New policies and processes for cleaning operatives in unstaffed London Underground stations.

lone worker cleaning operative on the railway

Cleaning operatives working in stations unstaffed by London Underground (LU) risk their safety, a reporter said. Public frustration focuses on them. 

Mobile phones and CCTV don’t stop assault. Lone cleaning staff can’t access safe areas as they’re locked. The sharps box to dispose of needles or syringes found while cleaning is here too.

Usually an unstaffed LU station is unplanned. After the report, ABM introduced new measures. Now, operatives arriving at an unstaffed station must tell their supervisor, who will join them or arrange for a cleaner to come from the nearest station. LU will tell ABM before the shift if an unstaffed station is planned.

An operative finding a needle at an unstaffed station should tell their supervisor, who will bring a single-use sharps kit. It will stay in the secured bin room until it can go into the sharps box.

ABM also introduced a policy of travelling in plain clothes.

View the full report

Find out more

Raise a concern

Case studies