We have a Health and Safety Policy Statement which details how we’re working to reduce the levels of:
- accidents
- near-misses
- ill-health
The policy covers our premises and employees, plus people affected by our work activities, such as customers, pupils and contractors.
To ensure that risks are managed sensibly and proportionately our internal Health and Safety Team provide our employees with guidance and support across a wide range of health and safety issues. A shared service agreement exists with North Yorkshire Council to provide health and safety support to both organisations.
Our Health and Safety Policy Statement
Our Health and Safety Policy Statement from Ian Floyd, Chief Operating Officer.
The council aims to provide a positive health and safety culture where all stakeholders are fully committed to health, safety and wellbeing. To achieve the council’s aim this policy statement forms part of the council’s wider agenda of social responsibility, sustainability, corporate governance, risk management and the delivery of quality services that provide value for money.
The council’s commitments are to:
- promote a positive approach to health, safety and wellbeing through encouraging active participation, by all stakeholders, in the elimination, where reasonably practicable, or active management of health, safety and wellbeing risk
- prevent injury and ill health, associated with the council’s activities and infrastructure
- satisfy, as a minimum, applicable legal requirements but aim, where reasonably practicable, to achieve best practice
- continually improve the council’s safety management systems, for example by simplifying these where practicable, through the use of technological solutions
- set health and safety objectives, including a positive communication strategy, and monitor their achievement
- ensure that aggressive behaviour, both verbal and in writing (regardless of form), towards council staff and contractors working on the council’s behalf will not be tolerated
- ensure all work-related incidents, near misses and occupational ill-health are appropriately reported, investigated and any learning points are acted upon to prevent recurrence
I am committed to integrating health, safety and wellbeing into decision-making and risk management processes within the council. The Corporate Directors and Directors will support me in this role and, together with the Corporate Leadership Group and Directorate Management Teams, will ensure the effective leadership of health, safety and wellbeing for the Council and others affected by the council’s activities.
All stakeholders will have a joint approach to the management of health, safety and wellbeing to ensure that all significant risks are properly assessed, controlled and any measures implemented to mitigate risk are appropriately monitored. Those with management responsibilities are expected to consult with stakeholders to actively manage risk and everyone is expected to implement health, safety and wellbeing by positively challenging and/or escalating areas of concern.
The council will maintain positive arrangements to consult trade union representatives, employees, and others who may be affected by council activities, to encourage a joint approach to the management of health, safety and wellbeing.
The council expects all employees and those undertaking work on behalf of, or in partnership with, the council to take reasonable care of their own health and safety, for the health and safety of others and to co-operate with the council in the performance of its moral and statutory duties.
Health and safety elsewhere
Our Public Protection Unit can provide information about the health and safety of people at work in commercial premises across York. However, some enforcement responsibility lies with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).