Foreword

Each senior Head of Function/Head of Division at UCC (17 in total) is tasked annually by the President, at the end of each year, to prepare and return a signed assurance statement to Governing Body verifying compliance with OH&S regulations and University Safety Policy within their FA.

This is part of a corporate governance continuum since 2012 to demonstrate:

• the managing and conducting of OH&S as an integral management activity as required by the SHWW Act 2005
• the implementation of University Safety Policy and legislative requirements
• proactive management and reduction of OH&S risks and safeguarding staff, students and visitors (in so far as is reasonably practicable)

In support of their GB assurance statement, each Head of Functional Area must submit a comprehensive annual safety report (on a year in arrears basis) and a current year prioritised safety action plan by the end of Q1. The FA report must account for all constituent schools/departments.  

The Health & Safety Office have prepared a presentation on the completion of the ASR: ASRCompGuidance

The following are to be submitted to the Health & Safety Office by the 14th April 2023:

Functional Area Annual Safety Report FA ASR for 2022 / Help Guide with Examples ASR Guide/Sample

Functional Area Training Needs Analysis Spreadsheet 2022 TNA

Functional Area Risk Assessment Summary FA RA Summary

Department Risk Reconciliation Workbook for each Department within the Functional Area Dept RA Reconciliation

Functional Area Self-Assessment KPI spreadsheet KPI Self Assessment

If you have any questions or queries, please contact healthandsafety@ucc.ie 

Footnote

An independent safety consultant analyses each report and benchmarks FA performance during Q2 and Q3. This benchmarking is aligned with criteria of the All Ireland Safety Awards, National/EC Safety Legislation, Health & Safety Authority guidance and European Safety Agency guidance.

All Heads of FA subsequently receive a focused illustrated feedback report prepared by the benchmarking consultant in Q3. These concisely identify achievements and areas for priority improvement as well as the necessity for some HoF to promptly act on uncontrolled high risks that FAs reported in their top 5 OH&S risks (per legal obligation under SHWW Regulation). All HoFs are requested to disseminate the feedback reports to their Heads of School and Department for consideration and action so as to improve performance, compliance and to frame their subsequent years action plan and gap analysis.

The H&SO subsequently prepares an an ovearall annual safety report for Governing Body for submission to UMT and Governing Body People's sub-committee in Q3/4. This is based on this outturn of the independent consultant benchmarking, HoF assurances and the inputs received from others areas (B&E, HR, OCLA Insurance, Biological Safety Adviser (VPRI). The President and Corporate Secretary also receive analogous, macro and micro level analysis and reports.