Human Resources
Health and Safety
HEALTH & SAFETY ORGANISATION AND ARRANGEMENTS
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Board of Governors
3. Vice-Chancellor
4. Pro Vice-Chancellor Responsible for Health and Safety
5. Health and Safety Office
6. Specialist Health and Safety Advisers
7. University Insurance Officer
8. Health and Safety Coordinators
9. First Aiders
10. Fire Marshals
11. Deans
12. Heads of Academic Departments
13. Principal Investigators and Research Project Managers
14. Heads of Estates, Campus Services and Sports & Recreation
15. Heads of Professional Services
16. University Employees
17. Students and Visitors
18. Health and Safety Committees
19. Training
20. Risk Assessment
21. Monitoring Performance
21.1 Safety Inspection
21.2 Central Monitoring System
22. Accident and Incident Reporting and Investigation
23. Arrangements for Health and Safety
24. Occupational Health
1. Introduction
The Board of Governors, in general and the Chairman of The Board in particular, are responsible for all aspects of Health & Safety in the University. This includes ensuring that there is an appropriate Health & Safety Policy and appropriate arrangements for ensuring the communication and implementation of this policy. The Board may choose to delegate some of these responsibilities. To comply with Health & Safety legislation it is important that staff are aware of the nature of the level of delegated authority and individual responsibilities. The purpose of this document is to describe the current levels of delegation, arrangements and specific responsibilities.
2. Board of Governors
The Board of Governors bears ultimate responsibility for ensuring safety of staff, students and other people affected by the University's activities. The Board of Governors delegates this primary duty to the Vice-Chancellor for the management and oversight for health and safety.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellors and Director of Finance are responsible for ensuring that the H&S Policy is implemented in the areas and departments for which they are responsible.
The Deans of Faculty, Heads of Professional Services, and Heads of Academic Departments must then consider how the Health and Safety Policy (The H&S Policy), and any instructions issued under it, affects the work of their department and arrange for duties to be further delegated as appropriate.
3. Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor is charged with ensuring that the H&S Policy is implemented effectively. The Vice-Chancellor will ensure that the safety management within Faculties, and the University as a whole, complies with the H&S Policy and relevant legislation. This will be achieved through the development of appropriate and adequately resourced sub-policies in support of the overarching H&S Policy, and the development of a safety culture that demands a high standard of safety performance from all members of staff and students.
4. Pro Vice-Chancellor Responsible for Health and Safety
The Vice-Chancellor has delegated responsibility to a Pro Vice-Chancellor to oversee health and safety, and be accountable for ensuring the objectives of the Health and Safety policy are achieved in practice.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor has the following responsibilities:
a) To assist and deputise for the Vice-Chancellor as necessary on issues of Health and Safety
b) To chair the University’s Health and Safety Committee and to ensure appropriate consultative arrangements are in place with employees and their representatives
c) To put into action any resolution of the Board of Governors or the Vice-Chancellor on matters of Health and Safety
d) To present an annual Health and Safety report to the Board of Governors
e) To keep up to date with the requirements of University policies and legislation
5. Health and Safety Office
The University has appointed a Health and Safety Manager to advise the Board of Governors, Directorate, Managers and Employees on health and safety matters.
The Health and Safety Manager:
a) is accountable and responsible to the Director of Human Resources and the Pro Vice-Chancellor responsible for Health and Safety
b) has access to the Vice-Chancellor should the need arise
c) has access to the Chairman of Human Resources Committee and the Chairman of the Board of Governors should the need arise
d) provides reports independently to the Board of Governors
Further information can be found at the Health and Safety Office website.
6. Specialist Health and Safety Advisers
The University has appointed the following subject matter specialists to advise on technical aspects of Health and Safety:
a) Occupational Health Medical Adviser/Physician
b) Radiation Protection Officer
e) Microbiological Safety Officer
f) Asbestos Responsible Person
7. University Insurance Officer
The University has appointed a specialist insurance officer, with a strong health and safety remit. This post is located in the Finance Department.
8. Health and Safety Co-ordinators
The University has appointed and trained Health and Safety Co-ordinators to assist with the implementation of Health and Safety policies in the University’s various departments or buildings.
9. First Aiders
The University has appointed and trained members of staff to act as First Aiders.
10. Fire Marshals
The University has appointed and trained members of staff to act as Fire Marshals.
11. Deans
Deans are tasked by the Vice-Chancellor with general management and oversight of their respective Faculties and constituent departments. In devolving resources to Deans, the Vice-Chancellor also delegates responsibility to consider the safety implications of decisions taken within their Faculty.
In terms of ensuring the quality of safety management in the departments of their Faculty, Deans should take the following action:
a) Keep themselves up to date with the requirements of University policies and legislation
b) Ensure that the safety management in each department complies with the H&S Policy
c) Ensure that each department has a suitable statement of departmental safety policy, containing details of the departmental organisation to implement the departmental policy and monitor its effectiveness
d) Ensure that formal risk assessments are completed to ensure the control of all significant hazards
e) In order to assist in the discharge of these duties, the Dean may wish to appoint suitable members of Faculty staff to act as Safety Co-ordinators
f) Establish and Chair the Faculty Health and Safety Committee
g) Submit reports on the effectiveness of safety management to the University Health and Safety Committee
h) Make safety training and supervision of students an integral element of departmental teaching
i) Provide the necessary information, instruction and training to enable departmental staff to perform their work in a safe manner, and encourage and support their attendance at relevant University and external safety training events
j) Take personal action, and empower members of the staff, to suspend or stop any dangerous activity not carried out within the requirements of the safety policy
12. Heads of Academic Departments
Heads of Academic Department are tasked by the Dean with general management and oversight of their departments. In devolving resources to Heads of Academic Departments, the Dean also delegates a responsibility to consider the safety implications of decisions taken.
In terms of ensuring the quality of safety management Heads of Academic Departments should take the following action:
a) Keep themselves up to date with the requirements of University policies and legislation
b) Ensure that the safety management in the department complies with the H&S Policy
c) Ensure that the department has a suitable statement of departmental safety policy, containing details of the departmental organisation to implement the departmental safety policy and monitor its effectiveness
d) Ensure that formal risk assessments are completed to ensure the control of all significant hazards
e) In order to assist in the discharge of these duties, the Head of Department may wish to appoint suitable members of senior member of staff to assist in health and safety matters
f) Establish and Chair a Departmental Health and Safety Committee. In some instances the Committee may be a Building Committee which represents more than one department
g) Submit reports on the effectiveness of safety management to the Faculty Safety Committee
h) Make safety training and supervision of students an integral element of departmental teaching
i) Provide the necessary information, instruction and training to enable departmental staff to perform their work in a safe manner, and encourage and support their attendance at relevant University and external safety training events
j) Take personal action, and empower members of the staff, to suspend or stop any dangerous activity not carried out within the requirements of the safety policy
13. Principal Investigator and Research Project Manager
A Principal Investigator or a Research Project Manager is normally the academic staff member who is in charge of funds given into their care either by the University or by a research funding body. This person has day-to-day responsibility for ensuring that the requirements of both the H&S Policy and the departmental safety policy are implemented.
Principal Investigators and Research Project Managers:
a) have responsibility not only for their own safety but also that of anyone who might be affected by their work, including the work of junior colleagues and students
b) before applying for research grants, or adopting an experimental protocol, must consider how the proposal could affect safety prior to any work commencing
c) must ensure that a risk assessment is carried out for all work they control, either by carrying it out personally or delegating it to a competent colleague
d) have an essential part to play in the risk assessment process as they are the subject matter expert. This is both in terms of controlling the risks arising out of work, but also in terms of educating their junior colleagues to become proficient in assessing the risks inherent in their work
e) also need to consider how a health and safety culture can be introduced to their students
14. Heads of Estates, Campus Services and Sports & Recreation
The Directors of Estates and Campus Services and the Head of Sports & Recreation are tasked by the Vice-Chancellor with general management and monitoring of their Departments. In devolving resources to these Heads, the Vice-Chancellor also delegates a responsibility to consider the safety implications of decisions taken.
In terms of ensuring the quality of safety management these managers should take the following action: -
a) Keep themselves up to date with the requirements of University policies and legislation
b) Ensure that the safety management within the Service Department complies with the H&S Policy
c) Ensure that the Service Department has a suitable statement of departmental safety policy, containing details of the departmental organisation to implement the departmental safety policy and monitor its effectiveness
d) Ensure that formal risk assessments are completed to ensure the control of all significant hazards
e) In order to assist in the discharge of these duties, the Head of these Professional Services may wish to appoint suitable members of staff to assist in health and safety matters and to act as Safety Co-ordinators
f) Establish and Chair the Service Departmental Health and Safety Committee, as necessary. The necessity for a Committee should be established by the Head of the Service Department and the Health and Safety Manager
g) Submit reports on the effectiveness of safety management to the University Safety Committee
h) Make safety training and supervision an integral element of departmental working practice
i) Provide the necessary information, instruction and training to enable departmental staff to perform their work in a safe manner, and encourage and support their attendance at relevant University and external safety training events
j) Take personal action, and empower members of the staff, to suspend or stop any dangerous activity not carried out within the requirements of the safety policy
15. Heads of Professional Services
Heads of Professional Services are tasked by the Vice-Chancellor with general management and monitoring of their Departments. In devolving resources to Heads of Professional Services, the Vice-Chancellor also delegates a responsibility to consider the safety implications of decisions taken.
In terms of ensuring the quality of safety management Heads of Professional Services should take the following action: -
a) Keep themselves up to date with the requirements of University policies and legislation
b) Ensure that the safety management within the Service Department complies with the H&S Policy
c) Ensure that formal risk assessments are completed to ensure the control of all significant hazards
d) In order to assist in the discharge of these duties, the Head of Professional Services may wish to appoint suitable members of staff to assist in health and safety matters and to act as Safety Co-ordinators
e) If necessary establish and Chair the Service Departmental Health and Safety Committee, as necessary. The necessity for a Committee should be established by the Head of the Service Department and the Health and Safety Manager
f) Make safety training and supervision an integral element of departmental working practice
g) Provide the necessary information, instruction and training to enable departmental staff to perform their work in a safe manner, and encourage and support their attendance at relevant University and external safety training events
h) Take personal action, and empower members of the staff, to suspend or stop any dangerous activity not carried out within the requirements of the safety policy
16. University Employees
All employees of the University are expected to comply with any safety arrangements that are in force within the University and are also under a legal obligation to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others.
Anyone contravening these instructions may be subject to University disciplinary proceedings and possible legal action. It is also an offence for any person to interfere with or misuse anything that is provided in the interests of safety.
Some employees work in premises that are not owned or operated by the University. The University has management agreements with those other employers where our members of staff work routinely.
Employees must report accidents, dangerous occurrences, unsafe circumstances and work-related ill health to their line managers or Health and Safety Co-ordinator.
17. Students and Visitors
All students and visitors to the University are expected to comply with any safety arrangements that are in force within the University and are also under a legal obligation to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others.
18. Health and Safety Committees
Consultation can be most effectively be accomplished by committees comprised of management and employee representatives. The University takes a structured approach so that there are several levels of committee which cascade decisions through all levels up to and from the Board of Governors.
The University Health and Safety Committee is the central consultative body for the discussion of safety matters in the University. The Committee members include both management and Union representatives.
The University Health and Safety Committee advises the Vice-Chancellor of the University by:
a) Monitoring the implementation of the H&S Policy and arrangements for securing the health and safety of employees and others.
b) Investigating areas of weaknesses in these arrangements and making recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor and/or governors as appropriate, aimed at strengthening those areas
c) Promoting of a spirit of cooperation between managers and staff in respect of the implementation of measures to secure the safety and health of employees
d) Encouraging the observance of health and safety measures by all employees as an integral part of their everyday working lives.
Details of the Constitution, Membership and Terms of Reference of Health and Safety Committee. (intranet only)
19. Training
The University is committed to providing suitable and sufficient health and safety training for its employees and students.
20. Risk Assessment
It is a legal requirement for the University to ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of its employees, to which they are exposed whilst they are at work and the risks to health and safety to persons not in the University’s employ, arising out of or in connection with University business. It is the responsibility of the Head of Department or Principal Investigator to ensure that a ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessment is carried out before work is undertaken. Working practices and methods must follow the control measures specified in the risk assessment.
The Health and Safety Office have produced guidance on the risk assessment process.
21. Monitoring Performance
21.1 Safety Inspection
In addition to the normal supervisory arrangements described above, a system of periodic inspection should be established at departmental level to enable Heads of Department to satisfy themselves that the safety arrangements that have been put into effect within departments are being followed and are appropriate and effective. It is for them to decide the frequency and nature of such inspections.
Inspections should normally be conducted by employees who are familiar with the type of work carried out in the area. In complex or specialised settings, it may be appropriate to include someone from outside the Department on the inspection team, to provide a fresh perspective. A written report on the inspection should be prepared so that the Head of Department can ensure that appropriate remedial action is taken.
The Health and Safety Office have produced guidance on the workplace inspection.
21.2 Central Monitoring System
The University Board of Governors and Directorate must ensure that safety issues are being identified and dealt with effectively and promptly. To achieve this, one of the functions of Health and Safety Office is to operate and develop a programme of monitoring and auditing of the managerial and technical control of safety.
This system of safety management and compliance auditing, combined with the results from departmental inspections and other monitoring activities permit an assessment of the quality of safety management and technical controls to identify what needs to be improved and how best to target resources.
22. Accident and Incident Reporting and Investigation
All work related accidents, dangerous occurrences, and ill health should be identified, recorded, and investigated to establish their underlying causes and to enable these to be remedied.
23. Arrangements for Health & Safety
The University’s Arrangements for health and safety are contained in the H&S Policy and its sub-policies.
24. Occupational Health
The University also has an Occupational Health provision for its staff.