This Report covers the calendar year 2003. The report on fire safety produced by the Fire Safety Team in EMBS, is appended, as last year.
1. Legislation updates
There have been few major changes in legislation or introduction of statutes, regulations, or guidance on specialist topics during 2003.
An amendment of the Disability Discrimination Act was introduced which defines the meaning of discrimination in the context of disabled individuals.
A revised version of the standard issue Accident Book was published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to accommodate the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.
A revised version of HSR24, Memorandum of Guidance on Electricity was issued.
Proposed EC Directives on Physical Agents and Electromagnetic Fields are slowly progressing, whilst new proposed guidance from HSE on 'Work at Height' is undergoing consultation.
2. Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Environment Agency (EA), and other Enforcement Agency information
The Health and Safety Division seeks to foster a co-operative and productive relationship with all the Enforcement Agencies. Accordingly, Inspectors from HSE, Environment Agency and the Counter Terrorism Security Adviser have contributed to and attended appropriate safety seminars and training courses organized by the Health and Safety Division throughout the year. These occasions provide an opportunity for the Inspectors to make clear their approach and objectives, to learn more about safety procedures and organizational features of the University and for University staff to ask questions directly of the Inspectors.
Both the established Enforcing Authorities and new agencies make frequent visits to the University, as there are many aspects of legal compliance to check. During 2003, there were 13 series of visits, where some 'series' included multiple visits on several dates by more than one Inspectorate. Almost all visits resulted only in letters of recommendations or no further follow-up. One Enforcement Notice was issued during the year in connection with the use of radioactive substances.
3. Safety policy and information
During 2003 the Division's website (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/safety) was radically re-designed and was launched in May. It now receives about 12,000 hits per month.
The University Statement of Health and Safety Policy has similarly undergone major revision and is now produced as an A5 fold out leaflet. This year has seen the publication of new guidance on a wide range of subjects including laser safety, ultra-violet sources, building and construction issues, and biological hazards.
4. Safety strategy
The 'Strategy for Safety Management' document for the University as a whole was reviewed and updated during 2003.
Major reviews have been undertaken and reported, the most significant of these being:
Safety Committees
Safety Education of Undergraduates
The Role of Departmental Radiation Protection Supervisors
Radiation Safety Auditing
The Role and Functions of Departmentally based Professional Safety Advisers.
Preliminary reviews on pressure vessel safety, manual handling, and hazardous chemical waste were also undertaken, and a review of the Serious Incident Procedures was initiated.
5. Accident and incident summary report
The accident statistics indicate that, for staff suffering injuries which are reportable to RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurences Regulations) which are of a more serious nature and/or warranting hospital attendance, there has been a decrease both at Cambridge and nationally across all universities.
19 reportable injuries to students were recorded. The full picture for students is, however, difficult to assess because Colleges are responsible for their own safety arrangements. The rate recorded for all injuring accidents to staff, both minor and reportable, showed a small decrease. The Cambridge RIDDOR reportable injury rate for staff, at 2.4 per 1,000 at risk, is in the lower 50% of all 113 universities reporting data nationally.
Comparisons with other universities can only be regarded as indicative of trends, but the differences in course type, geographical layout, residential factors, University procedures, and indeed interpretation by the Enforcing Authorities themselves tend to cause apparent rather than actual differences.
The types of accident recorded in 2003 show that injuries from slips and trips are still a major contributor in common with the national trend, but injuries arising from lifting and handling have decreased at Cambridge.
6. Safety auditing
July 2003 saw the start of University health and safety auditing; the programme, which is published on the website, is running on time and has already started indicating common themes for improvement. A variety of Departments has been audited, and responses have been positive. The non-confidential summaries are circulated to the Health and Safety Executive Committee, and analysis of trends will commence in July 2004 after a year's experience. Summary data from these audits have been used to target improvements in training and education and to draw up best practice standards for use across the University. Safety auditing also enables benchmarking and performance standards to be developed in safety management.
Radiation protection audits continue to run on a regular basis to scheduled time targets.
7. Safety education and training
The implementation of a comprehensive safety education programme was fulfilled in 2003, together with the development of administrative support procedures such as online booking. A paper for the Health and Safety Executive Committee reviewing the impact of the Safety Education Officer has helped to identify both positive progress and obstacles for future resolution.
All well-established major events have continued, such as the Annual Safety Seminar, and the number of half days training courses provided increased in 2002-03 by four-fold compared to 2000-01. Numbers of persons attending training sessions have increased and many courses have had to be repeated because of demand. Long-term course evaluation shows that changes made as a result of attendance on a course have been sustained.
8. Health issues
In the course of an EMAS (Employment Medical Advice Service) inspection of animal facilities, the inspectors also visited Occupational Health and spoke with union representatives. A number of recommendations were made that have been implemented as appropriate.
A working group, comprising representatives from the Occupational Health Service, Staff Counselling, Staff Welfare, and Personnel commenced a review of the stress policy. Proposals have been formulated and revised drafts are now undergoing consultation.
Aims, objectives, and targets for the Occupational Health Service have been the subject of discussion during 2003, and, in the context of proposals to revise relevant procedures, the working relationships between the various service providers are becoming better defined. The Occupational Health Service will present an inaugural Annual Report to the Personnel Committee in 2004.
The Occupational Health Service introduced an OH database in April 2003. Over time this will provide the capacity to measure trends in work-related heath issues across the University and at institutional level.
9. Fire safety
A report from the University Fire Safety Manager is appended to this Report.
10. The Health and Safety Division
2003 was a year for developing interactive and positive relationships both within and outside the Division. An internal review of the organization of the Division was undertaken and proposals for re-structuring formulated for introduction in 2004. The new staff structure will facilitate operational management and definition of speciality subjects. Priorities for the Division continue to be the provision of support to Departments, the development of standards and policy, auditing, monitoring compliance University-wide, providing training, and facilitating relationships with internal agencies.
This report covers the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December 2003.
1.1 January saw the end of a ten week dispute between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the Local Government Employers Association (LGEA) and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).
1.2 The dispute had resulted in random industrial action involving local fire-fighters withdrawing operational cover for specified periods of time usually amounting to 24 or 48 hours.
1.3 This brought about the need for increased diligence within the University and a proactive response led by the FSU kept the potential effect of the fire-fighters' action to a minimum. Although special arrangements were put in place to provide an increased level of assistance in the event of an emergency, no fires were reported and the incidence of unwanted fire calls (false alarms) was reduced to a total of three.
1.4 Resolution of the fire-fighters' dispute coincided with the ODPM introducing a modernization agenda for the Fire and Rescue Service, which will have long-term effects on current standards of service delivery. This will inevitably bring with it a need for the University to review its own arrangements for future management of fire safety matters.
2.1 Prescriptive fire law such as the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (FPA71) continues to be overtaken by deregulation and this is illustrated in the provisions of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 which now takes primacy in the application of fire safety arrangements in all places where people are employed.
2.2 It is anticipated that within the next 12 months all existing fire safety legislation will be repealed and replaced on Statute by a single Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO). This will use the principle of risk assessment as the basis of providing employers with a tool for self-compliance with the law. Fire Authorities will continue to retain responsibility for enforcement and an increase in proactive inspection activity is expected.
3.1 During the period under scrutiny there were 20 reported incidents involving fire. None were serious and all were dealt with either before arrival of the Fire and Rescue Service or by units forming part of the first attendance. Although no clear pattern or trend is readily identifiable, equipment failure and chemical reaction do appear as more notable causes.
3.2 Considerable progress has been made in the reduction of Unwanted Fire Signals (UwFS) emanating from automatic fire alarm and detection systems. Current levels of false alarm are now averaging about 20 per month with approximately 75% occurring during the working day. This trend for improvement is clearly illustrated when compared against the figures for the second half of 2003 shown in the table above.
3.4 In the 12 months under report no University premises were subject to prohibition or restriction of use within the meaning of Section 10 of the FPA71 and during the same period, the FSU was not made aware of the issue of any enforcement notices made under the provisions of the FP(W)R97. This compares with a total of three such notices issued by the Fire Authority in 2002.
4.1 Having gone through a period of restructure, the FSU now has an establishment level of six staff together with the addition of a professional consultant who is contracted to provide risk assessment and training services together with servicing and maintenance of first aid fire-fighting apparatus.
4.2 The remainder of the team share the necessary specific skills and knowledge to provide a comprehensive range of fire safety support to stakeholders throughout the University estate. At the moment, efforts are being concentrated on improving risk assessment procedures, and identifying and completing priority works. The Unit will also seek to heighten its profile in and around the University.
| Cause | July | August | September | October | November | December |
| Contractors | 5 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Mis-operation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Dust | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 3 | 1 |
| Insects | - | - | 4 | 2 | - | - |
| Steam | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Unsuitable | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Other | 8 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 8 |
| System fault | 9 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Not known | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 32 | 31 | 41 | 37 | 22 | 22 |