Health and Safety Committee
The University operates a Health and Safety Committee to provide assurance to Council that the University has effective health and safety arrangements in place, that performance is compliant with statutory requirements and the goals set by the University. The Committee will do so by planning, implementing, monitoring and reviewing measures to maintain health, and safety in the workplace to ensure continual development, consulting with the University’s three recognised trade unions. This forum operates in compliance of and in due regard to the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977.
Terms of Reference
The Committee will:
a. Oversee the development and implementation of the University’s Health and Safety Policy, Strategy and action plan annually.
b. On behalf of Council, approve new institutional Health and Safety Codes of Practice, as well as major amendments to existing Codes of Practice; and oversee changes to the University’s Health and Safety management systems.
c. Receive and consider all correspondence received from enforcing authorities.
d. Receive and monitor the programme of Health and Safety internal audits undertaken by the Safety Adviser’s Office, receive the findings and monitor the performance and implementation of such reports, along with making recommendations where required.
e. Consider and consult on internal and external safety audit reports and inspections and monitor action planning arising therefrom, making recommendations where required.
f. Monitor and review health and safety performance against institutional plans including staff wellbeing activity and action plans, and arrangements (including training), supported by written reports from the Safety Adviser’s Office, including the annual health and safety reports from Occupational Health, Radiation Protection Office, Property and Campus Services, the Faculties, Central Professional Services, Guild of Students.
g. Consider and consult on:
-
- Accident and incident data including RIDDOR reportable accidents, notifiable diseases and dangerous occurrences with the aim of identifying trends and preparing recommendations for remedial action
- Absence statistics and reasons for such absences in relation to health and safety
- Issues and trends identified in monitoring and inspection reports, health and safety audits and fire evacuation reports
- Compliance with any statutory duties
- The introduction and effectiveness of any new University code of practice, safety circulars and guidance
- The introduction of any new University safe systems of work
- The planning, organisation and review of health and safety training
- Adequate methods used to communicate and publicise health and safety in the workplace
- The introduction of any measure which may substantially affect health and safety at work
- Arrangements for getting competent people to help comply with health and safety laws and undertake risk assessments
- Information on the risks and dangers arising from their work, measures to reduce or eliminate these risks and what employees should do if they are exposed to a risk
- The health and safety consequences of introducing new technology.
h. Provide strategic oversight over other Health and Safety Committees (Faculties, Facilities Directorate, Professional Services Committees, and Biohazard Sub-Committee), discuss matters escalated from these Committees, and make appropriate recommendations where required.
Such oversight will include approving the terms of reference, membership and objectives of these groups, including receiving regular progress reports on strategy, action plan development and performance against institutional key performance indicators.
i. Receive an annual report from the University’s Biohazard Sub-Committee.
j. Receive an annual report from ULCCO SP on its health and safety arrangements and performance, to include any accidents and incidents during that period, including any matters escalated from ULCCO SP periodically.
k. Receive periodic performance information in relation to statutory compliance and contractor performance from Property and Campus Services.
l. Facilitate continual improvement through consideration of any proposed updates to the University’s arrangements for the management of health, safety and wellbeing.
m. Discuss matters of health and safety raised by the trade unions.
n. Provide strategic oversight to the implementation of Business Continuity Management and the work of the Business Resilience Community.
o. Report as appropriate to Council on routine business and monitoring information, and to share reports/details of any significant accidents or incidents, including the annual report to Council on health and safety performance, and progress against strategic goals.
p. Ensure that a Forward Plan is developed to proactively monitor and enhance performance.
Meeting Arrangements:
a. The Committee will meet at least four times during the academic year.
b. Additional meetings may be held at the request of the Chair or Trade Unions, in order to meet business requirements.
c. The quorum for meetings shall be one third of the membership, to include three trade union members.
Meeting Feedback:
a. Key messages should be agreed at the end of each meeting, and these circulated/cascaded to the various Health and Safety committees, and as required.
b. Once approved by the Committee, the minutes will be published on the University’s intranet. Where required confidential minutes will be created and any information about sensitive reserved business will be redacted.
Membership:
a. The membership of the Committee will be reviewed annually. On the employer’s side, members can sit on the Committee up to a maximum period of six years. On the Trade Union side, unions will appoint their own representatives by their normal internal processes.
b. The Chair of the Committee will be appointed for a term of three years, up to a maximum of two terms (six years) in total.
c. The Chair will have a casting vote in the event of any tied decision.
d. The Committee will appoint a Deputy Chair, who will assist the Chair.
| Members |
|---|
| Chair (SLT Representative) |
| Council Representative |
| Chair of the Biohazard Sub-Committee |
| Chair of HLS H&S Committee or nominated deputy |
| Chair of HSS H&S Committee or nominated deputy |
| Chair of S&E H&S Committee or nominated deputy |
| Central Professional Services Representative |
| HR Representative |
| Guild of Students staff representative |
| UCU Trade Union Representative |
| UCU Trade Union Representative |
| UCU Trade Union Representative |
| Unite Trade Union Representative |
| Unite Trade Union Representative |
| Unite Trade Union Representative |
| Unison Trade Union Representative |
| Unison Trade Union Representative |
| Unison Trade Union Representative |
| People in attendance (but not members of the Committee) |
|---|
| University Health and Safety Adviser |
| Director of Property and Campus Services |
| Secretary of the Committee |
| Occupational Health Representative |
| Radiation Protection Representative (when required) |
| Fire Safety Manager (CPS) |
| Trade Union Regional Officials (subject to notification to Chair) |
e. The Chair invites attendees and specialist advisors when they have expertise in matters to be discussed.
f. Report authors will be invited to attend the relevant section of the meeting to present their reports.
g. If non-University staff or University staff who are not members of the Committee wish to attend, then a formal written request must be made to the Chair who will then decide whether the attendance at the meeting is appropriate.
h. Trade Union Full Time Officers will be allowed to attend meetings to support local representatives where relevant. Reasonable formal written notification will be made to the Chair in advance of attendance in these circumstances.
Any change to these Terms of Reference will be approved by the Committee, thereafter by Council.
Meeting dates
- 15 October 2025, 10.00am
- 4 February 2026, 10.00am
- 29 April 2026, 10.00am
- 17 June 2026, 2.00pm