Harrow Council is set to review health and safety training for agency staff following concerns raised at a recent Employees' Consultative Forum. The review aims to ensure that agency staff receive adequate training, particularly those in front-line roles.
The need for the review was prompted by concerns that agency staff, especially those in roles such as waste management, street cleaning, and special needs transport, may not receive the same level of health and safety training as permanent employees, particularly during their initial induction period. Councillor Graham Henson specifically questioned whether agency staff receive adequate health and safety training, especially in the first week of their employment.
At the meeting on Wednesday 30 July 2025, Councillor Graham Henson questioned whether agency staff receive the same level of health and safety training as permanent employees, especially those working in waste management, street cleaning, and special needs transport.
An officer responded that the council monitors training through audits and will raise concerns if induction training is inadequate, implying that inadequate induction training is a potential gap. They offered to provide a report on compliance with induction training for waste and special needs transport staff.
Councillor Henson also suggested that future reports should include the outcomes of audits and inspections, confirming whether issues were raised and addressed. Councillor Paul Osborn, Leader of the Council, supported this suggestion, stating that it would provide more clarity and reduce the need for additional questions.
The council's annual health and safety report for 2024-2025, presented at the forum, highlighted a 16% decrease in reported accidents and incidents compared to the previous year. However, Councillor Henson's concerns about agency staff training prompted the upcoming review.
The council's Corporate Health & Safety Board (CHSB) is scheduled to meet quarterly to monitor health and safety performance within the organisation. The board includes representatives from recognised Trade Unions.
Key actions planned for 2025/26, as outlined in the Supplemental Agenda, include:
- Developing and delivering the 2025/26 GARMS/ECF report and implementing the updated H&S 2025-28 strategy and plan.
- Reviewing and updating corporate H&S arrangements to reflect current operational needs.
- Delivering a corporate H&S audit programme.
- Supporting managers to complete annual H&S self-audits.
- Monitoring and ensuring service-level risk assessments remain in date.
- Developing and publishing a corporate H&S training matrix.
- Enhancing H&S communications across the organisation through regular updates and campaigns.
- Improving lone working safety measures through the rollout of lone worker fobs.
The council aims to promote safe manual handling through targeted communications and training and continue promoting the reporting of accidents, incidents, and near-misses via Evotix Assure.
View the webcast of the meeting on the Harrow Council website.