Health and safety policy

1. Statement

The Governors of Birkbeck, University of London recognize and accept their responsibilities and duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and other relevant statutory provisions. The Governors are committed to the provision of safe and healthy working conditions for all staff and students of Birkbeck and to the safeguarding of persons entering Birkbeck premises. The Governors regard health and safety as a core management function and will work to ensure the commitment of all members of staff to the full implementation of Birkbeck's health and safety policy.

The attention of all Birkbeck employees is drawn to their legal responsibility under Section 7 of the above Act to take reasonable care of themselves and all others who may be affected by their acts and/or omissions and to co-operate with their employer with regard to health & safety matters. All persons on Birkbeck premises have a duty under Section 8 of the above Act not to interfere with or to misuse anything provided by Birkbeck in the interests of health and safety. Regulation 14 of the Management of Health and Safety Regulations (1999) requires all employees to report without delay, to their employer or a colleague with health and safety responsibilities such as the College Health and Safety Officer, any work situation that could give rise to serious and imminent danger to health and safety and also any noted shortcomings in the employer's protection arrangements for health and safety.

2. Policy

It is Birkbeck policy to comply with all relevant statutory and regulatory provisions and to take such additional measures as it considers necessary. To achieve this Birkbeck will, as a minimum, operate to legal requirements and established standards of good practice and will as far as is reasonably practicable:

1. Manage its activities in such a way as to ensure that the health, safety and welfare of all employees, students, and any other persons on its premises are not put at risk.

2. Provide and maintain plant and systems of work that are safe and without risk to health.

3. Make arrangements for ensuring safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.

4. Provide the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the health and safety of all employees, students and any other persons on Birkbeck premises.

5. As regards any place of work under Birkbeck's control, maintain it in a condition that is safe and without risk to health and provide and maintain means of safe access and egress.

6. Provide and maintain a working environment that is safe, without risks to health and is adequate with regard to facilities and arrangements for the welfare at work of all employees.

7. Promote through consultation and other means, the active involvement of all staff and students in the development, promotion, implementation and monitoring of measures provided for health, safety and welfare.

8. Ensure that risk assessments are carried out as required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999), the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and other regulations.

9. Cooperate in safety matters with other employers with whom Birkbeck shares buildings and co-ordinate safety arrangements with such employers as required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999).

10. Appoint competent persons to provide advice in accordance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999). (The responsibilities of such persons are set out in the organizational section of this document).

11. Seek specialist advice on health and safety matters as and when necessary.

12. Investigate thoroughly all accidents and unusual occurrences affecting health and safety.

13. Seek to make progressive improvements in health and safety by formulating an annual safety plan for Birkbeck.

14. Provide a set of standards and guidance to assist those responsible for the implementation of this policy.

15. Monitor compliance with safety measures by regular inspection, monitoring and auditing.

16. Ensure that all Schools prepare local safety policies and codes of practice for their areas.

17. Taken together, this General Statement of Safety Policy (as required under Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974), the collected local safety policies and codes of practice and the 'Local Rules' for radiation protection make up Birkbeck's policy, organisation and arrangements for health and safety.  Copies of all main documents shall be available for inspection among the Safety Office's web pages on the Birkbeck Intranet.

18. Provide adequate resources and facilities to enable the requirements of this policy to be achieved.

19. Review Birkbeck's Statement of Safety Policy annually, or more frequently if justified.

3. Organisation

3.1 Governors
Governors have overall responsibility for ensuring the implementation of this policy and for all health and safety matters within Birkbeck. Responsibility for the fulfilling of the Governors' policy rests with the Secretary and Clerk to the Governors. Overall control of safety matters within Birkbeck rests with the Safety Committee. The Health and Safety Officer acts as Secretary to the Committee and is its executive officer.

3.2 The Safety Committee

Safety Committee - Membership

The Chairman of the Committee (appointed by the Finance and General Purposes Committee)

Ex officio

The Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee
The Master
The Vice-Master
The Secretary and Clerk to the Governors
The Director of Human Resources
The Director of Estates and Facilities

Representative

Two persons nominated by the Birkbeck Branch of the UCU
Two persons nominated by the Birkbeck Branch of UNISON
Two persons nominated by the Birkbeck Branch of UNITE
The President and one student nominated by Birkbeck College Students' Union

In attendance as advisers

The Health and Safety Officer (also designated as Fire Officer)
The Biological Hazards Officer
The Radiation Protection Adviser
The Genetic Modification Safety Officer
The Laser Safety Officer
The Facilities Manager

Quorum
The quorum for meetings of the Safety Comittee is five members.

Safety Committee - Terms of Reference

1. To advise Birkbeck on questions of safety policy. To draw attention to its legal obligations relating to safety and to send forward to the Finance and General Purposes Committee recommendations for such action as is thought necessary to ensure that reasonable steps are being taken to promote the safety of staff, students and other persons on Birkbeck premises.

2. To oversee the implementation of Birkbeck's Safety Policy.

3. To receive reports from the Health and Safety Officer and appropriate sub- committees.

4. To report, at least annually, through the Finance and General Purposes Committee to the Governors.

5. To advise Schools on the inculcation of safety consciousness in staff and students.

6. To organise the provision of appropriate first aid training and facilities.

7. To ensure that a complete record of occupational accidents is maintained.

8. To advise those responsible for arranging insurance of specific hazards within Birkbeck.

9. To maintain liaison with extra-mural organisations concerned with safety.

3.4 School responsibilities

At school level, the responsibility for safety matters rests with the executive deans and through them to the heads of academic departments, institutes and centres.   Heads of 'Professional Services' departments and units carry the same responsibility.  This responsibility includes:

1. Defining clear responsibilities for the management of health and safety including appropriate supervisory arrangements for staff, students and visitors and the appointment of a local safety coordinator, a display screen equipment assessor and a sufficient number of fire marshals, including deputies, to cover the accommodation of the school/department and adjacent common areas.

2. Not permitting any work to start unless a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks involved in the work has been carried out. This should include the arrangements for staff working in workplaces under the control of other employers. This may necessitate obtaining the hazard and risk information from host employers that they are required to provide under Regulation 12 of the Management of Health and Safety Regulations (1999).

3. After appropriate risk assessments, defining the standards of operation relevant to the degree of risk associated with each operation within any workplace under their control whether the workplace is on or off Birkbeck premises.

4. Maintaining awareness within the School of relevant regulations/codes of practice by drawing up and circulating to staff and students a safety statement accompanied where necessary by codes of practice regarding the control of hazards within the school.

5. Providing the resources needed to comply with the requirements and prohibitions that may be imposed by or specified by statutory provisions.

6. Instituting suitable inspection, monitoring and reporting procedures to ensure the requirements of this policy are being met including arranging for "safety" to be a standing agenda item at staff and management level meetings.

7. Promoting, advising and providing training on the practices and procedures to be adopted in health and safety matters relevant to the School. This to include ensuring that all new members of staff are made aware of the College's fire action procedures.   This is normally achieved  by reading and acknowledging by email the fire safety information and on-line induction pack sent to all new employees by the Health and Safety Officer. 

In those Schools containing laboratories or workshops the Head of School is also responsible for:

9. Making arrangements for periodic safety checks on major mechanical and electrical items of laboratory and workshop equipment.

10. Appointing, in those Schools using radioactive substances or equipment that can produce ionising radiations, a radiation protection supervisor.

3.5 The Health and Safety Officer

The Health and Safety Officer is responsible to the Secretary and Clerk to the Governors for general safety matters throughout Birkbeck. This responsibility includes:

1. Advising and assisting Heads of School with their health and safety responsibilities.

2. Ensuring that the Governors and Heads of School are aware of the requirements of new and proposed legislation.

3. Promoting and advising upon standards to be adopted in health and safety matters.

4. Co-ordinating safety arrangements with other employers with whom Birkbeck shares premises.

5. Advising the Safety Committee on safety matters.

6. Exchanging information with Schools and via safety co-ordinators and working in close collaboration with the other specialist officers in Birkbeck.

7. Supporting and advising safety co-ordinators and providing specialist advice sought if necessary from outside sources, on safety matters to members of Birkbeck's community.

8. Instigating appropriate and prompt remedial action on becoming alerted to hazards on Birkbeck premises.

9. Maintaining an up-to-date list of Birkbeck personnel with safety responsibilities.

10. Maintaining an up-to-date set of Birkbeck safety policies and codes of practice.

11. Carrying out safety audits of the Birkbeck's Schools and administrative departments.

3.6 Other responsible officers

1. The Director of Estates and Facilities is responsible to the Secretary and Clerk to the Governors for ensuring that all buildings owned by Birkbeck or under its control meet the requirements of the relevant statutory provisions with regard to fire and emergency arrangements. The Director of Estates and Facilities will also ensure that appropriate arrangements exist for the effective control of contractors working on Birkbeck premises.

2. Birkbeck liaises with its Occupational Health Service provider (curently Health Mansagement Ltd) to ensure that Heads of Schools are aware of their obligations with respect to the occupational health of employees and students. Also, in order that Birkbeck is kept advised upon the standards to be adopted in occupational health and hygiene.

3. The Radiation Protection Adviser, with the assistance of radiation protection supervisors, is responsible for the observance of statutory and Birkbeck requirements in regard to the ordering, use, storage and disposal of radioactive substances and the protection of personnel working with radioactive substances.

4. Radiation Protection Supervisors maintain liaison with the Radiation Protection Adviser and attend meetings of the Radiation Protection Committee.

5. The Biological Hazards Officer assists the Health and Safety Officer in ensuring, through School safety co-ordinators, that all laboratories and persons working therein conform to statutory and Birkbeck requirements on safety in respect of biological hazards.

6. The Genetic Modification Safety Officer (GMSO) assists the Health and Safety Officer in ensuring that all laboratories and persons engaged in Genetic Modification (GM) work conform to statutory and Birkbeck requirements on GM Safety. The GMSO is the Birkbeck contact person with the Health and Safety Executive on GM matters.

7. The Laser Safety Officer assists the Health and Safety Officer in ensuring, through School Safety Co-ordinators, that all laboratories and persons working therein conform to statutory and Birkbeck requirements on safety in the use of lasers.

8. The Fire Officer (also Health and Safety Officer) is responsible for fire prevention/protection and emergency escape procedures, and will advise the Safety Committee on these matters. The Fire Officer organises a fire evacuation drill at each of Birkbeck's separate premises at least twice a year. The Fire Officer maintains liaison with outside authorities and advises the Secretary and Clerk to the Governors on Birkbeck's legal responsibilities on fire protection and ensures that Birkbeck's legal responsibilities on fire protection are observed. The Fire Officer disseminates information to Schools via the local safety co-ordinators.

9. Local Safety Co-ordinators are in general charge of safety within their schools and departments. Local safety co-ordinators advise Heads of School on safety matters and act as liaison officers in the exchange of information between their schools and the Health and Safety Officer. Local safety co-ordinators also:

i) Disseminate information on safety matters within their schools/departments.

ii) Monitor area compliance with statutory, Birkbeck and area safety requirements.  This is normally achieved via the annual health and safety inspection and maintaining surveillance for day-to-day hazards and instigating prompt remedial action at school level and/or alerting the Health and Safety Officer for action.

iii) Oversee that statutory and any other obligations are fulfilled in respect of the safety training of School personnel including reminding new staff to read and acknowledge by email the fire safety information that accompanies the on-line induction pack sent to all new employees by the Health and Safety Officer. 

10. Trades Union Safety Representatives may also be appointed by trade unions under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974). The rights of trade union appointed safety representatives are respected in accordance with the Safety Representatives Regulations (1977).  At Birkbeck the Trade Union safety representatives have agreed to represent non-union staff groups in safety matters under the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations (1996). Birkbeck has also signed-up to the Safety Representatives Charter promoted by the Health and Safety Commission and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association.

4. Arrangements

4.1 Emergency Number 555
1. Birkbeck's emergency number 555 may be dialled from any Birkbeck telephone (except Bedford and Tavistock Square) to report any safety/security emergency and/or to request help. "555" calls are routed to a dedicated 'phone manned at all times by a Duty Attendant who will summon the required assistance, by dialling 999 if need be. It is imperative that a "555" caller identifies him/herself, specifies the assistance required and states in which building and location in that building the emergency exists. Many classrooms and lecture theatres have phones within them for this and other purposes.

2. Staff based in buildings not under the direct control of Birkbeck such as UCL buildings should become familiar with the emergency number to be used within those buildings.

4.2 Emergency Evacuation Procedures: Malet Street, Gordon Square, Russell Square, Torrington Square, Tavistock Square, Bedford Square and Gower Street. The fire alarm is a continuous ringing bell or continuous siren in all buildings. When a continuous alarm sounds, leave the building.

1. On hearing the fire alarm, if you are in charge of students or visitors, direct them to the nearest exit, accompany them to the outside of the building and take them well clear of the fire exits. This will allow space for others to exit safely, provide unrestricted access for the emergency services and put a safe distance between you and any debris from possible explosions. A distance of at least 100 metres should be 'well clear'. Discourage students from standing in the road.

2. On hearing the fire alarm, if you do not have zone fire marshalling duties and are not in charge of students or visitors, leave your area, close doors, check on colleagues where possible and encourage others to leave promptly. As you leave a building, inform the Duty Attendant or the Fire Brigade if you know of an area that is clear of people or where disabled persons require assistance or where people are trapped.

3. At the larger buildings, the Duty Attendant is in charge of implementing Birkbeck's emergency evacuation procedures but he/she will require assistance with crowd control from members of staff. All Birkbeck staff are expected to act as Fire Marshals if they are free to do so.  The crowd control duties of a Fire Marshal are:

a) to instruct persons leaving buildings to move well clear of exits and not to stand in the road. At some exits several staff are needed to keep evacuees from congesting the pavements and forcing others into the street.

b) to instruct persons not to re-enter buildings until the all-clear has been given by the Duty Attendant or a senior fire brigade officer.

4. In the event of an emergency evacuation at a building without a duty attendant, staff are expected to appoint one or more of their number to liaise with Malet Street reception and the emergency services. Other staff are expected to act as Fire Marshals and assist with crowd control as outlined above.

4.3 Emergency Evacuation Procedures:  University College London's South Wing and Bedford Way,   Emerald Street and the evening Nursery.

These premises are not under the direct control of Birkbeck and staff based in or visiting these buildings should read and follow the fire instructions posted in the rooms and corridors.

4.4 Fire Safety Information

a) Members of staff who are responsible for students or visitors should inform them of the fire procedures.  There are available at: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/so/guidance/fireinfo/index_html/printable

b) All 'bought-in' teaching staff receive copies of the fire procedures from their Schools along with their contracts of employment.

4.5 First Aid and Accident Procedures

1. Lists of first aid contacts are available to Birkbeck staff on the Intranet at http://www.bbk.ac.uk/so/contact/  Lists are also kept at reception desks of buildings.  First Aid boxes are kept at reception desks and in laboratory and workshop areas.

2. In the case of a serious accident or illness, an ambulance should be summoned by telephone immediately. The Duty Attendant should be informed promptly to await its arrival and direct the paramedics to the casualty.

3. Students or staff who suffer from epilepsy, diabetes, or any other condition likely to require urgent attention from time to time, are advised in their own interest, to inform their Head of School or SSC.

4. Room 408 on the fourth floor of the main Malet Street building is available as a rest room for persons feeling unwell. Persons needing to use the rest room should liaise with a first aid contact or the Duty Attendant.

5. Birkbeck staff and students may be able to make use of certain medical facilities provided by the University of London Central Institutions Health Service at 20 Gower Street, WC1. Visit in person or telephone 0207-636 7628 for details of surgery hours and services available.  Occupational Health provision is arranged separately for relevant staff via Human Resources.  

6. All unsafe incidents whether they result in an injury or a near miss must be reported to the College Health and Safety Officer preferably on a College accident report form.  These can be found at http://www.bbk.ac.uk/so/forms/accident/printable. Birkbeck, as an employer has a duty under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 to report certain serious injuries, diseases, and dangerous occurrences directly to the Health and Safety Executive. Any injury which results in unfitness for work for more than three days is also reportable. The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for completing and submitting such reports and must therefore be informed promptly of any incident that might be relevant.

4.6 Safety training

1) Birkbeck requires all members of staff to make themselves fully aware of the College's fire action procedures.  This is normally achieved  by reading and acknowledging by email the fire safety information that accompanies the on-line induction pack sent to all new employees by the Health and Safety Officer.  Periodic refresher information whuich does not require a formal acknowledgement is also sent to all staff by email.

2) Other such safety training and information as is necessary to ensure the health and safety of staff and students is provided by the employee's local management or centrally. Staff and students may be required to attend training events organised by the specialist officers of Birkbeck or by outside bodies.

4.7 Safety Inspections of the Workplace

1. To assist Birkbeck meet its obligations under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, it is necessary that all Schools and Professional Services departments routinely make safety inspections of their areas. The purpose of safety inspections is to monitor and measure safety performance against legal requirements and accepted standards of good practice including those set out in local codes of practice.

2. Once every year, by the beginning of new academic session, Heads of School are required to arrange a health and safety inspection of their workplace. Such annual inspections are to be undertaken in collaboration with trades union nominees in the exercise of a statutory right to make periodic inspections of the workplace.

3. Inspection parties should include the local safety co-ordinator, representatives from relevant trades unions that wish to participate and the Health and Safety Officer or a member of staff with safety responsibilities from another school with a similar range of safety responsibilities to manage. In the case of a laboratory based school the Technical Services Manager should also participate.

4. On completion of the annual inspection a report agreed by the inspection party must be compiled by the local safety coordinator. Copies of that report must be sent to the Head of School and also the Health and Safety Officer in time for presentation at the November meeting of the College Safety Committee.  A copy of the report should also be sent to all staff in the school/department.

5. If any inspection reveals hazards or deficiencies in safety standards the Head of School should instigate prompt action at the School level or, if outside School control, alert the Health and Safety Officer.

6. Without prejudice to the requirement for swift remedial response by Heads of School to urgent problems, on receipt of the report of a School safety inspection the Health and Safety Officer will, as soon as reasonably practicable, consult with the Head of School on matters warranting priority action.

7. An annual inspection alone is inadequate for combating transitory problems (such as hazards created by poor house-keeping). Schools are expected therefore to conduct minor inspections once per term to supplement the principal annual one. Records of the events and any findings should be kept within the School.

4.8 Safety Audits.

A health and safety audit is intended to provide an objective and qualitative assessment of all the elements of a health and safety management system.  To that end the Health and Safety Officer carries out an annual  audit of health and safety management within  Birkbeck's Schools and Professional Services departments using appropriate key performance indicators.  The outcomes are reported back to the audited sections and an annual summary is presented to the College Safety Committee and Governors.

4.9 Matters indirectly related to safety

In the course of daily routine, Birkbeck personnel may occasionally notice problems that are only indirectly related to safety and are concerned more with aspects of buildings maintenance. Some of these (e.g. leaky plumbing, damaged woodwork, accumulated rubbish, loose wiring, broken windows) may appear trivial in themselves but are liable to lead to serious situations if neglected. Such problems should not be permitted to accrue, awaiting the advent of a safety inspection, but should be reported direct to the Maintenance Officer (Department of Estates and Facilities) immediately they are noticed.

Keith Harrison, College Secretary.
March 2013