Health and Safety Policy
Introduction
This health and safety policy and its accompanying codes are endorsed by the Head of Department, Professor Gabriel Waksman, and all staff, students and visitors working in the Department’s research and teaching laboratories are expected to comply with them. This document should be read in conjunction with the "College Statement of Safety Policy"
Who to contact regarding safety issues
Depending in the nature of the query you should ask the appropriate person listed in the 'College Health and Safety Officer (CHSO)' section below.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) forms
All staff and students are required to sign a current COSHH form.
| Please note: For reference the safety policies for the former School of Crystallography and the former School of Biological and Chemical Sciences are available. |
Organisational Structure for the Management of Health & Safety
Head of Department
Professor Gabriel Waksman is responsible to the Executive Dean of the School of Science for all matters of health and safety within the Department of Biological Sciences. These responsibilities are set out in the College Statement of Safety Policy and include appointing departmental safety coordinators, DSE assessors and fire marshals and also arranging for safety to be a standing agenda item at departmental meetings.
Area Safety Coordinators
Area safety coordinators are in general charge of safety within areas of their schools or departments. They advise their heads of school or department on safety matters and act as liaison officers in the exchange of information between their schools/departments etc and the Health and Safety Officer. The responsibilities of area safety coordinators are set out in the College Statement of Safety Policy Area safety coordinators in Biological Sciences are:
| Chemistry (6th floor) |
Dr Salvador Tomas |
| Biology & Microbiology (3rd floor) |
Mrs Marie Mauguert-Minerve |
| Crystallography (basement and ground floor extension) |
Dr Jim Pitts |
Laboratory Managers & Academic Line Managers
Laboratory managers, supported by the senior academic associated with their laboratory, are responsible for ensuring health and safety within their labs and have the full authority of the Head of Department to take such reasonable measures to enable them to do so. The current list of lab managers is set out below.
| Dr Tina Daviter | Biophysics Centre |
| Dr David Houldershaw | Computer Services |
| Dr Luchun Wang | EM Lab |
| Dr Robert Sarra | Rayne Wolfson Lab & Spectroscopy Lab |
| Dr Stella Geddes | Rosalind Franklin Lab |
| Dr Ambrose Cole | X-ray Lab |
| Mr Don Shipp | Chemistry Teaching Labs |
| ISMB Microbiology Research Unit | |
| Mr Martin Cullum | Biology Teaching Labs |
| Mr Frank Barretto | Chemistry Research Labs |
Radiation Protection Supervisor
Each department where ionising radiation is used has a Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) appointed by the College to oversee the safe use of ionising radiation within their department. The Departmental RPS is Dr Jim Pitts.
Departmental GM Safety Officers
The duties of Departmental GM Safety Officers are laid down by the HSE and are set out in the College’s Code of Practice for work in GM Laboratories. The duties include ensuring that local rules are drawn up and followed for the safety of users of personnel. The Department has two GM Safety Officers:
| Dr Sanjib Bhakta | Microbiological laboratories |
| Dr Renos Savva | Crystallography laboratories |
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Assessors
Each area of the College has one or more a DSE assessors appointed by the Head of the school/department/area and trained by the College Health and Safety Officer. DSE assessors ensure that the legal requirement for carrying out risk assessment of DSE workstations is implemented within their areas. The DSE assessors in Biological Sciences are Dave Houldershaw, Martin Cullum and Yvonne Dove.
Zone Fire Marshals
Zone Fire Marshals and their deputies are appointed by heads of department and trained by the Collge Health and Safety Officer. They have duties within defined areas of the College that include monitoring fire safety compliance within their zone and sweeping the zone if the fire alarm sounds to ensure everyone has left. The College Health and Safety Officer maintains a list of all zone fire marshals within Biological Sciences’ areas.
Responsibilities of individual staff, students and visitors
All employees have a legal responsibility to take reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts and/or omissions and to co-operate with their employer with regard to health & safety matters i.e. the arrangements for health and safety set out in this document and its associated codes of practice; all students and visitors are placed under the same obligations when on Birkbeck’s premises.
College Health and Safety Officer (CHSO)
The College Health and Safety Officer (also the College Fire Officer), is responsible to the Secretary and Clerk to the Governors for general safety matters throughout Birkbeck. The CHSO is Tom McCartney. The CHSO is assisted in his role by the:
| College Radiation Protection Adviser (currently also Tom McCartney) |
| College Biological Hazards Officer (Dr Jane Nicklin) |
| College Laser Safety Officer (Dr Jim Pitts) |
| College GM Safety Adviser (Dr Jim Pitts) |
| College Chemical Hazards Officer (Dr Salvador Tomas). |
The role of the CHSO and the advisory officers are set out in the College Statement of Safety Policy.
College Safety Committees
The membership and terms of reference of the College Health and Safety Committee, the GM Safety sub-Committee and the Radiation Protection sub-committee are set out on the College Committees web page - http://www.bbk.ac.uk/committees/alphabetical
