A REPORT has revealed how a council support worker broke their hand after falling backwards when going to sit down on a chair.

The incident was one of 19 accidents involving Redcar and Cleveland Council staff reported during this financial year, up to the end of August.

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This figure was down by two on the 21 accidents reported during the same period in 2020/21.

The report said the member of staff was assisting residents with an arts and crafts session and went to sit down on a chair, but misjudged where it was, instead falling backwards and landing on their wrist.

A subsequent hospital assessment revealed a fracture to their right hand.

Other incidents briefly outlined in the council update report involved a member of staff who lost their footing and injured their back while working at Kirkleatham Museum and a worker who suffered a muscle injury when getting out of a council vehicle.

Both were off work for a period as a result.

Sixteen of the 19 accidents were regarded as minor with 12 being attributed to slips and trips, or an injury that occurred while handling, lifting or carrying an item.

Two of the accidents involved the person being physically assaulted by another person, three were said to involve contact with a harmful substance, one involved being hit by a moving, falling or flying object and one contact with moving machinery.

The report said an online reporting system was being developed by the council to improve the accident reporting system currently in place and eliminate the need to submit paper-based reports.

In March, the council’s health and safety team, which investigates accidents, was contacted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a school employee was assaulted by a pupil.

The report for members of the council’s employment and health and safety committee said: “The health and safety team provided the necessary evidence to demonstrate that suitable violence at work policies had been in place at the time of the incident and that all procedures had been reviewed and further improvements made following the incident.

“No further action was necessary from the HSE.”

The report said staff were continuing to receive health and safety training, some, where essential, being carried out face-to-face, or online with a practical assessment being involved.

It also described how audits and inspections of council premises were progressing.

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