Off Site Working ReviewSHRUG – 24 September 2008

John Luke

Policy

What has changed?

The Policy Statement• Now stresses the need for risk assessment to take

place before travelling.• Updated to stress that documented risk assessments

are only required where a significant risk is identified.• Now stipulates the requirement for health clearance

with OH Service where circumstances dictate this to be necessary.

PolicyWhat has changed?

Responsibilities & Functions• HoD responsibilities trimmed to:

• Ensuring compliance

• Giving approval, when required

• Appointing appropriate staff to assist in advising and monitoring H&S arrangements.

• Principal Investigator / Course Organiser new addition

• Ensuring risk assessments in place; control measures defined; provision of information, instruction and training; contact information and expected return date

• Ensuring that any travel / work requiring approval by HoD is brought to the attention of the HoD

PolicyWhat has changed?

Responsibilities & Functions• Person in Charge (PIC)

• Clarifies the point that the PIC is the person with local managerial control i.e. present in the locality where the work is taking place

• Clarifies the point that the Principal Investigator can be the PIC or can delegate the duty to someone else

• Clarifies the responsibility for ensuring that the control measures identified during the risk assessment are applied in practice

• States the requirement for ensuring that staff are aware of the Code of Conduct and duly comply.

• Has the responsibility for ensuring all accidents / incidents reported no change

PolicyWhat has changed?

Responsibilities & Functions• Off Site Work Coordinator

• This has been removed from the policy as a specific responsibility, however, HoDs may still consider appointing an Off Site Coordinator if the department engages in high volumes of off site work.

GuidanceWhat has changed?

Front Page• More user friendly (?)

• Summarises the three categories of off site working with a brief outline of what is required for each

• Updated to include the criteria for requiring health clearance

• Now stresses that a rigorous documented risk assessment is not necessary for low risk assignments such as conferences…..unless this will take you to a high risk destination, involves non-standard accommodation or mutates into a fieldwork trip.

• Updated to stress that the need for documented risk assessment is proportional to the risk

• The two process flow charts have now been combined into one.

GuidanceWhat has changed?

X

GuidanceWhat has changed?

GuidanceWhat has changed?

TemplatesWhat has changed?

Conferences / Meetings• Simplified Contact Record Form

• Includes a checklist of things for travel outside the UK• One more time – this is not a risk assessment form

Hosted Research• Section 1.1.4 amended to include specific questions

to help to determine whether suitable precautions are in place within the host institution to secure the health, safety & welfare of College visitors / workers.

Fieldwork• No change