Note - “the project” should be interpreted as any activity related to the delivery of Crossrail by Crossrail Ltd and TFL. 1) How does the project record and measure project-related accidents and injuries? 2) Across the project how many accidents, injuries or deaths of employees, contractors, workers or the public have occurred as a result of project works? 3) Across the project, how many reported accidents and/or injuries employees, contractors, workers or the public have been as a result of a fall from height or as a result of working at height? b) Has the project introduced any specific guidance, policies, requirements, equipment or technologies as a result of any such accident? 4) How much has the project invested in employee training and awareness in relation to working at height / safety at height and height-related accidents?

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Our Ref:         FOI-3024-1819

Thank you for your request received on 8 February 2019 asking for information about accidents and injuries that have occurred on the Crossrail project.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require. You asked:

1. How does the project record and measure project-related accidents and injuries?

Crossrail Ltd requires all accidents and injuries to be recorded. A comprehensive accident and incident recording system called RIVO is used on the Crossrail project.

RIVO uses a level classification for incidents, injuries, and for near misses. For example Level 1 is a fatal accident while Level 2 is an injury which leads to time off work as a consequence of the incident. A near miss is where the activities could have caused an injury but were prevented by intervention and no one was injured.

2. Across the project how many accidents, injuries or deaths of employees, contractors, workers or the public have occurred as a result of project works?

There have been four fatal collisions involving HGVs or lorries working for sub-contractors on the Crossrail project – 3 x fatal collisions involving cyclists and 1 x fatal collision involving a pedestrian.

There has been one construction fatality on the Crossrail project.

The total number of Level 2 incidents resulting in injury from April 2013 to date is 321

3.    
a.    Across the project, how many reported accidents and/or injuries employees, contractors, workers or the public have been as a result of a fall from height or as a result of working at height?

There have been 35 reportable incidents at Level 2 relating to working at height, six involved an injury.

b.    Has the project introduced any specific guidance, policies, requirements, equipment or technologies as a result of any such accident?

Please see below.

4. How much has the project invested in employee training and awareness in relation to working at height / safety at height and height-related accidents?

The Crossrail project has invested significantly in health and safety training but we do not hold a specific figure relating to working at height / safety at height as there is a wide range of training activities surrounding and connected to this topic.

Working at height is one of the nine defined High Risk Activities on the Crossrail project and is subject to daily and monthly site monitoring and risk reduction strategies. Information about working at height is included in the initial induction to the project for all staff.

All sites have clear policies in the reduction of the need to work at height as a starting principle and is backed up with the provision of safe access equipment and fall arrest devices. Daily start of shift site and point of work briefings will also cover this topic whenever working at height is identified.

Crossrail has held a number of stand down events where working at height has been highlighted during the lifetime of the project, and at sites across the whole project. It has been picked up in special re-briefing exercises and has included the safety use of fall arrest equipment by manufacturers and suppliers.

If this is not the information you are looking for please feel free to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]

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