Unison Local Branches -What's on

Health and Safety at work is taken very seriously by both UNISON and UCL. Employers and trade unions are required by law to work together to solve any problems in this area and that is what is done at UCL.

Employers are also required by law to consult with employees or their representatives on health and safety matters. At UCL this is done through two main channels:

The Safety Committee

This meets four times a year. It consists of safety representatives from the three recognised trade unions and meetings are chaired by the convenor for the trade unions (a trade union safety rep) and the Head of Safety Services on an alternating basis.

Terms of Reference

The Safety Committee is constituted in accordance with the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations (1977) as amended by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1992) and the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations (1996).

Subject to any general or particular direction that may from time to time be given by the Health and Safety Management Team, the Safety Committee is charged by Council:

To provide a forum for consultation between UCL Management and representatives from the Trades Unions on health and safety matters.
To promote co-operation between UCL and its employees in instigating, developing and carrying out measures to ensure the health and safety at work of the employees. In order to achieve this objective the Safety Committee will:

Study accident and notifiable disease statistics and trends.
Examine summaries of safety audit and inspection reports.
Consider reports and factual information provided by inspectors of the enforcing authorities appointed under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Consider reports that trade union safety representatives may wish to submit.
Assist in the development of arrangements for the organisation of safety within UCL and any safe systems of work taking due note of any new Regulations.
Consider the effectiveness of the safety content of employees training.
Consider the adequacy of safety and health communication and publicity within UCL.
Provide a link with enforcing authorities.
Consider any other matter relevant to the Committee's overall objective.

To report to the Health and Safety Management Team by submission to the Health and Safety Management Team officers of the Minutes of each meeting of the Safety Committee.

These terms of reference are in the process of being consulted upon with a view to revision.

Minutes of the meetings can be accessed here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/staff/committees/safety-committee/index.shtml

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/efd/safety/

The Stress, Resilience and Well Being Sub-committee of the Health and Safety Management Team.

This sub-committee replaced the Stress Working Group and is on a much more formal footing than that was. It meets four times a year. It consists of safety representatives from the three recognised trade unions and meetings are chaired by the Head of Occupational Health.

Terms of Reference

Subject to any general or particular direction that may from time to time be given by the Health and Safety Management Team (HSMT), the Sub-Committee on Stress, Resilience and Well-Being is charged by HSMT:

To keep UCL's Policy on Managing Stress at Work and associated procedures under review to ensure their effectiveness and that they comply with the HSE Standards for Managing Stress at Work.
To review data (such as those resulting from employment policy monitoring, reports of EAP take up, reports of the Staff Counselling Service, sickness absence data and Staff Survey results, etc.) for indicators of stress risk and to formulate proposals to address areas of concern identified.
To develop proposals to ensure that staff are provided with appropriate support to build resilience and work effectively at times of pressure.

To report to the HSMT by submission to the HSMT officers of the Minutes of each meeting of the Sub-Committee on Stress, Resilience and Well-Being.

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/staff/committees/health-safety/stress/terms/

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/occ_health/

Through our index page you can access various sets of short notes on Health and Safety issues including the short excerpts from the relevant acts and regulations.