Health and safety at work inspection of the MPA

Report: 6
Date: 22 September 2006
By: Chief Executive and Clerk

Summary

The MPA has been inspected by officers of the MPA Health and Safety Branch to provide assurance in relation to the MPA Health and Safety at Work Policy and Action Plan and generally in relation to the management of health and safety within the MPA.

This report sets out the findings and the action being taken by the MPA Senior Management Team (SMT) to implement recommendations.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the outcome of the inspection be received and noted; and
2. the action proposed by MPA SMT to implement recommendations be endorsed.

B. Supporting information

1. Although the MPA is a separate organisation from the MPS, the MPA Health and Safety at Work Policy is aligned with the MPS policy. In order to ensure that the checks on safety management were no less rigorous in the MPA than in the MPS, officers of the MPS Health and Safety Branch were invited to inspect the MPA using the same methodology as for MPS OCUs.

2. The Summary Report of the Audit is at Appendix 1. (The full report can be made available to members on request).

3. The recommendations from the Audit are at Appendix 2. Action is in hand to address these recommendations.

4. The MPA SMT is meeting with the Inspectors on 18 September, and following that meeting an updated version of Appendix 2 will be tabled incorporating the latest position on implementation.

C. Race and equality impact

There are no direct race or equality implications in this report. However, providing a safe working environment for all employees and visitors to the MPA requires us to consider the needs of individuals across the diversity range, and to that extent reinforces the MPA’s wider diversity commitments.

D. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications. Action on the recommendations made by the Inspectors will be taken within existing budget provision.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: David Riddle, MPA.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Health safety at work

Summary of MPA audit undertaken between the 13 and 14 March 2006 by the MPS’s Safety and Health Risk Management Team (SHRMT)

The MPS Audit Team comprising of Gerry Irvine and Rob Justham, Health and Safety Advisers from the SHRMT audited the MPA from 13 – 14 March 2006.

The overall conclusion of the Audit Team was that the foundations had been laid in respect of a health and safety structure, and this is reflected in the overall score of 78%. This was achieved by weighting the following scores:

• Health and Safety Policy Document - 72%
• Organisation - 78%
• Arrangements - 89%
• Monitoring - 75%
• Audit and Review - 50%

Nevertheless, it was felt that further progress could be made, and therefore a number of recommendations have been made which should enable the MPA to build further on the steps they have already taken.

These recommendations fell under the following headings:

• Health and safety policy document
• Organising – key management accountability and responsibility
• Senior Management Team
• Health and Safety Committee
• Representatives
• Competence and training
• Planning.
• Risk assessment
• Reactive monitoring.
• Active monitoring.

(please see ‘Recommendations Summary Sheet’)

In addition, the Audit Team felt that the crucial driving force, which would enable these recommendations to be achieved, would be the MPA Health and Safety Committee.

This Committee should, when firmly established, enable communication, training, risk assessments, accident reporting and monitoring, etc to be co-ordinated, thus becoming a central point which would enable senior managers and staff on a regular basis to be aware of the health and safety issues being progressed.

Finally, it is envisaged that once the revised version of the Complete Health and Safety Evaluation (CHASE) is accessible the MPA version will be made available for use by the MPA with training, if required. This will enable a designated officer, for example the QAO to independently monitor progress and verify the Audit report.

We are sorry that this report has taken so long to be drafted, but hope you find its contents constructive.

Appendix 2

Recommendations

Health and safety policy document

It is recommended that the MPA annually review their Health and Safety Policy, and explore other means of communication to ensure stakeholders can readily view, or access its contents.

Organising – key management accountability and responsibility

It is recommended that a review should be undertaken to ensure that:·

• All staff have job descriptions
• All managers are reminded of their health and safety responsibilities at suitable periods
• All areas of the MPA have systems in place to communicate health and safety issues upwards and downwards to the appropriate forums
• A PDR system for the MPA is introduced as soon as possible

Senior Management Team (SMT)

It is recommended that:

• Once the Health and Safety at Work Working Party is firmly established that appropriate issues are forwarded to them for action and/or information.
• A formal list of deputies, should the main senior managers be absence, are made available, and included in relevant documentation.
• The inclusion of appropriate health and safety performance targets for SMT members is in the proposed MPA PDR system.

Health and Safety Committee

It is recommended that the term 'Working Party' should be changed to 'Committee'.

It is recommended that the Clerk to the MPA should chair and/or attend a number of these meetings during the year.

It is recommended that the health and safety committee be clearly defined as the central point for all health and safety issues to ensure that appropriate matters are either actioned by them, or forwarded to the SMT, etc.

Representatives

It is recommended that Trade Union Safety Representatives are encouraged to carry out formal documented inspections.

Competence and training

It is recommended that a system is in place to ensure that staffs are applying their health and safety training.

Planning

It is recommended that the Health and Safety Plan be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it is still current i.e. objectives are being achieved, etc.

Risk assessment

It is recommended that all risk assessments should be drawn together and be allocated an MPA Corporate Assessment reference i.e. MPA/visitors and general public/1, etc. This will reduce duplication and avoid different risk assessments for the same activities.

It is recommended that a process be put in place that enables the Clerk to review and confirm that MPA risk assessments are acceptable.

Reactive monitoring

It is recommended that a system be established so that accidents, near misses and incidents can be reviewed and monitored for trends by the Health and Safety at Work Working Party and SMT.

It is recommended that accident investigation training should be extended so that adequately trained officers are available throughout the MPA.

It is further recommended that managers should take a more active role in encouraging staff to report accidents, etc.

Audit and review

It is recommended that a continuing audit system be implemented.

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