IOSH EDINBURGH BRANCH
Minutes of 181 Edinburgh Branch Meeting
Craighouse Campus, Napier University, Edinburgh – Thursday 12 April 2007 - 130pm
Sederunt: I Munro A Polhill S Boucher A James I Sinclair G MacNab J Martinez R Innes T Neilson A Bell J Marshall J Peoples S Keddie
T Mellon H Pearson B Sommers A Finnie A Reid L Roberts D Morrice
P Ager L Young A McNeill S Heesm P Graham R Brownlie J O’Kane
K O’Donnell R Bradford S McMorland B Gippert S Nazareth M Jonstone R Turner
D Brown B Baird N Doherty R Thomson V Stewart P Weikop B Cherrie
J Hepburn S Page B Sneddon M Bancroft R Lovering A Dick F Johnson
A Green C McGlade A Milne B Byrne R Walker I Norto J Dwyer
K McKimm
• Accuracy: Proposer – Simmon Heesom; Seconder – Allan Dick.
The Grange: members were being asked to consider serving at a national level on/as the Risk Management and Audit Committee, Professional Committee Chair and Board of Trustees
HSE
• 1 May 2007 - Safety and Health Awareness Day: 9am -12.30pm: Forthbank Stadium, Stirling..
• 16 May 2007 - Safety and Health Awareness Day: 9am -12.30pm: Loreburn Halls, Dumfries.
• 10 July 2007 - Managing Slips and Trips in Higher and Further Education Event.
Free 1 day event (9:00 to 16:30) being run by GSE at Forth Valley College, Grangemouth Road, Falkirk FK2 9AD: How to manage slips and trips in further and higher education establishments. Its aim is to equip delegates with the skills necessary to assess the risks of slipping and tripping and to take action to control them.
Aimed at facilities or estates managers, health and safety managers, those in charge of cleaning and catering, and trades union health and safety representatives. Contact Valerie Holland: 0131 247 2026 or valerie.holland@hse.gsi.gov.uk.
Forth and Tay District: meeting that evening. Site visit to FMG Dunfermline 7th June
Education: Neil Doherty reported:
On the 2 April, Adis Scaffolding Ltd was fined £10,000, after pleading guilty to an accident involving a young person on "work experience" who broke his leg after he got off a fork lift truck whilst it was still moving. he was travelling on the fork lift as an unauthorised passenger, at the company's premises in May 2005. The fork lift truck was also being driven by an unauthorised employee. The case correctly highlighted that those on work experience are to be classed as an employee of the organisation, as a young person they were potentially at greater risk due to their lack of maturity and inexperience in a work place.
The incident could and should have been prevented had the company taken steps to ensure that the pupil was placed under the supervision of a responsible employee. New Guidance has just been released which may help those vetting work providers, to ensure that they are work experience providers are adequately assessed.
www.safelearner.info have just released new guidance by producing forms to assist schools and colleges who seek placements for students to receive work experience. The HSE's Guidance HSG 199 is still relevant, but forms to assessed in assessing potential providers can be found by entering the website then clicking on "funded organisations" then choose "safe environment" and finally select "assessing the learning workplace". These forms may be freely used and modified to suit your own needs.
Environmental: Julian Davis reported Defra's consultation on
establishing a Code of Best Practice for the provision of carbon offsetting to
UK customers has a closing date for responses of 13 April 2007.
5. Members Items
• A Finnie said he was organizing the Secretary’s Sipper for either 1 or 8 June.
• Specialist Group Newsletter: Marion reported a monthly newsletter covering the SGs was now being produced by HQ and we would make this available on the Branch website.
6. Guest Speaker
Kenneth McKimm Head of Community Safety
Lothian & Borders Fire & Rescue Service – Update on Fire Safety
Having been introduced to the group by Liz Young of the Branch Executive, the speaker gave a brief introduction to himself and his background –
He had joined and worked in the L&B Fire Service and then back in January of 1993 he had taken on the role of Inspecting Officer and subsequently Supervisory Officer of Inspectors. He also holds the post of Chair to the Chief Fire Officers Group (which is not a Legislative group, but they have considerable input prior to legislation going out to the public for consultation) which hence provides him with a wide knowledge of the spirit and intention of the legislation.
There are eight Fire & Rescue Services in Scotland and each can interpret the legislation as their CFO sees fit in terms of the methods which they employ, however the national group do provide the guidelines against which the do work.
Kenneth took on the role of Head of Community Safety 3 years ago.
So what changed
On the 1st October 2006 we saw new legislation in the form of the Fire Scotland Act and that created changes in -
What premises are covered; Who is responsible; What they are responsible for; Licensing arrangements; Enforcement procedures; Offences
And the speaker’s intention was to provide and insight into these aspects during his presentation
Legislation Out
The following all disappeared
· Fire Precautions Act 1971
· Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997
· Fire Certificates (Special Premises) Regulations 1976
· Fire safety element of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
· Section 70 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 was mostly dis-applied in respect of fire safety
· Section 71 - Suspension of fire safety terms and conditions in Licensing, Registration and Certification schemes which means that Licences held or applied for can no longer have Fire conditions applied to them. E.g. an Alcohol licence cannot be granted based on specific fir conditions as it is no longer a licence condition.
Scope of the New Regime
PEOPLE (Section 79)
Relevant persons – This was owners/occupiers but now it could be anyone.
· Persons lawfully in the premises – it does not cover those who have broken in
· Persons in the immediate vicinity of the premises – including those people passing by or neighbours
· Excludes employees of relevant authority engaged in operational tasks – it does not state “how to make it safe for fighting fires” that is specifically defined as down to the Fire & Rescue Service
PREMISES (Section 78)
· Premises definition – Everything except domestic premises
· Excluded premises
o Domestic premises – uless they are rented out to 3 families
o Ships during normal ship-board activities
o Mines and offshore installations
o Borehole sites
o Agricultural or forestry land away from buildings – although may apply to affected buildings
Dutyholders
This will include the following people who are required to –
· Assess the risk from fire to the safety of persons – this Fire Risk Assessment has to be separate and not as part of any other H&S Risk Assessment. If there are more than 5 employees this assessment must be recorded.
· Take fire safety measures (See details later)
· Review the assessment
And as such will include =
Fire Safety Measures
· Reduce the risk of fire and fire spread –(fire spread being new – the rest is in line with existing standards)
· Means of escape
· Securing means of escape can be used – i.e. not locked or blocked doors
· Means of fighting fires – with evidence of what would be considered
· Detecting fires and giving warning
· Action, instruction and training.
· As prescribed by Regulations –
Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006
Part 3 Fire Safety
Fire safety arrangements
Means for fighting fire and giving warning
Means of escape
Procedure for serious and imminent danger
Maintenance
Safety assistance
Provision of information to employees
Training
Co-operation and co-ordination
Duties of employees
Maintenance
To secure the safety of fire-fighters there is a requirement for maintenance of:
Premises =
Facilities, equipment and devices provided for the protection of fire-fighters under an enactment
(This is new and is aimed at ensuring systems installed to fight fir {e.g. dry risers and access/egress for emergency vehicles} should work and be fit for use)
Enforcers of Fire Issues
HSE
Nuclear, some construction sites, some ships
Defence FRS
Armed forces, visiting forces
Local Authority
Sports grounds
HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services
Other Crown duty-holders
Relevant Authority (the Fire & Rescue Service)
Everything else
How will Fire Authority Enforce
Based on risk - There are 17 premises types ranging from Hospitals to small single offices (see separate sheet for details) – the priority will be based on Sleeping areas (Care homes etc) and those where their mobil;ity is severely restricted in some way.
After a fire/complaint
At the request of licensing/regulatory authority
Audit – sample – small factories and offices
Following even a small fire
Full audits which will start with a desk-top audit of management systems looking at fire risk assessment and how fire is controlled and will then be followed by a physical inspection checking on what has been stated is in fact in place.
Audit outcomes –
Verbal/letter of deficiencies/action plan – this would be for minor deficiencies with a possible action plan being agreed during the visit - L&B will also issue a letter of indication of satisfactory standard being noted, but this is specific to L& B F&RS only
Enforcement notice - Significant serious risk to safety & life = blocked exits, smoke detection offences, emergency lighting faults etc which could give rise to £20k fine
Prohibition notice – Prohibits use of all or part of the building as specified
Summary - CFO Association Position
|
Max Bancroft, MRSC, CMIOSH Branch Secretary |
Richard Lovering, CFIOSH Branch Executive Committee |