Statutory Advisory Committee on Safety and Occupational Health

The purpose of SACSOH is to promote a safe and healthy working environment by enabling visibility of health and safety management arrangements and promoting accountability of responsible persons across the University.

SACSOH provides a forum for cooperation, communication and consultation between staff, students and trade unions on occupational safety, health and wellbeing matters, thus recognising our legal duty on this matter. The principal aim of SACSOH is to enable a healthier and safer workplace, make more informed decisions about health and safety and demonstrate our commitment to implementing change.

SACSOH’s meeting and reporting calendar follow that of the University’s academic and reporting year, namely 1^st August to July 31^st. SACSOH meets three times a year and follows a cycle of health and safety planning; setting priorities for the forthcoming year; monitoring progress; and review of progress, which includes actions taken, items carried over and planning for the following year.

Chaired by a member of Court, SACSOH comprises of senior members of staff representing all Faculties, Professional Services, Trade Union health and safety members representing all staff, and a University of Strathclyde Students’ Association member representing the student body.  As permitted, the Trade Unions have confirmed that for safety, health and wellbeing matters, they represent all staff for consultation purposes; therefore, there are no elected employee representatives (non-Trade Union) on SACSOH. Individual Committee members are provided with suitable training to assist them with their role.

Terms of reference

SACSOH meets three times per year to fulfil its remit and carry out the following:

• Provide a mechanism for the effective consultation with all staff through the Trade Union Health and Safety representatives and other staff representatives on matters affecting their health, safety and wellbeing;
• Ensure that a suitable health and safety management structure is in place within the University, to maximise the protection of the health, safety and security of all staff, students, visitors and contractors and to ensure legislative compliance;
• Plan and report to SACSOH on progress in relation to safety, health and wellbeing strategy, including objectives and priorities;
• Review and approve all corporate OHS written arrangements, including the OHSaW Policy and associated written standards and supporting documentation;
• Monitor the implementation and operation of the University’s Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy statement and management arrangements, to ensure the key risks are identified, and appropriate control measures are in place via reports from:

1. Executive Officers;
2. The Director of Safety, Wellbeing and Resilience;
3. The Assistant Director of Estates Services;
4. The Head of Security Services;
5. The Chief People Officer
6. The Director of Student Experience;
7. Each of the Faculty/Professional Services Representatives relating to matters escalated from departmental safety committees in their area;
8. The President of Strath Union. 

• Consider any findings following health and safety inspections of the workplace and any investigations of accidents, incidents, ill health, cases of occupational disease or dangerous occurrences undertaken by Trade Union representatives;
• Consider reports from the Health and Safety Executive and other relevant enforcement authorities;
• Consider safety, health and wellbeing matters raised by the Executive Team where appropriate;
• Review the provision of health and safety training for staff;
• Monitor and review the 3-year rolling OHS Audit Programme
• Report to the University Court on the activities of SACSOH, the effectiveness of the occupational health and safety management system, and actions to ensure its continual improvement.

The Constitution of the Committee is as follows: 

1. Committee Chair: A lay member of Court, appointed by the Court. In the absence of the Chair, the University Compliance Officer will chair meetings.
2. Ex-Officio Members: The University Compliance Officer (in their absence a member of the University Executive Team, as nominated by the UCO), Director of Safety, Wellbeing and Resilience, the Workplace Wellbeing Manager, the Health and Safety Manager, The Occupational Health Manager and the Head of Risk and Resilience.
3. Faculty and Professional Services Representatives: One representative nominated by the Executive Dean of each Faculty and one representative for Professional Services nominated by the UCO.
4. Trade Union Representatives: One representative nominated by each of the University’s recognised Trade Unions (UCU, Unison and Unite).
5. Management Representatives: Executive Officers or their nominated representative, the Chief People Officer, the Assistant Director of Estate Services, the Director of Student Experience and the Head of Security Services (or their nominated representative).
6. A Student Representative: One representative from Strath Union, is nominated. This will normally be the President of Strath Union, who remains a member of the Committee for the length of their term in office.
7. Co-opted members: Such other members that the Convener may wish to co-opt because of their expertise, either members of Court or individuals external to the University.
8. Other individuals: Persons from within or outwith the University may be invited to attend or support the work of SACSOH as required by the Chair. This currently includes the Chief Executive of Strath Union, or nominee.
9. Secretary to the Committee: SACSOH Chair appoints a Committee Manager to act in this role.

 The duties of SACSOH members are to:

 Attend the committee meetings or send a suitable, nominated representative.

• Actively engage with and seek input from stakeholders in their area of representation, ensuring open and transparent communication channels both to and from SACSOH. 
• Utilising the above communication channels, report to SACSOH on annual plans, priorities and objectives; updating SACSOH on progress at each meeting.
• Provide reports to SACSOH on agenda items as appropriate.
• Actively participate in suitable training for the role of SACSOH member.
• Report any serious matters of concern to SACSOH for the purposes of consultation.

 Organisation

• The University publishes the meeting dates on an annual basis in advance of the first meeting of the new meeting cycle in September of each year.
• Meetings should not be cancelled or postponed except in exceptional circumstances, when the rearranged date should be announced as soon as possible.
• A meeting agenda, draft minutes and committee papers are made available on the SACSOH SharePoint site 7 days in advance of the next SACSOH meeting.
• Responsibility for meeting arrangements and facilitation, as well as recording minutes and distributing committee papers lies with the SACSOH Committee Manager.
• Draft minutes of each meeting are agreed with the Chair of SACSOH before circulating to SACSOH members no later than 21 days after the date of each meeting.
• Terms of Reference are reviewed and approved by SACSOH on an annual basis. 
• SACSOH is quorate with 5 members present, i.e. the Chair of the SACSOH (or their nominated representative), two management representatives and two representatives for staff/students.