PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR & SENIOR MANAGER

HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Reputation University of Nottingham aims for excellence in

teaching and research Quality in teaching and research is achieved

through quality in all aspects of operations. Bad publicity from unsafe, unhealthy or

environmentally damaging events undermines this.

Moral imperative To provide a safe and healthy working

environment Clear conscience

Why Health and Safety is Important (or why bother?)

Legal requirements Law specifies standards Penalties if not followed

Financial Reasons Staff absences, lost output/data damaged equipment, compensation payments and

insurance premiums Uninsured costs >>insured costs

£1

£8-36

Why Health and Safety is Important (or why bother?)

Legal Environment

Statutory Law Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Duties towards employees, students and visitors

Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, health, safety and welfare at work

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 –

Duties on manager to ensure the above Risk assessment !!!

Penalties

Prosecution – fines and imprisonment.

Prohibition Notice – stop work now

Improvement notices – put certain measure in place within a specified time

Civil Liability

• Common Law Duty of Care owed to employees, students, & visitors

• Failure can result in personal injury claims for negligence.

• Approx £30,000 per annum for UoN

Organisation – lines of responsibility

School/Section Safety Officers

Lab safety Monitors

PIs/Snr Academics

CFO

Council

Head of School/Divisio

nn

University Safety Officer

Individuals

Responsibility

Advice

Information

Safety Committee

Safety Responsibilities

Risk assessment Training Competency Supervision Monitoring

Detailed information can be found in the University’s Safety Management Standard:

‘Effective Safety Management’ http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/safety/esmcontents.htm

Risk assessment

For all hazardous activities/procedures

New procedures

New & existing equipment

Written SOPs [standard operating procedures]

Signed off by PI/Snr academic

Risk assessment continued

Procedural Substances [ e.g.chemicals, biological material]

Equipment Manual handling Cylinders Cryogenics

DSE Lone working

Training & Competence

Identify training needs – initial & ongoing Ensure training delivered by competent

person Assess competency Record training and attainment of

competency [ specific record form, PSRF or e lab book

Training delivery

University & External courses Local induction Job/task specific training [ techniques &

equipment] Refresher training

When procedure/equipment changes High risk operations Infrequent operations Following accident/incident Where competency is in question

Competency assessment

Assess practical skills & knowledge Assessment by competent person Methods of assessment

Written test [ e.g. induction questionnaire Verbal discussion/questioning Observation [ for practical tasks] Self assessment [ where appropriate]

Continual assessment – ensure standards maintained

Supervision

Levels of supervision are determined by

• the severity of the hazard and

• the complexity of the control measures required to reduce risk and

• the competence of the person.

Source HSE – HSG 65

Monitoring & enforcement of standards

Active monitoring Local housekeeping checks – recorded. Regular meetings [ present findings of above] Regular entry into the lab by PI – to check School safety inspections & audits

Accident/incident/near misses Reported Investigated

Remember

You can delegate safety management duties

You cannot delegate legal responsibility

You remain accountable in law for the safety of students/staff whom you manage/supervise