Statement of Intent
The Students’ Union is committed to working in accordance with the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA 1974), other associated legislation and the requirements of the Safety Statement, to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety health and welfare of its employees. In addition, it is our policy to meet our responsibilities under the HSWA 1974 to ensure students and other persons at the place of work but not in The Students’ Union employment, who may be affected by the work activities, are not exposed to risks, injury or ill health.
Please see Health and Safety Arrangements below.
*FAQ
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*Q A-Z of Health, Safety & Wellbeing
*A The details below are the arrangements and procedures in place to support a positive health and safety culture at the University of Plymouth Students’ Union. The Union expects all staff, students and visitors to abide by these arrangements.
*Q Accident or Incident reporting
*A The Students’ Union is committed to reducing accidents, injury and ill-health to employees and students.
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*A All *accidents and *dangerous occurrences and near misses must be reported within 24 hours using https://liveplymouthac.sharepoint.com/sites/X13/SitePages/Landing.aspx. They must also be reported to the relevant Line Manager. The Building Manager will monitor and propose any remedial action required
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*A Accidents are reported to the UPSU Health & Safety Committee, any accident/incident that is classified under the ‘Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences 1995’ (RIDDOR) is to be reported by the Chief Executive to the University Health and Safety Manager. Refer to ‘A brief guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
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*A *accident, means an accident arising out of or in the course of employment which, in the case of a person carrying out work, results in personal injury.
*A *dangerous occurrence” means an occurrence arising from work activities in a place of work that causes or results in—
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*L A. the collapse, overturning, failure, explosion, bursting, electrical short circuit discharge or overload, or malfunction of any work equipment,
*L B. the collapse or partial collapse of any building or structure under construction or in use as a place of work,
*L C. the uncontrolled or accidental release, the escape or the ignition of any substance,
*L D. a fire involving any substance, or
*L E. any unintentional ignition or explosion of explosives
*Q Alcohol and Drug Misuse
*A Employees must ensure that they are not under the influence of an intoxicant (drugs (over-the-counter or prescription drugs and unlawful drugs) or alcohol or any combination of the two) to the extent that they are in such a state as to endanger their own safety, health or welfare or that of any other person. Refer to the Students’ Union’s Drugs and Alcohol Policy.
*Q Animals within the Students’ Union
*A No animals may be brought into any Students’ Union facility, with the exception of Guide Dogs for the Blind, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and Dogs that assist with disability. Exceptions can only be made with the permission by the Duty Manager.
*Q Codes of Practice
*A For the purpose of practical guidance on safety issues, the Students’ Union will issue a Code of Practice. The following subjects will be covered:
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*L Fire prevention
*L Emergency procedures (covered within Health and Safety policy appendices)
*L Display screen equipment
*L Vehicle driver safety
*L Risk management
*L Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
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*A Prior to writing Codes of Practice, consultation will take place with relevant departments to ensure a universal approach to good safety practice.
*Q Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
*A Substances hazardous to health are present in many products used on a daily basis at work, for example bleach, cooking oil, paint, etc. Some examples of the effects of hazardous substances include:
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*L Skin irritation, dermatitis or even skin cancer from frequent contact with oils
*L Asthma from sensitivity to substances contained in paints or adhesives
*L Being overcome by toxic fumes
*L Poisoning by drinking toxic liquids accidentally
*L Cancer from exposure to carcinogenic substances at work
*L Infection from bacteria and other micro-organisms
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*A The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) provide a legal framework to protect people against health risks from hazardous substances used at work. Hazardous substances that have been brought into the Students’ Union will normally include a warning label and information about safety precautions that should be taken when using the substance. The Safety Data Sheet for such products should be obtained from the supplier of the substance, the responsibility for which is that of the manager of the area in which the product will be used, and the guidance on the sheet should be followed by any staff member coming into contact with the substance.
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*A Department Managers must identify the presence of substances covered by COSHH and due consideration must be given to the risks associated with a product during its procurement. Once identified, the risk associated with the use of the product must be assessed and any necessary precautions identified and implemented. The appropriate manager must monitor the implementation of any precautions and remove the product from use if necessary.
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*A All chemicals must be kept in locked cupboards or rooms, away from public access. Consideration should be given to printer toner, which in some cases may be classed as a hazardous substance if inhaled.
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*A All COSHH Risk Assessment can be found here (link to be added)
*Q Children within the Students’ Union
*A The Students’ Union Building is not intended or designed for use by children and therefore all children should be properly supervised whilst in the Students’ Union. Children are able to use the Students’ Union sports facilities if accompanied by an appropriate adult or coach. Any student who wishes to bring children into the Students’ Union should ensure that they are accompanied at all times. This means not only making sure that the children are safe, but preventing them from doing anything which may cause harm to themselves or others.
*Q Defibrillator
*A The Students’ Union has an Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) situated by reception. An Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) is a device which enables the general public to attempt to restart a heart after a cardiac arrest. They are designed to be simple to operate as the device has a computer programme which will read the heart rhythm and will only discharge (automatically) if it is correct to use a shock in that set of circumstances and as such training is not required in advance of their use.
*Q Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
*A In compliance with Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 THE Students’ Union is committed to providing appropriate equipment and training to DSE Users (defined as those employees who use a display screen for more than one hour per day at work). The Students’ Union provides self-assessments to enable employees to more effectively manage their own work environment and to adjust their workstation (chair, desk, pc monitor etc.) to ensure it is suitable for their use. In addition, employees can receive advice on recommended specific physical or postural adjustments.
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*A DSE Assessments need to be carried out by new employers and anyone moving to a new desk
*Q Training on GDPR
*A some textses the majority of electrical accidents, but many others result in burns from arcing or fire. Shock from a voltage as low as 50 volts A.C. or 120 D.C. is potentially lethal.
*A link
*A When using electrical equipment, employees and volunteers must:
*L Comply with the manufacturers instructions
*L Take care not to overload circuits
*L Avoid the use of wall-mounted adapters because of the danger of damage to wall sockets caused by the weight of a “tree” of adapter(s) and plugs. If an adapter is required, a fused and switched strip adapter should be obtained
*L Prevent trailing cables from becoming a hazard; they should be tucked away or lifted above walkways but, if a cable lying across a walkway is unavoidable, the trip hazard should be reduced by the use of a cable cover.
*L Take care to avoid obstructing any air grill or fan outlet
*L Switch off all equipment at the appliance itself and at the wall socket at the end of the working day (unless designed to be left on permanently).
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*A All electrical equipment will be tested in line with the Universitys PAT Testing Policy and procedures.Employees should also conduct a visual check of any electrical equipment that they are using. The check should be for damaged cables, sockets, wiring etc. For office equipment such as computers, faxes, etc. visual checks should be conducted weekly; for more hazardous equipment such as catering equipment the checks should be conducted daily.The procedures above apply equally to personal electrical equipment that an employee brings into work, for example a stereo.
*Q Emergency Evacuation
*A Emergency evacuation procedures are distributed throughout the Students Union building at every break-glass emergency point. Staff and visitors are required to familiarise themselves with the identified processes on these pages.
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*A The Union Building fire alarm will be tested weekly on a Thursday morning.
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*A Large scale events and activities that change the evacuation procedures in any way will need their own evacuation processes and these need to be made clear to all visitors, attendees and stewards. The University of Plymouth Health and Safety office are able to provide specialist guidance for this.
*Q Housekeeping
*A Effective housekeeping can help control or eliminate workplace hazards. Poor housekeeping practices frequently contribute to incidents. If the sight of paper, debris, clutter and spills is accepted as normal, then other hazards that are more serious may be taken for granted.
*A Housekeeping is not just cleanliness. It includes keeping work areas neat and orderly, maintaining halls and floors free of slip and trip hazards, and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas. It also requires paying attention to important details such as the layout of the whole workplace, aisle marking, the adequacy of storage facilities, and maintenance. Good housekeeping is also a basic part of incident and fire prevention.
*A Workplace inspections will be carried out on a regular basis by the departmental managers to identify areas where standards require improvement. The manager will highlight these for remedial action
*Q First Aid
*A The Students’ Union have taken action to provide suitable first aid arrangements for our employees whilst at work and visitors who may be affected by our activities. We have assessed the reasonable level of first aid provision required for our business and have made the appropriate arrangements.
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*A All Duty Managers and other designated staff will complete a ‘First Aid at Work’ training course which is approved by the Health and Safety Executive. The qualification is valid for three years. Nominated First Aiders will be the only personnel permitted to administer first aid within Students’ Union run facilities, apart from a qualified doctor, nurse or paramedic.
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*A The First Aiders’ main responsibilities are as follows:
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*L To maintain First Aid boxes and make their contents available to staff and students, and to report any deficiency to the Buildings Manager. It is the responsibility of First Aiders to ensure boxes are stocked accordingly.
*L To render First Aid in accordance with their training and to render any assistance required.
*L To report any accident/incident to the Buildings Manager or through other specified channels within this policy.
*L To attend refresher training every three years, on expiry of the National Certificate.
*L Must attend UPSU First Aider meetings regularly.
*Q Lone Working
*A There are areas within the Students’ Union where staff may be required to work in isolation. In the majority of cases, this will be without significant risk (e.g. persons working alone in offices where appropriate safety precautions are in place). However, there will be occasions when this is not so.
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*A Working alone can introduce or accentuate hazards (e.g. lack of assistance if needed, inadequate provision of first aid, sudden illness, violence from others, emergencies, failure of services and supplies, etc.).
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*A Lone working is intended to cover all work proposed to be undertaken alone where the risk to the lone worker may be increased either by the work itself, or by the lack of on-hand support should something go wrong. Managers shall ensure that all lone working activities are formally identified and appropriate risk assessments undertaken, which identify the risk to lone workers and the control measures necessary to minimise risks, as far as reasonably practicable. Please refer to the Lone Working Policy for more details. (link to policy to be added).
*Q Manual Handling
*A The Students’ Union is committed to minimising the need for manual handling of loads by employees.
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*A Manual handling includes - lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, supporting, carrying and moving loads by hand or by bodily force and could result in work related musculoskeletal injuries.
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*A The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require that hazardous manual handling be avoided whenever it is reasonably practicable to do so. Where not possible, the regulations require a process of risk assessment and the introduction of measures to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest practicable level. In order to reduce the risk of injury from manual handling, line managers must identify manual handling operations that present a risk of injury and establish the best control measures to avoid injury. Managers shall also ensure that staff are not pressurised by supervisors or systems of work into undertaking operations (by weight and/or rate of work) that are beyond their safe capability and provide suitable information, training and supervision for all employees and volunteers engaged in manual handling tasks.
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*A In order to reduce the risk of injury from manual handling, staff must use any mechanical aids that have been provided for their use and for which they have been trained; reporting any faults with mechanical aids to their manager.
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*A Staff should also inform their manager if they are unable to undertake their normal manual handling duties because of injury, illness or any other condition, avoid undertaking any manual handling operation that they believe is beyond their capability.
*Q Personal Protective Equipment
*A The Student Union will ensure that all our employees are adequately protected. Where it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate or reduce the risk, PPE appropriate to the task/work environment will be provided as a control measure.
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*A As required, the Student Union are committed to:
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*L The provision of adequate and suitable PPE;
*L Ensuring that PPE is used, maintained and replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions;
*L Ensuring that information is recorded to include supply of and training in the use of PPE as appropriate; and
*L Ensuring that PPE is free of charge to employees.
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*A On receipt of appropriate PPE, we expect all employees to:
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*L Use PPE correctly and whenever it is required;
*L Report any defects in or damage to their PPE immediately;
*L Participate in any training or instruction provided on the fitting, use and inspection of PPE.
*L Inform of any medical conditions that may affect the correct use of the PPE provided; and
*L Look after PPE provided.
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*A Risk assessments identify the specific requirements for PPE in each area.
*Q Pregnant, Post-Natal and Breastfeeding Mothers
*A Specific health and safety requirements relating to new and expectant mothers at work are mainly contained in Regulations 16 to 18 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work (MHSW) Regulations 1999.
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*L Assess the risks and any possible effects on pregnant, postnatal or breastfeeding employees resulting from any activity at the place of work; and
*L Ensure that pregnant, postnatal and breastfeeding employees are able to lie down to rest in appropriate conditions.
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*A The Regulations apply once an employee informs her employer that she is pregnant, has recently given birth (within the previous 14 weeks) or is breastfeeding. Each risk assessment will identify hazards in the workplace that could pose a health and safety risk to new and expectant mothers. Where the assessment reveals a risk, then preventive or protective measures will be taken.
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*A Pregnant employees should advise the HR and Line Manager of their condition as soon as they are aware they are pregnant so that a confidential pregnancy risk assessment may be carried out. Where the preliminary assessment highlights areas of concern, HR will complete a more in-depth assessment in conjunction with the department and the employee to establish appropriate controls. Where medical issues arise in relation to the pregnant employee’s/student’s safety, HR may refer the employee to the external Occupational Health Service Provider.
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*A Prior to returning to work following maternity leave, employees who intend to take breastfeeding breaks must notify HR and their Line Manager at least four weeks in advance of their return.
*Q Smoking Policy
*A The Students’ Union recognises that some of its staff, customers and visitors will be smokers. However, the Union has an obligation to protect its staff, customers and visitors from the ill effects of passive smoking.
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*A Under the Health Act 2006, all workplaces and substantially enclosed public areas in England are smoke free by law. In accordance with the Health Act 2006, and in line with The Students’ union Smoking Policy (link to be added), smoking will be prohibited:within Union premises,
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*L whether offices or student social space
*L At entrances to Union premises
*L Within vehicles which are owned, operated or leased by the Students’ Union
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*A Smoking is permitted at a reasonable distance (at least 5m) away from the building to ensure that tobacco smoke does not enter into the building nor affect those attempting to access the building. The Union will ensure that “No Smoking” signs are displayed prominently in all areas except any which are designated as smoking areas.
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*A In addition to meeting our legislative commitments, we will provide encouragement and support to smokers who wish to give up smoking. Electronic cigarettes will be classified and regulated as medicines from 2016, and their production will be licensed. The British Medical Association recommends that electronic cigarettes are included within smoking policies because they reinforce the “normalcy” of smoking behaviour and can cause people to believe that smoking is permitted in areas where it is not.
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*A The Policy states: You are not permitted to smoke tobacco-containing products within any University building or within 5 meters (for example, approximately 5 paces) of any University building perimeter. You are not permitted to use electronic cigarettes within any University building.
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