Lesson in safety for Darlington college staff and students

Date:

1 March 2010

Release No:

NE/076/10

Staff and students at Darlington College's state-of-the-art premises are putting safety first for the benefit of everyone on site.

The college, on the £35m Haughton Road campus, has always put safety first and is now supporting the Health and Safety Executive's "Shattered Lives" campaign which aims to reduce slips, trips and falls in the workplace.

HSE Principle Inspector David Cole (right) with Tim Grant, the principal and Chief Executive of Darlington College

Slips and trips are the most common cause of major workplace injury in Britain and resulted in at least 4,000 working days being lost in the North East last year. In the education sector alone there were almost 2,000 slips and trips - one resulting in a fatality, more than 1,000 causing major injuries and almost 1,500 that led to the person being off work for three days or more.

Many of these incidents could easily be avoided by taking common sense actions and precautions. The "Shattered Lives" campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact of slips, trips and falls in the workplace and directs people to the new website (www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives) for practical advice and guidance.

Darlington College has already taken steps to avoid slips and trips in its joinery, brickwork, plastering, plumbing and motor vehicle training areas and kitchen areas with risk assessments to identify areas of concern and the introduction of safety footwear in these areas.

Viewing bays have been introduced in construction training areas to allow visitors to view workshops safely and induction packs have been created for staff and students covering housekeeping and personal protective equipment.

Darlington College has backed the campaign and invited David Cole, HSE Principal Inspector for the North East, to find out how the college is already tackling the issue.

A student in the workshop using a safe hanging socket which keeps power tool leads safe

David Cole, HSE Principal Inspector for the North East, said:

"It's great that Darlington College is backing the campaign and is helping its employees and students understand and control the potential for slips, trips and falls to happen.

"Slips, trips and falls might sound comical, even trivial, but they shatter the lives of thousands of British workers ever year.

"Making improvements doesn't need to cost the earth and we are encouraging people to visit the Shattered Lives website, where they will be able to get simple and cost effective solutions to help manage slips, trips and falls hazards in their workplace."

Tim Grant, Darlington College's Principal and Chief Executive, said:

"The safety or our staff and students, as well as visitors and contractors, is of paramount importance and we're delighted to support the Shattered Lives campaign. We have already put up campaign posters around the college to raise awareness and we carry out regular inspections to make sure walkways are free from obstruction to avoid slips and trips.

"We are also looking into E-learning courses for staff to help them further understanding of hazards and will be looking at HSE's online tool STEP to see if we can use this."

On the new Shattered Lives website, people will be able to find out information on how they can easily, and cost effectively, reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls in the workplace, and see what other organisations, such as Sainsbury's and First Line Digital, have done. Included on the site are the online tool (STEP) and a work at height access equipment toolkit (WAIT). Advice ranges from how to deal with spills and other slip risks, to the importance of using ladders correctly to reduce the risk of falling from height.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It works to prevent death, injury and ill-health to those at work and those affected by work activities. For more information about the work of HSE, visit www.hse.gov.uk
2. In 2008/09 in the North East there were 714 major injuries to workers, as well as 1,404 workers having to take over three days off work.
3. Reportable major injuries include fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes; amputations; dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine; loss of sight (temporary or permanent); chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye; injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness, or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; any other injury: leading to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or unconsciousness; or requiring resuscitation; or requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; and unconsciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to harmful substance or biological agent.
4. LG Regulation (formerly LACORS) (the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services), as part of the LGA Group, supports HSE's Shattered Lives campaign and will be communicating its messages to businesses and organisations it deals with. LG Regulation (formerly LACORS) is the local government central body responsible for overseeing local authority regulatory and related services in the UK it operates in partnership with HSE to ensure that duty holders manage their workplaces with due regard to the health and safety of their workforce and those affected by their work activities. To achieve this, local authorities, as with HSE, provide advice and guidance on what the law requires, conduct inspections and investigations, and take enforcement action where appropriate.
5. For more information about Darlington College visit www.darlington.ac.uk

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Issued on behalf of the HSE by COI News and PR North East