Bradford firefighters’ injury statistics revealed (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford firefighters’ injury statistics revealed

11:40am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Bradford By James Rush

Firefighters in Bradford sustained more injuries while carrying out day-to-day duties and training than while attending fires and crashes last year.

A total of 30 injuries were sustained by crew members from stations in the Bradford district while attending incidents in the last 12 months, compared to 34 injuries sustained while carrying out other duties.

The figures, released following a Freedom of Information request by the Telegraph & Argus, show while there were cases of burns, concussion, eye injuries and bruising caused while attending incidents, there were also a number of injuries sustained in training, cleaning and fitness training.

Mark Dixon, head of occupational health and safety at West Yorkshire Fire Service, said: “Only a small number of accidents occur on the incident ground, where you may expect the risk of injury to be high.

“The vast majority of accidents occur during routine duties or training and are minor, such as cuts, bumps, aches and slips.

“There is only one good thing to come from an accident – that we learn lessons to prevent them from happening to somebody else, and this is why we actively encourage staff to report all accidents and near-misses, however minor, as part of our on-going commitment to safety.”

In one incident, a collision while travelling to an incident in Leeds Road, Bradford, injuries of shock, trauma, bruising and swelling were recorded.

A fire service spokesman said the collision, on August 26, 2011, occurred while two fire engines were travelling through traffic lights.

Mark Wilson, secretary of the West Yorkshire branch of the Fire Brigades Union, said the number of injuries to firefighters in West Yorkshire had been falling.