Workplace Health and Safety Committee

Workplace Health and Safety Committee reports to University Executive Board.

Terms of reference

Objectives and outcomes

The purpose of the Workplace Health and Safety Committee (WHSC) is to act primarily as an advisory committee, with specific recommendatory and decision-making powers in relation to the University's Workplace Health, Safety, Fire and Welfare Policy, procedures and guidance.

The WHSC is constituted in accordance with the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations (1977) as amended by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1992) and the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations (1996).

The remit of the Committee under the following core, agenda-aligned headings, is:

(a) Strategic Development, Planning, and Performance Monitoring to recommend to UEB any resourcing needs: items for consideration and/or decision

To provide oversight of the management of the workplace health, safety and welfare risks and to ensure continuous improvement. This includes the review and sustainability of:

- policy, procedure and guidance
- training
-communication
- publicity (including HSFW campaigns)
To set objectives, targets and key performance indicators to improve health, safety, fire and welfare management
To approve policy, standards and strategy for the management of health, safety and welfare at work within the University, and compliance with health and safety legislative and other requirements
To provide a forum for discussion and decision-making between University management, recognised trade-union appointed health and safety representatives and senior stakeholders on health and safety matters, focusing on workplace health and safety of staff and students across the University
To approve the establishment of specialist sub-committees or other departmental/faculty groups with responsibility for health and safety-related matters with competent members in specific risk areas to:

- consider items of significance from such committees/groups;
- delegate the responsibility of subject-matter consultation with stakeholders, as appropriate, to such committees/groups;
- seek assurance from such committees/groups that the management arrangements for the workplace health, safety and welfare risks in place across are, as far as is reasonably practicable, effective;
- maintain oversight of the operation of such committees/groups;
- ensure that such committees/groups are fully integrated within the University Workplace Health, Safety, Fire and Welfare Policy and management system
To refer/escalate matters to the University Executive Board as appropriate
To consider the draft Annual Health & Safety Report before it is submitted to the Audit & Risk Committee and the University Council

(b) Policy and Regulatory Matters

To review any interaction with regulatory authorities relating to health and safety including reports and factual information provided by inspectors of enforcing authorities appointed under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
To monitor progress against objectives, targets, plans and remedial actions, and determine actions necessary to address areas of non-compliance where there is significant risk
To monitor and review the adequacy and implementation of University Health and Safety arrangements, including training, communication and publicity
To review safety performance indicators, investigations of significant failures, independent inspection and audit reports and associated remedial actions
To assess the need for intervention including escalation through management.
To seek assurance on behalf of the UEB, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, that the management arrangements for the workplace health, safety and welfare risks across the University are, as far as is reasonably practicable, effective.

Authority

The WHSC is principally a consultative body, with specific consultation, recommendatory and decision-making powers. It may also make recommendations and/or refer items upwards to UEB and other University committees for advice or decision as appropriate.

WHSC has no direct budgetary control or financial decision-making authority.

Reporting and Frequency

Reporting to University Executive Board (UEB)

WHSC is a management sub-committee/group of UEB and reports directly to it:

Annually via the Health and Safety Annual Report that outlines position and progress in all areas of health and safety that fall under the University’s Health and Safety statutory and regulatory obligations, along with an update on progress relating to the University’s Health and Safety Framework
Triannually via standardised performance and progress reports (although in effect this is twice per year when the Annual Assurance report replaces the triannual report)
Ad hoc where urgent matters arise through relevant reporting mechanisms.

Reporting to the committee

Workplace Health and Safety Committee will establish sub-committees/task and finish groups as appropriate to progress specific activities related to areas of its remit.

There are a number of sub-groups/committees of the WHSC representing all areas of Workplace Health and Safety which provide regular reports to the Committee in the form of executive summaries of their recent meetings. In consultation with the Workplace Health and Safety Office, subcommittees/groups of WHSC are empowered to submit other reports and/or proposals for endorsement or approval, which may arise in the course of their business.

These sub-groups are as follows:

Sub-committees

Genetic Modification and Biological Safety Sub-Committee
Workplace (Staff) Health and Wellbeing Sub-Committee
Faculty Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committees
Professional Services Executive Board (PSEB) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
Student Health and Wellbeing Sub-Committee

Sub-groups

Health and Safety Development and Training
Ionising and Non-ionising Radiation Safety
Lasers Safety
Laboratory Safety
University Fire Safety and Statutory Compliance

In consultation with the Workplace Health and Safety Office, subcommittees/groups of WHSC are empowered to establish their own subcommittees or boards on a standing or task-and-finish basis. These would include but are not limited to:

Departmental Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
Estates and Statutory Compliance Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
Commercial Services and Facilities Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

Meeting frequency

Workplace Health and Safety Committee will meet a minimum of three times per year.

Meeting modes

Meetings to be held either in-person, online or via a hybrid format, subject to agreement by members.

Members

Membership

The Committee’s membership comprises the membership categories: ex officio and nominated representatives of academic faculties, professional support services and the student voice.

Other membership considerations

Membership will be periodically reviewed by the Committee itself on behalf of UEB, through approval by the Committee Chair.

Membership is otherwise coterminous with the individual’s appointment term.

Gender balance and wider EDI considerations should be factored into the Committee’s reflection on its own size and composition. The membership will be:

Representative of the whole University, all staff categories across the community
Representatives who fulfil the Health and Safety Consultative Committee function under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
To embrace the principles of Tripartism (employers, employees and trade unions)
To enable consensus and cooperation on Health and Safety.

In consultation with the Chair, members may authorise an appropriate colleague to represent them if they are unable to attend a meeting. Individual colleagues may be invited to attend in order to advise and inform on select items as and when the need arises.

Quorum

50% of members, or 50%+ 1 member where the number of members is not even.

Ex Officio members

The Chief Financial and Operating Officer (Chair): Nigel Alcock
The Director of Health and Safety: Dev Agarwal
The Director of Human Resources or a member of the HR senior management team: Suzy Shelton
The Director of Estates and Campus Development: Roger Ward
The Director of Accommodation, Campus and Commercial Services: Lisa Woods
The Deans of Faculty
- Professor Andy Dougill (Sciences)
- Professor Duncan Petrie (Arts and Humanities)
- Professor Karen Rowlingson (Social Sciences)
  
  OR
  The Directors of Faculty Operations or their nominee:

- Andy Firth (Sciences, Faculty Technical Operations Manager)
- Ros Roberts (Arts and Humanities, Director of Faculty Operations)
- Dr Mark Shaw (Social Sciences, Director of Faculty Operations)

Students' Union representative

Geoff Ward (YSU Health and Safety Development Coordinator)

Student Wellbeing representative

Martin Crosby (Interim Deputy Director of Student Life and Wellbeing)

Trade Union representatives

UNISON
- Chris Fielding (Campus Safety)
UNITE
- Michael Walker (Computer Science)
UCU
- Christopher Crispin-Bailey (Computer Science)

In attendance

Dr Philip Evans, Senior Governance and Assurance Officer (Secretary)
Representatives from the Workplace Health and Safety Office as required for specific agenda items

Meetings

Meeting dates

2025-26

Monday 6 October 2025, 15:00
Wednesday 18 February 2026, 10:00
Tuesday 9 June 2026, 10:00

Minutes

2024-25

WHSC-minutes-011024-redacted (PDF , 125kb)

WHSC-minutes-080225-redacted (PDF , 126kb)

WHSC-minutes-030625-redacted (PDF , 118kb)