UCEA Health and Safety Report

Transcription

1 UCEA Health and Safety Report 2005 The Universities and Colleges Employers Association

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3 UCEA Health and Safety Report 2005 Introduction This is the first time that an annual report has been issued on the work of the UCEA Health and Safety Group. The report not only highlights the main issues considered over the year but also provides a statistical report supplied by the annual health and safety survey carried out by the Universities Safety & Health Association (USHA). UCEA Health and Safety Group Terms of Reference To act as a forum for the cross-fertilisation of ideas across all the different Professional groups with an interest in health and safety management, principles and practices within Higher Education. UCEA Health and Safety Group Membership Prof D Melville, Chair of UCEA H&S Group, Kent University (UUK) Ms J Prudence, Chief Executive of UCEA Mr C Parkinson, H&S Advisor & Secretary (UCEA) Mr F Reay, Director of Safety, Heriot Watt (USHA) Mr T Fleming, Director of Safety, Loughborough University (USHA) Mr M Salmon, Director of Safety, Kent University (Vice Chair USHA) Mr J Mellor, Director of Safety, Nottingham Trent University (USHA) Dr I Mackirdy, Director of Safety, Surrey University (Chair USHA) Mr S Povey, Safety Advisor, University College Chester (SCOP) Mr R Sladdin, Director of Estates, Leeds University (AUDE) Mr Roy Hill, Director of Estates, Loughborough University (AUDE) Mr R Eastham, Director of Estates, Salford University (AUDE) Mr B Wheatley, Facilities Officer, Bournemouth Institute of Art (SCOP) Mr M Knight, Director of HR, Leeds University (UPA) Ms H Ponford, Head of HR, Buckinghamshire University College (SCOP) Mr S Bennett, Secretary, Anglia University Polytechnic (AHUA) Mr P Nixon, Assistant principal, Cumbria Institute of Art (SCOP) Ms C Edwards, H&S Manager, Lancaster University (AURPO) Mr J Foulds, Pro-Chancellor, Bristol University (CUC) Ms J Whitehouse, Director of Finance, Royal Academy of Music (BUFDG) Mr G Wade, Senior Policy Advisor(UUK) Meetings The UCEA Health and Safety Group has met twice during the year in May and November.

4 Publications and Documents All new publications will transfer to a members-only section of the Website after an initial print run. This will allow for costs to be recovered for producing and printing the document (included three free copies to each member) and for any costs incurred by the working party set up to produce or review documents. The Health and Safety Group was consulted on the following documents: Revised guidance on managing meningitis in higher education institutions. Published by UUK see: Revised guidance on health & safety of students on placements. (Published by UCEA) Revised guidance on fieldwork health & safety (Published by UCEA) Manual handling in libraries (Published by UCEA) Occupational Health Guidance (Published by HSE) See website for dates of publication Higher and Further Education Advisory Committee (HiFEAC) HiFEAC ceased to exist as a Committee of the HSC in October 2003 and since then the respective parties (HSC, TUC and UCEA) have entered into discussions on what the constitution of a new body should be. The UCEA Board, TUC and HSC have agreed to an interim forum until the above situation can be formally ratified. The new forum entitled the Higher Education Safety and Health Forum (HESHF) will meet twice a year and will be renewed on an annual basis under the following Terms of Reference: To act as a forum for initiating a dialogue on, consulting on and resolving health and safety matters between the employers and employees representatives. The regulators will be invited to attend to assist in the above. Membership of the new forum will be: UCEA H&S Group (3), TUC (2), HSE (2). The inaugural meeting of the forum is planned for July. Mr J Foulds Prochancellor for Bristol University and CUC Representative on the UCEA Board has agreed to Chair the forum. Other UCEA Representatives are Dr I Mackirdy and Mr C Parkinson.

5 UCEA H&S Sector Plan (See plan) The plan is now maturing well with several of the objectives having already been reached. It is intended that a full review of the objectives will be undertaken later this year as we are at the halfway stage of the ten years. This plan will be reviewed and a consultation exercise undertaken over any proposed changes. Management of Stress in the Higher Education Sector There have been numerous discussions on this topic in particular following the HSE release of their standards for measuring stress. The UCEA Board agreed to a working party being formed under the Chairmanship of Mr J Foulds to review the existing guidance and to report back in November Consultative Documents The UCEA H&S Group responded formally to two consultation documents last year: the HSE consultative document on towards good performance in health and safety and how this might impact on the Higher Education Sector and the Treasury consultation on the so-called Hampton Review on Effective Regulation. The HSE document looked at the change in the relationship between the enforcing authorities and the HE sector. This will have an implication on all HEI s as they are likely to be required to be more self sufficient. This theme was explored further at the USHA conference in Brighton in April this year. The Hampton Review looked at the boundaries and roles of enforcement authorities and the Government have now fully accepted the conclusions of the review. Again this will have an impact upon all HEI s. Leadership Foundation The leadership Foundation is a new body that was set up by HEFCE in April of last year. The purpose of the Foundation is to develop and provide leadership skills to senior manager within HEI s. A discussion has taken place between UCEA and the Leadership Foundation about how best to introduce the Health and Safety message into the various development sessions that the Leadership Foundation runs. A Frequently Asked Questions list is currently being worked upon for inclusion into the starter packs. Annual Health & Safety Seminars The annual seminars have been set for 5 th May (Scotland) and the 13 th May (London). These seminars are aimed at senior personnel within Universities who have responsibility for matters of health and safety. The seminars normally include speakers on health and safety law, how the Higher Education sector is performing against its targets and matters of interest from the HSE and the TUC.

6 Comparison of USHA survey results to UCEA/HSC revitalising targets The following tables detail the yearly Reportable accident rates for total Reportable accidents, Reportable slip/trip/fall accidents and Reportable manual handling accidents over the past five years for employees. The target revitalising rate for each category is also indicated. 1. Total Reportable accidents 5 Rate per 1000 staff Slip/Trip/fall (STF) Reportable Accidents Total Reportable 10% Target 2010 (3.6) Rate per 1000 staff STF Target 30% by 2010 (.77)

7 3. Manual Handling Reportable accidents Rate per 1000 staff Comment Manual Handling Target 30% by 2010 (.84) The above data show that the sector as a whole has already reached and gone past its target on reducing the overall rate of reportable accidents. This is something which the sector should be proud off. An even better result is observed when you compare the more serious and fatal injury rates. The HE sector had no fatalities in If you compare HEI s against the national fatality rate of 0.75 per 100,000 this should based on the 320,000 staff employed directly in the HE sector, equate to 3 per year. The data on Slips/Trips/Falls shows that the sector is not making much progress in this area as the rate is remaining roughly static. The manual handling target does seem to be reducing and if the trend continues then the target should be reached within the coming year. It is hoped that further analysis on other targets in particular Occupation Health related ones, will be forthcoming in the future. Accident type National rate per 100,000 HE Rate per 100,000 % Difference (lower) All Reportable Major Injury Slip/Trips/Falls Manual Handling

8 UCEA Health and Safety Plan Target/objective 1 Communicate and gain support for plan. 2 Communication of annual survey to all HEI s 3 Collection of reliable ill health and sickness absence data. 4 10% reduction in all RIDDOR reported by 2010 (with the exception of the non-employee visits to hospital.) 5 30% reduction in slips, trips & falls and musculoskeletal injuries by Promotion of good management practice in relation to stress 7 Support of Trade Union Safety Representatives. 8 Promotion of adequate Occupational Health provision. 9 Adoption of sector specific Health & Safety Auditing scheme 10 Adoption of Risk Management sector guidance 11 Promotion of good practice 12 Promotion of training initiatives within sector 13 Adoption of Construction revitalising H&S Group Action Communicate plan to all HEI s, Trade Unions and professional associations. To communicate to all HEI s To communicate to all HEI s To communicate to all HEI s To circulate UCEA plan to HEI s Review UCEA guidance based on new HSE management standards. Support and promote HiFEAC Strategy on Trade Union Safety Reps Support and promote HiFEAC strategy on Occupational Health. Promotion of sector specific HASMAP Promotion of Funding bodies guidance Target Consult on and finalise plan by Spring Annual survey. Target date for baseline Target baseline date for statistics To set step targets for reduction. To set step targets for reduction Review to be completed by end of 2005 New HiFEAC guidance published and promoted New HiFEAC guidance published and promoted 50% uptake by HEI s by % uptake by HEI s by 2005 Milestones/ evaluation & criteria Acheived Spring 2003 Baseline date achieved Baseline date acheived Monitor reduction in RIDDOR Monitor reduction in accidents Monitor Ill health statistics Increase in activity of Safety Reps Monitor provision of Occupation Health Services Monitor uptake Target Completed Facilitate events Annual event Monitor uptake Support initiatives within sector liaise with Leadership Foundation Encourage support and develop sector initiatives 50% of HEI s undertaking formal training programmes 50% HEI s signed up to construction plan 2005 Monitor uptake Monitor uptake C Parkinson UCEA Health and Safety Advisor April 2005