Request ID: FOI-3611-2324 Date published: 09 February 2024
You asked
I am requesting the following information in relation to Health and Safety at South Kensington Station.
1. When were the new escalators installed in the station?
2. Since those escalators were installed, how many Electronic Incident Reporting Forms have been submitted?
3. What injuries have been reported in the station, in particular on the escalators?
4. How many repairs have been carried out due to CIRAS reports in the station?
5. Are Ambassadors used to man the escalators? If so, where are they from and at what cost?
6. What measures are being taken to ensure individuals with malicious intent do not enter the station after hours?
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-3611-2324
Thank you for your request received on 15 January 2024 asking for information about South Kensington London Underground Station.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
The London Underground supports over four million passenger journeys per day, with South Kensington seeing around 24 million entries/exits in the past year. The safety of our staff and customers is our top priority and the London Underground is recognised as one of the safest metros around the world. We are never complacent, however, and continuously strive to reduce injuries across our network. Slips, trips and falls are the biggest cause of incidents on escalators, and we have been trialling and implementing a variety of ways to minimise these incidents, highlighting risks and encouraging safe use of escalators. These include encouraging customers to hold the handrail; walk or stand safely; be aware of the step or landing interface; and, where available, to use lifts if carrying heavy luggage or pushchairs.
Further initiatives to minimise slips, trips and falls include blue footprints on the escalator steps, hand prints on the handrails, contrasting colours to highlight the ‘comb’ between the moving steps and the landings, wording on step risers, new electronic displays, under-step lighting, escalator and lift floor signs, projections of staff members giving safety messages near escalators and frequent public address announcements. Additionally, our safety campaigns, which run throughout the year, use posters in lifts, stations, as well as advertisements on the escalators across the network, to remind our customers of the risks of running on stairs and escalators. Last year, we also launched our ‘Keep Kids’ Feet Clear’ poster campaign to raise awareness of the risks of children’s loose footwear being caught in escalators. We continually monitor the effectiveness of our measures and campaigns in reducing accidents and adjust our approach accordingly. We offer comprehensive help and support to people involved in, or affected by, a life-changing incident on the our network via The Sarah Hope Line: https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/incident-support-service. You asked: • When were the new escalators installed in the station? The escalators were installed in June 2022. • Since those escalators were installed, how many Electronic Incident Reporting Forms have been submitted? Number of EIRFs which have area Escalator (on escalator):
Number of EIRFs which have area Escalator (on escalator):
35
• What injuries have been reported in the station, in particular on the escalators?
Number of injuries which have area Escalator (on escalator):
13
Please see the table below for further details regarding injuries:
Date
Injury
Injury Category
Escalator
02/08/2022
head/skull - cut/abrasion/graze/tear
Minor
Y
30/09/2022
hip - other
Minor
Y
01/10/2022
hand - cut/abrasion/graze/tear
Minor
Y
24/11/2022
leg - cut/abrasion/graze/tear
Minor
Y
30/12/2022
toe(s) - amputation - whole body part
Serious
Y
13/02/2023
foot - crush / trap or nip
Minor
Y
02/06/2023
finger(s)/thumb - cut/abrasion/graze/tear
Minor
Y
30/06/2023
head/skull - other
Minor
Y
31/07/2023
head/skull - bruising
Minor
Y
08/08/2023
ankle - cut/abrasion/graze/tear
Minor
Y
15/09/2023
forearm - sprain/strain
Minor
Y
07/12/2023
head/skull - cut/abrasion/graze/tear
Minor
Y
23/12/2023
head/skull - bruising
Minor
Y
• How many repairs have been carried out due to CIRAS reports in the station? There have been three CIRAS reports, one related to noise during escalators works, another infrastructure issues at the station, and one regarding risk of injury on the escalators. None of the CIRAS reports have directly led to repairs at South Kensington. In all cases the CIRAS reports covered known issues that had plans in place to address them. • Are Ambassadors used to man the escalators? If so, where are they from and at what cost? Our Ambassadors are colleagues who work in other parts of the organisation and are trained to assist our customers when our services are busier than usual. This could be during a planned event or when there’s a disruption that affects our network. As such, our Ambassadors may on occasion be used to assist with congestion control, this could be at the entrance of a station, the ticket hall or escalators. • What measures are being taken to ensure individuals with malicious intent do not enter the station after hours? In accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply this information as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 24 – national security and section 38(1)(b) – health and safety. While we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than your own personal interest, disclosures made under the FOI Act are deemed to be a ‘disclosure to the world at large’. It is in this context that we have to consider the wider implications that disclosure of this information could have on the network. The exemptions have been applied as this information could potentially be obtained and utilised by individuals who may wish to use this information to cause disruption or harm to the London Underground network and/or themselves. The London Underground system is an attractive terrorist target for several reasons including, its importance to London and the knock on effect to the nation’s economy if it is disrupted, the publicity gained from attacking an iconic transport system and the attractiveness of the system for a mass casualty attack due to its open, mass transport nature. It is also part of the nation’s critical infrastructure by virtue of its central importance to the functioning of London and its economy. Disclosure of the requested information could compromise security and safety of this station and the wider London Underground network and would place members of the public and TfL staff at risk by highlighting what measures are in place when the station is not open to the general public. The use of these exemptions is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance we consider that there is greater public interest in ensuring the protection of passengers and staff puts the balance in favour of withholding the information. If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate 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
