Job Title:  Senior Health, Safety and Fire Advisor

Directorate:  HQ Public Sector Prisons

Band:  8

Overview of the job       

This is a functional management job within a small, PSP HSF team, line managed by the Principal Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor. The post-holder is responsible for supporting the delivery of national HSF priorities and plans via advice, influence, training and monitoring across a small group (or formal cluster) of establishments. The post-holder will be expected to divide their time mainly between the relevant establishments.

Summary           

Reporting to the Principal Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor, the job holder will be responsible for the provision of Health, Safety and Fire advice, support, monitoring and reporting in relevant establishments.  They will also specialise in a particular HSF&L area within their Directorate. They will lead for their establishment group on relevant incident investigation and casework management and provide their service in line with nationally determined priorities and plans for HSF&L.

This is a non-operational job which has line management responsibilities for the BAS: HS&F Advisor role.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties      

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

In line with national procedures for development and approval of same, the post-holder will support and advise the relevant groups in the updating, consulting on and seeking approval of relevant local HSF&L documentation such as the local components of national HS arrangements documents and non-generic parts of risk assessments.To monitor and report on the presence and quality of relevant H&S documentation within relevant establishments such as risk assessments and the extent to which they are effectively implemented and achieve suitable levels of control. This includes fire risk assessments and the extent to which the controls it specifies are being implemented and maintained.To engage actively with GAA internal and external audit processes.To engage actively with the managers, processes and forums with significant impact on HSF risk such as: violence reduction strategy groups, safer custody groups, staff rostering programs, adjudication activity, attendance management, offender management.To advise relevant establishment health, safety, fire and litigation sponsors, SMTs and governors of the effectiveness of their current HSF controls and associated HSF&L issues.To ensure that relevant establishments are consulted about and/or informed of prospective changes in national policy and practice through formal, recorded channels and structures such as SMTs, H&S Committees, Whitley Councils and both union and non-union safety representatives.To monitor and report the HSF&L performance of the relevant establishments by ensuring that workplace inspection programs are in place and carried out and that systemic findings of inspections are collated and reported.Undertake regular governance and assurance site visits focusing on HSF matters and provide reports and feedback to Governors and HSF&L Sponsors identifying critical performance and any associated issues via visit reports.Provide professional support to BAS: HS&F Advisor and other key staff for the HSF Management System such as immunisation, litigation, first aid and NOMIS reporting. Ensure the production of associated Oracle and/or Sphera reports on individual establishment performance levels for Executive Directors, PGDs and national data analysis. To report on relevant establishments’ HSF&L performance by:  undertaking PHASE analysis and reporting; by analysis and reporting of Sphera, hub and litigation data; by reporting on the relationship between accidents, assaults and occupational ill-health on sickness absence levels; by analysing other suitable sources such as training, audit and HMCIP reports.To liaise regularly with the OHAs and HRBP(s) for relevant sites to co-ordinate immunisation, stress and MSD activity as agreed with same and to receive information on patterns of occupational illness and absence within the establishment.To attend establishment HSF&L committees (the establishment HSF&L sponsor or governor will chair the committee) to provide advice and support to same and will provide each committee with a report on progress on plans and performance for the period since the last committee and present relevant reports and information. To maintain the HSF&L risk register for relevant establishments and update same via PHASE and other sources and present and discuss the register at relevant meetings.To provide oversight and guidance on appropriate litigation casework for the relevant establishments in liaison with other Reform Groups and national litigation management functions. Provide advice and support to establishment SMTs on lessons learned from litigation cases in order to assist in the prevention of reoccurring incidents. To draft, and seek approval for the annual performance and assurance report and to prepare and present regular reports for senior management on relevant topics.To assist relevant establishment staff in ensuring that relevant HSF&L training needs are identified and transferred appropriately to local people plans and monitor and report on progress against same.To deliver a range of HSF&L training within the relevant establishments both in response to ad-hoc needs agreed within the establishment and as directed by the Principle Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor. Specifically this must include: a) HSF Management Training, b) Stress Awareness and Management Training, c) Fire awareness, d) RPE use, e) Sphera Training, f) Hazard Identification and Workplace Inspection Training, g) litigation awareness, h) risk assessment, i) accident reporting and investigation and other relevant specialised training relating to HSF&L risk management.To actively engage with internal and external contract works planning and implementation forums including attendance at pre-contract and ‘420’ meetings and to make appropriate visits and inspections of construction works whether contractor or HMPPS controlled. To engage BAS: HSF Advisor in this process and to report appropriately within the relevant establishment and to Principle Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor. To actively engage with the management of on-site service providers to develop joint arrangements for effective HSF&L management and to propose these for authorisation by the senior management of both the service provider and the establishment.  To report systematically the progress and performance of these arrangements in regular management reports.To provide support and advice to HMPPS Service Managers overseeing maintenance delivery contracts on the HSF&L requirements for premises, plant and equipment inspection, testing and maintenance and the HSF&L aspects of the service providers’ service operation.To participate actively in, and lead in certain cases, groups set up to maintain and develop HSF&L such as stress management groups, risk assessment groups etc.To develop particular specialisms, as determined by national priorities and agreed with the Principle Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor, on which they will lead within the relevant Directorate and act as a source of additional knowledge to their team and associates.To assist in the identification and assessment of first aid needs for the relevant establishment and monitoring and reporting the extent to which relevant establishments are meeting national and locally assessed needs.To provide support to the Principle Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor in matters related to both regional and national developments in HSF&L.To carry out peer audits/inspections of other HMPPS offices/establishments as part of a Directorate program and provide feedback via the Principle Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor.To carry out directly and/or co-ordinate investigations into relevant incidents including remotely via Sphera and email and ensure that serious incidents including near misses are reported thoroughly and lessons shared and learnt amongst relevant departments and establishments, including reports to establishment SMTs, PGDs and Principle Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor.To actively monitor Sphera for new incidents, check the quality and range of information submitted and correct or obtain as required and to co-ordinate and control appropriate subsequent Sphera action requests.The post holder is responsible for ensuring the quality control of Sphera data and records including the annual validation programme agreed by the Head of Health, Safety, Fire & Litigation (North/South/LT&HS) and national policy sections for the relevant Prison Group(s). All relevant documentation must be uploaded on to the system in a timely manner before records are closed.To liaise with outside agencies and relevant stakeholders in respect of Health, Safety and Fire issues for the relevant establishments under the supervision of the Principal Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor.Responsible for the management of BAS: HS&F Advisor staff within each of their establishments. This includes staff performance, development and annual appraisal through to sickness absence management.Responsible for maintaining professional membership via CPD and for monitoring/supporting HS&F staff in achievement of mandatory qualifications and professional membership.To ensure the establishment immunisation programme is delivered and to report on the relevant establishments’ immunisation programmes via the OHA and establishment immunisation co-ordinator and mandated recording system. • Responsible for the production, review and monitoring of Building Fire Risk Assessments within the relevant Prison Groups. Documents must be current and recorded on the approved format. Remedial action plans must be developed, kept current, raised and discussed at the appropriate levels (Governor, HSF&L Sponsor, SMTs, Service Delivery Managers etc.).The post holder must meet on a regular basis with PSP Litigation Caseworkers to discuss litigation cases within their Prison Group(s), to provide advice/support, identify relevant issues and learning outcomes and disseminate learning within the relevant establishments via discussions with Governors, HSF&L Sponsors, and SMTs and through wider training and briefings. Assist PSPLTs in the collation of relevant information and documentation including risk assessments, accident reporting/investigation, photographs etc.To provide support, leadership and guidance for the BAS: HS&F Advisor.Deliver and implement projects as directed by the Principal Health, Safety, Fire and Litigation Advisor.Attend relevant boards/SMT meetings, producing reports on HSF&L performance/assurance and actively contribute.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder

Behaviours

Changing and ImprovingMaking Effective DecisionsCommunicating and InfluencingWorking TogetherManaging a Quality Service     

Technical Requirements

The post holder is required to hold a minimum of NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent.

Once appointed the post holder must successfully complete:

the NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent (within 3 years of appointment);the HMPPS Fire Risk Assessment qualification (within 1 year of appointment);the HMPPS RPE Training Qualification (immediately upon appointment).

Chartered membership of IOSH must be achieved within 2 years of completing NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent.