Health and Safety Committee

Role:

The Health and Safety Committee is a standing committee of the People, Health and Equality Committee. It is chaired by the Director of People and Culture, or in their absence, the Director of Finance, Infrastructure and Corporate Services.

The Committee advises the People, Health and Equality Committee on matters of Health and Safety and reports annually to Court on such activities. The Committee acts as the approving authority for policy documents classified as Management which relate to Health and Safety.

Such powers delegated to the Committee by Court are as defined in the Scheme of Delegation. The Committee shall have full authority to undertake and review activities associated with any matters within its terms of reference. For the purposes of such activities, it shall be provided with adequate resources and full access to information and University personnel.

Reports to

The Committee reports to the People, Health and Equality Committee which in turn reports to the governing body, Court. The Committee will therefore report through a paper relating to any substantive matters for consideration and through the submission of the minutes (these can include unapproved minutes agreed with the Committee Chair) of each meeting to the next available meeting of People, Health, and Equality Committee. The Committee Chair will provide a brief report to the People, Health and Equality Committee highlighting items to recommend to Court to formally approve and/or note.

Responsibilities

To keep under review all matters involving the health and safety of staff (including occupational health), students and other persons within the University environment and in particular to:

oversee the link with the appropriate inspectors of an enforcing authority e.g. the Health and Safety Executive;
consider reports and information submitted by inspectors appointed by an enforcing authority in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and as specified by the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1959 or other legislation;
consider the Annual Health and Safety report prior to submission to the People, Health and Equality Committee and thereafter Court for approval.
consider reports and information relating to fire safety, including regular reports on progress with identified action plans to maintain/improve fire safety.
consider safety audit reports and, where appropriate, report thereon to People, Health, and Equality Committee and/or instigate corrective action;
consider reports submitted by Local Health and Safety Committees or safety representatives and take any action considered appropriate in the circumstances of the case;
give consideration to environmental matters (such as waste disposal) where these have safety implications and instigate and monitor such action as is required under statute or is otherwise necessary to manage the same;
advise on the development of, and ensure adherence to, policy documents including codes of practice, safety rules and safe and healthy systems of work;
act as the approving authority for policy documents relating to health and safety classified as Management
advise on drawing up, reviewing, implementing and monitoring Faculty/Office/Service health and safety documentation and to approve the same;
monitor the effectiveness of the health and safety content of employees’ training and advise the People, Health and Equality Committee on training requirements in the area of health and safety;
monitor the adequacy of communications and publicity regarding health and safety in the workplace;
establish appropriate working groups or sub-committees from time to time as necessary to consider issues or deal with matters within the Committee's remit.
take such other actions as are required by People, Health and Equality Committee and Court in relation to the maintenance of health and safety within the University.
to ensure it pays due attention to equality, diversity and inclusion in undertaking its work.

Composition

The expectation is that every Faculty, Office and Service is represented at each meeting. Representation should normally be at the level of Dean of Faculty or Director of Service, but substitutes are accepted^†..

Membership

Appointed:

Staff member of Court (excluding those where there is a clear conflict of interest)

Ex Officio:

Director of People and Culture (Chair)

Director of Finance, Infrastructure and Corporate Services (Vice-Chair)

Director of Student and Academic Services

Vice-Principal and University Secretary

Deans (excluding the Dean of Enterprise and Commercialisation)

Chief Estates Officer

Health and Safety Manager

Occupational Health Adviser

Chief Executive of the Students’ Association

Technical Team Leader

Advisory Service Manager

^†Chair and Deputy Chair of Local Health and Safety Committees

Nominated:

UCU representative: 1

UNITE representatives: 2

In Attendance

Health and Safety representatives and other relevant staff roles including:

· Radiation Protection Supervisor

· Biological Safety Officer

· Hazardous Substances Adviser

Non-members may be invited to attend meetings at the discretion of the Chair to contribute expertise to specific agenda items.

Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Deputy-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and the Dean of International Education (when invited to attend by the Committee).

Secretary to the Health and Safety Sub-Committee

Head of Governance and Deputy Secretary or their nominee.

Clerk to the Health and Safety Sub-Committee

Governance and Policy Officer (Minute Secretary).

Quorum

A majority of members (50% plus 1)* must be present.

*individuals who are a member of the committee due to their substantive position count once towards the quorum.

Frequency of Meetings

The Committee will meet a minimum of four times per academic year.

Extraordinary meetings will be convened as appropriate.

Approved by People, Health and Equality Committee, 16 December 2025

Current Composition of the Health and Safety Committee

Appointed Members:

Thomas Sloan - Staff Member of Court

Ex-Officio

Eilidh Fraser – Director of People and Culture (Chair)

Andrew Menzies – Director of Finance, Infrastructure and Corporate Services (Vice-Chair)

James Nicholson – Director of Student and Academic Services

Caroline Summers – Vice-Principal and University Secretary

Professor James Bown - Dean of the Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business

Professor Andrea Cameron – Dean of the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences

Claire MacEachen – Dean of International and Partnerships and Co-Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (AbLE Academy, Graduate School, and International Recruitment & Partnerships Office)

Professor Luke Millard – Dean of Learning and Teaching and Co-Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (AbLE Academy, Graduate School, and International Recruitment & Partnerships Office)

Professor Nia White – Dean of Graduate School and Head of Research and Co-Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (AbLE Academy, Graduate School, and International Recruitment & Partnerships Office)

Cullen Warnock – Chief Estates Officer

Ian Wilson – Health and Safety Manager

Julie Goad – Occupational Health Adviser

Elley Petrie – Chief Executive of the Students’ Association

Hazel Petrie – Advisory Service Manager

Angus Jackson – Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (Faculty of Social and Applied Science) and Technical Team Leader (FSAS)

Gordon Cringle – Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (Strategy, Governance and External Relations)

Dr Ian Ferguson - Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business)

Frazer Greig – Deputy-Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (Finance, Infrastructure and Corporate Services)

Jim Huntingford – Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (Student and Academic Services)

Dr William Graham – Alternate Chair of Local Health and Safety Committee (AbLE Academy, Graduate School, and International Recruitment & Partnerships Office)

Dr Donncha Marron – UCU representative

Tom O'Brien – Co-UNITE representative

Colin Rae – UNITE representative