Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum at 10.30 hours

Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum
Minutes of the meeting held on 15th January 2013 at 10.30 hours
REA Offices, London Present Chris Jones Cory Chair Toni Gladding OU Secretary Chantal Nicholls Health and Safety Executive Wayne Williams Health and Safety Executive John McClean TUC Gordon Thompson AfOR/REA Geoff Smallwood CIWM/Shanks Denise McGlynn EU Skills Ian McKenzie LARAC Dick Perry WRAP Beth Gordon LAWS Ian Powell ESA Apologies Visitors Gaynor Hartnell REA CEO David Collins REA, Head of Biogas 1. Matters Arising CN had an email conversation with CRN concerning representatives on WISH. They expressed difficulty with some staffing issues but made it clear they would like to continue their relationship with WISH. It is hoped a representative will be identified in the near future. Lock off guidance has been sent to TG to distribute by Stephen Freedland of ESA. Action: TG to distribute. It was noted by GS that there was possible customer compactor guidance also being written by ESA to follow. It was noted that a British Standard on horizontal balers has just been released. In the near future both vertical and combined baler standards are due to follow. CJ has written and distributed a member statement. CIWM (GS, TG) and CN agreed to set a date to meet re: fatality research. 2. WISH Event There are a few outstanding issues regarding the WISH day on 7th February, viz: Currently an additional facilitator was still being sought for the SME workshop. Several members suggested names, and were asked to submit them to CN for follow up. A previous vacancy has been filled by Paul Stokes who has stepped into the leadership workshop. CN reported that delegate numbers were around 115‐120 attending. 130 is the target so more invitations have gone out. It was noted that a press release is due to go out within the next couple of weeks including a quote from Chris Jones as Chair of WISH. After the event a further press release with 5 or 6 quotes from different industry people who were at the event is planned. Further discussions centred on including a quote from the human interest side of things with something from ‘on the ground’. In particular, an injured person perspective has been used in the building industry. JM reported that via the union there was identified a suitable individual. JM and CN agreed to discuss this after the meeting. Press attendance at the event was discussed. The proposal was it would be limited to coverage before and after the event to ensure open discussions occur at the event particularly during the workshops. Concern has been expressed that press involvement on the day could hinder some participants from speaking their mind or bringing up important issues. Some WISH members thought this could mean that coverage for the event would be poor in the press, whereas the aim of such a day was to push health and safety up the public agenda, particularly in the industry press. Hence further discussion was held that it might be worth inviting the press to the morning part of the day which were mainly presentations. CN will be discussing this further with HSE press colleagues. It was noted that the workshop structure was altered slightly in response to lead/facilitator training to take into account feedback on the day. The format now planned is two main questions and a slightly longer session to ensure best use of time and energy. CN outlined that facilitators will be expected to do a one page summary after the event to feed into the WISH Steering meeting on the 5th March. This might include some lesser discussed topics which might be worth picking up at a later date. CJ recommended that a meeting with facilitators during the lunchbreak of the day to ensure roles are clear should be held. CN agreed this was likely to be useful. CJ further asked the question of who will collate the information from the conference as a whole and how to implement outcomes. It was noted it would be relatively easy to extract projects and workstreams, but the question is whether to have an overarching report. It was suggested that facilitators could do an expanded narrative which are then fed into the WISH meeting. It was suggested a deadline of 22nd February be given to facilitators to submit their reports to HSE. CN outlined that then HSE will distribute these to the WISH steering group. All delegates will also have feedback sheets. Delegates are to be asked three questions: •
Do you agree with main points; •
Do you want to expand on any of the issues raised; •
Are there any important issues missed out. It is likely that Lisa Weston of the HSE will look at the 130 response sheets and collate. CJ and TG outlined that with the facilitators’ sheets and delegate responses both can contribute to a conference report after the WISH meeting on 5th March. The idea is to come up with a post‐day report that can be fed back to all delegates. This does not need to be a long report and could even be in a bullet point format to keep it brief. This will be actioned after the meeting on the 5th March. CN noted that she and HSE colleagues will have access to the venue from 7pm the previous day. It is likely that facilitators will be asked to attend a meeting on the day to ensure they are clear with their roles. GS agreed to assist with helping the workshop leaders and facilitators know their roles. 3. Any Other Business CN stated that a scoping study had been undertaken on occupational hygiene by HSL. The idea is to prioritise impacts in various sub‐sectors with scoring criteria. These criteria include the extent of the knowledge, the number of people working in the area, and the potential for harm to identify the most pertinent areas for further research. It was agreed a presentation of this project would constitute a proportion of the meeting on the 5th March. GT stated that an on‐going European ‘Leonardo scheme’ was being undertaken by REA, and involves linking with another country/industry and sending people from the UK for a placement 2 weeks. Air fares and accommodation/subsistence paid in advance. For REA this involves placing people in a German biogas plant to share experience. TG gave LAWS meeting feedback. Issues discussed at that meeting included food waste, single person collection and reversing assistants. CJ noted that it would be useful to get feedback from the LAWS representative in future as to the issues they felt important. The WRAP Food waste collection report is currently under review. Action: TG to circulate to the steering group. It was noted this was not yet approved for general release so members are asked to not distribute it further. A report on 3‐4 weekly collection has also been completed for Zero Waste Scotland and WRAP. It was noted that a tender on bin waste storage was issued and the deadline passed. CN stated that a MRF report has been produced by HSE (Julie Wood, Pam Kaur). Action: WW to send to TG to distribute. CJ enquired about a further project by the HSE on supervisors, CN reported this project is ongoing and in depth work is likely to start during March 2013. CJ observed people had volunteered but was not sure everybody had heard back. Action: CN to ascertain where the project is. A short discussion was also held on the National Lead Inspector initiative, with some 10 companies starting 4 years ago on intervention inspections. There are now 15 companies. CJ and CN reported there was a meeting last October to try to draw together some of the outputs of the first 6 years, and how to take it forward with lessons. CN commented actions and outputs will hopefully feed into WISH. HSE also reported on some movements of staff. Heather Bryant is moving to construction. This means the waste and recycling (W&R) champion portfolio may change. CN reported that Heather is being replaced by Stephen Williams. Another HSE lead, Phillip White, may also be involved in W&R as currently it is unclear who will undertake the strategy lead. WISH sends thanks to Heather Bryant for her work in the sector. (It was also noted that Trevor Hay, previously of WISH has now retired from the HSE and WISH sends regards to Trevor in his retirement). CN also highlighted a project ACPO and ESA are currently carrying out on violence towards waste collectors. CJ commented that David Thomas at LAWS might like to feed into this project. Action: LAWS representative to involve the LAWS forum. CJ commented civic amenity sites, returned recyclables and road rage incidents have almost doubled in the last few years many of which can lead to assaults, hence the timeliness of the work. 4. Date of next meeting The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 5th March 2013 10.30 until 2pm. This will be held at the TUC Offices in Euston, London. The main aim of this meeting is to discuss the outcomes of the WISH day. A date of Tuesday May 21st 2013 was fixed for the subsequent meeting, also starting at 10.30am. This will be held at the Northampton HSE offices.