ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH Meeting of the Committee held at ENA Offices, London on WEDNESAY 7 th MAY 2014.

Transcription

1 HESAC 120 th Meeting 7 th May 2014 NATIONAL JOINT HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH Meeting of the Committee held at ENA Offices, London on WEDNESAY 7 th MAY Present Chair Doug Wilson... Scottish Power Electricity Companies Members Barry Bridgman... SSE Geoff Earl... Northern Powergrid Lee Wallace... Western Power Distribution Trade Unions Members Sarah Page... Prospect Bud Hudspith... Unite Ray Arrowsmith... Prospect (National Grid) Garry Graham... Prospect John Fish... Unison (Western Power Distribution) Others Nick Summers... HSE Peter Coyle... ENA Peter McCormick... ENA Mike Leppard... ENA Jamie Reeve... ENA Paul Fidler... ENA Stephen O Neill...EUK Dr John McCaul... RWE npower 1. Welcomes and Introductions 1.1. Doug Wilson welcomed Dr John McCaul from RWE npower who was attending the meeting to speak at item 8. Welcomes were also given to Lee Wallace who was attending on behalf of WPD. 2. Apologies 2.1. Apologies were received from: Howard Beynon... Unite (National Grid) Martin Carter... EON John Ayre... EDF Dan Shears... GMB Phil Swift... WPD Mark Poucher... National Grid

2 Kevin Coyne... Unite 3. Minutes of Meeting held on the 25th February (a) Minutes Nick Summers made one comment on item 8.2 in regards to figures in relation to Fee for Intervention. He informed the group that he would double check these and feed into Jamie Reeve with any changes. Any adjustments will be made and re-published on the ENA website. Action: Nick Summers and Jamie Reeve (b) Matters Arising 4. Review of National HESAC 3.1 Amendments to meeting minutes from 18 th September had been made and the minutes have been re-published onto the website 4.7 A report from the 6 th March Workshop had been circulated to the group and is now available on the Powering Improvement website. 6.3 Bud Hudspith provided comments on the asbestos report which had been sent to ENA and onto the AMO. This is also on the agenda at item Peter Coyle informed the group that the issue regarding access to ESQCR reports was discussed with John Steed at the Public Safety Committee and it was stated that reports are now only available on request. Nick Summers agreed The review group met on the 31 st March. The group consisted of Barry Bridgeman, Nick Summers, Sarah Page, Stephen O Neill, Mike Leppard and Peter Coyle. HESAC771 was produced for noting The review meeting firstly focussed on the link between National and Local HESACs within member companies. Sarah Page suggested reinvigorating the links to ensure that the communication is improved It was also suggested that consideration might be given to company HESAC Chairs or Reps attending National HESAC meetings on occasion Nick Summers reminded the group that the HESAC minutes are available on the ENA website, so perhaps this needs wider communication. He also recommended that Powering Improvement should be a standing agenda item at company meetings. Geoff Earl responded on behalf of Northern Powergrid to inform that this already happens in his company, and stated that much of what is discussed at a local level will not be of much interest at a national level. He did agree however that feedback could be improved from National HESAC into company HESACs. Sarah

3 Page suggested that a simple template could be produced and anything that may be of interest at a national level could be filed and brought to the National HESAC Mike Leppard suggested that the proposed Joint Secretaries could encourage the link between National and Company HESACs. It was also suggested that a work plan be produced for the group to work to, which could link into the Powering Improvement work plan Discussions then took place on the membership of National HESAC, Doug Wilson suggested that the work plan should include an action to invite certain parties to attend the meeting every few meetings to provide an update from their company, for example NSAP, EU Skills, etc. He also suggested that Company chairs or Reps from side HESACs including a union representative from the companies could attend the National HESAC meetings. Energy UK are also allowed up to 5 members to attend each meeting The draft scope and ToR document will be revised based on discussions and circulated ahead of the next meeting for sign off. Action: Peter Coyle/Mike Leppard 5. Powering Improvement I. Update 5.1. Peter McCormick gave an update on the recent meeting of the Asset Management Sub group on March 31 st. He informed the group that the Chelmsford Case Study has now been developed and highlighted the success of the recent UKPN Asset management workshop that took place at Prospero House on 1 st April Peter stated that all companies had now been in touch regarding the workshops, and dates for presenters are currently being organised, and availabilities will be offered to the companies as and when The Powering Improvement Annual progress report and SHE review for 2013 are now completed and copies were handed out at the meeting, and will be issued again at the SHE conference. Peter McCormick informed the group that the case studies in the Review had been shortened for printing purposes however full versions including case studies from outside the UK industry will be published onto the PI website. Members should contact Jamie Reeve directly for copies of either document.

4 5.4. An update was given from the Powering Improvement Strategy Steering Group meeting on the 6 th May, in which the group had discussions on ideas for the new strategy Peter McCormick advises that the next Powering Improvement workshop will be taking place at the ENA offices on the 17 th September. Further details will be circulated nearer the time ENA are continuing to work with ISSA collating best practice and helping them to create some guidance documents for middle managers. II. New Strategy 5.7. The group were invited to discuss the new strategy and read through HESAC 773 as an initial starting point. It was said that the formal launch for the new strategy will be early next year (hopefully at Parliament) Members from Unions were keen to have Stress as an annual theme preferably within the first year of the new strategy. This would also tie in with the EU Campaign which is being ran over It was agreed that occupational health should remain a priority in the new strategy and that stress would be one of the topics featured (as it is in the current strategy). Nick Summers suggested that there would be benefits from reviewing initiatives introduced in response to the 6 Occupational Health Commitments that companies signed onto in 2011 which included the management of stress; Doug Wilson informed that all issues and comments will be taken into account in finalising the new strategy Geoff Earl suggested that company initiatives should be collated in the development of the vision for the new strategy. Mike Leppard informed that the SHE Managers were keen to have another bold strategy vision as it sends a strong message into how serious the industry is in regards to health and safety; they also expressed support to continue with annual delivery plans and annual themes. Nick Summers mentioned that it would also be effective to set some industry targets within the strategy that can be measured either annually, or at the end of the strategy It was also stated at the SHE managers group that New Technologies and Innovation should also be addressed in the new strategy and how the industry intends to approach and adapt to new skills with regards to health and safety. There is also a potential to bench mark at an international level through companies with international ownership where there is a potential to share performance statistics Discussions from the HESAC meeting together with the views of the SHE Committee and the outcome of debate at SHE2014 will feed into the next version of the draft strategy. HESAC members will be invited to comment on the next draft.

5 Action: Peter Coyle/Mike Leppard 6. Smart Meter Roll Out and Asbestos Risk 6.1. Mike Leppard provided an update on previous AMO document regarding Asbestos. After having received some comments, AMO are in the process of revising the particular document. Mike Leppard informed the group that when a final version has been issued he will inform the group. Action: Mike Leppard 7. European Stress Campaign 7.1. Mike Leppard provided an update from the recent European Stress Campaign Launch in Brussels on the 8 th April. EUOSHA paper had been recently circulated to the committee. It was stated that to become a partner in the campaign, as a company you must have representation in 2 or more European member states. Doug Wilson said that he would look into it as a representative of Scottish Power, and if it is deemed beneficial he will report back to the group Action: Doug Wilson 8. Update on ESI Occupational Epidemiology Study 8.1. Dr John McCaul was welcomed to the committee to give an update on HESAC paper 774 on the Epidemiology Study relating to the effects on human health when in employment with exposure to EMFs, in comparison to the public who are exposed to normal amounts. In Summary the studies undertaken by Professor Sorahan shows a large cohort of 84,000 employees was assembled with each person having a minimum of 6 months employment in CEGB between 1973 and These two studies build on the earlier research by Professor Sorahan as they consider not only deaths from brain tumour and leukaemia but also cancer registration cases. In relation to brain tumours, no increased risk of glioma was shown. However, for meningioma, it is not possible to make such a clear statement although the observed increased risk was probably a chance finding. More research is needed in relation to possible meningioma risk. For leukaemia, the Study found no evidence to suggest that exposure to occupational magnetic fields is a risk factor for leukaemia as a whole, nor for CML, AML or CLL (Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) and Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)). Although there were some significant findings for ALL, this was based on a small number of cases and a comparison with national cancer registration rate did not support a causal interpretation. As the information was to be further shared within generation companies via Energy UK, Dr McCaul offered to provide a shorter summary paper.

6 9. HSE Report 9.1. Nick Summers provided an update from the HSE. He advised that details of the prosecution for the Freedom contractor fatality has now been published on the HSE website. Please note that this refers to a fall from height incident in 2012 and not the more recent electrocution in Occupational Disease there is a community sharing facility on the HSE website whereby organisations can share information. Nick informed the group that he will later circulate the link to the group. Action: Nick Summers Nick informed the group that the Government response to the Triennial Review would be delayed until after the local EU elections Statistics for FFI will continue to be published on the HSE website every 2 months. 10. Trade Union Report Sarah Page gave an update for the Trade Unions, touching on discussions from item 5 on Stress, reiterating its importance with the Unions. Prospect in particular have held some very productive conferences on stress that have been well received Sarah also informed that the Powering Improvement Workshop on the 6 th March was a constructive and well-structured event. 11. ENA Report Mike Leppard provided an update from ENA on recent Powering Improvement publications, a reminder of the SHE conference 2014 and the hosts for 2015 and 2016 are already known, 2015 will be announced at the conference Mike Leppard, Peter McCormick and Doug Wilson are to attend the World Health and Safety Congress 2014 at Frankfurt, Germany, where there will be a display on ENA and Powering Improvement The ENA Public Safety Committee is in discussions with the NFU regarding working together to address agricultural public safety issues. The committee is also discussing with Electrical Safety First (previously Electrical Safety Council) regarding developing a campaign to help prevent incidents involving children. 12. Energy UK Report Stephen O Neill provided an update from Energy UK, starting with an update from the recent EUK contractor workshop held at Drax. It was described as a positive meeting attended by some major companies such as SSE, Doosan, Eggborough, including representation from ENA and the Unions. An output from the workshop is

7 to produce some Powering Improvement like case studies to be used as a share of best practice, and to also come up with a common set of methods and procedures for contractors in the generation industry. Bud Hudspith who attended the workshop highlighted a particular area of interest from a presentation by Drax called the Contractor Safety Alliance which could be useful tool to be developed in the Networks Stephen O Neill also informed that the EUK Occupational Health and H&S management forum still meet on a quarterly basis, and he aims to improve the awareness of Powering Improvement at the meetings, as its knowledge seems to have deteriorated over recent years There has been significant on-going work on process safety after a recent fire at Iron Bridge Power Station, and Legionella disease is high on the agenda among power stations with best practice preventions being shared among members. 13. SHE Developments Europe and UK SHE developments for Noting which are highlighted on HESAC paper AOB No further comments were added 15. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting of the National HESAC will take place on the 9 th September.