Agenda item

The Director of Open Spaces presented an update to the Committee on Health and Safety Accident Reporting across the Open Spaces Department. She made the following points:

·         The number of reported injuries during 2013/14 had remained static compared to previous years, but the number of reported ‘near-misses’ had increased. This was because of improved reporting processes and greater awareness among staff.

·         Examples of incidents reported included staff knee ligament injury (Hampstead Heath), a member of the public breaking their hip (Epping Forest) a contractor damaging underground cabling (West Ham Park) a contractor causing a Mobile Elevated Working Platform (MEWP) to sink into soft ground (City of London Cemetery) and a fatality (Hampstead Heath).

·         Staff at Epping Forest were to be congratulated for their work to increase the reporting of ‘near-misses’.

·         ‘Near-misses’ were commonly associated with vehicles and poor work practice or equipment handling. Examples included a carabineer-failure resulting in the supply contract being cancelled (City Gardens) and a contractor cutting roof tiles using power equipment whilst balanced on a step ladder (Epping Forest).

·         Information from the last quarter included a vehicle accident (City of London Cemetery), a volunteer scratching an eye on a branch (City Commons) contractor commencing works before given approval and health and safety clearance (West Ham Park) and a staff member being threatened with a knife (West Ham Park).

·         Each case reported is investigated locally and then reported to the Open Spaces Technical Manager to be shared across the other open spaces divisions as appropriate. Incidents are then discussed and reviewed at regular departmental health and safety meetings.

·         Recent changes to reporting processes included the creation of distinct categories for physical and verbal abuse, and for assault; and ‘near-misses’ now being differentiated from damage to property.

The Chairman thanked the Director for her presentation and welcomed the fact that there was evidence for better reporting. He expressed concern at the level of incidents of physical and verbal abuse of staff and requested that liaison take place at open spaces sites with the local police.