Annual Safety, Health and Environment Report 2025-2026

Introduction

This report summarises the arrangements in place to deliver the Service's Safety, Health and Environment Policy and provides a summary of safety, health and environment performance data.

It includes the reporting on occupational safety, health, wellbeing and environmental issues that have arisen during the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Executive Summary

During 2025-26, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has maintained a strong and effective approach to managing safety, health, environment and wellbeing, supported by continued certification to ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 14001:2015. External audit confirmed no major non-conformities and identified only minor areas for improvement, demonstrating that the Service’s management systems remain robust and well embedded.

Overall accident performance has improved, with 75 reported accidents compared to the previous year (24-25 saw 84 accidents), alongside a sustained high level of near miss reporting (111 events). Lost time accidents this year are 20, reducing from 26 last year. This reflects a positive reporting culture and continued workforce engagement in identifying and managing risk. However, key risk areas remain consistent, particularly slip, trip and fall incidents and musculoskeletal injuries arising from manual handling.

Vehicle-related incidents have increased during the reporting period, highlighting a continuing area of operational risk requiring focused intervention. In response, the Service has progressed the “Out Safe – Back Safe” campaign to reinforce safe operational driving behaviours and improve risk awareness.

Significant progress has also been made in operational safety improvements, including the procurement of new breathing apparatus, continued investment in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and contaminant control measures, and enhancements to operational equipment and vehicle design. The Service has continued to strengthen its approach to staff wellbeing, including trauma support, mental health interventions and targeted wellbeing initiatives.

Environmental performance continues to be developed through the implementation of the Environmental Sustainability Plan, with ongoing work to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and support the transition to lower-carbon technologies.

Looking ahead, the Service is preparing for a planned HSE inspection programme, focussed around the management of contaminants risks and will continue to focus on key risk areas, including fire contaminants, musculoskeletal injury reduction and vehicle safety, while maintaining strong governance and assurance arrangements.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) Safety, Health, Environment and Wellbeing Management Arrangements

Lancashire Combined Fire Authority (CFA) has overall responsibility for the effective governance of safety, health and environment (SHE). The CFA is responsible for agreeing the safety, health and environment policy.

Whilst individual members of staff, supervisors and managers all have responsibility for safety, health and environment, the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Department provides competent professional advice and oversees the day-to-day management of health, safety, wellbeing and environmental activities.

The LFRS Safety, Health, Environmental and Wellbeing Management System is based on:

· Health and Safety Executive guidance HSG 65 – Successful Health and Safety Management.

· International Standard for a Health and Safety Management System ISO 45001:2018.

· International Standard for Environment Management Systems ISO 14001:2015.

· International Standard for Psychological health and safety at work ISO 45003:2021.

The CFA approved the SHE Policy in September 2024 following a routine 3-yearly review.

LFRS Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan

The Service continues to work towards the aims and aspirations detailed within the LFRS Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan. The plan sets out a 5-year vision for all aspects of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, covering 2022-2027.

This document is part of the suite of delivery plans, which support the LFRS People Strategy and the aims and objectives within the LFRS SHE Policy.

The plan sets out what our drivers and influences are, how we control risks and what are our aspirations for continual improvement, particularly in relation to the key developing areas of risk within the Sector.

The scope of our arrangements now extends beyond traditional workplace health and safety. We also now continue to ensure that the Service considers the best practice requirements which are outlined in the ISO 45003 Psychological health and safety at work — Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks.

The Service’s Health, Safety & Environment Advisory Group (HSEAG) is responsible for developing specific objectives and targets relating to LFRS SHE Performance, and outcomes of the annual SHE Management Review striving for continual SHE improvements over the course of each year.

Controlling Risk within LFRS

The varied nature of the Service's work activities and working environments means that there is a broad range of risks to manage, sometimes in challenging high hazard environments. The level of risk to both employees and service users can be identified from several of the Service's performance measures including the:

· Total number of accidents reported by employees and non-LFRS staff.

· Number of safety events reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the RIDDOR regulations.

· Number of near miss events reported.

· Number of absence days lost following an accident at work.

· Type of events that are being reported.

· Carbon emissions from LFRS premises and vehicles.

The SHE Policy and the wider Safety, Health, Environmental and Wellbeing Management System are devised to promote safe systems of work and minimise the risk of injury to employees and visitors and reduce the impact to the environment. The SHE Department develops bespoke and proportionate procedures for LFRS, focusing on controlling the risks in LFRS workplaces. Managers, through devolved safety, health and environment responsibilities, ensure that recognised safe systems of work are being applied ‘as far as is reasonably practicable’.

To ensure that the Service continues to meet its legal obligations in respect of safety, health, and environment we ensure that all policies, procedures, instructions and guidance are regularly reviewed and updated. We ensure that we are aware of any developments relating to legislation and guidance which impacts on workplace health and safety. SHE training is refreshed, a minimum every three years together with any specific training required by role.

SHE performance is reviewed on a regular basis, through high level scrutiny via the CFA Performance Committee and at Director Level through the HSEAG meeting chaired by the Deputy Chief Fire Officer.

External Audit of the Health and Safety and Environment Management Systems 2026

LFRS utilises a UKAS accredited external audit process to provide assurance of the effectiveness of safety, health and environment management systems to the internationally recognised ISO standards. Since initial certification in November 2011, surveillance visits have been conducted annually and re-certification every three years to maintain the external certification.

In February 2026, the auditor from British Assessment Bureau (BAB) carried out an audit against the International Standards for health and safety ISO 45001:2018 and environment ISO 14001:2015.

The audit scope for both standards was ‘The Provision of Fire, Rescue and Supporting Services across Lancashire’. This broad scope encompasses all LFRS activities with audit visits to the Service Headquarters (SHQ) site, Leadership & Development Centre (LDC), seven fire stations operating different duty systems together with several supporting departments including Safety, Health and Environment, Fleet and Engineering Services, Human Resources, LDC, and Property.

Both ISO standards have a range of clause requirements, which identify how an organisation should manage different aspects of safety, health and environmental issues within the workplace.

LFRS is required to provide a range of evidence to demonstrate that we meet the requirement of the Standards and have robust arrangements in place within the Service.

This audit report recommended continued certification for LFRS under ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards, noting no major non-conformities and one minor non-conformity.

The report from BAB highlighted aspects of our arrangements:

· “Top leadership has clearly demonstrated their commitment to the management system.”

· “Communications and commitment to the management system” were confirmed through interviews across senior leaders and staff.

· “Head of Safety, Health and Environment and Deputy Chief Fire Officer take an active part in risk and hazard identification together with attending consultation and participation meetings.”

· “The Management Systems are well structured and reflects the operational processes through documented procedures… with clearly identified inputs and outputs throughout.”

· “The audit has established that the requirements of ISO45001 and ISO14001 are embedded within relevant sections within the management system.”

· “Risk management and assessments have been very well defined within the Occupational Health and Safety.”

· “Risk assessments are developed for each operational activity… Full risk analysis is carried out with a breakdown of hazards documented.”

· “LFRS has established clear and structured processes to manage both internal and external communications.”

· “Information is communicated in a timely, consistent, and appropriate manner across the organisation.”

· “A key mechanism is the quarterly Team Brief… delivered face to face… allowing two-way engagement.”

· “All operational roles are filled by staff who are trained, competent, and medically fit for their duties.”

· “The service continues to have well-understood and effective well-being policies in place.”

· “A good range of well-being support is available to support both physical and mental health.”

· “The organisation has systematically identified and considered the needs and expectations of interested parties.”

· “The organisation identified the environmental aspects and impacts considering the Life Cycle perspective.”

· “The OH & S performance is monitored through relevant KPI's, management reviews together with minutes of the committee meetings.”

LFRS received one minor non-conformances for this audit related to monitoring of training, a member of staff was found not to have completed their refresher safety, health and environment e-learning module.

As part of the audit, additional areas for improvement were also identified by LFRS staff and these have been taken forward through the Service’s HSEAG meeting, for example our arrangements for ensuring consistency across fire stations for record keeping of workplace safety checks. LFRS remains committed to the use of the ISO standards and is one of the few fire services in the UK who undergo this level of external scrutiny.

Working with Representative Bodies

During the year we have continued to have a positive working relationship with the Representative Bodies on health and safety issues. The Service consults formally on a quarterly basis, working together to ensure safety, health and wellbeing concerns are resolved. Safety Representatives play a vital role in improving our health and safety culture whilst reducing our impacts on the environment.

We have continued to ensure that we have arrangements in place to meet all aspects of the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977. The Health and Safety Consultation Committee is chaired by the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, attended by safety representatives from the following representative bodies:

· Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

· UNISON

· Fire Officers Association (FOA).

· Fire and Rescue Services Association (FRSA).

The consultation committee meeting allows each organisation to raise issues relating to health, safety and wellbeing with senior management in the Service.

Health and Safety Performance

Active Monitoring of our health and safety performance is integrated into day‐to‐day work within the Service. This includes a Service wide approach to workplace inspections at all of our workplace locations for both health and safety and environmental hazards and risks.

In addition to day-to-day monitoring of health and safety by our managers, active monitoring features extensively during operational incidents and forms an essential part of the Incident Command System at all levels. Operational incidents are monitored, debriefed and outcome reviews are carried out to ensure that continuous learning from incidents is achieved through our Operational Assurance function.

The Service has implemented a system of robust reactive monitoring of safety events through the accident reporting and accident investigation procedures. The SHE department co‐ordinates and controls this system, with line managers being responsible for implementation across the Service.

During 2025/2026 there were:

75 accidents (54 to LFRS staff and 21 to non-LFRS staff) each event being investigated and recorded in line with service policy.
111 near misses (89 near misses and 22 near miss attacks on staff) that were investigated, and when appropriate learning was fed back into the service policy, procedure, or risk assessment.
There were 12 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) events that were reported to the Health and Safety Executive; 1 major specified injury; 10 resulting from an over 7 day’s absence and 1 breathing apparatus reportable event.

Staff Accidents - Key Insights

Analysis of reported incidents highlights several consistent risk themes across the Service:

Slip, Trip and Falls remain the most prevalent cause of injury, occurring across operational incidents, training environments and routine workplace activities. Many of these incidents arise in dynamic and unpredictable environments, often involving uneven ground or time-critical movement.
Manual Handling and Musculoskeletal Injury continues to represent a significant source of harm, particularly in relation to casualty handling, equipment use and general lifting activities. The injury profile is dominated by strains and sprains affecting the back and limbs.
Routine Activity Risk is a notable contributor to overall incident numbers, with a proportion of injuries occurring during non-emergency activities such as general movement within workplaces and fitness activities.

These themes indicate that while formal control measures are in place, many incidents are influenced by human factors and operational behaviours, requiring continued focus on cultural and behavioural safety interventions.

A summary of the total accident and accident-related absence statistics for 2025/26 are detailed below in Table 1.

Category	Number
RIDDOR reportable – major specified injuries / diseases	1
RIDDOR > 7-day absence	10
RIDDOR BA reportable	1
Other injuries – Lost Time	9
Minor – no time lost (also includes Non-LFRS staff)	55

Table 1 – Breakdown of LFRS safety event categories.

The figures in Table 2 relate to events when working time has been lost due to work related injury or illness.

Managers in conjunction with Human Resources will support staff inline with our absence policy to return to work, this may involve referral to our Occupational Health Unit team who can advise on health aspects to assist a return to work.

Year	Lost Time Accidents
2018/19	21
2019/20	17
2020/21	17
2021/22	25
2022/23	17
2023/24	27
2024/25	26
2025/26	20

Table 2 – lost time accidents.

Table 3 shows the types of accidents that were reported during 2025/26 comparing with the LFRS previous performance for each category.

Type of Accident	LFRS Staff 2025/26	LFRS Staff 2024/25	LFRS Staff 2023/24	LFRS Staff 2022/23	LFRS Staff 2021/22	LFRS Staff 2020/21	Non-LFRS staff 2025/26	Non-LFRS staff 2024/25	Non-LFRS staff 2023/24	Non-LFRS staff 2022/23	Non-LFRS staff 2021/22	Non-LFRS staff 2020/21
Handling lifting or carrying	11	21	28	14	24	11	5	2	4	2	1	-
Hit by moving, flying or falling object	6	5	11	7	5	4	4	2	3	3	-	-
Slip trip fall	20	6	10	10	12	5	4	2	4	3	1	-
Hit something fixed or stationary	5	7	8	8	9	3	4	4	3	7	2	-
Other	4	7	4	5	15	10	-	3	2	3	2	-
Injured by an animal	-	2	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Fall from Height	-	1	-	1	2	1	-	-	1	1	-	-
Exposed to fire	2	2	4	2	2	5	-	2	-	-	-	-
Exposed to harmful substance	-	6	5	10	-	11	-	1	-	-	-	1
Exposed to an explosion	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Contact with Electricity	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hit by a moving vehicle	2	2	2	2	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Contact with Moving Machinery	3	1	-	1	-	1	1	-	1	-	-	1
Drowned or Asphyxiated	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Physically assaulted by a person	1	-	1	-	3	2	3	5	2	-	4	-
Trapped by Something Collapsing	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
TOTAL	54	61	74	61	75	55	21	23	23	19	10	2

Table 3 – Types of accidents in 2025/26 compared to past performance.

Near Miss Reporting

A near miss event is an unplanned and unforeseeable event in which there is no injury, but the potential to cause injury should it occur again.

The near miss reporting category also includes events which have resulted in attacks on LFRS staff, but did not result in any injury to them, for example operational staff being subjected to verbal abuse or a fireworks attack.

Table 4 shows sustained number of near misses being reported each year assisting in the prevention of accidents within the workplace. A wide range of learning opportunities have been captured in relation to stations/building, equipment, appliances/vehicles, operational procedures and breathing apparatus issues. This growth in reporting demonstrates a strong safety culture and staff engagement with health and safety practices.

Year	Number of Near misses
2016/17	68
2017/18	98
2018/19	109
2019/20	113
2020/21	117
2021/22	94
2022/23	96
2023/24	97
2024/25	102
2025/26	111

Table 4 - Near Miss Reporting

Vehicle Accidents

Table 5 shows the number of accidents involving fleet vehicles from 2016/17 to 2025/26.

A total of 86 vehicle-related incidents were recorded during 2025/26, representing an increase compared with the previous year. The majority of incidents occurred during low-speed manoeuvring activities.

The Road Risk Review Panel (RRRP) examines the trends and outcomes from fleet vehicle accidents and current working practices. The RRRP group members have been meeting during the year to identify learning from vehicle accidents, identify wider trends about the cause and what measures we can take to improve performance. A key enhancement in the area is the continued roll-out of vehicle CCTV systems being fitted to fleet vehicles which is assisting us to investigate and understand the contributing factors to accidents involving our fleet.

Year	Number of Vehicle Accidents
2016-17	67
2017-18	58
2018-19	74
2019-20	69
2020-21	67
2021-22	90
2022-23	61
2023-24	65
2024-25	72
2025-26	86

Table 5 Number of Vehicle Accidents

The “Out Safe – Back Safe” campaign is a Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) initiative developed in response to an increase in vehicle‑related incidents involving fire appliances and fleet vehicles. It is built around a simple but critical principle: ensuring that every member of staff returns safely from every journey. The campaign recognises that operational driving, manoeuvring, and appliance movement are among the highest-risk activities undertaken by the Service, and therefore require a consistent, disciplined, and safety‑first approach always.

The campaign’s primary focus is on reducing vehicle accidents by reinforcing safe and consistent behaviours throughout all stages of appliance use. This includes leaving the station (including travelling under emergency response conditions), manoeuvring at incidents or in confined environments, and returning to station. It provides a structured framework that promotes best practice in areas such as crew cab safety, use of seatbelts, speed management, situational awareness, and decision‑making under pressure. The emphasis is on applying core safety principles consistently, rather than introducing entirely new rules, recognising that failures often occur when established standards are not followed.

A key element of the campaign is cultural change rather than enforcement alone. It is explicitly positioned as a non‑blame initiative, aimed at building shared responsibility and making safe behaviours routine and instinctive. Using watch‑based toolbox talks, facilitated by Watch Managers and Crew Managers, the campaign encourages open discussion of real risks, learning from previous incidents, and reflection on safe practice. This approach is intended to strengthen collective ownership of vehicle safety and ensure that lessons from accidents and near misses are translated into practical improvements in behaviour.

To support delivery, the campaign is backed by a comprehensive resource pack and training materials, including briefing sheets and videos. These resources are structured around key safety themes such as leaving the station, emergency response driving, and vehicle manoeuvring, providing clear risk controls and expectations for staff.

Improvement Actions during 2025/26

LFRS ensures continuous improvement is made in safety, health, environmental and wellbeing aspects within the Service.

As part of our annual workplan, the SHE Department team undertake a programme of reviews and internal checks to ensure that we manage risk correctly and are implementing Service policies.

We have reviewed the following aspects of our systems during 2025/26:

· Contaminants on Dirty Fire PPE

· Pressure Systems

· Climate Change

· Management of Stress at Work

· Visitors, Events & Open Days on Fire Service Premises

· Safety Signs and Signals

· Contractors / Suppliers on Fire Service Premises

· Breathing Apparatus & Other Respiratory Protective Equipment

· Third Party Organisations Working on or operating from CFA Premises

· Pregnant Workers and New Mothers

· Electricity

· Supporting an Employee in Crisis

· Eyesight and Aids to Vision Standards and Guidance

· Energy, Fuel and Water Management

· First Aid

· Workplace Transport

· Control of Asbestos on LFRS Premises

· Adverse Weather

· Incident Emergency – Death and Serious Injury Response Protocol

· Health and Safety Register of Legal and Other Requirements

· Occupational Health & Safety Risks & Opportunities Register

· Register of Environmental Legislation and Other Requirements

· Environmental Aspects & Impacts Register

· Construction (Design and Management) Regulations

· Accident / Injury / Near Miss Procedure

· Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)

· Travel Management

· Waste Management

· Interceptors

During 2025/26 we have continued our audit programme to ensure that we are managing risks which arise on our own sites. Led by the SHE Advisor we have a rolling programme of joint visits, which bring together staff from support departments, including Property, Protection (Fire Safety) and the Fitness Function working with the local Service Delivery Manager to review safety, health and environmental compliance on our stations and other sites. This allows us to discuss issues identified and produce a summary report from each visit to highlight areas we can improve on.

Involving local staff in health and safety inspections offers a range of practical and cultural benefits, both from an organisational and operational standpoint, one of the core aims of inspections is to ‘reinforce health, safety and environment awareness amongst all staff’ and to ‘support a positive safety, health and environmental culture within the Service’. Involving local staff directly in inspections helps embed this culture by making safety a shared responsibility rather than a top-down directive.

Local staff are familiar with the day-to-day operations and physical layout of their workplaces. This makes them well-placed to identify subtle or emerging hazards that others might overlook. This sense of responsibility can lead to more proactive behaviour, such as reporting near misses or correcting unsafe practices without prompting. The LFRS inspection forms also show that local managers are expected to manage corrective actions in the first instance, reinforcing this principle of local accountability.

Operational Safety Improvements

During 2025/26 alongside improvement projects being led by the Safety, Health and Environment Team, we continue to deliver wider improvements to Service which also contribute to safety, health and wellbeing of staff. Some of the key projects which have progressed are:

· Breathing Apparatus (BA) capability is being reviewed for the replacement of our BA sets and ancillary equipment through North West collaboration. Following a regional evaluation the Service has awarded a contract with a new supplier for replacement BA sets and the supporting ancillary equipment. The new BA sets have several features which enhance safety of staff with new technology including electronic monitoring systems, in mask visual display of air contents and improved materials which aid cleaning to remove contaminants after the BA has been used in a firefighting situation.

· Future appliance design is being approached from a safety-led perspective. The adoption of Scania chassis for new appliances will allow for improved design features, whilst the incorporation of full “clean cab” principles in appliance design will help to minimise exposure to contaminants and support a safer working environment for staff by relocating all the breathing apparatus sets into the rear body lockers.

· Firefighting capability continues to be improved through the ongoing rollout of flow meters to increase water delivery awareness at incident grounds. The provision of 22mm hose reels and adjustable branches is also helping to improve the weight of attack by maximising water flow rates, making firefighting operations more efficient and effective.

· Enhancements to RTC and technical rescue equipment concluded with the completion of the rollout of battery-powered RTC tools, the Holmatro Pentheon equipment, across pumping appliances with prioritisation based on risk.

· Significant investment continues to be made in fire PPE. The pool PPE system and controlled cleaning arrangements continue to be strengthened to further support contaminant management. Changes introduced has allowed some items of PPE to be dedicated to training use solely at the Leadership and Development Centre.

· Technical Rescue PPE developments include trials of new technical rescue PPE ensembles suitable for multi-risk environments, and the exploration of lighter weight rescue helmets to improve versatility and safety for operational staff.

· Enhanced public order PPE is being implemented to respond to increasing operational threat scenarios involving violence and weapons, with body armour now carried on appliances following escalation in threat levels.

· Contaminant exposure control continues to be developed. On-appliance hygiene provisions have been strengthened, ensuring that appliances are equipped with cleaning materials, wipes, gloves and hygiene controls to support effective decontamination at incidents and maintain staff safety. For vehicles and equipment segregation in appliance stowage, as well as in-cab filtration and decontamination options currently under review after being fitted into the latest two Water Tower appliances.

· A new dedicated Incident Support Unit (ISU) has been designed during the year which brings a significant improvement in firefighter welfare during prolonged or complex incidents. The ISU provides facility that supports crews with essential welfare provisions, including sheltered rest areas, hydration, nutritional support, and crucially, integrated toilet and hygiene washing facilities which enable firefighters to maintain basic hygiene during extended operations. These features are particularly important in managing contamination, comfort, and dignity on the incident ground. The unit facilitates allowing personnel to undergo rest to recover from the physical and psychological demands of firefighting, thereby reducing the risks of fatigue, heat stress, and overexertion that can compromise safety and decision-making.

· Increased use of body‑worn video cameras is supporting firefighter and wider staff safety by providing a real‑time evidential record of incidents, deterring aggression, and enhancing learning across operational and fire protection activity.

· The introduction of the Rosenbauer RTE firefighting robot within Service represents a significant advancement in operational safety, enabling crews to tackle high-risk incidents without direct exposure to danger. The remotely controlled, tracked robot can be deployed into hazardous environments, such as intense fires, smoke-filled structures, or unstable buildings where it uses camera imaging to locate and suppress fires effectively. By allowing firefighters to operate the unit from a safe distance, the robot substantially reduces the need for personnel to enter life-threatening conditions, lowering the risk of injury and exposure to extreme heat and smoke.

Health and Wellbeing

The focus of mental health awareness training across the Service is personal resilience, building and maintaining. The aim of our programmes is to increase personal resilience of staff and includes elements of positive psychology, relaxation coping strategies and suicide awareness.

We continue to provide mental health awareness training across the Service. The Fire Fighters Charity now offers a half-day course for new starters (both operational and non-operational) following analysis of the feedback received for the Responding to Trauma and Emotions pilot programme LFRS co-developed with the Charity. LFRS intend to facilitate one half-day course per Quarter, to ensure all new starters receive mental health awareness training at the start of their career to support their wellbeing during their work journey with LFRS.

The Trauma Support Task & Finish Group has reported into the Health, Safety and Environment Advisory Group (HSEAG) information to explore the provision of additional support to those in high-risk roles. As part of the HSEAG report, Traumatic Impact Prevention Training (TIPT) is being explored for those in high-risk roles to support the building of their personal resilience and ability to process traumatic incidents effectively.

‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ continue to be received well by colleagues. Staff from our SHE Department arrange to work from a different station/office on a regular basis to provide the opportunity for staff to ask questions about the wellbeing resources, receive wellbeing toolbox talks, have a visit from a Wellbeing Support Dog, have a general wellbeing chat etc. This delivery model brings the opportunity to staff is providing popular and effective, with an increase of wellbeing interactions seen as result.

Employee Support and Traumatic Incidents

All LFRS staff continue to have access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) delivered by external specialist provider, Health Assured. The EAP is a confidential & independent support service for employees and immediate dependants to help deal with personal problems that might adversely impact on your daily life, health and wellbeing.

Due to the traumatic nature of some operational incidents, we operate a Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) team. TRiM is not a medical intervention, but a peer-led support process designed to help staff deal with traumatic events they may encounter during their everyday work. TRiM is a process during which a structured TRiM Assessment is carried out for staff who have been exposed to a potentially traumatic incident/event. This in-house facility provided by colleagues, for colleagues who have undertaken a specific structured training process and assessment to be a TRiM Practitioner.

Operational incidents involving people who are in crisis and carrying out self-destructive behaviours are increasingly impacting on our staff. SHE Department have been collaborating with Response and Emergency Planning to develop operational guidance for crews dealing with a Person in Crisis (PiC) when attending an incident. To embed this information, an eLearning module is in place for all operational staff.

Menopause Support

LFRS hosted a well‑received ‘Nutrition for Menopause’ session as part of the Women and Families Employee Voice Group programme. Delivered by a specialist in menopause‑focused nutrition, the session was opened more widely to members of the Women in the Fire Service UK network, reflecting the Service’s commitment to sector collaboration and inclusive wellbeing support. Engagement levels were particularly strong, with approximately 60 requests either to join the session live or access a recording. Feedback has highlighted the value of providing accessible, specialist‑led information on menopause‑related health matters. Based on this response, the Service is actively considering the delivery of future workshops to further enhance staff support in this area.

Retired Members Association

The SHE Department is working closely with the Retired Members Association to strengthen support for retired members and promote their ongoing health and wellbeing. Through this partnership, the Service is improving connections with those who have left employment, helping to reduce isolation, maintain a sense of belonging and ensure retired members remain linked to the wider LFRS community. The collaboration also provides an opportunity to support employees who are approaching retirement, with a focus on helping them prepare psychologically for this significant life transition and understand the wellbeing support available before and after they leave the Service.

Firelight Outdoors

Firelight Outdoors is a mental health support programme for Blue Light personnel, based on a simple volunteering model that provides participants with time away from day-to-day pressures in a natural outdoor environment.

Over the past 18 months, LFRS has worked in partnership with Cuerden Valley Park, Lancashire Police and NWAS to develop an eight-week programme for staff who are absent from work, or in work but experiencing mental health difficulties such as stress, anxiety or depression. The programme will be evaluated using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, a recognised research-based wellbeing measure, with anonymised findings reported to the Service through HSEAG.

Looking ahead

Five bitesize wellbeing videos have been drafted for future promotion campaigns. These will be launched at stages throughout the next 12-months, to link in the relevant wellness event calendar topic. The five topics are:

· Exercise, Nutrition and Hydration

· Personal Resilience

· Suicide Prevention/Awareness

· Wellbeing Conversations

· Trauma

A handbook to raise awareness of mental health issues and resources available to support them will be issued to all staff, alongside the launch of a mandatory mental health and wellbeing eLearning module.

Staff Fitness

LFRS ensures firefighter fitness through employer‑led, evidence‑based annual and interim testing aligned to national standards, supported by dedicated fitness and occupational health functions, with ongoing monitoring, tailored training, and risk‑assessed adjustments to maintain safe operational capability.

During 2025-26, a further investment was made to replace cardiovascular fitness equipment nearing the end of its operational life, ensuring firefighters have access to modern equipment that supports the maintenance of operational fitness.

Work has also commenced to digitise fitness assessment forms, helping to streamline the annual recording process, reduce paperwork and maintain the quality and integrity of records.

In Quarter 2, the Service Fitness Advisor (SFA) delivered three Physical Training Instructor (PTI) standardisation sessions, attended by 30 PTIs. These sessions will now take place annually to ensure PTIs remain up to date with the fitness assessment process, associated documentation, and the support available for individuals placed in Fitness Development.

Environmental Performance

Carbon Emissions

The Environmental Sustainability Plan includes a target of 40% carbon emission reduction by March 2030 from a baseline of 4352 tonnes of CO² in 2007/08.

The Service achieved an overall reduction of 23.2% by March 2026. This related to our measured carbon emissions for gas, electric and fleet vehicle fuel.

Separately, water is currently seeing a 31% reduction from baseline year.

LFRS was previously unsuccessful with a bid submitted for the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund, so a programme of estate-wide decarbonisation surveys has been undertaken to support delivery of the Environmental Sustainability Plan and the Service’s commitment to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. These surveys form a core evidence base for the development of our future heat decarbonisation plans and are intended to help inform medium- to long-term capital investment planning.

Scope of Surveys

The surveys comprised detailed building-level audits across a defined portion of the LFRS operational estate. The surveys assessed energy consumption, carbon emissions, and the suitability of each site for a range of potential decarbonisation interventions.

Key Findings

The surveys established a clear and consistent baseline of energy use and carbon emissions across the estate. Total annual energy consumption across the surveyed sites was identified as approximately 4 GWh, with a significant proportion of this demand linked to fossil fuel use, primarily gas-based heating systems.

· Approximately 4.0 GWh total energy consumption

· Around 74% derived from fossil fuels

Despite this reliance on fossil fuels, benchmarking analysis indicates that the estate is performing relatively well when compared with sector standards. The average gas and electricity consumption per square metre are both below industry benchmarks for emergency service buildings, demonstrating that the estate is already relatively efficient from an energy performance perspective.

The surveys therefore highlight a key strategic challenge: while buildings are efficient, further carbon reduction will require a transition in how energy is generated and used, rather than simply reducing demand.

Decarbonisation Opportunities Identified

The surveys identified a structured set of potential interventions across all sites, focusing on three principal areas: improvements to building fabric, replacement or upgrade of heating systems to low-carbon alternatives, and deployment of on-site renewable energy generation, particularly solar photovoltaic systems.

These interventions collectively represent a significant opportunity to reduce both energy demand and carbon emissions across the estate. Modelling indicates that, if all identified interventions were implemented, overall energy consumption across the surveyed estate could reduce by up to 66%, alongside a substantial reduction in carbon emissions.

While these reductions are significant, the surveys also confirm that achieving full Net Zero carbon through on-site measures alone is unlikely. Residual emissions would remain and would need to be addressed through wider measures, such as off-site renewable energy generation or carbon offsetting.

Waste Management

LFRS created 139.8 tonnes of waste in 2025/26:

· Non Recyclable = 71.7 tonnes

· Recyclable = 68.1 tonnes.

The overall recycling rate across the service remains very good at 48.7%. We have seen a significant increase in our recycling rate compared to the 32.45% in 2024/25.

Waste data is reviewed for stations and the ‘Waste Less’ promotion are delivered by the SHE Department team when increased are identified at specific locations.

The SHE Department continue to work with Station Managers, Environmental Champions, and other staff to better understand the reasons behind these results to assist in improving waste management across LFRS.

Food Waste

Following recent changes in legislation, LFRS has now introduced food waste collections at sites with kitchen facilities. LFRS provides a separate food waste recycling collection service, delivered via its contracted waste provider as part of a compliant multi-stream waste system. Provision includes site-based food waste bins supported by daily internal collection arrangements and clear segregation guidance.

Operational Vehicle & Fleet Improvements

Fleet modernisation continues with the ongoing rolling vehicle replacement programme continuing to update operational appliances and support vehicles. In line with our EV transition strategy, we are actively evaluating and expanding electric and hybrid fleet vehicles. This is supported by the development of a comprehensive EV Strategy, which aims to reduce emissions and facilitate the transition away from fossil-fuel vehicles wherever operationally viable.

Fire Fighters Charity Recycling Banks

LFRS continues to support the Fire Fighters Charity with 24 Lancashire fire stations currently having a clothing/textile recycling bank. For each tonne of clothing, a donation is made to the Fire Fighters Charity. Since rolling out these collection bins in 2010, income has been generated for the Fire Fighters Charity. In 2025/2026 68.4 tonnes of clothing collected and re-diverted away from landfill, raising £8,213.52 for the Charity.

Looking Ahead

The Environment and Sustainability Group (formally the Carbon Management Team) have developed a new Environmental Sustainability Plan which was launched during 2024. This plan outlines our current position and our vision for further improvements to our buildings and facilities to improve environmental performance and related aspects such as energy security.

Table 6 shows the carbon emission performance for 2025/26 against the 2007/08 baseline and previous year’s performance with the carbon emissions for 2016/17 to 2025/26.

	Baseline 2007/08	2016/17	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26	% change on previous year	% change since baseline 2007/08
Buildings	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)
Electricity	1600	1581	1592	1495	1478	1484	1457	1379	1356	1551	1401	-9.67%	-12.4%
Gas	1594	934	1025	901	988	1032	939	875	904	826	850	2.91%	-46.6%
Total	3194	2515	2617	2396	2466	2516	2396	2254	2260	2377	2250	-5.34%	-29.5%

Transport	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)
Fuel	1158	796	858	968	882	816	872	953	986	1091	1093	0.18%	-5.6%

	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)
Service Total	4352	3311	3475	3364	3347	3332	3268	3207	3246	3468	3343	-3.60%	-23.2%
Shown separately in Environmental Sustainability Plan
Water	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)	Carbon (tonnes)
	9.1	5.8	5.4	4.9	6.4	5.7	5.3	5.9	6.3	6.8	6.3	-7.35%	-31.1%

Table 6 Carbon Emissions Reductions 2025/26