NRS Health and Safety Committee Meeting - National Archives of ...

NRS Health and Safety Committee Meeting26 October 2011, 10.00am General Register HouseAttendees: Audrey Robertson (Corporate Services): Louise Budge (RegistrationPolicy); Keith Gray (Procurement and Accommodation Services); Stuart Miller(Procurement and Accommodation Services); John Mitchell (Procurement andAccommodation Services); Jim Dow (Procurement and Accommodation Services);Gordon Stocks (Conservation Services Branch); Catherine Dowe (Secretary).Apologies: Brian Finnie (Procurement and Accommodation Services); SharonMacPherson (Procurement and Accommodation Services); Anne Leslie (Procurementand Accommodation Services); Christine Baker (Procurement and AccommodationServices); Jimmy Gilmour (Reader’s Services Branch); John Fraser (ICT DigitalInformation Systems); James Thorburn (Conservation Services Branch); Sue Barber(Procurement and Accommodation Services); Alex Cochrane (Procurement andAccommodation Services); James McCormack (Court, Legal and Private RecordsBranch).1. Apologies for absence1.1 Apologies for absence were noted.2. Previous Minutes (18 July 2011)2.1 The Minutes of the last meeting were amended as requested and agreed.3. Matters arising3.1 Audrey Robertson apologised for not being able to attend the last meetingand welcomed Louise Budge who is attending the Health and SafetyCommittee meeting for the first time as the new HSLO for NRH.3.2 The action points arising from previous meetings were discussed:[Action 2.2] John Mitchell has progressed as far as he can towards merging theH&S pages and cannot proceed any further until the IT systems are merged. He hasupdated Quickr and changed all forms to reflect the name National Records ofScotland (NRS). Audrey Robertson asked that theOracle be updated in the same wayto ensure all NRS have access to the information.[Action 2.3] Keith Gray and Stuart Miller are in the process of updating the list ofFirst Aiders using the templates on Quickr and theOracle. This is always an ongoingprocess due to staff moving between buildings and leaving the organisation. LouiseBudge has updated the list in NRH.[Action 8.1] The issue of security cover when staff work late hours or weekends hasstill not been resolved.Action: John Mitchell will look at creating a policy on lone working and discuss it

with Audrey Robertson.3.3 Audrey Robertson asked John Mitchell what had been decided on the bestway to disseminate information to volunteers (HSLOs, Fire Marshalls(FM0 and First Aiders (FA)). It had been agreed to invite them all toattend a H&S meeting so they can be come more familiar with what thesemeetings consist of.Action: John Mitchell will arrange to get all volunteers together for aninduction/training course perhaps by Gill Amos and invite a volunteer from eachbuilding to attend H&S meetings.3.4 John Mitchell announced that Susan Corrigall has agreed to act as FM forNRH3.5 Audrey Robertson said she is keen that TTH has a fire drill as soon aspossible after the recent false alarms that occurred there. John Mitchellaccepted the need for this but pointed out that there was no FM there. Itwas suggested Linda Ramsay be approached to take on this role or tosuggest an alternative member of staff if she cannot do it.Action: John Mitchell will arrange to have a fire drill done in TTH.3.6 Fire evacuations have been completed in Cairnsmore House, WRH, GRHand TTH. LWH and NRH have still to be done but this should happen inthe next two weeks.3.7 The problem of the lack of volunteers was discussed with Keith Graypointing out that in buildings like WRH the fact that there were not enoughvolunteers means that H&S requirements like weekly fire tests are notgetting done. John Mitchell said that they are actively seeking volunteersbut if enough were not found then it might become necessary to getcontractors in to complete some tasks which are legal requirements whichwould prove very expensive.Action: Audrey Robertson will send an email to Bruno Longmore to ask forsuggestions on how to solve the problem in WRH.3.8 {6.1} The problem of staff forgetting passes or not using them at LWH hasimproved.3.9 {6.2} The issue of staff in GRH using the fire exit door to leave thebuilding to smoke has been resolved.

3.10 John Mitchell said that security/reception staff at LWH have highlightedthe fact that visitors often arrive for meetings in the morning beforereception staff have begun their shifts.Action: An email will be sent out to remind staff that if they have scheduled earlymeetings it is their responsibility to complete proper visitor notification proceduresand to ensure someone will be there to meet attendees.4. HSLO Reports4.1 DSE assessments are ongoing. Stuart Miller said that the two differentcomputer systems within the organisation have caused difficulties but theyare basically on top of things. He and Keith Gray still have about 50 tocomplete. It was suggested that Jim Dow and Anne Leslie be trained togive DSE assessments so that they can help with these too. AudreyRobertson mentioned the previous suggestion of creating a self-assessmentform for staff. John Mitchell has sent a draft version of this to Audrey.Stuart Miller then added that he believed it would still be best to give newstarts a desk assessment and only use self-assessment for staff who needre-assessed.Action: Audrey Robertson will examine the draft self-assessment form and have ameeting with John Mitchell to discuss it.4.2 Keith Gray asked about staff who work the back shift in DIU – who doestheir DSE assessments?Action: John Mitchell will discuss this with Grayham Mount.5. Review of reported accidents5.1 There were six reported accidents in the last quarter all of them minor.Audrey Robertson asked how these were recorded and was informed thatex NAS record them electronically and ex GROS record them manually.Four of the accidents were slips on stairs but the stairs have now had tapeattached to them and white lines painted on them to ensure better visibility.6. Equality issues6.1 There is a new member of staff at WRH with mobility issues because ofthis it will be necessary to look at completing a DDA to consider whatimprovements to the working environment might be required.7. Any other business7.1 There is still a problem with staff storing items in inappropriate areaswithin TTH. John Mitchell spoke to Linda Ramsay about this but will doso again.

7.2 Louise Budge mentioned the carpets in NRH which she has reported asbeing in a state of disrepair some time ago but still have not been mended.She was worried that it was a tripping hazard.Action: Stuart Miller will go with Leslie to look at this and he will also check thewarranty to see if it will cover the cost of any repairs.7.3 Gordon Stocks enquired about FM procedures in TTH. He explained thatarchive attendants have normally left TTH by 3.30pm and so there was noone in the building after that trained to read the alarm board should analarm go off. John Mitchell said he would be happy to train Gordon or anymember of staff where necessary how to read the board. He did emphasisethat staff in TTH will need to take responsibility for this.7.4 Louise Budge asked when the evacuation chair in NRH, presently locatedon the ground floor, would be moved upstairs. Stuart Miller said he wouldlook at this after the end of the meeting. John Mitchell said that he waslooking for volunteers to be trained in the use of the evacuation chairs andonce he had enough people he would arrange for the training in allbuildings.Action: John Mitchell will draft an email regarding this to be sent out to all staff inAudrey Robertson’s name.7.5 Audrey Robertson asked how the asbestos testing in WRH wasprogressing. There have been prices quoted for this and once a decisionwas made this would proceed. Most of the asbestos has been made safe butthe asbestos report needs updating. A company called Thomas andAdamson does all the risk assessments for NRS. John Mitchell would liketo have the whole building inspected/surveyed and any areas found tocontain asbestos closed off with warning signs erected.Action: John Mitchell will pass on to Audrey Robertson a short power pointpresentation on asbestos awareness which could be used to train staff.7.6 Scaffolding is due to be erected around the Garden Entrance area nextweek whilst work is carried out on the balustrade. It is hoped that this willcause as little disruption as possible to the public and staff who will haveto use the Princes Street entrance for a couple of days to access the searchrooms. There will also be a portakabin located in the car park whilst thework is done.7.7 John Mitchell received this year’s Fire Risk Assessment reports for allNRS buildings and is working his way through them fixing the highlightedproblems. Once again housekeeping is a recurring theme with storage inunsuitable areas.Action: Audrey Robertson will look at the draft email John Mitchell sent her

egarding housekeeping issues and once agreed it will be sent to all staff.7.8 Audrey Robertson said she will ensure that H&S issues are added to theDPG meeting agenda as a standing item.8. Date of next meeting8.1 The next meeting will take place in LWH during the week commencing 16January 2012. It is intended that future meetings take place quarterly soplease note the dates below –w/c 16 April 2012 – GRHw/c 16 July 2012 – LWHw/c 15 October 2012 – GRHw/c 21 January 2013 - LWHw/c 15 April 2013 - GRHCatherine Dowe 27 October 2011