To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents and incidents involving the use of hoisting equipment in schools have been reported in each of the last six years for which figures are available.
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 would require an employer to report certain categories of accidents to the relevant enforcing authority, in this case the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). In the case of a person at work this includes:
(a) any fatality arising out of his/her work,
(b) a major injury as defined,
(c) an injury requiring that person to be taken to hospital for treatment, and
(d) an injury resulting in that person being unable to do his/her normal work for three days.
For a person not at work, which includes pupils or students, then it is reportable if a person receives an injury requiring that person to be taken to hospital for treatment.
Although the HSE collate statistics on accidents at work, it would not be possible to identify the numbers of accidents caused by the use of hoisting equipment in schools.