C E White R Lovering R Hunter J Cowen K Millan

R W Bertrum N Dalrymple J E Bird J R Brownlie P Truscott

K L Lloyd A Davies M Osborn G Stuart D Forfar

A Green S Wilson D Bond P J Hibberd G Cameron

R Wilson A Milne S Chisholm J Fairley P Conway

I Kiron S Bowles J Craig R McLean P S Palmer

G Douglas D A Brown L Young J Conway B Pill

R D’Arcy M Batho C Black

APOLOGIES

S Ashton K Wilson I Murray J McCraith J Cowen

M Johnstone R Innes M Trainer

1.0 CHAIRMAN K L Lloyd

The Chair was taken by K Lloyd. Welcome was extended to all, particularly new Members

and Guests. Mention was made of the tragic rail crash at Paddington and condolences offered.

The need for professional Safety Practitioners was expressed and the hope that motivation

remains high. Members were asked to display their Membership Cards when entering the building as a security agreement with the College. Guests are always very welcome.

2. MINUTES

The 107^th Minute – September 1999 – was tabled Two members did not receive copy and details were recorded. The system for being included within the routine Mailshot was explained. The Minute was proposed by L Young and seconded by R Lovering as a true and accurate record.

3. MATTERS ARISING
1. Item Number 3.2. District Forming. J Bird prompted discussion over the wording of the Minute and the suggested lack of ‘Helmsman’ from the floor. It was agreed that past correspondence and information should be forwarded to J Bird who offered to champion the forming of a ‘Proposed District’ in an area north of the Forth. The Executive Committee will supply additional support when possible.
4. CORRESPONDENCE
1. Letters - D A Brown. Accounting information

L Young. Tech SP recommendations to Leicester

R Lovering. Scottish Chamber of Safety

2. Fax - I Murray. Apologies, Scaffold information
3. Minutes - Fife Chamber of Safety. Surfing for Safety

National Council. Precis of September Council Meeting

4. Membership - 730 Branch Members; 246 Corporate and 480 none Corporate
5. The Grange - Marc Slater. Chair of the Environmental Specialist Group

Consultative Document. Managing Gas Safety

S Wales Branch. Information and support request for Tech SP

Annual Report and AGM items

6. Adverts - 21 October. Construction Specialist Group Seminar in Perth

28 October. Off the Job (Home Safety)

7. Job Spot - Health & Safety Advisor – SEPA (see enclosed flyer)

Copies of all the above mentioned correspondence was made available for the Members present. Further information is available upon request from the Secretary.

5.0 BRANCH EDUCATION OFFICER L Young

Mention was made of the number of portfolios being submitted for up-grading purposes and the additional work this entails but was pleased with the numbers and quality being received. Copies of the guidance were available. It was also mentioned that Members should up-lift their paperwork once it had been checked s the stockpile is slowly filling the garage.

6. HEALTH & SAFETY PRACTITIONER

The main features from this months TSHP have been read by R Lovering and included:

The thoughts of Chairman Frank – p22. Frank Davies

Safety Managed enterprises – p27. Personal opinion of a Consultant

The value of the ‘Medical’ – p30. Medical Advisor to Fire Brigade

Environmental Sampling after a chemical accident – p34. Specialist stuff

Electrical Testing – p36. Easy to read and worth the time

The tale of the unexpected – p39. A sad story with a need to use PPE

And the other items of interest being Fire Safety - an Employers guide; Council prosecuted for work done by Contractors; Trade Union – Women’s health at work.

Executive Committee Members have covered this section in the past but the Members have been asked to take over. No names have been forwarded. Anyone able to help please contact the Secretary.

7. SPECIALIST GROUPS

7.1 MAPS CO-ORDINATOR M Johnstone

7.2 CONSTRUCTION C E White

The next meeting of the Construction Specialist Group was mentioned and offers to take any points of concern or interest to this meeting.

The item in a local paper stating that a Falkirk Sheriff has required a Boss to attend ` the Court after a potentially fatal scaffold collapse – an agent is not acceptable.

3. HEALTH and ENVIRONMENTAL

No member has been tasked with these recently formed Specialist Groups but the Executive will keep a watching brief.

6. MEMBERS ITEMS
1. District Forming. Previous Item 3.1
2. Executive Committee Meetings. Meetings regularly held and Minute available
3. Certificate Awards. Four Certificates were available to present to recently up-graded Associates to Tech SP but none were attending. The Secretary is to write and invite them to the next meeting.
4. The Construction Site Safety Week 25-29 October to be coupled with Working Well campaign
5. The job advertised by SEPA was highlighted by J Smith
7. GUEST SPEAKER

The Guest Speaker was introduced by D A Brown as Ian Routh from OPTIMA and was invited to address the Members on the subject of Safety at Public Events.

The speaker has over 25 years experience in Health & Safety with much being gained in Local Authority but now represents a training organisation; his address reflects many of his own practical experiences. A novel ‘ice-breaker’ had the members attention which was enforced by the advice that dealing with Public Events should be in the same way as identified within HS(G)65 – policy; Organisation; Planning & implementation; Measuring; Review and Audit.

The Key Elements discussed included Variations in the type of event from bungy jumping thro’ firework displays; Communications Co-ordinator with importance stressed for early identification; Organisation and Site Plan include underground services and tent spikes!; Structures being temporary or permanent and co-operation with External Agencies.

There are many common features and these were discussed and highlighted; Relevant Insurance with typical cover in excess of £10m required, Crowd size with 100 expected and 1000 turning up; Sanitation with soak aways no longer accepted; Car parking with trained stewards; Refreshments could attract the Food Safety legislation; Emergency situations including Fire precautions, public Entertainment licenses; Security and Crowd control; What about the Disabled, Public Address systems and equipment hazards this is followed by clearing up afterwards and to top it all what would happen in the event of adverse weather?

The speaker then outlined the five steps to Risk Assessment – many presentations had to be made to none safety personnel who were running public events – adequate Risk Assessments must be in place and event can not be allowed to run at short notice. There was a quick outline given of specific events and some areas of assistance and guidance offered. These included Firework and Bonfire nights; Pop Concerts, Bungy Jumping, Festivals and Gala, Bouncy Castles (a short video was shown illustrating a tragic accident which occurred from taking a ride in a bouncy castle), Fairgrounds and Circuses, Battle re-enactment’s, LASER shows, Aviation events, Vehicle and Caravans. The importance of the need for post event meetings and the benefits to be gained from lessons learnt could not be over stressed. Consider what changes need to be put into place for next year.

The final summing up was the analogy of the British breakfast with the:

CHICKEN being involved – the supplier of the egg but the

Pig being totally committed – the supplier of the bacon

You have to be totally committed to the safe Organisation of any event involving safety of the public.

A lively question session followed with more detail including the full co-operation and early contact with the Fire Authorities, Street Parties, Dodgems and more detail on Bungy jumping.

The Chairman offered a Vote of thanks and a small token of appreciation and the members were left in no doubt of the importance of the subject in areas where they have a responsibility.

8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Members were reminded that the next meeting had been set at:

Thursday 11^th November 1999 at 1330, Donaldson’s College for the Deaf

With the topic being

New Legislation and possible Target Areas

Mr D Martis, HM Inspector of Health & Safety, Edinburgh Office

9. CLOSURE

The Chairman thanked all for their attendance and contribution and bade them a safe journey homeward; then closed the meting with the invitation to have tea and then mingle.