Posted By Steve Langston
As stated above it depends on the type of Authority you are applying to, e.g.
For a District/Borough Council they may be responsible for Council Housing, Refuse and Recycling, Leisure facilities (theatres, leisure centres parks and open spaces etc), office staff, Environmental Health, Revenues and Benefits, Planning, building control, car parks, public conveniences etc. Average number of employees is around 700?
A County Council is split into many very large departments such as Social Services, Education, Highways, Finance etc. and within each section are various jobs. For example Social Services have Social Workers, Community Care workers (home helps), Care homes for children, Elderly and those with special learning needs. Education has catering, teachers, classroom assistants, secretaries etc. Our local County Council employs about 5500 in social services and 35000 in education.
Unitary Authorities (City Councils) may have all of the above functions.
As for risks just apply the common hazards - Violence and lone working, Muscular skeletal, Stress, Chemicals, Fire, electricity, asbestos, legionella etc.
A few examples: lone working is an issue for car park attendants, Community Care workers, cleaners etc.
Violence is an issue for teachers (and anyone else who deals face to face to the public)
Manual handling is an issue for Refuse collectors and care homes (lifting people from the bath to wheelchair) In care homes not refuse collection!!!!
Fire safety is an issue in care homes during the night (2-3 people on duty needing to evacuate elderly and infirm residents etc)
Asbestos is an issue in any building maintenance.
At the end of the day the list is endless BUT DO YOUR HOMEWORK - if you go to the reception area pick up a few leaflets and find out exactly what you Council does. It is not good to say that manaul handling is a big issue in the authority for refuse and recycling when they may well collect it by a contractor
Good luck
Steve