Supplementary information to HSENI Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2024-25

Board membership and the role of the Board

While HSENI is a Crown body and its staff are civil servants, the Board is the employer of HSENI staff and is responsible for appointing its Chief Executive. The Board contributes to the good governance of HSENI by offering constructive challenge across all of HSENI’s business. This is with a view to ensuring that all aspects of strategy and delivery of policy are scrutinised for effectiveness and efficiency. Day to day operational matters are the responsibility of the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executives that make up HSENI’s Senior Management Team.

The Board has corporate responsibility for ensuring that HSENI fulfils the aims and objectives set by DfE and approved by the Minister, and for promoting the efficient, economic and effective use of staff and other resources by HSENI. To this end, and in pursuit of its wider corporate responsibilities, the Board:

• establishes the overall strategic direction of HSENI within the policy and resources framework determined by the sponsor Minister and Department, particularly under the Department’s Management Statement and Financial Memorandum for HSENI
• constructively challenges the HSENI’s executive team in their planning, target setting and delivery of performance
• ensures that the Department is kept informed of any changes which are likely to impact on the strategic direction of HSENI or on the attainability of its targets, and determines the steps needed to deal with such changes
• ensures that any statutory or administrative requirements for the use of public funds are complied with; that the Board operates within the limits of its statutory authority and any delegated authority agreed with the Department, and in accordance with any other conditions relating to the use of public funds; and that, in reaching decisions, the Board takes into account all relevant guidance issued by DoF and the Department
• ensures that the Board receives and reviews regular financial information
  concerning the management of HSENI; is informed in a timely manner about any concerns about the activities of HSENI; and provides positive assurance to the Department that appropriate action has been taken on such concerns
• demonstrates high standards of corporate governance at all times, including using the independent Audit and Risk Management Committee, to help the Board to address the key financial and other risks facing HSENI
• appoints, with the Department’s approval, a Chief Executive to HSENI

Board Register of Interests

The posts held by Board members at 31 March 2025 are outlined below on the Board’s Register of Interests.

Human Resource policies

HSENI Human Resource policies, strategies and plans directly and tangibly support HSENI’s business by ensuring that it has a highly skilled, knowledgeable and flexible workforce. HSENI is committed to the continuous development of its staff to meet the needs of its business areas and to reflect the variety of skills and competencies required for them to operate effectively both now and in the future.

HSENI managers, at all levels, in line with HR policies contained in the NICS Staff Handbook ensure performance management, absence levels and employee relations are managed effectively. HSENI is committed to providing all staff with the development and training necessary for effective performance in their jobs and for the development of their potential in accordance with the business needs of HSENI and the agreed training priorities for the NICS. HSENI utilises the DoF Centre for Applied Learning shared service which provides a wide range of programmes for all generic learning and development needs.

During 2024-25 HSENI offered ‘line of business’ study opportunities where budget permitted. A sample of courses attended in the last year include:

• 15 staff completed Gas Safety training
• 20 staff completed Woodworking training
• three staff completed “Rough Terrain Telescopic Handling” training
• one staff member completed BCS Practitioner Certificate in Freedom of Information
• four staff completed Mental Health First Aid training
• two staff members completed shot firing training
• 35 staff completed ‘Major Incident’ training
• 16 staff completed ‘Excellence in Report writing’ training
• four staff completed Mental Health First Aid training
• one staff member completed Chief Executive Forum’s Transformative Leadership Programme
• one staff member completed the NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
• seven staff completed ‘Quad Bike’ training

Many of our staff also attend generic training courses provided by DoF, Centre for Applied Learning. Courses attended during this reporting period include Effective Remote Communication, Having Difficult Conversations, Performance Management, Preparing for Judicial Review, First Aid at Work, Management of Sickness Absence, Recruitment and Selection: Standards and Skills.

Staff opinions and views are sought as part of the planning processes, for example, as part of the annual operational plan. SMT also encourages consultation and exchange of information within HSENI. SMT meets with Heads of Group on a regular basis. In addition, a system of team briefing provides the framework for managers to update staff on a monthly basis on Board and SMT decisions, organisational topics and issues.

Equality related work undertaken during 2024-25

HSENI’s equality related work included:

• continued its Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) work and launched the fifth Farm Safety Action Plan (2024-2027)
• ran an online Child Safety on Farms Poster competition and distributed 30,000 copies of the calendar produced from the winning entries to rural primary schools
• delivered Farm Safety presentations for foundation, KS1 and KS2 primary school aged children, GCSE and College of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) students in 80 rural schools across Northern Ireland
• delivered an Older Farmer Safety and Health Awareness Day (SHAD) which was attended by 60 older farmers
• delivered 16 work-related stress workshops and participated in several events to support a number of industries in promoting mental health in the workplace
• provided several publications aimed specifically at providing information on HSENI’s information services for migrant workers who do not have English as their first language, HSENI has provided these publications, in hard copy and on the web, in a number of ethnic minority languages
• provided guidance on its website for employers and workers in relation to both Older Workers and Young People
• created three new TV adverts, as well as a radio advert and new outdoor advertising, highlighting dangers relating to older farmers around three key areas
• continued to provide the pictorial Universal Safety Booklet, for high risk work sectors, aimed at those who do not have English as their first language or have difficulty in reading

• worked throughout the year to ensure that HSENI’s website adheres to Web Accessibility Standards and can be used by as many people as possible, including those with impaired vision, motor difficulties, impaired hearing or learning difficulties; an accessibility statement is available to view on our website

  Future Developments in Health and Safety

  HSENI will work towards achieving the aims of the organisation as outlined in its mission on the 2023-2028 Corporate Plan by focusing on:

• preventing the most serious workplace health and safety issues
• high risk industries and activities
• sensible and proportionate risk management
• effective regulation
• supporting businesses and the economy

During 2025-26 HSENI aims to:

• run a Workplace Health Campaign, with a focus on occupational cancers, lung diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and work-related stress
• undertake an older farmers’ campaign to raise awareness across our farming community which continues to be our most dangerous industry in which older farmers are a particular at-risk group
• visit farms to raise awareness around three key occupational health issues affecting farmers, namely ‘sun health - skin cancer’, ‘lung health - lung conditions/cancer’ and ‘Musculoskeletal Disorders’
• make Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) a standing item on construction inspections where potential exposure exists
• complete quarry and concrete premises workplace initiatives to focus on employee exposure to total inhalable dust and RCS dust
• undertake a programme of inspections with Utility companies, focusing on how Hand-arm Vibration (HAVs) at Work is managed
• co-ordinate, manage and deliver the HSENI trainee inspector training programme for the intake of new trainee inspector cohort in 2025