The Local Government Group and Welsh Local Government Association have been working with HSE and local authority health and safety managers to develop a simple Strategy Delivery Framework (SDF) to help councils demonstrate progress on delivering the GB Strategy goals.
Key components include matrixes of good practice benchmarks for the Strategy goals and for elements of effective leadership in local government, which is based on the HSC (now HSE) and Institute of Directors guidance - Leading health and safety and work.
The Strategy Delivery Framework is available from the LGA web pages.
The framework is designed to help councils consider how they meet health and safety responsibilities in a sensible and proportionate manner.
Local authorities are encouraged to use the framework and its associated tools to:
- evaluate the progress that has been made, and
- determine what further action could be taken to demonstrate effective leadership and contribute to delivery of the GB Strategy
The framework is intended to complement, not replace a council's plans for managing local health and safety priorities.
The LGA's National Health and Safety Practitioner Panel will consider opportunities for sharing good practice approaches across local government.
Striking the balance - sensible risk management in local government
Adopting a proportionate approach is essential for local authorities to address the real risks and not waste resources on everyday and insignificant risks. Council leaders and senior managers have a strong influence on sensible health and safety decision-making – and have a key role in helping bust the myths that divert attention from the real risks. Read more on page 24 of APSE's Direct News article, 'Busting the myths of elf and safety'.