LACE Project – Case study: Town centre redevelopment project

Outline

A proactive approach was taken by an Environmental Health (Health & Safety) Team (EH H&S) to the development of a new shopping and entertainment complex in High Wycombe town centre. This enabled a number of health and safety issues, particularly FIT3 Priority areas such as workplace transport and slips and trips, to be identified and resolved before the complex opened to the public.  

Issues identified

1. Provision of cycle racks for the complex was required as a planning condition. Initially, it was proposed to site the racks in a service yard, placing cyclists at risk from delivery vehicles.

   Outcome:
   After EH involvement, the racks were removed and sited in a safe area under a car park ramp.

2. The developers intended to use granite as flooring in the shopping mall.

   Outcome:
   Following intervention by EH, tests on samples were carried out to examine slip resistance and a relatively non-slip surface was selected instead.

3. It was proposed that roof walkways providing access for maintenance should have a pebbled finish.

   Outcome:
   As a result of EH concerns that this surface might cause maintenance workers to slip, especially if they were carrying tools or materials, slabs were substituted instead, offering more secure footing for maintenance staff.  

4. Original plans did not include railings or other barriers between a paved area providing access to/egress from the mall and a busy main road. The paved area sloped slightly towards the road.

   Outcome:
   EH requested that barriers should be provided and railings have now been fitted. Recently issued terrorist guidance on restricting vehicle access to public areas such as shopping centres was used in support.

5. As originally designed, there was a lack of segregation between delivery vehicles accessing service yards and pedestrians, where walkways crossed delivery access points.

   Outcome:
   EH made recommendations to improve coordination between suppliers on deliveries and reduce problems presented by interfaces between delivery routes and pedestrian crossings of supplies. (The issue of the access point to one service yard remains unresolved after occupation).

6. A planned stairway between two escalators to an upper area of the mall was found to be too long without the provision of an intermediate resting place.

   Outcome:
   Because of space constraints, it was not possible to include a resting place, so no stairway could be provided. Instead the stairway was replaced by a sloping infill, following the line of the escalators. The slope was accessible without too much difficulty, although some steps had been taken to restrict access. (This matter is still awaiting final resolution.)

Principle

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) provides opportunities for LAs to intervene early with construction clients and take action proactively to resolve health and safety issues, such as slips and trips, falls and workplace transport in the finished built environment.  This case study underlines the advantages in such early, proactive interventions.

In this case, as landowner for the development, the LA had a particular interest in minimising or eliminating risks to the health and safety of those using or working in the completed complex. However, the same principle is applicable directly to other projects where the LA is not the landowner, but where EH H&S is the Enforcing Authority for some or all of the occupants of the completed scheme.

This case study was kindly provided by:

Andrew Collinson,
Divisional Environmental Health Officer
Wycombe District Council
Tel: 01494 421710
Email:  Andrew_Collinson@wycombe.gov.uk

Further information may be obtained from Andrew (contact details above)