Health & Safety in Contracted Waste Services

Stratton Macdonald –South Ayrshire Council South Ayrshire Council Troon

Ayr

Four Waste depots Maybole and Recycling Centres

Girvan A Few facts:- • Population of 113,420 • 53,261 dwellinghouses • 2,184 commercial premises • 82,240 tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste in 2008/09 • 4 Community Recycling Centres • 4 Area Waste Management Depots • 70 Waste Service vehicles and 180 Waste management personnel Ayr Town Centre Current Waste Contracts

• £85,000 pa Glass Recycling • £165,000 pa Waste Electrical Equipment • £180,000 pa Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) • £750,000 Community Recycling Centre • £7.5m Waste Disposal, Treatment and Recycling contract • £50.4m Joint Ayrshire Energy from Waste Treatment Contract Barr Environmental Waste Contract

£7.5m @ 15 year Landfill, recycling and waste treatment contract 1998 ‐ 2013 Barr Environmental Waste Contract

Health and Safety built into contract at procurement stage with inclusion of standard safety clauses Barr Environmental Waste Contract

Bidders for contract were required to demonstrate their safety performance, accident statistics, safety management systems etc. Barr Environmental Waste Contract

There was no resistance from bidders to providing safety records and these were examined along with other safety documents prior to award of contract. Barr Environmental Waste Contract • Monthly client/contractor meetings with Health & Safety discussions included • Any Health & Safety incidents, accidents or near misses recorded and action taken to prevent a recurrence • Any issues arising from Council employees or members of the public using the contractor’s sites raised and operational changes may be implemented Barr Environmental Waste Contract

Copy of site rules provided by contractor and council staff must adhere to them, or raise any issues through reporting channels Barr Environmental Waste Contract • Good relationship with Barr Environmental and H&S policy, risk assessments and safe systems of work regularly reviewed • The Contractor shall make available on demand by the Supervising Officer their Health and Safety Policy and their review and monitoring procedures • Adopt safe methods of working for all tasks in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of his and Council employees, members of the public and others who may be affected by his operations Contract Monitoring

• Six monthly Health & Safety audits carried out by Client • Any Health & Safety issues identified at time of audit recorded and solutions discussed with contractor • Any amendments required to the contract are incorporated • Barr Environmental contract has performed well in terms of Health & Safety Barr Environmental Waste Contract Significant benefits will be achieved by building Health& Safety into the procurement process for waste services, e.g. fewer accidents, improved productivity etc. Joint Ayrshire Thermal Waste Contract Procurement of joint Energy from Waste Plant for Ayrshire. 5 bidders have been Selected from the PQQ stage. Health & safety will be key criteria. Council Health & Safety

• Council Health & Safety Division located within Corporate Services Directorate •Corporate Health & Safety Unit – reports H&S Risk Registers quarterly to Strategic H&S Forum and 3 Directorate H&S Committees and JCCs. •Council Leader –nominated portfolio holder for H&S (monthly report). Director of Corporate Services –H&S champion. 5 H&S Officers (CMIOSH) & 15 Health & Safety Trained Union Reps –fulfil statutory H&S functions. 17 New HSE Guidance

• New guidance is welcome in Scotland at this time as local authority expenditure constraints will result in more outsourcing of waste services. •The new guidance is well written and details best practice health & safety principles to both contracted out and in‐house waste services. • The new guidance will improve health & safety management of contracted out waste and 18 New HSE Guidance

• New guidance provides good direction and assistance with identification of issues •Provides a platform for local authorities to properly address the subject in contracted out waste services • The new guidance provides a useful tool in striving towards continuous improvement, and should be adopted across the waste industry

19 Waste Services in England and Scotland England Scotland More outsourcing More In‐house Domestic wastes Domestic & Commercial Waste collection and Unitary Authorities disposal authorities Client/Contractor Scottish Councils have relationships better relied on in‐house waste developed services but this is likely to change in the future Some Further Comment

• New Zero Waste Plan for Scotland will be launched in May and will require more waste treatment plants to be outsourced • Additional recycling facilities will also be required as Councils strive to meet the 70% recycling target • More outsourcing of refuse collection and street services is also likely as Councils review their waste services to achieve cost savings and best value • New guidance will help to ensure that Health and Safety legislation is complied with Thank you