When a 10-storey hospital block was being re-cladded, building work disturbed the roof. During a storm, around a quarter of the ceiling was affected, with some coming down, and water coming in, affecting work stations below. These leaks continued every time it rained.

Health and safety reps Bill and Scott* began supporting staff working in the area and realised that this was just the latest in a long line of problems...

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of our reps

Bill's account

A 10-storey hospital block was being re-cladded, but unfortunately this exacerbated existing difficulties for staff working on the building’s top floor. The consensus is that the cranes used in the building work disturbed the roof. During a storm, around a quarter of the ceiling was affected, with some coming down, and water coming in, affecting work stations below. These leaks continued every time it rained.

But as we began to uncover, this was just the latest in a long line of problems. As the windows were old, metal-framed and single-glazed, the whole floor was either freezing or boiling hot, depending on the season. In the winter, staff were bringing in their own heaters because they were so cold.

There had also been a lot of staff sickness, which we felt was related to the poor working environment, with some experiencing respiratory problems, including chest infections, persistent colds and worsened asthma. Several staff had been subjected to sickness absence reviews and we sought help from our local RCN officers in these cases. Following their representations, the trust has now agreed to cancel anything that may be related to these environmental factors.

Since Scott wrote a detailed report, things are beginning to improve and staff are feeling better. I think they felt a little ignored and that they had to just get on with it, no matter how bad things had become. Now work has happened to repair the roof and stop the water ingress, and the ceiling has been repaired. Funding has also been agreed to upgrade the windows, and there are air conditioning units and dehumidifiers. There’s still more to be done, but there is definite progress.

After Bill told me what was happening, we decided I should carry out a full workplace inspection with the Trust, including their risk manager and estate staff. We discovered there were a lot more issues than water coming through the ceiling, many of which were long-standing.

These included the fluctuating temperatures; windows that didn’t shut properly which allowed bird faeces to come into the building; and some windows that were unsafe. There was also spaghetti wiring underneath desks, which is a trip hazard. All in all, it was a very unpleasant place for staff to work.  

After highlighting all these issues, we said remedies needed to be put in place as a matter of urgency, and we agreed an action plan. This included repairing or replacing the windows, with recommendations for cooling and heating the office in summer and winter.

First and foremost I’m a nurse, not a health and safety inspector, so the expert guidance I received from the RCN’s national officer to carry out the inspection and write the report was invaluable. They pointed me in the direction of specific things I should look out for, the kinds of follow-up questions I should ask, and the legislation that would support us.

Generally, we have a very good relationship with the Trust and they have responded in a helpful way.

As local RCN officers, we represented two members who were being taken through a sickness absence process by the Trust. The members also told us of other staff whose health was being adversely affected by damp. Clearly there was an impact on people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health too, including those with underlying health conditions, who were having to work in these difficult circumstances, day in, day out.

Once we delved into the details, we found water had been coming into their office following building work. I did a site visit too and it was obvious that there were some significant health and safety concerns, including a persistent smell of damp, loose windows that were mouldy, cabling trip hazards and poor heating.

Working with the health and safety reps on site, who were extremely dedicated and thorough, and with expert input from the RCN’s national officers, we managed to get these proceedings cancelled and start the ball rolling on the necessary work to improve life for everyone. For the staff working there, our involvement has already made a big difference.

As local RCN officers, we represented two members who were being taken through a sickness absence process by the Trust. The members also told us of other staff whose health was being adversely affected by damp. Clearly there was an impact on people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health too, including those with underlying health conditions, who were having to work in these difficult circumstances, day in, day out.

Once we delved into the details, we found water had been coming into their office following building work. I did a site visit too and it was obvious that there were some significant health and safety concerns, including a persistent smell of damp, loose windows that were mouldy, cabling trip hazards and poor heating.

Working with the health and safety reps on site, who were extremely dedicated and thorough, and with expert input from the RCN’s national officers, we managed to get these proceedings cancelled and start the ball rolling on the necessary work to improve life for everyone. For the staff working there, our involvement has already made a big difference.

Our role has been to provide technical knowledge and expertise that supports both the local officers and our health and safety reps on the ground. 

From my side, I was able to support our health and safety reps with advice on completing the investigation, alongside more specific health and safety issues and legislation. I also worked with the reps and officers to frame some follow-up questions and discussed expectations for action by the employer.

There has been some significant movement on these serious issues, and it is a great example of how workplace inspections and the power of legislation can influence real and beneficial changes for our members. Now I’m very much looking forward to more progress over the coming weeks and months.

This is a great example of the vital role RCN health and safety reps play in preventing work-related ill health. 

Not only will these actions lead to an improved working environment for our members, they will also benefit the employer and ultimately patients, in terms of keeping nursing staff well and at work.