The Health and Safety Committee of Lewisham Council met on Thursday, 9 July 2026, to discuss the corporate health and safety update and confirm the committee's meeting start time. The committee agreed to move future meetings to a 6:30 pm start time and noted the corporate health and safety report, with several areas identified for further follow-up.

Corporate Health and Safety Update

The committee received a comprehensive update on health and safety matters across the council, presented by Richard Benjamin, Head of Assurance. A key discussion point was the increase in reported incidents, which, while concerning, was also attributed to improved reporting practices following the implementation of the B-safe health and safety management system.

Key areas of discussion included:

• Verbal Abuse: This remains the leading cause of corporate incidents. While an overall increase has been noted, the committee discussed the difficulty in distinguishing between a genuine rise in incidents and improved reporting. Further analysis is to be undertaken to identify hotspots and emerging themes, and to explore the potential for supplementing quantitative data with qualitative information from frontline staff.
• Fire Safety: There was a significant increase in fire safety actions identified, partly due to an increase in fire risk assessments, particularly for two libraries not yet fully integrated into the corporate portfolio. The committee noted that the conversion of identified actions into completed actions remains a key challenge.
• Asbestos: The report indicated that asbestos is still present in a number of council buildings. Richard Benjamin explained that the risk associated with asbestos is managed by ensuring it is intact and undisturbed, and that removal can sometimes pose a greater risk and is also expensive. A list of buildings with asbestos assessments was provided in Appendix 1 of the reports pack.
• Heat-Related Issues: Councillor Pauline Dall raised concerns about ensuring public-facing buildings remain cool and comfortable for service users, especially during periods of extreme heat. The committee requested information on any health and safety impacts arising from extreme heat and any increase in heat-related incidents. It was noted that this has been a topic of conversation at the Council Resilience Board, and services are expected to have relevant risk assessments in place.
• Incident Reporting and Data Interpretation: A significant theme was the challenge of interpreting data, specifically distinguishing between an actual increase in incidents and improvements in reporting culture and practices. The committee requested further analysis to better understand these trends.
• Libraries: Following up on previous discussions, the committee reiterated the need for continued partnership work with the Community Safety team and other agencies to address antisocial behaviour in libraries. This is seen as crucial for ensuring staff and public safety and for enabling people to fully utilise these public spaces.
• Schools: An uptick in incidents was noted in schools, with two specific schools showing a disproportionate increase. While this will be discussed at directorate meetings, the corporate health and safety team's role is primarily monitoring and oversight.
• RIDDOR Incidents: The committee discussed the reporting of incidents under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). While the number of RIDDOR incidents remains low and proportionate to overall activity, the committee requested that future reports highlight key lessons learned and actions taken, and how this learning is communicated across the organisation. Examples of what constitutes a RIDDOR incident were provided, including deaths, serious specified injuries, and workplace accidents resulting in more than seven days of absence.

Decisions made:

• The committee noted the Corporate Health and Safety Update report.
• Several areas were identified for further follow-up and dedicated reporting, including the issue of verbal abuse, data interpretation regarding incident increases versus reporting improvements, asbestos management, heat-related issues, and specific follow-up work on libraries.

Confirmation of Committee Start Time

The committee discussed and agreed to change the start time of its future meetings from 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm. This change was proposed to accommodate members with work or caring commitments, and the new start time was agreed by all present.

Decision made:

• Future meetings of the Health and Safety Committee will commence at 6:30 pm.