer we care about the wellbeing of all our staff. We are committed to maintaining the quality of our health and safety at work controls through communication and raising awareness.

As an employee the benefit to you is a safe working environment. It’s your duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others whilst working.

As a member we want you to provide leadership and direction to help the council implement and maintain health and safety standards.

We will comply with all relevant health and safety legislation including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. In addition, we will adhere to our own standards and policies on wellbeing, health and safety.

We will -

Promote a positive health and safety culture based on openness and honesty in which decisions are based on the principles of sensible risk management, lessons are learnt from mistakes and accountability is clear
Provide sufficient resources to ensure a safe working environment. This includes the provision of safe premises, working areas, equipment and materials
Regularly review and evaluate our health and safety performance
Provide suitable information, training and supervision to all employees and others where appropriate
Ensure that staff are involved and consulted on relevant health and safety matters in good time and ensure that their views are considered
Identify work related stress issues at source and agree realistic and workable ways to tackle these
Provide advice and support to line managers on managing occupational health
Identify, manage and monitor risk with the aim of reducing it as far as reasonably practicable. Where necessary, we will obtain competent advice to assist with risk management
Select competent contractors that hold the relevant experience, skills and knowledge and ensure that they follow our health and safety requirements
Investigate accidents and take action and make improvements where required. We will also comply with our statutory reporting obligations

Who is responsible?

Our Chief Executive and Leader of the Council have overall responsibility
Elected Members and Directors fully recognise and accept their responsibilities as an employer under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
The Health and Safety Management Board and the Health and Safety Committee will review the effective management of health and safety with the object of promoting the wellbeing and safety of all employees, customers and visitors

Organisation And Responsibilities

The Chief Executive and Leader of the Council

The Chief Executive and Leader of the Council have overall responsibility for all matters relating to the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone employed by the authority and for ensuring that customers and others who may be affected by the activities and services provided by Hull City Council, are protected from harm, as far as is reasonably practicable.

They will ensure that adequate resources, proportionate to the level of risk, are made available for the effective implementation of this policy and any associated management arrangements, including the maintenance of our premises, facilities and equipment and the delivery of adequate training to our employees.

The Corporate Strategy Team will -

Provide strategic direction on corporate health and safety strategies.
Ensure that robust health and safety management systems, arrangements and organisations exist in each directorate.
Support the Chief Executive in meeting their safety responsibilities for the council.

Elected Members

Elected Members have individual and collective responsibilities for providing leadership and direction to assist in ensuring that the council implements and maintains effective health and safety standards. Members must ensure that the decisions they make take into account health and safety legislation and the council's own policies and that sufficient resources are allocated for this purpose.

Corporate Directors and Assistant Directors

Corporate Directors and Assistant Directors are responsible for establishing their own arrangements for -

Ensuring adequate resources are available for the development and implementation of the corporate health and safety management system
Producing health and safety procedures and protocols for their Directorate that support the Corporate Health and Safety policy and objectives, bringing these to the attention of employees and revising as necessary to ensure that they remain valid
Maintaining effective systems for risk assessment and utilising the results of risk assessment to prioritise actions, identify training needs, develop operational controls and determine future service requirements
Monitoring Health and Safety arrangements to ensure that they are working effectively
Ensuring their managers are competent in health and safety management techniques, the minimum standard being as set out in the council’s Competency Framework.
Ensuring that staff, partners and other interested parties, such as elected members and trade union representatives are involved and consulted on relevant health and safety matters in good time and ensure that their views are considered
Obtaining assistance from the Corporate Health and Safety team where necessary
Reviewing the health and safety performance of their directorate annually and providing a summary of that review for the Health and Safety Management Board
Reporting to the Chief Executive any situation where the standards set out in the council’s General Statement of Health and Safety Policy cannot be implemented
Where services are provided by external arm’s length management organisations, joint venture companies, trusts or other similar organisations, ensuring that partnership and delegation arrangements for managing health and safety are detailed fully in the contract and that all parties are aware of their responsibilities

Heads of Service, managers and supervisors

Heads of Service, managers and supervisors are required to -

Comply with the requirements of the council’s health and safety documentation
Ensure all work-related hazards are identified and suitable and sufficient risk assessments are undertaken and findings communicated appropriately
Develop local procedures and safe working practices in line with the council’s documentation and local risk assessments
Ensure that they and their staff have adequate levels of competency to complete their work safely
Ensure that local health and safety systems are maintained
Ensure adequate arrangements, equipment, facilities and trained members of staff are available to administer first-aid to employees whilst at work
Ensure adequate arrangements, equipment, facilities and trained personnel are available to implement emergency procedures in the event of the outbreak of fire
Report and investigate incidents as necessary

Employees

All employees are responsible for -

Taking reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others affected by their acts or omissions
Co-operating with the management of their directorate as necessary to enable risks to be controlled and achieve compliance with relevant legislation
Using all work equipment and substances in accordance with the instruction and training received
Following all prescribed safe working practices and not working while unfit to do so
Not intentionally misusing anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare
Reporting to their supervisor or manager any health and safety problem which they cannot resolve themselves or any shortcoming they consider to be in the health, safety and welfare arrangements
Reporting to their supervisor or manager any health or safety matter arising out of their own work activities which could present serious or imminent danger to themselves or others

Agency staff

Agency staff employed by the council will be informed at their place of work of local health and safety arrangements and the health and safety procedures relevant to their work.

Agency staff must co-operate with these procedures and arrangements and accept personal responsibility for the health and safety of themselves and others.

Property and Assets Management Team

The Property and Assets Management Team have the responsibility for managing health, safety and welfare arrangements and amenities in buildings under its control. This includes planned maintenance and inspection regimes, statutory inspections, fire risk assessments, emergency evacuation arrangements and other tests and surveys as required. Where premises are not controlled but are occupied by council staff, suitable premises and plant or equipment maintenance schedules must form part of any leasing or other occupancy arrangements.

Assistant Director Property and Assets

The Assistant Director Property and Assets has a specific responsibility to ensure that competent people are appointed to ensure -

Health and safety risks and implications are considered and addressed when making policy or business recommendations
All council premises are safe and comply with legislative requirements
Systems are in place to monitor compliance against legislation and standards, including fire, asbestos and water management
Regular reports are made to the appropriate health and safety committees or forums to report on risks and control measures

Building Location Manager

The Building Location Manager has responsibility for the day to day coordination of safety management within the building. This is normally the most senior person in charge of the service on a site and, in certain circumstances, for a number of sites.

They shall ensure -

A building forum, with safety as a standing agenda item, is developed which meets at regular intervals with relevant representatives and that is chaired by them and/or a nominated deputy
There is a coordinated approach to common building arrangements where there is multi occupancy e.g. fire and first aid and that there is adequate communications maintained on matters relating to health and safety of all building users
Any building matters that may compromise the safety of employees, contractors, visitors and others where immediate actions are not effective or applicable are reported in the appropriate way
Building and Fire Log books are kept up to date

Depending on the size and complexity of the premises, the Building Location Manager may delegate various day to day responsibilities and tasks to a Premises Co-ordinator. However, the Building Location Manager is always ultimately responsible for the health and safety of those on the premises. Please refer to the Hull City Council Premises Management Handbook for more details.

Premises Co-ordinator

For small sites the Building Location Manager may be the Premises Co-ordinator but with larger premises, the Building Location Manager may need to delegate day-to- day tasks and be a point of contact for contractors attending site for example. In some circumstances, there may be no manager present on site and a member of staff may be tasked with being the building contact for local premises matters.

Contractors and Working Partners

Anyone working with, or involved in the provision of goods and services on behalf of the council, are responsible for -

Co-operating with the requirements of the health and safety policy
Accepting responsibility for their own health and safety and that of others
Submitting before work commences the relevant risk assessments, method statements and controls and ensuring that these are reviewed and accepted
Taking additional measures, where necessary to protect employees and others from risks that arise from the nature of the work
Notify the Building Location Manager of any incidents affecting safety

The council will provide contractors and partners with any specific health and safety information relevant to the work involved. Staff employing third party contactors to carry out work on behalf of the council, also have a legal duty to ensure that those contractors have the skills, knowledge, and experience to carry out the specific work safely.

In order to assist the council, the Corporate Health and Safety Team provide competent advice and make recommendations to the Management Board on the development of the health and safety strategy, policies, procedures and implementation plans.

They will -

Provide competent advice and support to managers and supervisors on health and safety matters
Keep up-to-date on developments in health and safety legislation and practice
Monitor on behalf of the council the implementation of health and safety policies and procedures
Provide health and safety training and instruction
Receive accident and incident reports, investigate as appropriate, compile and analyse accident and incident data
Consult with recognised trade unions and their appointed workplace representatives on issues relating to the health and safety of their members

Emergency Planning team

The Emergency Planning team have specific responsibility under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 for the development and management of the council’s emergency and business continuity arrangements and to ensure that health and safety concerns are addressed from foreseeable risks associated with events such as -

Acts of terrorism
Flooding
Health pandemics
Utility / IT failure

The council’s ‘Protocol for Deployment of Staff in an Emergency Situation’ allows for staff to be deployed to/from other service areas to support the delivery of critical activities.

Insurance Team

The Insurance Team works with the Health and Safety Team to identify key areas of risk and devise strategies for improvement.

Occupational Health

Occupational Health supports the council and its employees in their roles by providing professional, authoritative and impartial advice and assistance on matters relating to health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Safety representatives

Safety representatives are appointed by Trade Unions to represent the workforce on health and safety matters. The council fully supports the valuable contribution safety representatives make to maintaining and improving health and safety in the workplace.

Customers, volunteers, and visitors

Customers, volunteers, and visitors. Through local communications such as the internet, signs, posters, customers, volunteers and visitors are encouraged to co- operate with the health and safety arrangements put in place to protect them and the people who are providing a service for them.

Arrangements

Strong leadership on health and safety will be provided by the Chief Executive, the Corporate Strategy Team, Cabinet and the Senior Management team to establish a vision of successful health and safety management. This leadership and vision will generate clarity about health and safety strategy, management objectives, health and safety roles and responsibilities and foster professional relationships.

This policy will be delivered by the development of procedures, protocols and guidance that meet the requirements of health and safety law as applicable to Hull City Council. Specific guidance is available for, but not limited to: fire safety, drugs and alcohol, noise, vibration, asbestos, legionella and COSHH via the staff intranet.

The promotion of health, safety and welfare of all colleagues will continue through training, campaigns and communications.

Building Forums and Steering Groups

Building Forums and Steering Groups where health and safety is a standing item on agendas enable consultation, cooperation and joint working between managers and employees in all aspects of safety, health and wellbeing. These groups assist the council in monitoring and improving its Health and Safety Management System at a local and corporate level.

Health and Safety Committee

The Health and Safety Committee is a joint committee with the trade unions, who have Health and Safety representatives. We work closely together to try to improve our standards.

Health and Safety Management Board

The Health and Safety Management Board is designed for senior managers to keep up-to-date with what is expected of them, report any issues that need to be dealt with corporately and to have an oversight of the whole system so that we can make any amendments to policy and procedure and influence best practice.

Induction

All staff complete a corporate induction as well as a site/task specific safety induction including local arrangements for building evacuation, first aid and welfare facilities.

This information is also made available to visitors, contractors, volunteers and customers.

Learning and Development

Our Health and Safety Learning Programme is used to identify training needs using the Hull City Council competency framework strategy and enable the provision of appropriate health and safety training.

It applies to all staff directly employed by Hull City Council, plus those appointed to work on our behalf. Courses are categorised as -

Level 1 Basic - Health and Safety awareness training recommended for all staff
Level 2 Intermediate - suitable for all staff if required for their role
Level 3 Advanced - suitable for senior staff and staff with greater Health and Safety responsibilities

Learning plans and outcomes are recorded on the Oracle Learner Management system.

Risk Management

Risk management is about taking practical steps to protect people from real harm and suffering.

Managers and supervisors, who have been deemed competent, conduct risk assessments and implement controls for their areas of responsibility. These include assessments for physical and mental harm.

Assessments include -

General - task based work activities
Specific - COSHH, DSE, First Aid, Manual Handling, Stress, Young Persons, New and Expectant Mothers, Noise, Fire, Vibration.

We define a competent risk assessor as someone who holds the IOSH Managing Safely qualification or a higher health and safety qualification such as the NEBOSH General Certificate. They also need to have good skills, knowledge and experience of the work area and tasks that they are assessing.

Courses, instruction, workshops and guidance notes are available via the Health and Safety Learning Programme and through the Corporate Health and Safety Team.

The council’s monitoring and auditing activities are designed to ensure that risk management tools are suitable and sufficient.

Incident Reporting

The reporting, recording and analysis of accidents and incidents, is essential in preventing reoccurrence.

Incidents are reported directly on to our incident reporting system - Airsweb AVA, or via the Corporate Health and Safety Team. The incident is then directed to the relevant line manager for appropriate investigation in order to identify, where appropriate, additional preventative and protective

measures to prevent reoccurrence. The investigation may also identify potential breaches of statutory obligations or internal policy or procedures.

All incidents that require further reporting under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences regulations (RIDDOR) must be reported to the Corporate Health and Safety Team immediately.

More information can be found in the Incident Reporting and Investigation Guidance available on the Intranet and the ‘Reporting an Incident using Airsweb AVA’ eLearning package.

Communication

In addition to the council's established committee structures and the joint consultative forums, communication channels for the exchange of health and safety knowledge and information already exist through the day-to-day communication channels.

These channels may need to be formalised by managers or supervisors and regularly evaluated by the specialist support advisors. They include, for example -

Line supervision
Safe systems of work/risk assessment ‘toolbox talks’
Health and safety discussion groups
Management team discussions
On the job health and safety training
Issuing and exchange of health and safety policies, guidance and codes of practice
The Intranet, Hull Talk, The Hub
Co-operation and communication between teams on shared sites

At directorate level the results of the risk assessment process are key elements of the communication process. Onsite safety systems rely extensively on the exchange of information. Generic example risk assessments will be accessible via The Intranet to assist managers, but it is essential that local risk assessments are undertaken to ensure that procedures and systems are correctly documented, legible and readily available.

Although it is primarily the responsibility of heads of service, senior managers and managers/supervisors to initiate such information, the value of feedback from all staff is very important. Staff must always have opportunity and be encouraged to contribute to this process.

Monitoring and Review

The effectiveness of our safety performance is monitored both proactively and reactively. Audits take place which examine all aspects of the Health and Safety Management System to determine its adequacy and identify improvements. The council’s health and safety performance including the results of monitoring and auditing activity is regularly reviewed by senior managers and Health and Safety committees.

An annual report will be presented to the Health and Safety Management Board and Health and Safety Committee by the Corporate Health and Safety Team. This will summarise the results of the monitoring activities carried out in directorates, review the injuries or incidents reported and recommend any actions for improving performance.

Active monitoring systems -

Monitoring and inspections that measure health and safety performance on a routine basis such as spot checks
Documents relating to the promotion of the health and safety culture should be periodically examined
Premises, plant and equipment should be systematically inspected
Health surveillance and environmental monitoring systems should be established to check the effectiveness of health control methods and to detect early signs of harm to health

Reactive monitoring systems -

Identify where health and safety standards are not being met, by monitoring for failures in the systems - such as accidents, cases of ill health (work-related sickness), damage to property

Topic Specific Legislation

Further advice

Contact your Health and Safety Advisor for further advice -