REHIS HEALTH AND SAFETY CO-ORDINATING GROUP MEETING

MINUTES OF 96TH MEETING:15TH JANUARY 2015

REHIS OFFICE, EDINBURGH

Present:Andrew Douglas (Chair)East Lothian Council/LSBLG

Martin GibbGlasgow City Council

Graham RobertsonAberdeenshire Council/REHIS

Derek OliverFalkirk Council/CFTLG

Sarah JonesHSE

Alistair McNabHSE

Iain McCluskeyWest Lothian Council/LSBLG

Jamie CampbellHSE

Tracy McTaggartHSE

Lorrainne MacGillivrayStirling Council/CFTLG

Gordon WandsRenfrewshire Council/WSHSLG

Andrew Gilchrist Aberdeen City/NOSLG

  1. Apologies: Brian LawrieSoCEHO

Jim Brand South Ayrshire/WSHSLG

  1. Minute of Meeting 16 October 2014

Minutes approved as accurate

  1. Matters Arising

Message received from Carole McRae at HPS. Due to lack of resources they are not able to send a representative routinely. They will attend as appropriate. SJ suggested they may wish to attend at least annually.

Pg2, Item 5, para 5 – The Care Inspectorate and HSE are due to meet to update the existing MOU.

Pg3, Item 6, para 2 – There is general agreement with SoCEHO that training for piercers should be mandatory. Matter being progressed.

Pg4, Item7, para 2 – GW noted that North Ayrshire’s LAE1 showing a Nil Return for proactive inspections had been queried by HSE statistics team. TM advised thatthe team tended to make contact where there was a significant change to previous returns. She further confirmed that contact had been made with other councils.

Pg. 4/5, Item 10 – update given on LSBLG cases. GW advised that the Glasgow hotel incident to FAI. The PF had also questioned some of GCC’s policies and procedures.

  1. Health Protection Scotland Update

As per matters arising

  1. HSE support for LA’s Incident Investigation Support Network

A draft agenda for the proposed event was circulated. AM was present to back up HSE intentions to provide the support and training which had previously been offered. Topics would include the WRDP and working with the police. HSE have had occasional issues when working with the police. WRDP is fit for purpose, but there is a need to rewrite the guidance that accompanies it. Clarification on primacy and partnership is required for the police.

AM also mentioned the importance of an early decision on Corporate Homicide charges in an investigation as this determines whether the police opt out. HSE are hopeful that this will lead to a “Force Instruction” for the police.

AM advised that basically the event will be about investigation management. It will include:

  • Statement taking strategy – not actual statement taking
  • General principles
  • Possible future training on AIMS
  • Adjusting LA reports to mirror HSE reports as far as possible
  • Workshop case study

The event will be towards the end of April in either the REHIS offices or HSE office at Belford House. General agreement that the proposals were what was required. SJ to circulate revised agenda.

  1. HSE/LAU Update

TM advised LAC 67/2, Rev 4.1 is being developed. It will incorporate changes resulting from the LA National Code.

  • Clarification about what a proactive inspection is
  • Changes as Legionella and LPG are no longer on the list of National Priorities
  • But no changes to the code

Liaison group (E&W) Chair & Secretary events are to be rerun with a new focus. Agenda to be circulated as event is open to Scottish groups. Events will be in Manchester and London.

A-Z Operational Guidance and EA Regs Guidance nearly through rewriting process.

Proposals for central register of cooling towers being presented to Practitioners Forum.

Kate Haire is the new Head of LAU.

Gerry Kasprzok is to retire.

SJ advised that the Smith Commission Report talks briefly about health & safety. The report suggests that the Scottish and UK governments should work together to review H&S in Scotland. No details are available as yet.

Triennial Review –looking for more standardisation, looking at the way HSE works with liaison groups, although Scotland considered a good model.

  1. Partnership Issues

Asbestos Licensing System – All now available online, however JC asked about the use of the ASB 6 form whereby LA’s give feedback on licensed contractors to the ALU. Most were under the impression that this was used for reporting contraventions or bad practice. This is not the case, it should be used to feedback details, good or bad, of any visits carried out. There will probably be a re-launch of the process. JC also had a DVD on asbestos removal work aimed at EHO’s. No one had seen it. It is to be reviewed and may be reissued with accompanying written updates.

HSE looking at work with Local Safety Groups.

  1. Strategy/Policy

To note HSE request for information on issues with self-employed persons. Prosecutions or other enforcement.

Next HELA meeting is 20/02/15 – light agenda, GR to circulate papers.

PHASS papers out, papers of specific interest to Scotland to be circulated.

  1. Operational Issues

North of Scotland

Noted on Facebook a photograph of a child sitting on the knee of a person who was being tattooed. This led to discovery of an unlicensed tattooist. The tattooist subsequently applied for a licence, but LA objected to the application.

Fatality at a clay pigeon centre. This was a newcentre but owner carried out DIY repairs. A heavy door was being replaced, the door fell and crushed a person, but due to DIY nature of work there are questions about the person status as an employee. LA found working with the local police had been a positive experience.

Noted an increase in handling injuries associated with supermarket deliveries. As they no longer use carrier bags, due to the new charge, delivery staff were trying to carry too many trays at a time.

Central Fife and Tayside

A Prohibition Notice was served on a tattooist for the lack of a wash hand basin.

Various other IN and PN – gas, work at height, etc.

Legionella isolated from a hose at a log cabin/spa centre.

Electrical safety issues at a caravan site in Angus – four caravans condemned.

Lothian and Scottish Borders

East Lothian have submitted a report to the PF concerning failures in employers duties which resulted in the amputation of the big toe of a ”young person” who was using a petrol driven hover mower.

Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland fined £100,000 on being found guilty by jury after three week trial in connection with accident to child killed by a falling bollard during Royal Highland Show 2008.

Fatal accident to Biffa bin lorry driver killed when vehicle ran away during uplift at pub / restaurant in South Queensferry. Ongoing investigation by CEC, Police and DVSA. HSL assistance arranged in testing of some vehicle equipment.

West of Scotland

Jewson fined £200k for a fatal accident at the Ayr branch.

A butcher’s shop assistant suffered serious burns after slipping while carrying boiling water to use for cleaning. The water was heated in the meat boiler and decanted into containers.

Celtic Park – young person standing on a handrail fell and subsequently died. The position of the barrier was such that it was also a barrier and there are now queries about how high it should have been. The height requirements for handrails and barriers are different within the Green Guide and the Building Regulations.

Incident at a restaurant in Glasgow where a bottle of Pellegrino mineral water containing beer line cleaning fluid was served to a manager. The manager drank the fluid and as result will require surgery to replace part of his oesophagus. The restaurant had run out of beer line cleaner and some had been brought from another site in the unlabelled mineral water bottle.

W Dunbartonshire – ride on motor trike collided with an access bollard at a shopping centre.

  1. Training

Skin Piercing Seminar, Highland Hotel, Stirling – 30/03/15. Programme confirmed and circulated.

HSE/LAU SectorUpdate event for LAs – 10/03/15 – Stirling and 18/03/15 – Aberdeen

  1. AOCB

Labour force survey statistics available on HSE website -

AD advised an invite had beenreceived from the Enforcement Liaison Group, a Home Office led group, to carry out joint visits with their Investigation Service.

  1. Transfer of Chair/Secretary

GR advised he would take over Chair on behalf of NoSLG. He thanked AD for his efforts over the previous year.

  1. Date of Next Meeting

Meeting dates have been booked at the REHIS office for 16/04/15, 16/07/15, 15/10/15 and 14/01/16.