Fire Wardens, Risk Assessors and Health & Safety Representatives

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Conference
2009 Health Care Service Group Conference
Date
11 December 2008
Decision
Remitted

This conference believes that a safe working environment is a right for everyone. There is a requirement under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health & Safety at Work Act 2003 and the Fire Scotland Act 2005 for employers to provide adequate resources to ensure that the workplace has taken all reasonable precautions in the prevention of fire and risk management.

Although it is common practice to assume that these fall within line management responsibility, many NHS Bodies delegate this down to lower banded staff to carry out these duties and assessments.

Earlier this year in Scotland, the Scottish Terms and Committee (STAC) announced that First Aiders who are employed by non-clinical NHS bodies would be awarded a payment of £345 per annum, in respect of them carrying out a statutory duty for their employer.

Conference calls upon the Health Service Group Executive to initiate immediate negotiations with the National Staff Council to achieve the following:

1.Introduce a payment across all NHS bodies, recognising employees for taking on additional statutory responsibility; in line with the precedent set in April 2008 by STAC which formally recognised and rewarded employees trained and certificated in first aid for taking on the statutory responsibility required of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Health & Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981.”

2.Set an appropriate payment in line with the £345 given to First Aiders, to be given to appointed and trained Fire Wardens/Marshalls, risk assessors and Health & Safety Representatives.