FORTH AND TAY DISTRICT
of
EDINBURGH BRANCH
27th Meeting: Dewar Centre, Glover Street, Perth at 7.30 pm Thursday 6th April 2006.
Sederunt.
S. Fowler S. Chisholm S. Hughes A. Pill
D. Binnie D. Clark K. Paterson D. Mann
K. McDonnell M. Powell (Ms) M. Powell (Mr) R. Greer
K. Findlay T. Mellon A. Reavey R. McDonnell
J. Goddard P. Szawlowski
1. Chairperson Karen McDonnell
· Karen opened the meeting at 7.30pm and welcomed everyone to the 27th Meeting of the Forth and Tay District. She went on to outline emergency and administrative details pertaining to the Dewar Centre.
· Karen informed the members present about the recent unhappy events that had befallen Joan Goddard – a member of the District Committee. The meeting was informed that flowers and a card from the membership had been sent to Joan and that Karen was sure we all extended our sympathetic thoughts to her. There was universal assent to this.
2. Minutes of the 25th Meeting on the 3rd November 2005
· The Secretary informed the meeting that copies of the 25th meeting had been distributed by e-mail last November. However, paper copies were also distributed throughout the room for reference. The meeting was asked if there were any comments to be made regarding the Minutes of that meeting. No comments were forthcoming and, so, it was proposed that the Minutes be accepted as a true record of that meeting.
Proposed : Sandy Chisholm Seconded : Kirsten Paterson
3. Secretary’s Report Dick Mann
· The Secretary informed the meeting that the following addressees for e-mails had failed (“bounced”) when the AGM Minutes were sent out in January:
Werner Reiche John McDonald Laurie Richards
Pauljc@erdc.co.uk Tom Waddell R Allan
Terry Parnell Gillian Oxtoby.
Dick requested that anyone who was in contact with any of the people listed contact them and explain the situation; if they telephoned him using the number given on the IOSH Branch / District website he would alter their e-mail details. In the meantime, apologies are extended to those not getting e-mails.
· Although details still had to be worked out with the venue, the site visit is proposed to go ahead at Binn Farm – Total Waste Management – at Glenfarg on the 1st June 2006. A sheet requesting names of those who wish to attend the visit had been placed next to the Sederunt sheets at the rear of the room and members were asked to append their names.
· The Secretary had briefly mentioned at the AGM in January that any member wishing to be considered for the Committee would be welcome. One person had already expressed an interest and others would provide a welcome injection of new ideas. The Committee will contact volunteers outwith the meeting and in good time before the 2007 AGM when the new Committee will take post.
· The Secretary informed the meeting that he was in receipt of a job vacancy – closing date for applicants being the 17th April. Anyone interested in this vacancy was requested to contact Dick at the end of the meeting for details.
4. Correspondence
Nothing significant to report to the meeting.
5. Branch Liaison – Karen McDonnell
· RoSPA have been involved in the shaping of a Higher Performer's Forum in Scotland. This Forum brings together organisations both public and private who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing health and safety standards both within and out with traditional boundaries. The Forum aims to encourage more expansive thinking within the health and safety community, members believing that organisations who themselves have achieved higher standards of performance in health and safety have a duty to motivate and assist other organisations to do likewise. www.rospa.com/occupationalsafety/scottish/index.htm
· Forum members engage with each other, those in their sphere of influence and other stakeholders within the Scottish health and safety system through committing to the 'Higher Performer's Challenge', this provides a framework against which to identify 'outreach' activities, agree common approaches to common themes and to report periodically to each other and the HSE/HSC Partnership Committee on Health and Safety in Scotland (PHASS) http://www.hse.gov.uk/scotland/index.htm
The Scottish Chamber of Safety is in effect the national focal point for the 8 RoSPA affiliated groups here in Scotland. These groups are supported by volunteers, primarily health and safety practitioners and provide an opportunity for businesses to share information, solve problems and be kept up to date with legislative change and best practise. They offer an ideal opportunity for sme's to access advice, the group member being the organisation not an individual membership unlike IOSH. The link to groups in Scotland follows as discussed.
http://www.rospa.com/safetygroupsuk/areas/index.htm
· Regards support available to small firms, the following link takes businesses to an advice pack that can be used to further evolve the necessary documentation.
http://www.rospa.com/safetygroupsuk/areas/index.htm
6. Any Other Competent Business
· The Chairperson raised the topic of guest speakers for the meetings. Karen informed the meeting that the Committee would welcome ideas from any members on topics that could be considered for guest speakers to deliver at meetings in the future. It would also be of considerable help to the Committee if (willing!) speakers could be nominated.
· Charles Kinnaird told the meeting that he had brought along a number of copies of a short – 10 to 15 minute – video presentation on DVD of the “Plusgard” Scaffolder’s Fall Prevention System. Any member who wished to do so was welcome to take a copy. (Thank you Charles.)
Guest Speaker – Jake Fenton, CMIOSH.
“Health, Safety and the Built Environment at the Scottish Parliament”
Jake Fenton, CMIOSH, spoke to the meeting how health and safety works in the Scottish Parliament and the unusual organisational problems that exist.
He started by explaining that he and his assistant are a small part of the Technical, Facilities Management and Health and Safety Directorate that is one of six Directorates into which the roughly 400 staff who make up Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SCPB) are organised. Five MSPs are also involved in the resourcing of services carried out by the SPCB, each looking after a separate portfolio.
For its size, the Scottish Parliament is occupied by a surprisingly large number of employers, all of whom have duties towards their own employees, and duties to co-operate with each other regardless of any political differences. Each of the 129 MSPs is an employer with their own research and administration staff, there is an accredited media wing housing journalists and 18 Ministerial staff from the Scottish Executive. Added to these numbers are contractors, guests and visitors who can swell numbers to around 1000 people on a busy day.
Jake has arranged for there to be nominated safety people in all offices and departments to carry out their own regular workplace inspections and specific risk assessments, and draws on the strength of an effective Safety Committee – including a number of MSPs- which meets for 2 hours four times per year. From this joint inspections are beginning, underpinned by carefully planned and thorough communications to all stakeholders.
The phased occupation of the new Parliament building was itself a logistical nightmare with many contractors still working on more than just finishing tasks. At the worst time Jake counted 875 contractors still on site, which led him to develop a comprehensive ‘control of contractors’ policy! Contractors are still a common feature with so many cleaning and maintenance tasks needed to keep this showpiece building in good condition.
The novel building itself causes difficulties ranging from being able to describe exactly where you are, know your way out in an emergency (!) or locating any point, difficulties of access for cleaning and maintenance, a sensitively balanced heating, ventilation and lighting (HVL) system which is low-energy to be as environmentally friendly as possible, and the need to avoid disturbing business in the main chamber in the case of spurious fire alarms etc. There was a significant learning curve to managing the HVL systems to keep everyone comfortable.
Despite the CDM regulations, the building is not simple to access and maintain; examples of problems being the need to use rope access to clean windows due to overhangs and other design features. Mobile Elevating Work Platforms are rarely of help due to the sloping grassy surrounds to the building. Access to roofs is strictly controlled and falls from height a significant risk controlled by plenty of anchor points, suitable travelling lines and restricting travel to limit potential fall distance. Two IRATA trained staff have to be available at all times when this work is undertaken.
Moving forward, Jake has already had an audit by RoSPA to HSG65 and the implementation plans arising from that are being progressed by the Safety Committee.
Several of the audience asked questions:
Regarding fire evacuations, how do they account for numbers of people when a phased evacuation system is in place and many people are mobile within the whole building? This has to rely on an efficient fire warden system to check that people have been evacuated.
Was there any resentment of having to comply with UK health and safety laws and a pressure for Scottish legislation although this is a preserved area of UK law? Apparently not yet.
Who is in overall charge / responsible for health and safety and do they have a risk register? The SPCB is the responsible ‘person’ and at present there is no overall risk register.
What makes their health and safety committee so effective? Good leadership and avoiding it dealing with trivia.
8. Vote of Thanks – Sandy Chisholm
Sandy Chisholm proposed the vote of thanks and members showed their appreciation of a very informative insight into the management of the Scottish Parliament building. Karen McDonnell presented Jake with a gift from the District as a token of appreciation.
9. Next Meeting
(For those not attending the Binn Farm visit on the 1st June) The next meeting will be held at the Dewar Centre on Thursday the 14th September 2006 commencing at 7.30pm. The topic for the guest speaker is to be announced.
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