Safe Working Overview
Safe Working Overview
For low risk activities, which are those expected of a normal office environment, no risk assessment is required, as long as Lone Working procedures are always followed.
For any activity that carries the risk of harm to the individual or others, a risk assessment must be carried out in line with the Department’s Risk Assessment procedure.
When completing a risk assessment, consideration should be given to the availability of health and safety networks in the building in which you are working (e.g. fire wardens and first aiders). These are only in place during staff core working hours, which are generally 08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday. Outside these core hours the risks associated with working within Department buildings are higher. The main risks associated with working out of hours are fire, accidental injury, medical emergency, student behaviour and threats from intruders.
Work within laboratories, workshops (including garages) and plant rooms is restricted to the core hours of 08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday unless additional control measures have been put in place. You must always consider the availability of safety and technical support within each specific laboratory and Lone Working must always be avoided.
Anyone who is in the Department after 19:00 Monday to Friday or at any time over the weekend must sign in and out using the screens located in each building. If you are already inside the building but intend to stay late, signing-in is still required.
Sign In screen locations:
Baker Building | Reception |
Inglis Building | Ground floor main corridor |
James Dyson Building | Entrance lobby |
Whittle Laboratory | Reception |
Electrical Engineering Building | Reception Ground floor rear lobby |
Nanoscience Centre | Entrance lobby |
Civil Engineering Building | Entrance lobby |
Schofield Centre | Entrance lobby |
IfM | Reception |
Policy and Background
Under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act, the Department of Engineering must ensure the health and safety of all our staff, students, visitors, members of the public, children and contractors who we engage with during the course of our business. This includes casual workers, volunteers, part-timers, trainees and sub-contractors and our neighbours who could possibly be affected by our activities.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which were introduced under the Health and Safety at Work Act, require that; "Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst at work; and the risks to health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking" (see the accompanying Risk Assessment Procedure).