Nottingham University Hospitals Trust has been cautioned by the work safety watchdog after a member of staff suffered serious head injuries in a fall.
In 2019 a worker fell “from height” while working in the boiler house at Nottingham City Hospital, which has been closed off ever since.
Board reports published ahead of the trust’s meeting on January 26 say the member of staff has since made a full recovery.
The trust, which runs both the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital, has been given a caution from the Government agency the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for workplace safety.
The HSE investigates the most serious work-related incidents and has a range of legal powers including issuing cautions and starting criminal prosecutions.
Chief Executive Anthony May’s report states:
“In 2019, a colleague working in the boiler house at City Hospital fell from a height receiving serious head injuries.
“While the colleague made a full recovery, subsequent enquiries established a breach of The Work at Height Regulations 2005, Regulation 4(1).
“As a result, and on advice, we have accepted a caution from the Health and Safety Executive.”
The trust said it has taken steps to ensure a similar incident does not happen again, including employing a Health and Safety Auditor to progress the ‘health and safety audit programme’.
It has also received additional support to ensure that risk assessments are in place.
The report added: “The Trust’s Health and Safety Committee continue to provide oversight to ensure learning is fully embedded.”
The Health and Safety Executive’s report on the incident clarifies the trust was given a simple caution – once known as a formal or police caution.
This is a formal warning that may be given to anyone aged 18 or over who admits to committing an offence.
The simple caution scheme is designed to provide a way of dealing with offending without starting a court case when there is evidence of an offence but the public interest is deemed to not require a prosecution.
• £1.8m Nottinghamshire leisure centre upgrade expected to open for half-term
