Health and safety annual summary report - 2025/26

FSS’s governance arrangements have been altered. The quarterly HSE Operations Health and Safety Committee and quarterly Office Hybrid Health and Safety Committee were combined into a quarterly Field and Office Health and Safety Committee. This improved communication between teams and freed up union facility time by reducing the number of meetings that required attendance from union officials. This change has been favourably received. This new format includes a rotating chair of the meetings, thereby increasing active engagement from additional management roles within FSS. The Strategic HSE Committee remains unchanged and is chaired at Head of Division level. Each committee is attended by a union representative, ensuring active staff consultation routes. External oversight is provided by ARC’s review of this report. 

In 2025, the Health, Safety, Administration, Facilities and Environment (HSAFE) business unit was formed. The unit supports closer working between HSE management, facilities management and administrative support teams, and sits within the HSE Manager’s area of responsibility.

Current arrangements continue to be fundamental in providing an inclusive, integrated approach to health, safety, and welfare engagement throughout the year.

At the request of the HSE Manager, the Scottish Government's Directorate for Internal Audit and Assurance carried out an audit of health and safety arrangements for field staff. The desk-based review assessed the controls in place to manage health and safety risks associated with field-based activities within FSS.

The audit gave FSS a Reasonable Assurance rating and made one recommendation. The agreed action is to introduce an annual review of health and safety policies and establish formal terms of reference for the combined Field and Office Health and Safety Committee.

Table 1: Field staff health and safety audit findings