An independent report has recommended the limited use of personal protective equipment (PPE), along with other measures to improve health and safety, at the Oberstown youth detention centre in Dublin. The study, commissioned from Tom Beegan and Associates in response to union concerns, calls for the full implementation of a safety, health and welfare management system on the campus.
IMPACT national secretary Eamonn Donnelly said the union was now pressing management to implement the report’s recommendations, which include the use of limited PPE by named individuals in circumstances where a critical incident has developed that involves a young person and/or staff.
“Our main question for the employer now is what arrangements they will make for the introduction of the recommended use of PPE - under certain protocols - pending the full implementation of the safety, health and welfare recommendations contained in this report,” he said.
The report, which was delivered to unions and management last week, shows there were a total of 137 assault- or restraint-related injuries to staff in 2016, resulting in a total of 1,826 days lost up to November. The total number of days lost to injury-related absences between 2014 and 2016 was 5,285.
It notes that most 2016 injuries were sustained either during a restraint or while exiting a room in which a restraint had occurred, and recommends a review of procedures used to avoid injury during or following restraining incidents. It also found little evidence that management accepted or implemented health and safety recommendations made following the investigation of staff injuries.
The report highlights the fact that a health and safety management system is not yet fully operational on the campus. However, it acknowledges that “significant efforts” have been made by staff to commence the implementation of a health and safety management system. The report also acknowledges the commitment and efforts of everyone working at the campus “to provide a safe and caring environment for young people and staff.”
The study says the full implementation of a health and safety management system is necessary to “reduce the reliance on lower level controls” and, when fully implemented at Oberstown, the need to use any additional PPE “will be an extremely rare event.” It also outlines the need for induction, training, rosters and levels of supervision to be immediately examined to determine their adequacy to create and maintain a safe workspace.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires employers to provide and maintain protective clothing and equipment suitable to ensure staff safety.
Industrial action
IMPACT secured an agreement to commission the independent review just before last Christmas. The union deferred scheduled strike action to allow the review to take place and be completed by the end of January 2017.
Eamonn said the December agreement represented a significant breakthrough. “It only became possible when we made it clear our members were prepared to take strike action on the issue. The employer had previously been totally opposed to any consideration of PPE. IMPACT has to secure the safety of the men and women who work at Oberstown, and to secure a safer environment for those in their care,” he said.
