IOSH EDINBURGH BRANCH

Minutes of 183 Edinburgh Branch Meeting

Craighouse Campus, Napier University, Edinburgh – Thursday 14 June 2007 - 130pm

Sederunt: R Walker C McGlade A Milne D Fitzsimons F Johnson

AD Sharman I MacLeod K Conner M Bancroft G MacGregor G Fraser

C Pender T Mellon K Flockhart S Girdwood C Hall S Keddie

K Bleen L Young M Johnstone G Lyall R McLean J Hepburn

P Welkop A Bell C Lawson D Richardson K Lloyd A McNeill

R Brownlee A McLeod L Rberts P Ager N Holden S Heesom

N Olliver A Finnie P Graham H McRea I Sinclair J rannigan

R Innes J Dwyer N Elliot H Gardner V Stewart

Apologies: Kevin O'Donnell, Richard Lovering, Anne James, Jeanette Reid, Andrea Murray, Scott Page, Steve Boucher, Julian Davis, Neil Doherty.

1. Chair: Andrew Sharman took the Chair and outlined the Safety arrangements (Fire) and reminded people to switch off Mobiles. He added that the Treasurer, Kevin Lloyd would have IOSH memorabilia on display to enable people to see items before ordering them from HQ. He told members that there had been some negative reactions to the decision of the Executive that the doors would be closed to prevent interruption to speakers and for the moment this would take place at 1400 but subject to review in the future.

2. Minutes of previous meeting: April 2007

• Receipt – anyone who hadn’t received their minutes should email the Secretary.

• Accuracy: Proposer – Simmon Heesom; Seconder – Roddy McLean.

Matters arising not on the Agenda: Specialist Group Monthly Newsletter – the Secretary had asked HQ to put it on national website & to inform members when it goes on.

3. Correspondence

The Grange

• inviting applications for the Nominations Committee -key part of IOSH’s governance structure -recommends appointees to the Board of Trustees and standing committees -apply by 21 June; interviews 11 July

• Launch of IOSH Campaign: Putting young workers first. This included designing and making freely available the new Workplace Hazard Awareness Course (WHAC) specifically for teachers. Some Scottish schools were already using this and IOSH were lobbying the get it made mandatory. British Safety Council Awards were offering the WHAC qualification after the course were going to submit to the SQA for accreditation in Scotland. Members who were in a position to do so were asked to encourage the uptake of this course. More at www.iosh.co.uk/campaigns.

4. Group Reports

• Branch Education Development Officer – due to attend a BEDA meeting at The Grange – will report at next meeting.

• Forth & Tay District – had had their sit visit to FMC of Dunfermline the previous week. A very usueful visit to a company that had engendered a safety culture throughout the whole business.

• Specialist Groups

Communications and Media: Graeme Lyall reported that the latest networking event had been held at Cardiff and included sessions on Acoustic Shock, Litigation and Driver Management. Studies into Acoustic Shock seem to suggest there is no long term hearing effect but there are certainly short term effects. Graeme also reported he had been elected as Deputy Chair of the SG.

Public Services: Marion Jonstone reminded members of the National Safety Symposium in early September.

5. Members Items

• Risk Factory visit: Fri 19 October: 2 hrs - afternoon start. Places would be limited to 40. Those interested please email ali_mcleod@btinternet.com.

• Secretary’s Sipper: won by Harry Gardner – thanks to Andy Finnie for organising. Next one will probably be in the Stirling area.

• Exec Committee have co-opted Ali McLeod as Events Co-ordinator.

• Note with regret the death of Alan St John Holt, Member of Council and twice President of IOSH

• Chair showed an example of IOSH extending its influence: Advert from The Director magazine. Amongst other things it highlighted the benefits IOSH professionalism at a high level can bring to a company.

• Paul Graham: Media Liaison:

Paul explained about a new IOSH initiative which would require input from members - Media Intercept –members should try and report stories in the media showing H&S as:

Bonkers Conkers(negative) and Bonzer Conker(positive). He showed a simple form which should be returned to him or any Exec member. Responses would be done via HQ – as all are IOSH publicity interventions.

6. Guest Speaker

The Secret Life of an EHO - Ian Macleod Ch.EHO MREHIS - Renfrewshire Council

History (1)

· 1840’s –families of 12 in a single room

· Overcrowding – epidemics

· Polluted water

· Smog

· Lack of sunlight

History (2)

· 1850/60 – campaigners start a public health revolution

· 1859 - Glasgow – new water scheme at Loch Katrine

· 1862 – Medical Officers appointed

· Followed by sanitary inspectors

· 1897 – Public Health (S) Act – defines statutory nuisance

History (3)

· 1900’s various pieces of public health and safety legislation – eg Factories Act

· 1975 – name change – EHO

· 1974 - Health and Safety at Work Act

· To date – well that’s history!

What is an EHO?

· Graduate

· 4 year course

· 1 year practical training with a LA

· Professional exam

· Local Authority - enforcement or

· Private Company/consultancy

What is Environmental Health?

· Environmental Health is about protecting and improving human health - monitoring environmental exposures in our living and working environments and includes the quality of the air we breathe to the quality of water and food we consume

· Environmental Health comprises those aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical, chemical, biological, social and psychosocial factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect adversely the health of present and future generations.

•(Source – World Health Organisation)

My life

· Apprentice sanitary inspector

· EHO – Glasgow and Renfrewshire

· Liaison group formation

· HSE joint business partnerships

· Training

· Consultancy

The work (1)

· Health and safety

· Food safety

· Public health

· Environmental quality

· Jack of all trades…………………

The work (2)

Health and safety

• Inspection of premises

• Accident investigations

• Formal action/courts

• Complaints

• Advice

• Interventions

• Joint initiatives with HSE

The work (3)

Food safety

• Inspections

• Sampling

• Border control

• Food standards

• Food alerts

The work (4)

Public Health

• Repairs - private

• Nuisances

• Food poisoning

• HMO’s

• Reg of landlords

• Smoking enforcement

The work (5)

Environmental Quality

• Contaminated land

• Noise control – ASBO

• Noise – commercial - alarms

• Waste – litter control areas – fly tipping

• Air monitoring

• Planning applications

Fun / dangerous

• Accident investigation

• Brothels

• Threats

• Court

• Food sampling

Way forward

• Complexities now mean specialists

• Less inspectors – new approaches

• LOPPS

• Interventions

Way forward / new ideas

• Nail bars - beauty treatments

• Colonic irrigation

• Teeth whitening

• Lasers

• Rave - pop concerts

• Virtually all leisure activities

Success?

• Approx 170yrs of public health legislation

• Better quality of life

• Similar period of safety legislation

• Better working practices

• Since 1974 - reduction in fatalities etc

• And now working with business

…and finally - HSE and humour

• REACH = Registration, Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals – 1 June 2007 resulted in the UK in a