University Health & Safety Committee
Terms of Reference (a Sub-Committee of Executive Board)
1 Secretary
Head of Occupational Health & Safety Service
2 Membership
The Committee shall be composed of management and Union members, with attending members of relevant expertise.
A Management members:
- Chairman (Appointed by Council for a three year term)
- Lay member Appointed by Council
- Member of Executive Board responsible for Health and Safety
- Chairman of the Radiation Protection Sub-Committee
- Chairman of the Microbiological Hazards and Genetic Modification Safety Advisory Sub-Committee
- Director of Estates Support Service (or nominee)
- Director of Accommodation and Hospitality Services (or nominee)
- Chairs of Faculty Health & Safety Committees and Professional Support Services Health & Safety Committee
B Elected members:
The appointment and election of these members of the University Health & Safety Committee is undertaken under the local rules of the bodies concerned.
- Students’ Union Society (two appointed Sabbatical Officers)
- UCU (two members)
- UNISON (three members)
- UNITE (two members)
C Attending persons:
These are expert persons who the Committee may summon attendance to provide advice, guidance and report.
- Routine attendance expected
- Head of Occupational Health & Safety Service
- Deputy Head of Occupational Health & Safety Service
- University Occupational Health Practitioner
- University Insurance Officer
- To be called when specific issues require
- University Biological Safety Adviser
- University Radiation Protection Adviser
D Invited attendees
To facilitate communication between employers sharing workplaces as required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.
- Chairman Dental School / Hospital Joint Health & Safety Committee (or nominee)
- Representative of the Newcastle Hospital Trust Safety Office
E Quorum
A quorum shall be not fewer than one third of the members (groups A and B above).
3 Terms of Reference
The terms have been extracted from the University Safety Strategy approved by Council in April 2008.
- University Health & Safety Committee will oversee and manage the co-ordination of safety policy and will manage and monitor the implementation of the University Safety Strategy, to ensure the mission and strategy is delivered.
- University Health & Safety Committee’s key tasks are to:
- develop and maintain the safety strategy on Executive Board’s behalf
- develop and monitor the action plan for strategic safety matters
- report to Executive Board on progress in achieving the safety strategy and action plan
- set, monitor and review University safety policy
- monitor how routine health and safety work is undertaken including relevant reports to enforcing authorities
- provide a consultation forum for management, staff and unions on health and safety matters
- monitor the provision of health and safety support services at the University via the Occupational Health & Safety Service and Faculty / School level provisions
- To undertake these roles the Committee will include a Council-appointed independent Chair (from senior staff); a Council appointed lay member; a Member of Executive Board responsible for Health and Safety; and Trade Union representatives. The University Health & Safety Committee is also supported on a day-to-day basis by the Occupational Health & Safety Service.
Date of Last Review: 26.06.14
Date Approved by Executive Board: 03.03.15