Agenda item

(i)            Report of the Corporate Director of Resources.

(ii)           Presentation by the Occupational Health and Safety Manager.

The Chair welcomed the Occupational Health and Safety Manager, Kevin Lough who was in attendance to provide the Committee with an update presentation relating to Open Water Safety (for copy see file of minutes).

The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted he had been involved with the work around open water safety for the last 7-8 years and now led on the matter and worked with colleagues within the Council alongside various partners.  He referred Members to slides setting out the governance arrangements with the SDP and the Durham City Safety Group and the County Durham Open Water Safety Group.  He noted the Durham City Safety Group was chaired by the Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change, Alan Patrickson and included representation from the Council, Police, Fire and Rescue Service, University, Students’ Union and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).  He added that he chaired the County Durham Open Water Safety Group which included the Council, Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Northumbrian Water and RoSPA.  He added the inclusion of RoSPA helped to ensure the group were meeting national best practice.

Members were informed that nationally 632 people had lost their lives in 2020 in connection with open water, with a significant number of those being suspected suicide.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted it was an issue that the groups in Durham were aware of and there were links to colleagues in Public Health that worked in relation to suicide prevention.  He noted the increase in inland drownings and that it tended to be a male dominated issue, with those aged 20-24 years old being most at risk, with alcohol and drugs being a factor in some instances.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted the majority of those that entered the water had no intention of doing so and had simply been walking or running next to the water.

The Committee were referred to a table setting out the statistics for Durham from 2013/14 to 2020/21, with the city centre and the rest of County Durham (excluding the city centre) set out.  Members were asked to note the spike in incidents in 2015, with several of the incidents relating to students, with alcohol and being alone late at night a factor in some of the cases.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted that views of the Coroner as regards what actions should be taken had been taken on board by the Durham City Safety Group and work with RoSPA was undertaken to independently assess the full river corridor.  He noted that work led to a significant scheme of investment works, identifying issues in relation to lighting, footpaths, fencing, barriers and the installation of lifesaving equipment.  It was added that works were delivered within nine months and that there was monitoring in place to ensure the physical interventions were in good repair.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager explained that the physical works were alongside education and awareness raising as regards the risks associated with open water, alcohol and cold water shock.  He noted that the process of repeating the process of education, not just for the public but also with local licenced premises, door staff, emergency services and other groups.

The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted statistics and added that, since 2015, there had been a decreasing trend in terms of the number of fatalities, injuries and near-misses.  He added that last year there had been one fatality within the city centre, and two in the wider county.  Members were asked to note the data was taken from emergency services along with information from the Council in addition. 

The Committee were referred to information relating to Durham City, working proactively with partners and also developers and site managers.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted the work undertaken in terms of inspections, adding that reports from members of the public and Elected Members was always welcomed so that any issues can be looked at and acted upon as quickly as possible.  In reference to the wider county, Members were reminded of the ‘Dying to be cool’ cold water shock campaign, which began in 2016, which had been impacted in the last year by the pandemic.  It was explained that in normal circumstances, the Authority had provided assembly talks for secondary schools, and some primary schools, as regards the danger of cold water shock, with around 6,000 – 7,000 pupils engaged with over the period leading up to the school summer holidays.  Members noted the Council worked with Fiona Gosling, who had lost her son Cameron as a result of cold water shock.  It was explained she was able to deliver a powerful message to young people as regards the dangers of cold water shock and the message was also augmented with posters, including on phone boxes, as well as on social media channels, including those of County Durham schools. 

Members were asked to note the work undertaken in 2015-16 in relation to where the risks relating to open water were within the County, with around 260 locations of interest identified, for example those close to schools and parks.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager explained that those locations were assessed and schools in those locations were given information as regards those risks to pass on to their pupils.  It was explained those assessments were reviewed annually and there was focus on the major hotspots, for example, Chester-le-Street riverside, Durham City and Hardwick Park.  It was added the Council worked with landowners to help make them aware of the risks.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager referred to the revised 2021 ‘Dying to be cool’ campaign, which had been delivered remotely as a result of the pandemic.  He added it was timely as a national spike in incidents had been noted in July 2021 and it was important to maintain the high profile each year with new starters at schools, colleges and the University.

The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted several elements looking forward, including: further work with schools, colleges and the University; governance and the risk based approach; a new Action Plan for the City Centre, via the City Centre Safety Group; and increased education and awareness, including new initiatives to target the 16-20 age group, building on the national “Don’t drink and drown” campaign.  Members noted work with the Royal Life Saving Society and also with the Police and the Fire and Rescue Service as well as with Public Health in terms of identifying trends and looking at root causes. 

The Occupational Health and Safety Manager concluded by noting future work with designers and developers in relation to being fit for purpose in terms of safety and the regular monitoring and inspection of city centre routes and control measures.

The Chair thanked the Occupational Health and Safety Manager and asked Members for their comments and questions.

Councillor D Boyes noted the success of the work that had been undertaken, in response to a number of incidents in 2014-15 with four young people within the city centre having lost their lives.  He added it was heartening to see all of the safety equipment and prevention measures in place and the reduction in incidents, including across the wider county was a success and was a credit to all the people, partners and organisations involved.  Councillor B Avery agreed with the comments from Councillor D Boyes, noted an incident that had been reported early that morning and asked as regards preventative design.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted there were a number of areas that had been identified as potential risks, and where possible work would be undertaken to make it more difficult to enter the water at those places.  He reiterated that it was important to keep up the education and support as regards the issue to help prevent as many incidents as possible.

The Chair noted the work undertaken prior to school summer holidays and noted that with increasingly mild spring weather, a similar activity prior to the Easter holidays may also be beneficial.  The Occupational Health and Safety Manager noted the work was resource intensive and the summer holidays were targeted annually, including through national campaigns such as the two national drowning prevention weeks, adding that some of that work was earlier in the year.  He added he would look at the possibility of such activities prior to the school holidays earlier in the year.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.