Head of Corporate Health & Safety

Head of Corporate Health & Safety
Temporary | duration 12 weeks (with potential for extension)
Location London
Day rate: £550 - £600 (Umbrella)
Hybrid working

We are looking for an experienced and dedicated Head of Corporate Health & Safety to work with in a London authority.

As Head of Corporate Health & Safety, you will be based within Place Services and serve as the Council’s senior competent person on health and safety matters. Your responsibilities will encompass fire safety, gas safety, asbestos management, water hygiene, lift safety, staff and contractor well-being, and general risk management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Safety Management System: Ensure a robust safety management system is in place, compliant with all relevant legislation and best practices, across all services including Corporate Property, Housing, Schools, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, and Environment.
• Assurance and Reporting: Provide assurance through monitoring, auditing, inspecting, and reporting to senior management and elected members. Address unacceptable risks decisively, including halting unsafe practices, and recommend and monitor the implementation of improvements.
• Policy and Procedure Maintenance: Maintain and update the Council’s health and safety management system, policies, and procedures, ensuring their proper implementation.
• Advisory Services: Offer comprehensive safety advisory services to all Council departments, including producing health and safety guidance notes, safe working instructions, and safety checklists.
• Coordination and Monitoring: Coordinate, audit, and monitor the activities and responsibilities of all Council departments under Health and Safety legislation, maintaining the health and safety risk register.
• Performance Reporting: Report on all aspects of performance against targets and manage the Council’s Corporate Safety Committee and other relevant health and safety boards.
• Team Management: Lead a team of professional corporate safety officers and the gas safety warrant officer to enforce access in Council housing properties.

Description of Duties:

• Risk Profiling: Profile the organisation’s health and safety risks, control measures, assurances, and gaps to inform business planning and the corporate risk register.
• Legal Competence and Advice: Act as the legally competent person and professional adviser to the Chief Executive and Strategic Leadership Team on all health, safety, and welfare aspects affecting Council services. Provide strategic support and guidance to each department, proposing and implementing practical solutions to enhance health and safety performance.
• Team Leadership: Manage a team of Corporate Health and Safety officers to ensure compliance across the organisation.
• Performance Monitoring: Develop performance criteria and monitoring systems for corporate health and safety performance. Verify, monitor, and analyse results, conducting regular audits and ensuring corrective actions are taken.
• Reporting: Prepare routine health and safety reports for the Management Team, including analyses of individual directorates and a corporate overview. Produce exception reports as needed.
• Safety Inspections and Audits: Ensure safety management systems are suitable and sufficient by conducting thorough inspections and audits of all Council activities, workstations, equipment, practices, and premises.
• Gas Safety Compliance: Manage the gas safety warrant officer and safety management process to enforce access and ensure gas safety compliance in housing properties.
• Accident and Incident Coordination: Compile and analyse corporate statistics of accidents, dangerous occurrences, and violent incidents, reporting findings and recommendations to the Management Board and the Committee for Health and Safety.
• Training and Consultation: Lead health and safety consultations, encourage suitable training programmes, and ensure continuous staff education on health and safety matters.
• Legislative Compliance: Stay abreast of legislative changes, ensuring their adoption by the Council. Liaise with Trade Unions, the Health and Safety Executive, and other relevant bodies.
• Support and Guidance: Foster cooperation with Safety Liaison Officers across Council Business Groups, providing support and guidance as needed.
• Training Standards: Define health and safety training standards, assist in identifying training needs, and ensure implementation. Participate in the Council’s Induction Programme.
• Committee Representation: Act on behalf of, and report to, the Corporate Health & Safety Committee.
• Promote Safety Culture: Actively promote a positive health and safety culture within the Council.
• Customer Care: Ensure all duties are carried out in accordance with the Council’s Customer Care Policy.
• Additional Duties: Perform any other duties as required within the scope of the post as determined by the Head of Environmental Health.

This role is pivotal in ensuring the safety and well-being of all Council services and staff, fostering a culture of safety and compliance.

Qualifications:
Essential: NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health (or equivalent),
Chartered Membership of IOSH (or equivalent).

Experience working for a Local Authority and advance

Interview to take place as soon as possible with a view to an immediate start thereafter.