Annual Report of the Health and Safety Executive Committee, 2005

This Report covers the calendar year 2005 and follows the same format as previous years. The report of the Fire Safety Team in EMBS is appended.

1. Legislation updates

1.1 During 2005, two sets of health and safety regulations were introduced, both of which apply to the University. These were, 'Noise and Vibration at Work', and the 'Work at Height Regulations'. The former includes the need for a reduction in control levels for exposure to noise, and controls for those exposed to vibration (e.g. horticultural workers using strimmers). The Work at Height Regulations bring together the need to identify and control the risks from any activity not at ground level. This means, for example, any work using ladders, on roofs, or on ceiling-mounted fittings.

1.2 For radiological safety, preparation was made for the High Activity Sealed Sources Regulations, which came into force on 1 January 2006. These impose additional licensing requirements, including the need for Environment Agency approval and for funding for eventual disposal of radioactive sources to be assured. The regulations also include the need for enhanced security for sources of specified activity.

1.3 A further area of regulatory activity of note during 2005 not directly but associated with health and safety, were the Drug Precursor Regulations.

2. Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Environment Agency (EA), and other Enforcement Agency information

2.1 The Health and Safety Division (HSD) has continued to concentrate on the defensive work needed to provide assurance of compliance to all the Enforcement Agencies. During 2005, seventeen composite visits were received representing five agencies: HSE, EA, Environmental Health, Police, and the Department of Trade and Industry. This is excluding food hygiene visits by the Council Environmental Health Officer (EHO) and the Home Office Inspection, both of which also continue regularly throughout the year and are not included in the total number given above.

2.2 Predominantly, outcomes of visits were satisfactory, especially that of the HSE specialist inspection of Class 3B and 4 lasers. However, September 2005 saw the prosecution of the University by the EA for a breach of discharge consent under the Radioactive Substances Act. This is environmental legislation, and despite the breach being recognized by the prosecution as posing no risk to environmental or public health, the Magistrates imposed fines of £16,000 and awarded costs against the University.

2.3 The high level of interaction with the Enforcement Agencies impacts significantly on the work of the HSD, in preparing documentation, supporting Departments during inspections, and in planning and executing action plans arising from the visits. Table 1 (below) shows the number of Enforcement Agency visits over successive years.

TABLE 1 – ENFORCEMENT AGENCY VISITS*

No. of visits
	Year

* Excludes local EHO and Home Office

2.4 Staff of the Division work not only at departmental level in defence of the University, but directly or indirectly through professional associations in dialogue with the regulatory authorities. This is vital to ensure that the Higher Education sector is adequately represented through the consultative bodies which draw up national enforcement strategy and policy. In 2005, speakers from HSD addressed conferences of the Association of University Radiation Protection Officers, Society for Radiological Protection, and Universities Safety and Health Association.

2.5 All agencies are pleased to help communicate positive safety messages to all sectors of the University by providing speakers for seminars, training sessions, and symposia organized within the University.

3. Safety policy and publications

3.1 Several codes of practice, guidance, and leaflets were published or revised in 2005, the most important of which are given in Table 2 (below).

TABLE 2

3.2 Revisions or new publications are underway on compressed gases, risk assessment, and electrical safety: all these areas have required extensive consultation outside the HSD.

3.3 The new version of the 'Little Green Safety Book' was launched in 2005.

3.4 The website continues to receive 10,000-16,000 hits per month, thus maintaining a sustained profile for HSD both internal to the University and externally. In contrast with previous data, statistics now indicate that more than 50% of hits arise from outside the 'CAM' domain which is suggestive of recognition externally.

4. Safety strategy

4.1 Progress against targets has continued to be satisfactory during 2005, and positive achievement against standards or key performance indicators was reported to the HSD Review Panel as part of the Divisional evaluation.

5. Accident and incident summary report

5.1 Table 3 (below) shows the accident rate over the last five years for staff for all incidents reportable under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations), and comparing rates at Cambridge with other Universities nationally (data provided by the Universities Safety and Health Association).

TABLE 3 – REPORTABLE INJURIES TO STAFF

Rate per 1,000 at risk

5.2 For students (all types), a total of nineteen RIDDOR reportable injuries were recorded.

6. Safety auditing and inspection

6.1 The University auditing programme for safety management continued to run on time and to schedule, with reports being issued as detailed below in Table 4. Please note that the date of issue of the report is not the same as the date of audit as the report is only signed off when agreed.

Table 4

Safety Audit Reports Issued 2005
Department	Date of Issue
Chemical Engineering Geography Institute of Biotechnology University Library Counselling Service Computing Service Judge Business School Isaac Newton Institute Pharmacology Occupational Health Experimental Psychology Centre for Mathematical Sciences	09/02/05 11/02/05 16/02/05 15/03/05 10/05/05 17/05/05 08/07/05 25/08/05 26/09/05 13/10/05 29/11/05 06/12/05

6.2 A pilot study of a horizontal audit of compliance with the Construction Design and Management Regulations was undertaken in 2005.

6.3 As the auditing procedures continue to be refined, consideration has been given to standardized and comparative reporting to enable information on cross-University issues to be extracted more easily.

6.4 As safety auditing represents a very significant investment of time, both central and departmental and, in accordance with the recommendations arising from the HSD Review, the scheduling will be reviewed in 2006.

6.5 Inspection programmes, specialist auditing, and 'impromptu' visits continued during 2005 to complement the main programme, and to give valuable information about conditions at operational level.

6.6 On a related topic, the Environmental Office of the Estate Management and Building Service (EMBS) have planned a programme of environmental auditing along similar lines to that developed by HSD, and which will be run in co-operation with the HSD programme.

6.7 Environmental monitoring (a technical measurement service) offered by HSD included 225 series of tests during 2005 for a range of parameters. The types of tests undertaken are illustrated in the pie chart below.

Chart 1

* 'Other' includes Light and Heat

6.8 Reports on this monitoring have enabled remedial actions and recommendations to be progressed promptly where necessary, and for assurance to be given where measurements indicate results within normal parameters.

7. Safety education and training

7.1 The safety education programme continued to provide an extensive service throughout the year. Data calculated on an academical years basis show increases in number of half days training given and in numbers of persons attending training. Unique to Cambridge is the three-part training for postgraduates which every year sees in excess of 1,000 graduate students from scientific and technically based Departments attending lectures on Day 1 in the Corn Exchange (the only venue locally which is large enough) and specialist subjects on Day 2 - 1,400 graduate students attended in 2005.

Tables 5 and 6 (below) show the comparative year on year figures.

TABLE 5 – NUMBER OF HALF DAYS TRAINING

TABLE 6 – NUMBER OF PERSON HALF DAYS GIVEN

7.2 These figures, as in previous years, are probably an underestimate, but nevertheless, show the scale of operation and a sustained increase. The course for postgraduates is very successful but is close to reaching maximum capacity. Many courses for which there is a maximum number are full, and average numbers for the regular Departmental Administrator briefings are between 30 and 50 attendees.

7.3 New for 2005 were the externally accredited food hygiene courses, run by the Food Safety Adviser. These courses enable attendees to gain certificated qualification at minimal cost.

7.4 Less successful during 2005, however, has been an engagement with academic staff generally: this is for a number of reasons, two of which predominate: lack of inclusion of the health and safety dimension in existing or developing courses, and small numbers in attendance: neither of these factors are within the control of HSD. On a more positive note, a training session for Principal Investigators has been developed and successfully given initially within the School of the Biological Sciences (SBS). This course has now been offered and presented to other Schools.

7.5 Also on a positive note, were the nine manual handling training courses given in 2005, which enabled 76 attendees to receive training provided internally.

7.6 For first-aiders, 156 individuals attended the annual one-day conference in 2005, and courses in emergency aid were given for those using hydrofluoric acid and cyanide.

7.7 In 2005 the School Safety Adviser for the Biological Sciences was seconded part-time to HSD to cover prolonged sickness absence. This was a valuable opportunity to promote effective cross-University working by providing a bridge between the School/departmental and HSD perspectives. This is being developed for promotion in further proposals for job 'swaps'.

7.8 The training programme will be reviewed in 2006 as part of the recommendations following the HSD Review, but noting however that a recommendation of the Review, which was to provide more externally accredited training, has significant financial implications.

8. Health issues

8.1 A separate report is appended.

9. Fire safety

9.1 A separate report is appended.

10. The Health and Safety Division

10.1 In 2005 the staff numbers of the Division remained stable, although all were saddened by the untimely death of one of the Technical staff.

10.2 The Division moved premises to 16 Mill Lane in August, to a working environment which has enabled all parts of the service to be together for the first time.

10.3 An internal University review of HSD was undertaken in 2005, which, together with a follow up audit by Robson Rhodes, and continued external scrutiny, resulted in much opportunity for critical evaluation both internally and externally. This, in common with all other assessment-based exercises within the University, has meant time devoted to working on transparent and action-based improvement plans. Notwithstanding this, the Division itself has continued to deliver a service which is defensible to the Enforcement Agencies externally and internally accountable.

FIRE SAFETY UNIT

This report covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2005.

1. Operational emergencies

1.1 During the period under report there have been 32 reported incidents of fire. Although none resulted in death or serious injury, a fire on 23 April 2005 at the Department of Earth Sciences, Bullard Laboratory, did result in severe damage and subsequent disruption to business continuity.

1.2 Two other serious fires involved the same unoccupied premises at Downhams House. Both attracted an enhanced attendance by the Fire and Rescue Service and in each case the cause was attributed to arson.

2. Enforcement action

2.1 During the period covered by this report the Fire Safety Unit (the Unit) did not receive any notification of enforcement action by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire and Rescue Authority.

3. Unwanted Fire Signals (UwFS)

3.1 Table 1 (below) illustrates causation trends during the period of report. Although poor management practice and contractors' work continue to be a significant causation factor, the gradual decline towards the end of the year is encouraging. This is also indicative of the Unit's work with all stakeholders to reduce the number of nuisance calls generated by automatic fire detection systems.

3.2 The Unit's combined exercise with the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service to risk assess University premises to inform future operational response will assist Year 1 compliance with the 'Model Agreement for Remotely Monitored Fire Alarm Systems' (RMFAS). This work continues to be on schedule with the timeframe prescribed in the Unit's 2005-06 Business Plan and is proving a valuable tool in development of future policy on building management and the handling of fire calls automatically transmitted to the University Security Control Centre.

4. Training

4.1 Attendance figures for training courses are shown at Table 2 (below).

4.2 The Unit continues to develop and promote its comprehensive training portfolio to attract interest and meet stakeholder requirements. However, there continues to be a need for further improvement in uptake of both initial and annual refresher training to satisfy the requirements of both current and future fire safety legislation.

5. Fire Risk Assessments (FRA)

5.1 The final return for completed FRA1-05 forms for 2005 is estimated at 80%. A revised form FRA1-06 has been issued for return by Departments after 30 April 2006. It is hoped that this will encourage the 100% response necessary to secure legal compliance and avoid the risk of prosecution by the enforcing authority.

5.2 On 1 January the Unit introduced a pro-active programme of inspections to audit compliance with both legislative requirements and also University policy appertaining to the maintenance of suitable and satisfactory fire safety arrangements. These inspections, which also coincide with the introduction of a revised format Fire Safety Log Book, will result in production of a new Stage 2 FRA which will be used by the Unit to identify and address more complex fire safety matters.

5.3 This work will form the basis of a new framework which the Unit plans to have in place by 1 April 2007 and will also link in with completion of the Departmental Response Emergency Action Manual (DREAM) rollout programme (see 6.1 below). By that time each Department should have in place a combination of reference documents for effective management and control of all fire safety arrangements necessary to satisfy legal requirements. The new Stage 2 FRAs will be used to compliment this process by providing a tool for the Unit to allocate financial resources to secure improvement in areas of greatest risk categorized as either High, Medium, or Low within its Priority Works Programme.

6. Emergency planning

6.1 Despite considerable difficulty in obtaining relevant information from some Departments, the DREAM rollout programme remains on schedule. However, a delay in issue of departmental file copies is anticipated due to the need for security clearance and also procurement and fixture of storage facilities on site.

6.2 In late October 2005 a multi agency exercise at a University site simulated the release of a chemical agent resulting in the need to initiate mass decontamination procedures. The exercise, which involved about 150 emergency services personnel and simulated casualties, was used to test the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) regional response to such an incident and gave a useful steer of the extent of such an event on the University.

7. Provision for the disabled

7.1 Through its engagement with the EMBS Disability Discrimination Act Policy Implementation Group the Unit continues to take a proactive approach to assist compliance with regulations affecting access, use, and egress by disabled persons from University premises.

7.2 Following a comprehensive review of the suitability and use of Evac+Chairs a number of chairs were found to be incompatible with use on staircases in some premises. These have now been returned as 'not fit for purpose' and the subsequent refund has contributed to the purchase of several new automatic stair climbing devices which in certain circumstances can provide a satisfactory alternative method to assist means of escape in case of fire. The Unit has also accepted certain responsibilities for training, servicing, and maintenance which will represent a long-term cost saving for Departments.

7.3 Latest developments include the introduction of more economical methods to upgrade existing lifts using alternative systems determined by risk assessment as being compliant with Means of Escape requirements contained in both existing and future fire law.

8. Legislation

8.1 On 12 January the ODPM announced the postponement of introduction of the new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order which was due to be placed on statute on 1 April 2006. This was ostensibly due to the perceived need for additional time for stakeholders to prepare and for production of detailed guidance the availability of which was originally intended to coincide with the introduction of the new legislation. The ODPM have now confirmed that the new legislation will take effect in October 2006. This delay means that the two main existing pieces of fire law (The Fire Precautions Act 1971 and the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997) remain on statute. In the intervening period the Unit does not anticipate any major implications for the University and will continue to assist all stakeholders in preparing for eventual introduction of the new legislation.

9. General

9.1 The appointment of Fire Safety Managers (FSM) by Heads of Departments is key to the way in which the Unit can disseminate fire related information essential to the day to day maintenance of suitable and satisfactory fire safety arrangements throughout the University. Despite significant improvements during this year there still remains a very small number of premises (Table 3) where it has not been possible to identify a 'Responsible Person' and the Unit continues to work with Departments to resolve this matter. This includes advice to overcome difficulties in a few buildings in multiple occupation where the role of the appointed FSM is unclear as it affects those parts of the premises not under their direct control.

March 2006

Table 1 - Unwanted fire alarm actuations

January - December 2005

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	August	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
LO1	0	0	1	1	1	0		1	1	0	1	0
LO2	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
LO3	7	1	5	3	7	5	3	12	4	6	4	0
LO4	5	3	4	6	5	11	10	14	13	9	10	5
LO5	3	0	3	0	0	2	1	4	2	2	1	5
LO6	7	3	11	11	5	6	6	9	14	7	9	4
Non attendance							2	2	6	6	6	4
Total	22	8	24	21	18	24	23	42	40	30	31	18
Fire	2	4	1	5	8	3	1	4	0	2	1	1

Key:
LO1	Good intent
LO2	Malicious
LO3	Dust, etc.	(aerosols/insects/contractors)
LO4	Fault	(apparatus defect)
LO5	Design	(wrong type of detection) (usually following change of use)
LO6	Other	(accidental damage/misoperation/unknown)
Non attendance of Fire and Rescue Service

Table 2 - TRAINING COMPLETED

January - December 2005

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Contractors awareness	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	22	4	0
Fire managers	0	0	13	0	6	0	7	26	0	0	13	0
Head of Department safety briefing	0	0	0	0	67	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
New staff induction	50	34	25	42	0	38	48	0	13	49	68	0
Fire Wardens	83	80	0	45	103	70	0	26	47	37	66	10
Postgraduate H&S induction	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,050	0	0
Fire awareness	0	0	80	150	17	74	409	0	0	0	15	0
Evac chair	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	4	14	38	24
Stairclimber	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	4	6
Total	133	114	118	237	193	182	464	58	75	1,178	208	40

TABLE 3 – FIRE SAFETY MANAGERS (FSM)

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

Work-related mental ill health and musculo-skeletal problems continue to comprise the two largest groups of referrals to the Occupational Health Service (OHS). Rapid onward referral of selected patients to a clinical psychologist, a consultant rheumatologist, or physiotherapist has been taking place on a trial basis and has been found to significantly reduce the length of absence from work and promote early recovery. Funding provided by the HEFCE Human Resource Strategy continues to support these fast-track referrals.

The OHS is involved with the implementation of the revised stress policy which is being led by the Personnel Division. Whilst awaiting confirmation of the policy's launch date, the OHS, together with the University Counselling Service and Health and Safety Division, have devised a training programme to support its implementation.

The revised University Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Display Screens has still to be implemented. The feasibility of widening the scope of this document to include the prevention of other work related upper limb disorders, such as those associated with repetitive pipette work in laboratories, is being discussed with the Health and Safety Division.

The OHS has a preventative role in reducing specific high-risk health hazards within University Departments in accordance with health and safety at work legislation. It has become increasingly apparent that this traditional role is now extending to include wider issues of organizational risk such as bullying and harassment and emergent infections like SARS and avian flu. The Consultant Occupational Physician is a member of the University and Colleges' Emergency Planning Working Party concerned with contingency planning and guidance in preparation for a human influenza pandemic, and the University Emergency Management Team.

The OHS is currently evaluating commercially available software packages for the effective management of the service and advice has been obtained from the OHS at the University of Oxford where they run an advanced system that offers a comprehensive package that enables the generation of both general and bespoke reports from an activities database. The Personnel Division web editor team is also assisting with the development of a comprehensive OHS website.

Earlier this year the Occupational Health Service Manager took early retirement. Recruitment is underway to bring staffing levels up to strength. There has been a high and constant demand on the OHS since early January.

May 2006