ANNUAL ACCIDENT STATISTICS REPORT

2013 - 2014

INTRODUCTION
Now that the on-line accident reporting system at the University has been in place for 2
years, comparisons can be made with last years accident statistics. This on-line system has
replaced the paper-based form making the reporting of accidents much quicker and easier.
The system is working well and proving straight forward to use. There have been a couple of
minor technological issues during the year, however these have all been resolved by ITS.
For the first time Asbestos incidents have been recorded and these are included in the
statistics. Also this year it was reminded that stress related ill health incidents should be
reported and again these are included in the statistics.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY
There have been a total of 263 accidents reported through the on-line accident reporting
system this year as detailed in the table below.
Accident
Personal Injury
RIDDOR
Ill-health work-related
TOTAL INJURIES:
Ill-health (non-work related)
Asbestos*
Near Miss
Sports
Tests/blank entries
TOTAL

2012-2013

2013-2014

131
5
19
155
8
0
49
10
1
223

136
4
27
167
7
6
65
12
6
263

*Asbestos was not captured during 2012-2013

A more detailed breakdown of these accidents is provided in Appendix 1. There were a

total of 167 injuries. From these statistics, it can be seen that in terms of accidents causing
personal injury and work-related ill health there has been a slight increase of 8% this year,
(167 compared with 155).

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Annual Accident Report
August 2014

Reportable Accidents (RIDDOR)

For the more serious accidents (reportable to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under
the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR))
there has been a slight decrease from 5 to 4 (Appendix 2).
The main cause was attributable to falls, as detailed in the following table.
Category
Falls on the level
Falls on stairs
Falls from height
Struck by object

Cause
workplace obstruction
misplaced footing
incorrect work equipment
Incorrect work equipment

Injured Person
Cleaning
Academic and related
Grounds
Undergraduate

Last year it was reported that the main cause of RIDDOR accidents was also falls (on the
level) and this continues to remain the cause for serious accidents at the University.
Reports of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences by Cause of Accident
1 August 2013 to 31 July 2014
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5

2011/12

2012/13

0.5

2013/14
Disease

Other

WRULD

Traffic

Struck by object

Striking against object

Machinery

Spillages/Releases

Hot/cold contact

Hand tools

Handling glass/sharps

Handling

Falls from height

Falls on stairs

Falls on level

Animals

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Annual Accident Report
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Reports of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences by Category of Injured Person

1 August 2013 to 31 July 2014

3
2.5
2
1.5

2011/12

2012/13

0.5

2013/14
Visitors

PG students

UG students

Technical

Portering/
Security

Grounds

Cleaning

Catering

Administrative

Academic &
related

There were no Dangerous Occurrences under RIDDOR this year. Dangerous occurrences
are events which do not necessarily result in a reportable injury, but have the potential to
cause significant harm.
Lost Time
The number of days lost by staff was 790 which is a huge increase from last year (233).
The main cause of lost time was stress, which was suffered by 21 staff and accounted for
588 days lost which is 74% of the total days lost. Given the improvement to accident
reporting there has been a rise in the reporting of ill health, which has included stress. In all
cases an investigation and appropriate action was identified by the manager in conjunction
with the HR Team.
In previous reports up to 2011-12 RIDDOR accidents have historically accounted for the
greater proportion of days lost, however for the second year again this is not the case.
RIDDOR accidents accounted for 152 days which is 19% of the total compared to last year
which was 26 days (11%).
Working Days Lost due to Personal Injury Accidents
(including Work-related Ill Health Reports) 2013-2014

800
600
RIDDOR reportable
400

Not RIDDOR reportable

200
0
2011/12

2012/13

2013/14
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Annual Accident Report
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ACCIDENT CAUSES AND THOSE INJURED

There were five main causes of accidents for this year and the comparison with last year is
shown in the table below.
2013-2014
Falls on the Level (25)
Struck by an object (24)
Striking against an object (21)
Stress (21)
Handling (21)

2012-2013
Falls on the Level (24)
Struck by an object (22)
Striking against an object (27)

It can also be seen that the main causes of accidents are similar in numbers to last year.
Distribution of Personal Injury Accidents by Cause of Accident
1 August 2013 to 31 July 2014
Other

Stress

WRULD Electricity
Falls on level

Falls on stairs
Falls from height

Handling

Struck by object
Handling
glass/sharps

Striking against
object

Hand tools
Hot/cold
Spillages/ Poisoning/ contact
releases infection

Of all the stress incidents 76% occurred to administrative staff. 40% of the falls on level
incidents occurred to administrative staff and just over half of these falls were internal.
38% of striking against an object were to administrative staff and two thirds of these were in
the office or staff room. One third of the struck by an object injuries involved doors closing
quickly.

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Annual Accident Report
August 2014

Distribution of Personal Injury Accidents by Accident Location

1 August 2013 to 31 July 2014
Conference
Student
facilities Off-site
residence
External

Office

Staircase

Internal circulation
area

Sports
Teaching area

Library
Staff workplace

Communal area
Laboratory
Studio/ workshop

Kitchen

Distribution of Personal Injury Accidents by Category of Injured Person

1 August 2013 to 31 July 2014
Contractors Visitors

Academic &
related

UG students

PG students
Other staff
Technical
Portering/Security
Grounds

Administrative

Cleaning

Catering

There has been an increase in the number of cleaning staff injured (50%), grounds staff (4
compared to 1) and contractors compared to last year. However there has been a decrease
in the number of under/post graduate students (33% less) and portering/security (75% less)
staff injured.
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Annual Accident Report
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NEAR MISS
This year there were 65 near miss accidents compared to 49 last year (Appendix 3). [A near
miss is an accident where there has not been any injury or ill-health but there was the
potential to do so].
The main causes of near miss were:

Explosions and Fires

Struck by objects*
Spillages/Releases
Traffic

*Although most of the causes of near misses do not correlate to the main causes of
accidents that resulted in actual injury, there was one RIDDOR reportable accident caused
by struck by objects. This highlights the significance of the reporting of near misses as many
more injuries could have occurred. Reporting of near miss incidents also assists in the
management of risks and thus the prevention of further accidents.
Asbestos
There were 6 recorded incidents of potential exposure to asbestos. These are included in
the Near Miss report under Construction Related, Appendix 3 and therefore the total
number of near-miss reports is 71. 3 of the incidents were where contractors have drilled into
walls which may have contained asbestos material, without taking the appropriate safety
measures. One incident included an academic who brought in potential asbestos to show to
students. All asbestos incidents have been investigated and appropriate preventive actions
taken.
CONCLUSION
There has been good use of the on-line accident reporting system with staff and students
feeling empowered to report not only injuries, but also ill health and near misses.
Staff have been encouraged to utilise the accident reporting system for recording cases of
stress, as a way of capturing the data within the University. It can clearly be seen that staff
are suffering with ill health and many working days are lost as a result.
There has been a reduction in the more serious accidents reportable under RIDDOR and it
can be concluded that the University continues to have a much more robust accident
reporting system and associated investigation / monitoring process.

Julie Harvey
Health and Safety Adviser
26th August 2014

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Annual Accident Report
August 2014

Personal Injury Accident Reports 2013-14

Appendix 1

Explosions & Fires

Falls on level

Falls on stairs

Falls from height

Handling
Handling
glass/sharps

Hand tools

Hot/Cold contact

Machinery
Poisoning/Infecti
on
Spillages/Release
s

Sports
Striking against
object

Struck by object

Traffic

WRULD

Stress

Other

15

13

Administrative

10

16

11

56

41

Catering

22

26

Cleaning

27

18

Grounds

Portering/Security

Technical

10

11

Other staff

UG Students

19

26

PG Students

Contractors

Visitors

Totals

25

21

10

10

21

23

21

19

167

****

Totals (last year)

24

18

17

27

22

12

10

****

155

Totals (last
year)

Electricity

Academic & Related

Totals

Category of
Injured Person

Animals

Causes of Injuries

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Annual Accident Report
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Reports of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR) 2013-2014

Appendix 2

Falls on stairs

Falls from height

Handling

Hand tools

Hot/Cold contact

Machinery

Poisoning/Infection

Spillages/Releases

Sports

Struck by object

Traffic

WRULD

Stress

Other

Administrative

Catering

Cleaning

Grounds

Portering/Security

Technical

Other staff
Undergraduate
Students

Postgraduate Students

Contractors

Visitors

Totals

****

Totals (last year)

****

Totals (last year)

Falls on level

Totals

Explosions & Fires

Striking against
object

Electricity

Academic & Related

Handling
glass/sharps

Category of
Injured Person

Animal / Human

Causes of Injuries

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Annual Accident Report
August 2014

Near Miss Reports 2013-14

Appendix 3

Electricity

Explosions & Fires

Falls on level

Falls on stairs

Falls from height

Handling

Handling glass/sharps

Hand tools

Hot/Cold contact

Machinery

Poisoning/Infection

Spillages/Releases

Sports

Striking against object

Struck by object

Traffic

WRULD

Stress

Other

1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1

0
0
0
4
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
4

0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
1

0
0
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
8
6

2
1
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
7

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0

0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
2

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1

0
0
0
0
0
2
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
2

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1

2
0
0
0
1
3
0
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
9
17

0
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
3

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
2
0
6
2

Totals last year

Construction related

Circulation areas
Communal areas
Conference facilities
Construction: internal
Construction: external
External (on premises)
Laboratory
Library
Kitchen
Office
Off-site (UWE business)
Sports
Staff workplaces
Staircase
Teaching rooms
Workshop/Studio/PC room
Total No. Reports
Totals last year

No. Reports Received

Locations

Animals / Human

Potential Hazard

6
9
3
1
2
1
2
4
12
2
12 10
10
5
1
1
3
3
3
4
4
0
0
0
2
5
0
1
3
2
3
1
71 ***
***
49

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Annual Accident Report
August 2014