Fixing a leaky roof at a depot where staff coordinate damp repairs on council flats will begin early in the new year. New photos reveal the disgusting extent of mould on the ceiling of the Sandy Park depot in Brislington, including a tube carrying rainwater into a bucket on an office floor.
Thousands of homes owned by Bristol City Councilsuffer with damp and mould, with more than 300 waiting over a year for repairs. These repairs are organised in the Sandy Park depot, where for years staff have themselves been complaining about damp and mould.
The problems were brought up at the human resources committee on December 17. One trade union rep told the committee that the “irony can’t be lost on too many people”. After the meeting, the council pledged to carry out “larger pieces of work” on fixing problems early in the new year.
A spokesperson for Bristol City Council said: “The safety of council employees and the quality of working conditions continues to be a priority. We encourage colleagues throughout the council to raise any health and safety concerns through internal routes, and welcome our regular engagement with trade unions to identify issues and seek solutions to ensure council workplaces are safe and comfortable.
“The issues highlighted at a recent HR Committee meeting on part of the Sandy Park site are being tackled through a mix of repairs, improved maintenance and the offer of further training where needed. Much of the actions identified have been taken, with some larger pieces of work currently in the planning phase to begin early next year.”
The problems are affecting the A-Shed building, part of the Sandy Park depot. Some remedial works have already been completed. These include:
- Checking and approving electrics in the ceiling
- Assessing the security of public access to the site
- Carrying out grounds maintenance around the depot
- Cleaning steps to reduce risk of slips due to a build-up of green algae
- Improving heating in the large office above the workshop
- Removing damaged ceiling tiles
In January a contractor will repair the A-Shed roof. Before repairs begin, a “safe system of work” has been rolled out, with crash-netting in the warehouse areas and a roof gangway platform. The repairs are due to last three weeks, after which the ceiling tiles will then be replaced.
Repairs to the roof on the men’s toilet in the bungalow will take longer. A contractor has visited the site and is assessing how much repairs will cost, but this hasn’t been approved or scheduled yet.
A leak in a kitchen is impacting the disabled toilet and part of the office in the bungalow, and this has damaged the walls. Again, the council is waiting for a contractor to assess how much repairs will cost, before the works can be approved and scheduled.
A new facilities co-ordinator is working at Sandy Park two days a week, checking fire risk assessments, conducting fire drills and carrying out compliance checks. They also arrange a regular meeting for depot staff to raise issues with the building.
Four fire risk assessments cover the whole depot, and these are under review to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place. An initial assessment found that while there is one accessible main fire escape, a second escape is not fully accessible due to stairs. An evac chair has been ordered, which could be used to help disabled staff escape the building during a fire.
From the assessment, it wasn’t clear whether “personal emergency evacuation plans” are in place for staff who need them. Line managers are responsible for completing these with their staff, and health and safety colleagues are arranging to work with managers on-site to help complete any that are required.