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Division of Psychology, School of Life Sciences


Health & Safety Manual

Dr. Cynthia McVeyHead of Division

Prof. Kevan GartlandDean

Written and edited by David Bell, Senior Technician

Health & Safety Policy (2009)


Contents:1. Introduction 42. Health & Safety Policy statement 53. Organisation of Health & Safety within the Division 64. Arrangements for Health & Safety within the Division 8

a) Risk Assessment 8i. Responsible Persons

ii. Conducting Risk Assessmentsiii. Assessment Review

b) Safety Monitoring 9i. Roles and Responsibilities

ii. Activities for Inclusionc) Fire Safety 9

i. General action in the event of a fired) Electrical 10

i. General rules of good practiceii. Common defects and things to look out for in a

regular visual inspectione) Manual Handling 12

i. Risk Assessmentii. Hierarchy of controlsiii. Further information and guidance

f) Entry, exit and security to include disabled students and personnel 14

g) Lone working 15i. Definition of Lone Workers

ii. Risk Assessmentsiii. Action following Risk Assessment

h) Violence 17i. Definition of Violence

ii. Actions to be takeniii. General Guidanceiv. Further Advice

i) Housekeeping and Storage 18i. Housekeeping responsibilities

ii. Risk Assessmentsiii. Storage

j) Display screen equipment 19i. DSE Users

ii. Risk Assessmentsiii. User Trainingiv. Good Practice for Users

a. Postureb. Workstation Arrangementc. Breaks and Activity Changesd. Working with Laptopse. Further Advice & Contacts

k) Equipment Maintenance 22i. Assessment of Equipment prior to maintenance



ii. Maintenance Provisioniii. Maintenance Records

l) Off Campus Trips and Foreign Visits 23i. Risk Assessments

ii. Emergency Protocol and Accident Reportingiii. Contact Numbers

m) Student Project Data Collection 25i. Divisional Arrangements

ii. General Requirementsn) Training 27

i. New Staffii. On-going Training for Existing Staffiii. Staff with Health & Safety Responsibilitiesiv. Further Advice and Guidance

o) Health & Safety information for new students 28i. Further Guidance

p) First Aid 29i. Location of Divisional ‘First Aid’ Box

ii. Appointed Person Responsibleiii. Location of Accident bookiv. Accessing First Aidv. Divisional First Aidervi. Central First Aid Rooms

vii. Occupational Health Service Contact Detailsq) Accident and incident reporting 31

i. General Accident & Incident Reportingii. Location of the Divisional Accident Bookiii. Responsible Personsiv. Divisional Responsible Personsv. University Safety Advisor

r) Emergencies 33i. Contact Information in the Event of an Emergency

s) Divisional safety files 33i. Location of Divisional Safety File

ii. File Maintained byiii. File Inclusions

t) Hazardous substances 34i. Risk Assessment

ii. Recordsiii. Controlsiv. Health Surveillance

u) Stress and Ill Health 35i. Definition of Stress

ii. Preventioniii. Supportiv. Review and Monitorv. Further Assistance and Guidance

v) Notes 38



Appendix – School of Life Sciences Health & Safety Policy42Appendix 2 – Biological & Biomedical Sciences Out-of-Hours and Lone Working Policy 47



1. Introduction:

In line with Caledonian University’s Health & Safety Policy1 , this document is a statement of the Division of Psychology towards health & safety as it affects the staff, students, contractors and others and a set of guidelines for safe working practices within the division. With this in mind, the document explains the organisation and arrangements established within the division to put this into effect.

The division accepts that a high level of commitment to health and safety is a legal requirement which has benefits to all and makes sound business sense. Included in this policy is a statement on the occupational health of divisional staff. The division accepts that health & safety is one of its core functions and, as such, must evolve and adapt to changes. With this in mind, the division approached health & safety through the implementation and maintenance of an integrated management system.

The division regards health & safety as a responsibility of everyone but recognises that senior staff have specific duties and responsibilities in complying with the various statutes. As an academic institution, we seek to promote the involvement of our students and their representatives in ensuring that all actions are in accordance with the law and the spirit of this policy.

The division seeks to allocate appropriate resources to the support of health & safety while a positive culture is encouraged through ongoing contact with staff and students in the decision making process.

The division seeks to pursue adequate monitoring and review of health & safety implementation with the aim of informing best practice.1 http://www.gcal.ac.uk/healthandsafety/policies/index.html


http://www.gcal.ac.uk/healthandsafety/policies/documents/HealthSafetyPolicy2006.pdf


2. Health & Safety Policy Statement:

With this in mind the division commits itself, within reason and as far as is reasonably practical, to achieving the following:

To look at the health & safety risks within the division, assess these risks and take appropriate action to remove or control these. This assessment will be done in an efficient and systematic manner.

To consult with staff and students on matters affecting their health & safety.

To provide an environment and methods of working that are safe and minimised risk to the health of all persons working within the division.

To put arrangements in place for the safe use of plant and equipment and provision of suitable storage facilities and manual handling training.

The provision of necessary health & safety information, instruction and training to all staff to ensure competence with respect to health & safety and to regularly assess performance in these matters.

To minimise accidents and cases or work related ill health. To liaise with all interested parties to ensure adequate

arrangements are in place for the health & safety of staff, students and visitors. These systems will include the provision of a healthy and safe working environment, appropriate welfare facilities and emergency access to all within the GCU policy.

The implementation and maintenance of a monitoring system to ensure that all Statutes, Regulations and Codes of Practice are adhered to and to take any remedial action thought necessary.

Ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to facilitate the effective review and revision of this policy at regular intervals.

Signed: ……………………………………………. Date: ………………………………..

Dr. Cynthia McVey

Head, Division of Psychology

GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY



3. Organisation of Health & Safety within the Division

This policy section outlines the roles and responsibilities of all members of the division. The role of the Technician Liaison Committee to whom the health & safety remit has been delegated is also explained.

The Dean of the School

In the legislation, the University Court has the ultimate legal responsibility for University health & safety. This is delegated to the Dean of the School for staff, students and visitors within the Division.

Specifically, the Dean will:

Ensure that the Head of Division designates a Safety Co-ordinator to assist in the discharge of health & safety duties.

Define performance standards, establish monitoring procedures for implementation and take remedial action where necessary.

Maintain an up to date local organisational chart dealing with the management structure, health & safety arrangements and responsibilities where appropriate to include job descriptions.

Head of Division of Psychology

The Head of Division is responsible for ensuring that the health & safety standards are complied with within their area of control and that staff and students are kept fully informed of health & safety issues.

Health & Safety / Technical Liaison Committee

Terms of Reference

The function of the above is to consider the points laid out below on behalf of the Head of Division and to advise as appropriate.

The health & safety policies, organisation and measures felt to be appropriate to the circumstances of the Division.

Compliance with the University’s health & safety policies and compliance with the legal process as required.

The effectiveness of the Division’s health & safety arrangements involving periodic review and evaluation as well as recommending actions where appropriate.

Review accident reports and recommend action. Consult with the Head of division on the resources required to meet

the Division’s obligations with respect to health & safety. Provision of a discussion forum on health & safety matters of

interest to the Division.

Note:



1. Health & safety issues that cannot be resolved by the committee should be referred to the School Health & Safety Committee.

2. The committee should have four meetings per session.3. The minutes of the meeting should be submitted to the School Management Team.

Composition of the Divisional committee

A chairperson appointed by the Head of Division. The members of the Technician Liaison Committee Divisional Health & Safety Co-ordinator to include an academic

nominee. Representatives of appropriate interest groups within the Division.

Staff, students, visitors and others.

Staff, students, visitors and others have a duty of care to others within the Division and co-operate with the University and School in complying with health & safety arrangements in force. In addition, they must not interfere with or misuse equipment or premises that are provided in the interests of health & safety. They also have a duty to abide by current Statutes, Regulations and Codes of Practice.



4. Arrangements for Health & Safety within the Division

a) Risk Assessments:The Division of Psychology acknowledges its duty under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to ensure a suitable system in place through the provision of facilities, resources and procedures. The division recognises that, as a first step in ensuring a safe environment, regular risk assessments of the activities of employees, students and visitors within Psychology will be carried out. This should be done in accordance with the University’s Risk Assessment Procedures of 1998.

i. Responsible Persons:Persons responsible for the conduct of risk assessments within the division are designated by the Head of Division. The names of such persons will be communicated to all members of the division. In this context, it should be clear that Principal Investigators are responsible for their assessments; that supervisors are responsible for theses and dissertations and modules leaders for teaching assessments.It is the responsibility of the Division to ensure that such designated persons have received suitable and sufficient training through the Risk Assessor training course. Supplementary to this, specialist training courses such as Display Screen Equipment and Manual Handling Assessment workshops are made available. It is the responsibility of the division to ensure that there is a sufficient number of staff conducting risk assessments.

ii. Conducting risk assessments:Recorded details and findings of all risk assessments should be kept within the divisional safety file. Where possible the University proformas should be used as a generic framework but, on occasions where activity is out of the ordinary, specific risk assessments will be completed. Assessors will rate the risks in accordance with BS8800 with the results aiding identification of risks requiring remedial action before progress can be made. In cases where assessed risks require guidance contact can be made with the Health & Safety Department on extension 8214. This should also occur when assessed risks are complex, high profile or unfamiliar.

iii. Assessment review:Periodic reviews of risk assessments will be undertaken. This review will make reference to the current assessment paperwork, the divisional accident book, inspection of accommodation and consultation with relevant parties having health & safety issues they wish to be brought to the attention of the division. Consultation with staff will be achieved by ensuring that staff are aware that the Head of Division or designated person should be informed of health & safety issues and that this can be done by



email, a meeting to discuss the matter or an agenda item at the Divisional Forum. In the event that deficits are identified in current policies and procedures remedial action will be taken at the earliest opportunity. Details of such actions will be recorded in the risk assessment as amended for future reference. Revision of the risk assessment document will also take place following;

Any change in the activity Accident Near miss Cases of ill health as a result of work activities

b) Safety Monitoring

The Division of Psychology is aware that, in order to ensure a healthy and safe working environment, system monitoring must take place. Without a systematic check on policies, procedures and any subsequent accidents progress cannot be made. Monitoring will take place in conjunction with all interested parties.

i. Roles and responsibilitiesAs roles and responsibilities should tie in with divisional risk assessments, it is good practice that those involved in the assessment process are also involved in monitoring thus ensuring continuity of information and action. To this effect, health & safety will be the remit of the Technician Liaison Committee.

Responsible person’s contact details:David Bell Ext. 3954 Senior TechnicianBarbara Duncan Ext. 3907 Lecturer

ii. Activities for inclusion.

Systems of safety monitoring within the division must include both active and reactive monitoring. Active monitoring should be achieved through regular feedback on health & safety performance. This may come from informal meetings with staff, physical inspection of offices and laboratories or collection of information by means of questionnaires. Progress towards targets and the division’s adherence to current decisions and legislation should also be revised. Reactive monitoring must also involve gathering information on accidents and incidents that may have occurred. Where an accident has occurred the circumstances and causes should be investigated with a view to action preventing it happening again.



For advice and assistance on investigating an accident, please contact the Health & Safety Department – Ext. 8214.

It is to be hoped that, from a review of this information, trends and statistics may identify areas for improvement. In addition, review of the risk assessment processes, the training and competency of those conducting assessments can me enhanced. Through an improved process, a consistently high level of health & safety management can be achieved.

This message must be communicated to all staff by means of this document and the Technician Liaison Committee in order to ensure a good health & safety culture throughout the division.Records of all reports and findings should be kept within the divisional safety file and made available to all members of staff as required.

c) Fire Safety

The Division of Psychology recognises the need to implement procedures to ensure that all reasonably practical precautions are taken to ensure that the possibility of fire is kept to an absolute minimum. The division believes that the best measure that can be taken is ensuring that all staff, students, visitors and contractors understand and follow the University’s central procedures for fire safety in order to maintain continuity of effort.

To that end, all groups should refer to University document H&S No12/00/FM detailing procedures for fire safety as their main source of procedures and information. This document has detailed guidance on actions that must be taken in the event of a fire and for emergency controls in the event of a fire outside normal hours.

General action in the event of a fire:

On the discovery of a fire, any member of staff or other person should set off the nearest fire alarm. Following this action the individual should exit the building by means of the nearest available fire exit route to ensure their own safety and immediately call the Emergency Helpdesk on extension 2222 (0141 331 3000 if using a landline or mobile).

Following the alarm activation, staff and students should evacuate the building immediately by means of the nearest fire escapes. The building should be checked by fire wardens to ensure that all individuals have left. Under no circumstance should lifts be used and no member of staff should extinguish the fire. This should be left to the fire service. The building should not be re-entered until authorised by the fire convener.



d) ElectricityThe Division of Psychology is committed to ensuring that a regular review and maintenance of all electrical equipments and outlets within its area takes place in pursuit of a safe and healthy working environment. Arrangements for the achievement of this will adhere to the Electricity at Work regulations 1989 and the British Standard (BS7671) Requirements for electrical installations – IEE wiring regulations as applied by Facilities Management.

General rules of good practice:The following rules of good practice must be followed by all members of staff within the division with the aim of reducing the likelihood of damaged or faulty equipment causing harm. For further guidance on matters relating to electrical safety contact the Facilities Management Dept. on ext. 3999.

Equipment is switched off before, cleaning, maintenance or making adjustments

Tools, equipment and power sockets are switched off before plugging in or unplugging equipment

Checks are made that all equipment has been turned off or unplugged before leaving the environment. Equipment that may cause harm must never be left unattended whilst still ‘live’ (this would not include PCs)

The use of multi-plug adapters should be avoided however it is recognised that, in some instances, this is necessary. In these cases, all attempts must be made to ensure that the adapters are not overloaded and that the number of plugs attached is kept to a minimum

Electrical equipment that may get hot must not be covered thus reducing the possibility of overheating

In no circumstances should flammable material be stored near electrical equipment which has the possibility of becoming hot

In addition to the general rules of good practice mentioned previously it is the responsibility of the division to appoint a responsible person or persons to undertake supplementary actions to further reduce the likelihood of harm occurring from electrical faults. The primary function of the responsible individuals is to conduct periodic risk assessments of electrical equipment.

While the risks generated through the use of electrical equipment should be included within general risk assessments conducted by the division it should be noted that additional regular checks ought to be made with reference to its use, maintenance and testing of all electrical equipment. Records of all findings should be kept in the divisional safety file.



Equipment testing may only be undertaken by trained and competent individuals provided by FMD, it remains the responsibility of all staff to report any suspected faults or defects to Facilities Management and/or their responsible person(s) in the division. In these instances, it is likely that those individuals using the electrical equipment will highlight identification and prevention through regular visual inspection.

Common defects and things to look out for in a regular visual inspection:

Cuts or abrasions to the cable covering Overheating burns or stain marks on cables or plugs Damage to the plug i.e. broken casing Insulated colour coded wires visible due to sheath not be

properly gripped by the plug Damage to or parts missing from the outer cover of equipment

i.e. screws loose or missing guard

The use of privately owned electrical equipment should be avoided. If used, it must be tested and accepted by Facilities Management. Such equipment will also be subject to follow up checks and review.

For assistance, advice and the reporting of faulty electrical equipment contact the Facilities Management Helpdesk on ext. 3999.

For assistance, advice and the reporting of faulty audiovisual equipment contact the AVS Helpdesk on ext. 1234.

Further guidance required should be sought through Facilities Management or by referring to the following HSE leaflets available on their website http://www.hse.gov.uk.

‘Electrical Safety and You’. ‘Monitoring electrical equipment in offices and other low risk

environments’.

In the event of someone receiving an electrical shock only a trained first aider should administer treatment. In no circumstance should an individual touch someone who has been shocked until it is certain that the electricity has been switched off or that the victim is no longer in contact with the power supply. First Aid assistance should be obtained by phoning extension 2222. Further details regarding first Aid can be found in the University First Aid Policy document OH No3 which can be found on the Occupational Health website.

http://www.gcal.ac.uk/occhealth/policies.html

e) Manual Handling



http://www.hse.gov.uk/


The Division of Psychology recognises the need for suitable and sufficient measures to be implemented to ensure that risks arising from manual handling operations are maintained at a low level in accordance with requirements set out in the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (amended 2002). This is to be achieved through a system of assessments, procedures and training following guidance set out in the university’s Health & Safety policy and guidance document H&S No6/03.

Risk Assessment:

Staff should aim to avoid manual handling operations where possible. This can be achieved through arrangements for Facilities Management to undertake such handling as they have received specialist training in correct procedures for handling loads. Where it is not possible to avoid such risk, a manual handling risk assessment should be carried out. It should also be noted that manual handling should also be considered in any generic risk assessment being carried out.

Following this assessment suitable and sufficient control measures should be introduced following the controls hierarchy set out by the HSE.

Hierarchy of controls:

Where possible staff should use a handling aide such as a trolley. It should be noted however that assessments of the aide must be made to ensure that further risks are not incurred in its use. Such aides are available in the technician workshop.

Where possible staff should aim to split the load into smaller weight categories making the load more manageable. Guideline weights shown in the diagram below give an indication of the safe levels of weights that can be lifted dependent on positioning and gender



By re-organising the work environment so that heavier loads are stored at waist height thus lowering the risk of injury. Staff should also consider a collective lift involving a colleague. Particular care should however be taken using this method.

As a last resort, staff should be trained in safe lifting techniques. Examples of relevant techniques and procedures are given below:

Plan the lift by considering where it is going to be placed. How far will you have to travel? Do you need help lifting the load? Rock the load gently to get some idea of the overall weight removing obstructions such as waster materials.

Adopt a stable position. Feet should be placed apart at other side of the load with one slightly forward to maintain balance. Avoid the use of tight clothing and unsuitable footwear which make increase the difficulty in lifting the load.

Knees and hips should be bent slightly to avoid putting pressure on the back.

Keep the load as close to the waist as possible with the heaviest side closest to the body. Shoulders should be level and facing in the same direction as the hips with the chin up and outwards.

Carry out the lifting movement slowly, do not jerk or snatch the load. Avoid straightening the legs before standing upright as this will put pressure on the back through causing it to bend. The movement upwards of the legs and back should occur at the same time.

Do not twist the trunk; instead turn by moving the feet not the hips and back.



The load should be put down the adjusted when positioning. This may involve sliding the load into its desired position.

Further information and guidance.

Further guidance may be sought through contacting a member of the Technical Liaison Committee, referring to the university policy (document reference H&S No6/O3) Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended 2002) and the HSE leaflet ‘Getting to Grips with Manual Handling’, a copy of which may be found on the HSE website and should be maintained in the divisional safety file.

Further specialist training in reducing manual handling risk and risk assessment are available through courses run by Organisational Development. Please see the OD website for further details. http://www.gcal.ac.uk/odonline/index.html

f) Entry and Exit.


http://www.gcal.ac.uk/odonline/index.html


The Division of Psychology acknowledges its responsibility, so far as is reasonably practical, to ensure the safe access to, and egress from, the workplace and for the security of staff, students and the public while they are within the division. However, it is not the sole responsibility of the division to ensure this occurs as all staff should assist in making sure that they take precautions to ensure their own and colleagues safety by following good practice in maintaining safe entry and exit.

Access and Egress:

The primary role of staff in ensuring safe access and egress to the Division of Psychology revolves around good housekeeping practices such as described in the appropriate section of these arrangements.

In addition:

• Staff should report any obstruction, hazards or building defects, especially where this affects access, egress or security, to the Estates Department.

• Any faults in lighting should also be reported to the Estates Department.

• At no time should points of access and in particular egress be blocked or obstructed.

Further guidance is given in the Housekeeping and Storage Arrangements for the Division of Psychology.

g) Lone Working

It is the policy of this University to fully implement the general requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 in so far as lone working is concerned. It is the aim of Division to ensure that an unreasonable level of additional risk is not placed upon staff who undertake periods of lone working. The division recognises the need for measures to be put in place to protect lone workers as a general requirement under the above and as a measure of good working practice.

Definition of lone workers:

For the purposes of these arrangements lone workers within Psychology include:

• Those working without interaction with other staff or supervision.

• Home Workers



• Staff working out with normal working hours on their own, i.e. evenings and weekends

Risk Assessments:

Lone working should be considered within general risk assessments carried out by the division. If the associated risk in any activity is perceived to be above a reasonable level it may be beneficial to undertake an assessment specific to the person working alone.

The risk assessments should identify all persons who undertake lone working, the location they will be working in and the tasks being undertaken. Further issues to consider include whether the equipment, substances etc. being used can be safely handled by one person, whether the workplace presents a particular risk to lone working i.e.is there a risk of violence for those working in buildings on or off campus and whether there is a safe means of entry and exit for one person.

It is important that lone workers are considered for known medical conditions which may make them unsuitable for working alone. This aspect of the assessment is conducted through Occupational Health. For those deemed to be especially at risk e.g. young workers and pregnant women, an assessment should be carried out in conjunction with Occupational Health.

Action following risk assessment:

Through conducting risk assessments the division should become aware of the level of risk associated with lone working. This should enable the relevant people to make an informed judgement of the whether it is safe for an individual to work alone and the appropriate controls that should be implemented to ensure the worker’s safety. Controls may include designating safe areas to work, arranging supervision or periodic checks to be undertaken either through visual checks or by telephone, issuing panic alarms and training staff to ensure that they are aware of the risks faced through lone working and what they themselves can do to reduce any risks. In areas of high risk or low security the division may consider, in consultation with Facilities Management, the installation of additional measures such as intercom activated doors etc.

The following guidance is given by Facilities Management and should be communicated to any member of staff identified as a lone worker. For efficiency this should be conducted by the TLC health and safety working group as this should tie in with the results of the risk assessments.

The receptionists can be contacted at the following numbers:



George Moore x3785 Mbeki (Health Building)x8004

Hamish Wood x3786 Campus Security x3787 OR x8071

Britannia Building x3298

In the event of an emergency call extension 2222.

Security Officers can also be contacted by paging. From any telephone in the University you can call X 8998 and follow the instructions on how to send a message.

The division may ascertain from the findings of their risk assessment that maintaining a record of all lone working is beneficial. This may include the dates, times, locations and the individuals involved in lone working. A record should also be kept of any instance where a lone worker is put especially at risk, is subject to a security issue, suffers injury, ill health or a dangerous occurrence. For these issues the University accident and incident reporting procedures must be followed. Information regarding this procedure may be found in the accident reporting and investigation arrangements or the University incident reporting policy H&S No10/00/0048 copies of which can be found on the Health & Safety Department website.

Further guidance can be found in the Health & Safety Executive’s leaflets ‘Working Alone in Safety’ and ‘Controlling the Risks of Solitary Work’ copies of which can be downloaded free from their website and should be maintained in the divisional safety file. Campus Security and the Health & Safety Department offer further advice on the topic.

h) Violence

The Division of Psychology acknowledges the need for measures that are reasonably practicable to be implemented to ensure that the risk of acts of violence2 against members of staff is removed completely or managed effectively. Under no circumstances will behaviour deemed abusive or threatening, whether this be physical or verbal, be condoned. It is the aim of the division to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees through the provision of a comprehensive safety management system in its adherence to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

2Definition of Violence:



For the purposes of this document acts of work related violence will include any incident in which an employee is subject to abuse, threats or physical assault in circumstances relating to their work.

Actions to be taken:

Under compliance with the requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, risk assessments of the threat of violence should be conducted. This should be addressed within the generic risk assessments conducted periodically. However for projects whose generic risk assessment findings suggest a significant level of risk, separate assessments must be conducted and used in conjunction to ensure that all suitable and sufficient action is taken. Records of all findings and actions taken must be maintained and communicated to all members of staff.

All acts of violence must be investigated and reported to the Head of Division. Where violence results in a death or major injury or an incapacity for three or more working days, the University Health and Safety Department must be contacted. It is then the responsibility of the Health & Safety Department to report the incident to the Health and Safety Executive in compliance with the requirements set out in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).

General Guidance:The division should ensure that staff are made aware of the procedures detailed above and given general guidance on how best to protect themselves from the risk of violence. Points that should be covered within the guidance include:

• Information on the increased risk of lone working and the procedures for tackling that risk.

• Lines of communication for reporting that risk.• Procedures for conducting meetings etc. with individuals who

may become a threat.• Contact information for relevant university services e.g. the HR

department and Campus Security.

The list given above is not exhaustive and should only be used as general guidance on what should be included.

Further Advice:Further sources of information can be sought from Health & Safety Co-ordinator, the TLC, the Health & Safety Department and the relevant arrangement documents. This includes Accident and Incident Reporting, First Aid and Lone Working.



University Safety Advisor: extension 8859University Safety Officer: extension 8255Free leaflets available on HSE Website - http://www.hse.gov.ukEmergency helpdesk: extension 2222 (0141 331 3000 if using a mobile or landline)

i) Housekeeping and Storage

The Division of Psychology recognises the need for effective housekeeping and the availability of storage facilities in its aim to adhere to regulation 9 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 thus minimising the likelihood of slips, trips and falls and the blocking of means of access and egress. As such primary responsibility for the cleaning of offices, labs, classrooms and public areas is that of Facilities Management staff. Further guidance may be found in the University’s Workplace Policy and Guidance document H&S No8.

Housekeeping responsibilities:As stated previously housekeeping is primarily the responsibility of Facilities Management staff however all staff within Psychology must ensure that their own area / office is maintained at a reasonable level of cleanliness, order and free from obstructions which could cause harm. This includes making sure that no objects (such as paper, folders etc) are stored on the floor unless strictly necessary and that redundant material is not accumulated.

By ensuring that the workplace is kept clean and free from obstructions the likelihood of fire exits becoming blocked or individuals receiving injury due to slips and trips should be greatly reduced. Furthermore, through maintaining high levels of workplace hygiene the risk of infection and illness should also be lowered.

Risk Assessments:

Levels of housekeeping and cleanliness within offices etc. should be addressed within the annual risk assessments carried out by members of the division.

In cases of a consistently poor standard the Safety Co-ordinator should alert the Head of Division of the issue.

Storage:



All staff should aim to ensure that materials are stored safely at all times. As mentioned previously, unnecessary materials should not be stored on the floor or left to accumulate where possible.The manual handling implications created by improper storage must be considered at all times. As such, staff should aim to avoid manual handling operations as far as is reasonably practicable. Where this is not possible, heavy materials must always be stored at lower levels to reduce the risks associated with retrieving objects above your natural reach. Where this does occur a suitable step ladder should be used to reach the object and under no circumstances should a chair etc. be used.In cases where storage is becoming a problem the Senior Technician must be advised of the problem so that alternative arrangements can be made.Additional reference should be made to the University Workplace Document Reference H&S No.8. This may be obtained from the Health & Safety Department. A copy should also be kept within the divisional safety file. Further guidance may be sought in the division’s manual handling arrangements.

j) Display Screen Equipment

The Division of Psychology recognises the need for policies and procedures to be implemented in order to address the risks faced by a substantial number of staff due to the high level of Display Screen Equipment (DSE) use within the division. Measures taken will be carried out in accordance with the University’s Policy and Guidance on Display Screen Equipment OH No7 and the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 as amended by the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002.

DSE Users:Prior to conducting risk assessments for display screen equipment the division must identify which staff may be considered users. In general, an individual may be classified as a user if:

• their work consists of a period of an hour or more of near continuous DSE use

• if such activities occur more or less daily• if such work is a necessary component of their employment.

However, when conducting a risk assessment, assessors should use their own judgement in including those who may not fit the above criteria but who they believe to be users. It is likely that, within the Psychology Division, DSE users will predominantly be research active or administration staff. Periodically, staff will be given a DSE checklist for the purposes of self assessment.



Risk Assessments.Following identification of all DSE users the division must ensure that an assessment of each user’s workstation is completed by a trained and competent person(s) as appointed by the Head of Division. It is recommended that the division has more than one individual trained as a DSE assessor. Such training would be provided through Organisational Development.Records of all assessments should be maintained within the divisional safety file. Follow up assessments should be conducted following:

• any changes• on a periodic basis• at the request of a member of staff

Follow up assessments may not involve re-assessing the whole workstation if it is suitable and sufficient only to look only at the area or section of concern. Should the findings of the assessment show that changes must be made, sufficient measures must be implemented to remove or reduce the risks with actions taken recorded. Assessors should use the University’s pro-forma for Display Screen Equipment Assessment when conducting their assessments. Copies of this document may be found in the University’s policy with blank copies maintained in the divisional safety folder.

DSE assessments within the division will be conducted by:

Initially by means of a self-administered checklistDavid Bell Ext. 3954 Senior Technician

User Training:Where possible, staff should be trained in correct DSE use procedures prior to their becoming a user. However it is recognised that, in the majority of cases, this will not be feasible and, as such, training should be provided at the first available occasion. Included within this training should be information about the risks associated with display screen equipment and workstations, the importance of taking regular breaks, activity changing and the findings of the risk assessment of their workstation. Staff should also be made aware of the provision of free eye tests available on request from the University’s Eye Clinic in accordance with requirements of the applicable regulations. Staff should be made aware of the University’s policy regarding its position and actions to be taken should a problem applicable only to display screen equipment be found. This includes the provision of corrective appliances (i.e. spectacles).

Staff should also be made aware of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) leaflet entitled ‘Working with VDUs’ a copy of which should be maintained within the divisional safety file and is available free from the HSE website.



Good Practice for Users.Staff should aim to ensure that they themselves take all reasonable precautions to ensure their own health and safety when using display screen equipment. This includes following university procedures and advice from those trained as assessors within the respective department. The following information may be used as guidance.

• Posture: The diagram below shows the correct posture for working with DSE. Chairs should be adjusted to the most comfortable position; back posture should ideally remain straight and upright with lumbar support from the chair back. Users should avoid slouching backwards or towards the screen as this may lead to back pain. Forearms should be approximately horizontal with room in front of the keyboard for wrist support. There should be enough space underneath the desk to allow leg movement with seat height adjusted to ensure that feet are rested flatly on the floor to avoid excess pressure on the backs of the legs from the seat edge.



• Workstation arrangement: Workstations should be arranged to ensure that the DSE is positioned to avoid glare or reflection on the screen. This may be achieved through ensuring that neither you nor the screen faces bright lights or windows. The keyboard, mouse, documents and other items in regular use should be positioned within suitable reach to avoid the risks associated with stretching such as upper limb disorders including repetitive strain injury.

• Breaks and Activity Changes: To minimise the risks associated with long periods of DSE use staff should try to ensure that they incorporate regular work activity changes into their work, e.g. photocopying or filing. Such activities provide natural breaks. In addition to this it is recommended that staff take regular short breaks of 5 to 10 minutes every hour which holds greater benefits than taking longer breaks over longer periods of time.

• Working with laptops: Working with laptops can aggravate problems normally associated with working with display screen equipment. The guidance given previously must be followed closely when positioning the laptop for use. This includes raising its height to eye level (this does not have to built in, it can be achieved simply through placing the laptop on a stable material of suitable height i.e. a phone directory) Furthermore laptops do not meet regulatory requirements due to the positioning of the keyboard. Staff should ensure that when using a laptop as the primary method of display screen equipment use that a separate keyboard is attached and used instead of that incorporated into the laptop.

Further advice and contact:Further reference should be sought from the University’s Policy Manual for Display Screen Equipment OH No.7 and the HSE leaflet ‘Working with VDUs’. For advice staff should consult the divisional DSE assessor, the Health & Safety or Occupational Health Departments who can be contacted on extensions 3954, 8214 or 8228 respectively.

k) Equipment maintenance:

The Division of Psychology aims to adhere to the requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. This is to be achieved through risk assessment, regular maintenance and inspection of relevant work equipment and includes equipment which may cause harm as a direct result of its operations or through a fault or defect). Only those fully trained and competent should be involved in maintenance. Through utilising the guidelines set out in the University Policy and Guidance on Work Equipment (H&S No 9/00) the division will ensure



that all staff aim to achieve the complete safety of all who may be harmed by the equipment.

Assessment of equipment prior to maintenance:

Risk assessments of high risk work equipment must be carried out periodically to ensure suitability and to set a base line from which future maintenance reviews can be measured against.

These assessments should involve three aspects:

The internal integrity of the equipment (is it safe for use in terms of its construction)

Its place of use (e.g. electrical equipment placed in wet or flammable environments)

The purpose for which it will be used.

Following risk assessments, it should be possible to judge the frequency of maintenance inspections. However, maintenance should not be limited to predetermined review periods. Maintenance ought to occur as a measure of planned preventative intervals where adjusting or replacing of parts is necessary. Condition based maintenance, which should be used for the regular review of safety-critical parts such as guards or breakdown maintenance. All three types of maintenance must be used in conjunction to ensure continuous maintenance, safe operation and quick response to issues.

Complex powered equipment is highly likely to come with a manufacturer’s manual detailing health and safety procedures and the recommended frequency of maintenance. This must be used to ensure adherence to the guidelines and provide guidance above that produced by the risk assessment.

Maintenance Provision:

It is the responsibility of the Senior Technician to maintain equipment in a working condition (general safe working of the equipment), in efficient working order(everything working as it should) and in good repair (repairs and maintenance have been undertaken to correct any defects).

All staff should be made aware that maintenance should only be carried out by a trained professional.

There may be individuals within the division responsible for the maintenance of certain equipment due to their level of training. In these instances each member of staff using the equipment should be made aware of these responsibilities.

Maintenance records.



Where necessary a record of all maintenance carried out must be kept within the divisional safety file. Contained within this should be the date of maintenance, who carried it out, what was done and any amendments made to the dates of predetermined future inspections. Forms provided in the University policy and guidance document on work equipment H&S No9/00 should be used a standard method of recording maintenance, a copy of this should be kept in the divisional safety file and is available from the policies section of the Health and Safety departmental website.

Facilities Department:

Douglas Little or nominated person

Responsible persons and their duties:

David Bell Ext. 3954 Senior Technician

l) Off-campus Trips and Foreign Visits (Overseas Medical Travel Policy):

https://www.gcal.ac.uk/occhealth/policies.html

The Division of Psychology is committed to ensuring the health & safety of staff and students both on and off campus. This includes instances where individuals are engaged in work off campus and on foreign trips. Whilst the division recognises its duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 may not apply to activities carried out on foreign visits it believes that continuing to follow such requirements demonstrates its commitment to good working practices and the promotion of a positive and comprehensive health & safety culture within the division. In addition to this, the health & safety policies of the visited authorities will be consulted and followed to a reasonably practicable level.

The staff member organising the field trip or foreign visit will hold primary operational responsibility throughout the process. This individual will be considered the supervisor. It may be practical to appoint a deputy to act on their behalf however it remains the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that this person is suitable. The supervising member of staff is responsible to the Head of Division.

Records should be maintained detailing the persons responsible (those acting as supervisors) for each field trip or foreign visit. A copy of these may be held within the divisional safety file or the division’s own recording system.


https://www.gcal.ac.uk/occhealth/policies.html


Risk Assessments:

The division must ensure that risk assessments are carried out for all field trips and foreign visits and that this activity is conducted during the planning stage to identify all significant foreseeable hazards and measure the level of risk. This should be the responsibility of the supervisor. However Head of Division should ensure that such individuals have suitable and sufficient experience and / or training to be able to conduct such risk assessments to a reasonable standard and they should be able to access assistance from a divisional Risk Assessor. Staff conducting risk assessments may find it helpful to consult the generic risk assessment proforma (a copy of which should be maintained within the divisional safety file) to use as a framework for conducting a field trip or foreign visit risk assessment. Factors to be considered when conducting the risk assessment include:

The nature of the tasks to be conducted Transport arrangements The location and the environment in which the tasks are to be

carried out The experience and training of participants The level of supervision needed (staff: student ratios) to be

provided The nature of any substances, machinery or equipment to be

encountered and the associated risks of each The duration of the exercise or visit Arrangements for communication on health and safety matters

with the host The contingency plans in place to deal with any foreseeable

emergencies.

Only when risk assessments are complete, the level of risk deemed acceptable and, following approval from the Head of Division or their nominee, should the division proceed with a field trip or foreign visit. A record of the risk assessment findings should be maintained in the divisional safety file.

Emergency Protocol and Accident Reporting:It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that correct and immediate action is taken in the event of an unforeseen emergency. This includes instructing the members of the group on what action to take following an incident. This may involve providing basic information on how to access assistance and general emergency procedures. However, all individuals should be made aware of their responsibility to report any accident or incident to the supervising person(s) immediately.

Following notification of an incident, supervisors must ensure that necessary assistance is obtained, contact is made with relevant personnel or aid authorities and ensure that the wellbeing of the rest of the group is



maintained. The responsible person(s) must also ensure that a copy of the University incident report form is completed in line with guidance given in the Accident and Incident Reporting arrangements.

During the planning stages of the field trip or foreign visit organisers should consider strategies for dealing with emergencies. This should include emergency contact numbers so immediate contact can be made with the University in an emergency.

Contact numbers:

During normal business hours (Divisional contact):

Divisional Office Ext. 3119.

Outside normal business hours (Divisional contact):

tba

Out with normal business hours: 0141 331 3785/3786 (Caledonian Court 24 hour security)

Staff engaging in foreign trips in connection with University business must ensure that they consider the health and safety implications of their visit and take all reasonable precautions. This may include addressing such issues as:

• Immunisations (advice on this may be sought from Occupational Health .

• Personal Security Issues

• Lone working/travelling arrangements

• Emergency procedures( and contacts)

Further advice may be sought from the TLC and the relevant divisional arrangements such as accident and incident reporting.

m) Student Project Data Collection:

The Division of Psychology recognises its legal obligation to ensure to a reasonably practicable level the health, safety and welfare of any student



undertaking a work off-campus as a requirement of his / her course. This will be conducted in compliance with the University’s duty of care towards all employees and non-employees i.e. students, visitors and contractors in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Divisional Arrangements:

The division recognises the variations in how students carry out data collection. Therefore, it is assumed that the most practicable means of ensuring that the University’s duty of care is maintained would be to provide a general guidance framework from which supervisors and students can adapt for their particular situation.

Hence the division should ensure the health, safety and welfare of the student on these occasions with arrangements created by the division.

Academic Interest Groups should ensure that they are familiar with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) guidance booklet ‘Health and safety guidance for the placement of HE students.’

General Requirements:

Whilst the division should create and maintain their own local arrangements a general framework should be followed to ensure a continuity of efforts. Supervisors should ensure that arrangements address the need for:

• Communication between the division and the student, the student and their supervisor and the division and the supervisor. This should be formal and records should be kept of all contact.

• If the student is going to other premises e.g. school, agency etc, prior to the student starting their data collection, suitable and sufficient checks of the location’s health and safety procedures should occur. This must involve gaining assurance that the occupants have a health and safety policy and that this would be provided to the student. Students should not commence collection until such requirements are met.

• The division should provide guidance and general information to the student regarding health and safety prior to the collection starting. This involves ensuring the student is aware of the information that should be included from the external source along with contact details/communication channels for the student to use in the event of a health and safety problem.

• Prior to the student data collection period, it may be necessary for a responsible member of staff to make a visit to the



placement provider to ensure that no issues need to be raised and to carry out a general visual inspection to guarantee that the student is not subject to any obvious danger to their health and safety. Visits should be in to the level of risk associated with the work being carried out and the duration of collection.

• It may be useful to involve students in the feedback process: this should involve information being received by the division from the student regarding what information they were given or told was available. Checklists such as those provided in the UCEA guidance booklet should be used to make this more consistent and effective. A record of all feedback should be maintained.

• If the student has chosen an alternative location e.g. someone’s home, it is imperative that, in conjunction with their supervisor, they think carefully about their personal and psychological health & safety and consider the problems that may be incurred in doing so. This would include geographical location, travel arrangements along with an entry, participant contact and exit strategy. Every attempt should be made by the student to have an external contact to be informed of start and completion of the collection. The divisional health & safety co-ordinator may also be contacted for advice and, where ambiguity or the level of risk is seen as problematic, the Health & Safety Department may be contacted.

The above guidelines are not exhaustive and should used as pointers for creating suitable arrangements for the individual students’ health and welfare. However, while they are only a framework, it is vital that the division ensures that local arrangements do involve a system of checks prior to the data collection starting, a system of communication between all parties and document reporting.

n) Training

The Division of Psychology recognises the importance of staff training in maintaining a holistic approach to managing health and safety. Further recognition is given to the use of on-going training to ensure that not only are staff fully aware of University health and safety issues and policies but also so that staff are involved in creating a safe and healthy working environment through interaction, increased knowledge and the development of a positive safety culture.

New staff:

The division must recognise and address the increased level of risk that new members of staff may be exposed to due to unfamiliarity with the



University and its health and safety policies. The University provides a ‘core staff induction training session on the first Thursday of every month, included within in this induction is information regarding the University health and safety policies and general risks that are present. Whilst the importance of attending this should be emphasised to new staff by the Head of Division it should not be used as the sole method of induction. The division must conduct a local induction to supplement the information given in the central induction training.

The division should encourage the new member of staff to meet with the divisional health & safety co-ordinator within their first week of employment. Guidance given by the HSWG should include:

• A brief synopsis of the health and safety arrangements with focus on those which may apply to division specific risks and emergency procedures.

• Generic emergency procedures such as accident and incident reporting, fire safety and first aid.

• Significant findings of risk assessments should iincludes alerting them to any hazards that they may become exposed to and the precautions to take.

• Encouragement to express concerns and seek advice on health and safety matters that they feel uncertain about.

• The identities of key health and safety personnel within the division i.e. fire wardens and members of the TLC should be provided.

On-going training for existing staff:

Staff should be made aware of the opportunities for increased health & safety training provided by Organisational Development which can be done after communication with the relevant line manager. Line Managers should ensure that all staff receive suitable and sufficient training to be able to undertake their work in a safe manner. This should involve:

• training regarding how to use equipment correctly,

• emergency procedures,

• correct display screen equipment use

• general housekeeping guidance

This is not an exhaustive list and academic groupings with high risk exposures should include other topics within the training.



Staff training should be updated to ensure compliance with new regulations or in response to the emergence of new risks.

Staff with health and safety responsibilities:

Members of staff with specific health and safety responsibilities within an academic grouping must have received suitable and sufficient training to a level which enables them to carry out their duties.

This includes:

• Head of Division

• Members of the TLC

• Fire wardens

• First Aiders (where applicable)

• Risk assessors (this includes persons conducting risk specific assessments such as display screen equipment, manual handling etc)

Records should be kept of all health and safety training received to ensure that all staff have undertaken the appropriate training to conduct their duties. Through discussions with members of the TLC and academic group leaders, staff should be encouraged to attend extra training as and where appropriate.

Further advice and guidance:

For further information on the training course provided staff should contact Organisational Development: [email protected]

If staff have any concerns over health and safety issues that they have not been trained in they should in the first instance speak to the Health & Safety Co-ordinator or Head of Division. If this is not applicable the University Health & Safety Department may be a useful contact.

o) Health & Safety information for new students:

The Division of Psychology recognises the importance of informing students about basic health & safety procedures as part of a comprehensive health & safety management system. While students are provided with an overall view of health and safety issues and procedures as part of their University induction and in programme handbooks, it is



the belief of the division that students may benefit from additional guidance which adds to that given centrally.

It is the responsibility of the division to create arrangements for the topics to be covered in the additional guidance. This should address central health and safety issues but also those specific to the subject or location (i.e. the lecture hall, laboratory etc).

Guidance should be delivered by lecturers or appointed persons at the beginning of each semester to introduce students to the health and safety issues and procedures concerning their new surroundings. This may involve lecturers spending five minutes during induction lectures informing students of the issues and procedures within their the specific lecture hall, classroom or building. General items to be covered should include:

• The role of the supervisors regarding to health and safety.(i.e. the lecturer should be the main point of contact whilst within the lecture hall)

• The location of the nearest emergency exits.

• What to do in the event of the fire alarm giving a general idea of what the fire alarm sounds like.

• Security procedures if working in the building outside normal working hours.

The above list is not exhaustive and should only be used as a brief framework.

Further Guidance:

Further guidance should be sought form the Head of Division, Health & Safety Co-ordinator, the TLC and the Health and Safety Department, if required.

p) First Aid

Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 the Division of Psychology, through the University, is committed to providing suitable and sufficient first aid resources to address the health and safety of those who require assistance. Arrangements to ensure this service will be carried out in conjunction with the School of Life Sciences continued support of the University’s network of First Aiders.



Within the working environment of Psychology ‘first aid’ means:

• Treatment of minor injuries that do not require treatment from or otherwise receive treatment from a medical practitioner or nurse

• Cases where and individual requires help from a medical practitioner or nurse with treatment for the purpose of preserving life and the minimising of consequences until such help arrives.

Location of the divisional ‘first aid’ box:

Divisional Office M445

Divisional Technical Workshop M419

Appointed person responsible for the divisional ‘first aid’ box:

David Bell Ext. 3954

Location of Accident Book:

Senior Technician Office M419

Accessing first aid.

Should a situation arise where first aid assistance is required the procedures outlined below should be followed in accordance with guidance given in the University First Aid Policy.

To call a first aider in an emergency, please telephone extension 2222. The staff on the switchboard will then page the first aider on duty. When their pagers are activated, the first aider will contact the switchboard for details of location and nature of the emergency. The first aider will make their way to the casualty and administer first aid treatment.

For further information and guidance pertaining to first aid within the University reference should be made to the First Aid Policy Document OH No3. Copies of this may be obtained from the Human Resources Department. Divisions may also consider the inclusion of this document in their safety files.

Whilst the use of central first aiders is likely to be sufficient for most divisions, some may find that, following their risk assessments, it would be beneficial for the division to maintain its own first aider(s). These appointed responsible person(s) should receive suitable and sufficient



training and have the cooperation of all members of staff within the division. Divisional first aiders should be used in conjunction with the University’s central first aid services. Contact information for the Divisional first aider should be communicated to all staff within the division; this may be achieved through, for example, an email alerting staff to the appointment.

Divisional First Aider (where applicable):

The division does not have dedicated first aiders – phone 2222

Central First Aid Rooms

It should be noted that First Aid rooms are locked as a matter of security. Keys are held by the First Aiders on rota and on an on-call basis. Campus Security does likewise. Some Divisional First Aiders may be key holders achieved through application to Occupational Health and should be at the discretion of the division based on the findings of a first aid risk assessment.

The division will ensure the contents are suitable and sufficient in accordance with the findings of their risk assessments.

However it is recommended that, within the divisional first aid box, all that should be required is a sufficient supply of plasters and minimal wound dressings. Under no circumstances will divisional first aid box contain any medication; this includes paracetamol, aspirin and antiseptics.

The divisional first aid kit should only be used for minimal injuries such as small cuts that require dressing with a plaster. If this is insufficient the University central first aiders must be notified. All injuries must be recorded in the divisional accident book by the injured party or the individual assisting them.

It is the responsibility of the appointed person (or HSWG) to ensure the stocking of the first aid box. To order supplies the appointed person will complete the first aid box/kits check form which will then be sent to Occupational Health Services who will arrange for the requested items to be delivered.

Occupational Health Service contact details:

Amanda Lindsay Occupational Health AdvisorEmail: [email protected]: 0141 331 8228


mailto:[email protected]


q) Accident and Incident Reporting

Whilst the prevention of accidents and incidents is of the utmost importance to the, it is recognised that arrangements must be made to ensure that, should an incident occur, suitable and sufficient reporting procedures are in place to aid in any investigation and feed into the risk assessment process with the aim of maintaining a proactive approach to health and safety management.

The following procedures should be implemented following any accident, near miss or dangerous occurrence.

General accident and incident reporting:

All staff should ensure that, unrelated to the perceived level of severity and whether or not a ‘first aider’ was required, all accidents taking place in the division be reported in the divisional Accident Book. This must be done with the aim of adherence to the legal responsibility arising from the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979. All divisional staff should be made aware of the location of the divisional accident book by the Head of Division or the responsible nominated person.

Location of the divisional Accident Book:

Senior Technician’s Office M419

All accidents which result in injury to members of staff, near misses, dangerous occurrences and instances of work related ill health must be reported using the University’s Incident/Near Miss Reporting form S1 (Copies of which are maintained in the divisional Safety File). This should be signed off by the Head of Division following completion and remedial action taken if required. A copy must be kept within the divisional Safety File.

Responsible persons:

A ‘responsible person’ (as designated by the Head of Division), their deputy or a member of the TLC must be informed by staff of any near miss or dangerous occurrence. It is the responsibility of the designated individual(s) to collect incident information, complete relevant paperwork and communicate with the University Safety Advisor. This should be completed within three days following every accident requiring first aid and within seven days following a near miss or dangerous occurrence.



In the event of a fatality or major incident (i.e. if immediate hospital treatment is required or as soon as it becomes apparent that the employee will be off work for more than three days, the first Aider, the responsible person or Head of Division should inform the Health & Safety Adviser immediately. It is the responsibility of the University Safety Advisor to report any major incident to The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under compliance with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. The University Safety Advisor will also act as a point of contact between the HSE and the University should they wish to investigate an incident.

Following any incident divisional risk assessments must be reviewed and updated if required. If seen as necessary, remedial action will have to be taken and recorded to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. This again will be the responsibility of the designated ‘responsible person’ or a member of the TLC.

Divisional responsible persons (name, contact information and responsibility)

• Those relevant to incident and accident reporting, such as members of the TLC or those designated by the Head of Division.

Names of persons to be confirmed

In cases of difficulty, contact:

David Bell Ext. 3954

Barbara Duncan Ext. 3907

University Safety Advisor: Robert Curtis (ext. 8859)

University Safety Officer: to be announced

Reference should be made to the Universities Incident Reporting and Investigation Policy H&S No 10/00/00.48 for further guidance, definitions and information about the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.

r) Emergencies

Whilst the Division of Psychology aims to ensure that all foreseeable events are identified, analysed and managed with the aim of maintaining a high standard of health and safety, the division recognises that



procedures must be in place to cope with an emergency should it occur. Potential emergencies should be identified within their risk assessments.

Possible examples are:

• Explosions• Fire• Bomb Threats• Gas leaks• Flood

The University’s Contingency Plan covers the strategic elements of such emergencies.

Staff should ensure that they evacuate the building upon first hearing of any alarm, gather at the nearest fire evacuation assembly point, assist any disabled or injured person to evacuate and not to undertake any emergency action for which they have not been trained.

All staff should familiarise themselves with University protocol for specific emergencies such as the University’s fire emergency procedures.

Contact information in the event of an emergency:

University helpdesk: extension 2222 (0141 331 3000 if using a landline or mobile).

This contact should be used upon identification of an emergency situation i.e. the discovery of a fire.

s) Divisional Safety File

The Division of Psychology is committed to transparency in communication and management on all issues relating to health, safety and welfare of its employees, students and visitors. In pursuit of this commitment the division recognises the benefits of maintaining and storing records of all relevant paperwork and findings. This will be achieved through the use of divisional safety files.

Location of Divisional Safety File:

Divisional Office M445

File maintained by:



David Bell M419

The division must construct and maintain a safety file readily available to all members of staff for reference at any time. Staff must ensure that any items removed for consultation are replaced within a reasonable time frame.

The divisional safety file should include the following items:

• A copy of the Division of Psychology Health and Safety Arrangements.

• All group risk assessments (detailing any remedial actions taken).

• All additional assessments (i.e.: DSE, manual handling etc).• Blank copies of risk assessment forms.• Copies of incident reports.• Blank incident/ near miss forms.• Copies of all University Health and Safety Policies and

Procedures documents.• A record of all maintenance work carried out. This should

include information such as what was done, by whom and at what date was it carried out.

t) Hazardous Substances

Whilst the presence of hazardous substances within Division of Psychology are likely to be minimal it is recognised that arrangements need to be in place to cope with the possibility of the exposure of staff, students and visitors to substances which may be hazardous to their health such as chemicals, micro-organisms and biological agents. The division aims to ensure that arrangements meet the requirements set out in all relevant regulations, the most pertinent being the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002.

Risk Assessment:

The division should ensure that they have a suitably trained person to be able to undertake COSHH assessments. The University’s COSHH assessment checklist should be used to assist in the conduction of risk assessments. The division should assess how often risk assessments should be viewed dependent on their level of exposure.

Records:

As with generic risk assessments all findings should be recorded and amendments made where required. All findings must be communicated to members of staff within the division and training given in ensuring their safe use. This may be done through staff inductions, staff training or



through meetings of the Divisional Forum.

An inventory of all hazardous substances used, stored or produced within the division should be maintained in line with guidance given in the COSHH Regulations 2002.

Controls:

The division should ensure that, following identification of the presence of hazardous substances, suitable and sufficient control measures and precautions are implemented. This includes removing the need for the substance to be present where possible. If this is not possible then further measures must be taken to lower the possibility of exposure. General actions which should be in place:

• Correct labelling and recording of all hazardous substances.

• Provision of training for those exposed to the substance(s)

• Suitable and sufficient personal protective equipment.

• Appropriate first aid measures, i.e. a divisional first aider, suitable first aid equipment, provision of chemical wash facilities.

Health Surveillance:

The identification of possible staff, students or visitors being exposed to hazardous substances should ensure that they have a system of health surveillance in place to monitor any individual who has an identifiable disease or ill health effect following exposure. Guidance given within the University’s COSHH document H&S No3/03 should be consulted as a reference to the requirements for health surveillance. The Occupational Health Department should be notified of any cases of exposure. Records must created and maintained detailing information about the exposure.

Risk assessment findings suggesting the possibility of staff, student or visitors being exposed to a hazardous substance should ensure that they have suitable divisional procedures in place to manage the risk to a reasonably practicable level following the guidance given in the University’s COSHH policy (available on the H&S Department web page maintaining a copy within the divisional safety file). Further guidance is provided in the HSE leaflet ‘COSHH a brief guide to the regulations’.

u) Stress and ill health

The Division of Psychology is committed to ensuring a comprehensive approach is taken in implementing appropriate measures to lower the



risk of work related stress within the division. Contained within this approach will be a number of stages to ensure that the risk is prevented as much as is reasonably practicable and managed effectively if occurring. The division recognises and acknowledges its responsibility to control the risk of stress as the aim of creating a safe and healthy working environment in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health & Safety at Work regulations 1999.

Definition of stress:

For the purposes of the division, stress will be defined as ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them’.

Prevention:

Stress Management and Employee Assistance Programme:

The University recognises that employees may at times feel under pressure therefore, in association with BUPA Wellness, provides all employees with access to a counselling service. This is a confidential advice line, manned by professional counsellors and accessed over the phone. However, when required, a face-to-face meeting can be arranged via Occupational Health and takes place off-campus at a location suitable to you and is confidential.

Normally used for work issues, it can be used for domestic issues which may be impacting on work.

The freephone number is 0800 269 616.

For further information on stress please visit the attached link.

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/stress.html

The Division should follow the guidance given by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and by the University’s Occupational Health department on managing stress as their primary source of information and guidance.

These can be found at:

• http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm • http://www.gcal.ac.uk/occhealth/policies.html

To view the GCU Stress Policy and other related guidance, please see the following links.

Stress Policy and Guidance General Employment Policies: Human Resources Dignity at Work & Study Equality & Diversity




Harassment Advisers

The process of effectively controlling the risk of work related stress should include:

• The inclusion of stress within generic risk assessments• Undertaking stress audits on a regular basis.• Reviewing stress audit / risk assessment findings• Ensuring responsible members of academic subject areas have

attended the stress management training provided by Human Resources.

• Developing and implementing work life balance policies• Enabling staff to raise health issues by informing all staff of the

role of Occupational Health, ARC, Human Resources and Employee Counselling Services.

• Ensuring recognition of the value of staff members through use of the Staff Development Performance Review Framework.

Support:

Academic subject areas should support all members of staff prior to the onset of stress, however this should be emphasised to a greater extent for those suffering from stress. This should involve discussion with the individual; referral to the relevant services i.e. Human Resources, Employee Counselling or an independent outside body etc. and identification of the individual’s needs. Leaders of subject groups must take a vital role in showing their support and ensuring that staff are given divisional assistance.

Heads of subject areas should ensure that a back to work strategy is created in each case and tailored specifically to the needs of the individual. Advice and guidance on this process can be obtained from the Human Resources and Occupational Health Departments.

Review and monitor:

As stated previously the findings of all stress risk assessments must be reviewed periodicallv with amendments made where applicable. In conjunction with this process, individual cases of work related stress must be monitored and reviewed to ensure that the individual in question receives the continuing support and assistance from senior members of the division. The Head of Division must take a central role in ensuring that this is conducted to a high standard.

Further assistance and guidance:

Academic subject areas should ensure that senior members of management i.e. the Divisional Management Group are aware of the HSE guidance on stress. This should be used as the primary source of information as to the required actions that each academic subject area



must conduct.

Supplements to this advice can be sought from a number of university departments and outside bodies such as:

• Human Resources• The ARC: • The Stress Working Group: • Employee Counselling Services: 0800 435 768 (free phone)• Occupational Health• Health and Safety Department

Outside advice can obtained from:

The Glasgow Association for Mental Health: 0141 552 5592



NOTES:


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