Staff Handbook: 2.6 Health and Safety Policy
| Approved: |
Not yet approved (Significant changes since approval will be in red.) |
| Relevant University documentation: | University Health & Safety Policy |
| Relevant School documentation: | URL for the current action plan to be inserted |
Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Policy Statement
- 3. Organization
- 4. Local arrangements
- 5. Risks
- 6. Procedures and Arrangements
1. Introduction
The School's Health and Safety Policy sets out aims and objectives, together with the organisation and arrangements for meeting the objectives. It complies with the University Health and Safety Policy (ref. UHSP/0/99) and is reviewed annually to effect the relevant changes in that policy.
2. Policy Statement
The School is committed to providing and maintaining a healthy and safe working environment for staff, students and anyone who may be affected by its activities. The Head of Budget Centre is responsible to the University for ensuring that risks to health and safety are properly identified and controlled in conformity with University policy. This responsibility extends to activities away from the university premises. There are arrangements for implementing this policy, including procedures and assessments for various aspects of work.
The following key objectives have been set in order to achieve the aims and objectives of the policy.
- to assess and control risks;
- to inform staff of the risks and to provide training where necessary;
- to involve all staff in the management of health and safety risks and ensure that adequate resources are allocated;
- to review annually the effectiveness of the arrangements.
In achieving these objectives a Health and Safety Officer is appointed in the School of Computer Science together with a co-ordinator or deputy. There are no specialist Safety Officers (radiation, biological). Appropriate training and resources are given to the Safety Officer and Deputy with duties agreed by the Head of Budget Centre. Fire Wardens are appointed by the Safety Officer for areas of the building and First Aiders are also appointed and given training in liaison with the Health and Safety Unit.
All staff are required to comply with this policy and procedures made under its authority.
3. Organization
The School is principally made up of office accommodation, computer rooms, and seminar rooms.
The local organisation structure is shown in Fig 1 and is updated as and when changes are made.
Diagram to go here
There is effective consultation with the appointed Trade Union Safety Representative (Dr W. Edmondson is currently the AUT representative) and staff and students can raise health and safety issues at the School Committee where there is an established agenda item.
The School is aware of the specialist advice from the Health and Safety Unit so that it may benefit from advances in knowledge and application to the new areas such as eyesight degradation from Display Screen use and repetitive strain injury from input devices.
Safety Personnel
The main Safety Personnel are listed in 2.3 Officers and Committees §1.
4. Local arrangements
The Health and Safety Policy of the School of Computer Science is set by the Safety Officer and Deputy Safety Officer and agreed by the Head of School. The first aid aspects are encompassed in the policy but dealt with entirely by the first aiders. First aid training is directly from the University Safety Unit. All other health and safety matters are supervised by the Safety Officer.
Staff receive appropriate instruction on the hazards associated with their work through information disseminated from the Safety Officer. The mechanism for raising Safety issues is through the School Committee which meets once per term. All sectors of staff and students are represented at the committee.
Students receive Health and Safety instruction and material from the Safety Officer during their first week of induction which is updated when necessary. Safety matters can be raised through the Staff Student Committee which is recorded and made public or directed to staff safety personnel.
Health and Safety information is displayed on a dedicated notice board in the lower atrium, whilst fire evacuation and unforeseen emergency evacuation procedures information is displayed in all public rooms and main corridors.
New staff are made aware of the School Safety Policy by the Safety Officer.
They receive a 'Staff Handbook' covering all
matters of the School including this document.
Their attention is drawn to the Staff Handbook,
available on the web (a paper copy can be made available on request).
Induction is on a personal basis where items such as local policies -- e.g.
display screen use, are outlined as well as University Fire Safety Policy.
5. Risks
The School of Computer Science teaching and research activities are similar risk categories as an Administrative Department. The nature of all work in staff rooms and student rooms falls in the category of low risk . With computer use, the ergonomics of posture, repetitive strain injury and eyesight strain are the principle risks for all categories of users. Accident and fire risks are equally important to all groups whilst there are no dangerous substances and no electrical hazards greater than those covered by the regulation of domestic and professional computer equipment.
Support Staff have from time to time during their normal duties to use ladders, electric and hand tools and move equipment and deliveries of goods. These are covered by the general rules and training.
Risk assessments are carried out for all activities according to the timetable set out in safety policy. Equipment provided for use at work has to be suitable for its use, maintained in a safe condition and any associated risks adequately controlled. The workplace has to be arranged so that it is safe for the tasks carried out and not contributing to the safety and health of the user. This is particularly important to the use of display screen equipment and keyboard and mouse input devices but should also be applied to any new input and output peripheral computer equipment.
6. Procedures and Arrangements
Local Health and Safety monitoring is ensured by one inspection per year. These are undertaken by the Safety Officer and the AUT representative. All rooms are covered by the inspections and records kept. From the reports of the inspection actions and responsibilities are circulated to the relevant parties with a copy sent to the Health and Safety Unit. A check is undertaken at each inspection that the previous remedial actions have been completed.
Fire evacuation exercises are undertaken twice a year during term times. Risk Assessment exercises are undertaken once per year.
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