DEPARTMENT
OF ENGINEERING
AND
POLICY ON
Health and safety at work regulations require the University to take adequate measures to protect both staff and students. They also impose duties on every employee which apply equally to students. Specifically:
Every member of the Department
must act in accordance with any
safety training or instructions given to them.
Every member of the Department must
report:
danger to health and safety.
(b) any shortcoming in health and safety provisions.
To the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator or Head of Department.
Before
starting work in the Department you must read this code of practice on Safety.
Then
complete the on
line form and submit it to the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator (DSC) to
acknowledge that you have read and understood the contents.
Additional
rules may apply in specific laboratories and you must familiarise youself with
any local codes before starting experimental or practical work.
Important Telephone Numbers
EMERGENCY
SERVICES
2222
Security
Control
43252
Department
of Engineering:
tel.
email
Departmental
Safety Co-ordinator
Mr R Seamans
44813
seamans@liv.co.uk
Assistant
DSC, Materials Science
Dr T B Joyce 45369
tjoyce@liv.ac.uk
Assistant
DSC, M. E. I. M.
Dr C J Sutcliffe
48022
c.j.sutcliffe@liv.ac.uk
Departmental Code of Practice for Health and Safety
3
Management of Safety in the Department
3.1
Introduction
3.2
Safety Inspection & Monitoring
3.3
Reporting Accidents & Serious Incidents
3.4
Reporting Hazards
3.5
Risk Assessment
3.6
COSHH Assessments
3.7
Training
5
Unattended Experiments and Work outside normal hours
6 Physical Hazards in Workshops and Laboratories
6.1
General Physical Hazards
6.2
Standard Precautions in Workshops & Laboratories
6.3
Machinery
6.4
Compressed Gas Cylinders
6.5
Cryogenic Liquids
6.6
Furnaces
6.7
Glassware
6.8
Mechanical Testing Equipment
9
Radiation Safety (Work with X-rays, lasers or UV sources)
Appendix
A
Departmental Responsibility for Health and Safety
Appendix
B
Departmental Safety Representatives
& First Aiders
Appendix
C
Health and Safety Legislation
Appendix
D
University Safety Experts, Codes of Practice
& Safety Circulars
Appendix
E
Risk Assessment
pro-forma
Appendix
F
Personal Protective
Equipment Assessment pro-forma
Appendix
G
SCR18: Guidance on carrying out COSHH Assessments
Appendix
H
Code of
Practice for Work with Carcinogens, Teratogens & Embyotoxins
Appendix
I
Procedures in the event of a Bomb Threat
Departmental Safety Policy
1.
The Head of Department (HoD) is committed to a policy for the
establishment of high levels of health and safety for those who work and study
within the Department and for members of the general public.
The pursuit
of excellence in health and safety is as important as the pursuit of
excellence in research and teaching, and safety will not be sacrificed for any
other aim nor in the attainment of financial soundness.
2.
In recognition that people are the key resource of the Department, the
HoD will pursue a policy to safeguard their health and safety, as described in
the following paragraphs. One aim
will be to encourage all members of the Department to adopt, and assist in the
development of, good safety practices.
3.
Aspects covered by this policy are listed in Appendix
A, taken from the University's policy on Health and Safety at Work (1996).
4.
To achieve the aims stated above, the following arrangements
have been made.
(i) A
Departmental Safety Co-ordinator (DSC) and four assistant
Departmental Safety Co-ordinators are appointed by the HoD.
The Safety Co-ordinators are responsible to the HoD for advising both
staff and students in the Department on safety and advising the HoD on the
adoption of safety standards. The Safety Co-ordinators have the authority to take immediate
action to suspend or stop any activity that is dangerous or not carried out to
the standards laid down by the Department, pending investigation by the safety
committee. The names of the
Safety Co-ordinators are displayed on notice boards and in appropriate
literature.
(ii) A
Departmental Safety Committee is established to
a) assist the HoD and the Safety Co-ordinators to implement high
standards of health and safety, and
b) act as a forum for representatives of all sectors of staff to
consider and advise on all matters relating to safety.
It consists of:
• The HoD (or his nominated deputy) (chair)
• The Departmental Safety Co-ordinator
• The assistant Departmental Safety Co-ordinator for Materials
Science
• The assistant Departmental Safety Co-ordinator for M.E.I.M.
▪ The assistant Departmental
Safety Co-ordinator for PIDC.
▪ The assistant Departmental
Safety Co-ordinator for LLEC.
• One representative of the academic staff (unless represented by
one of the above)
• One representative of the academic-related staff) (unless
represented by one of the above)
• A representative of the technical staff (union representative)
• One other representative of the technical staff
• Two representatives of the postgraduate research school
• Other co-opted member(s), as decided by the HoD
• The University Safety Adviser [invited as appropriate]
• Administrative/Clerical Officer (secretary of the safety
committee)
The Committee normally meets every two months.
(iii) An annual
safety review is carried out and forms the basis for an annual
safety plan. The plan is
prepared by the Safety Co-ordinators in consultation with other members of the
Departmental Safety Committee. The
aim of this plan is the continual improvement of safety standards by removing
the causes of accidents and ill health.
(iv) The
Safety Co-ordinators, after consultation with other members of the
Departmental Safety Committee, advise the HoD on arrangements to be employed
for identifying hazards, assessing risks and controlling them.
(v) The
Safety Co-ordinators advise the HoD on the legal requirements for attaining at
least the minimum acceptable level of health and safety.
They will seek advice from appropriate bodies or persons where issues
are outside their immediate knowledge or expertise.
(vi) The
HoD is responsible for ensuring that safety codes and other procedures are
implemented as required by the University.
The HoD co-operates with the University Safety Adviser in maintaining
high standards of safety.
(vii) Safety
is a standing item on the agenda of Staff Meetings and the DSC is regularly
invited to speak to that item.
(viii)
Safety is a standing
item on the agenda of the Staff-U.G. Student Liaison Committee.
(ix) Safety
is a standing item on the agenda of the Staff-P.G. Student Liaison Committee.
Signed
...P.J.Goodhew...............
(Head of Department)
Date...........................................
.
DEPARTMENTAL
CODE OF PRACTICE FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY
1.
INTRODUCTION
The Department of Engineering has established a safety policy for all
those who work and study within the Department and for members of the general
public. The current version of the safety policy is included in this
code of practice and should be read in conjunction with it.
The remainder of this document sets out a number of basic rules for
safety within the Department with reference to the relevant University codes
of practice. Additional rules may
apply in specific laboratories and you must familiarise youself with any local
codes before starting experimental or practical work.
The University is required under the provisions of the Health and
Safety at Work act 1974 to bring this policy to the attention of its employees
and to provide such information as is necessary for their health and safety at
work. The Head of Department is
responsible to the Senate and the Council for the health and safety at work of
persons in his Department. He is
assisted by the Departmental Safety Co-ordinators and other Safety
Representatives.
The names, phone numbers and email addresses of the Departmental Safety
Co-ordinator (DSC) and the assistant Departmental Safety Co-ordinators are at
the top of this document. Throughout
this document the term "Safety Co-ordinator(s)" will be used to
refer to both the DSC and the assistant DSCs.
The Departmental Safety Co-ordinator has special responsibilities for
advising staff and students on safety matters and for ensuring that safety
standards are observed. The
Safety Co-ordinators should be approached on safety matters.
There are also staff and postgraduate student representatives on the
Departmental safety committee.
Safety information is also available from a number of sources.
Copies of current codes of practice and university safety circulars are
held by the safety co-ordinators and are also available for consultation in
the Departmental safety library, room 6.14 of the Engineering Tower Block.
Safety circulars can also be accessed on the web at address:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/safety/circulars.html
Other safety information relevant to the Department will be made
available on the safety noticeboards (located outside the main lecture theatre
in the George Holt building, on the third floor of the Ashton building and in
the foyer of mechanical engineering). The
DSC will also circulate important information by electronic mail.
In line with the University Safety Policy the Department recognises that
health and safety depends on co-operative effort by all.
The University expects staff and students to recognise that they have a
clear duty to:
take care for the health and safety of themselves and others;
co-operate fully with health and safety arrangements made by the
University or University Departments
2.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Summarised below are the procedures to
be followed in the following events:
2.1
Fire
2.2
Bomb Threat
2.3
Accident
2.4
First Aid
2.1
Fire
Fire is the greatest hazard in any Department.
You should always work in such a way that fire should not be caused by
your activities. All staff and
students should familiarise themselves with the evacuation procedure; be aware
of the location of the fire exits; and recognise and know how to operate a
fire alarm call point. In the event of fire your major consideration must be the
safety of yourself and others in the Department.
2.1.1
In the event of the discovery or suspicion of a fire:
a)
Actuate a fire call point by breaking the glass over the central
button.
b)
Telephone Security on 2222 (emergency
line) from a safe area.
Give clear and exact address.
Security will call the Fire Brigade on a dedicated line.
c)
If you discover a small fire and you believe yourself capable, use the
nearest appropriate fire extinguisher to extinguish or contain the
fire, but do not endanger yourself or others in trying to tackle it.
d)
If you suspect a fire (because of smoke or a smell of burning) you should NOT try and investigate yourself.
This can be very dangerous and
the delay caused by investigating can put other people at risk.
Leave fire fighting to the
professionals.
e)
Leave the building as in 2.1.2 below.
2.1.2
On hearing the fire alarm you must:
a)
Make safe any equipment in use, or any ongoing experiment.
b)
Close any open windows or doors in your immediate work area.
c)
Leave the building by the nearest emergency exit.
Leave quickly and calmly.
Do not run.
Do not use lifts.
Do not stop for personal belongings.
d)
When clear of the building report to the Assembly Point for the area
which you were working, as indicated on Fire Action notices:
George Holt & Ashton Buildings:
Quadrangle
Green.
Victoria & Walker Buildings:
Quadrangle Green.
Harrison Hughes Laboratories:
Quadrangle Green.
Engineering Tower Block:
Car Park A.
PIDC, Foresight Centre:
Brownlow
Street.
e)
Do not obstruct roadways or entrances having left the building.
f)
Do not re-enter the building under any circumstances until the alarm
has stopped and the Fire Officer has given permission for you
to do so. Do not accept
third party reports that it is a false alarm.
2.1.3
Alarm Testing and Fire Drills:
a)
Alarms are tested once a week for call point function and bell
audibility. This is done each
Wednesday afternoon between 13.45 and 14.00 except in the George Holt Building
(11:50 each Friday) and the Foresight Centre (9:45 each Friday).
b)
Other than for the tests referred to in a) above, always leave the
building as soon as the alarm bells ring.
c)
A full fire evacuation practice is carried out annually.
2.1.4
Fire Prevention:
a)
Fire check doors must be kept closed to prevent the spread of smoke
or toxic gases in the event of a fire.
Do not wedge open any of the fire doors located throughout the
buildings.
b)
SMOKING is only permitted in designated areas of the Department in
ccordance with the university policy on smoking, and is not permitted in the George Holt building, the Ashton Building and the
Foresight Centre.
c)
Essential stocks of flammable liquids held for ready use should be
maintained at the minimum
practicable level. The specially designed outside stores are the proper storage place for bulk
supplies.
d)
Laboratory stocks of Winchesters or similar type containers holding
flammable liquids must be kept in approved steel bins or cabinets.
e)
Gas cylinders must not be kept in corridors or stair wells and
holdings in laboratories should be maintained at the minimum
practicable level. Flammable
gases may not be stored within the building and should be piped in from
outside.
2.2
Bomb Threat
The procedure to be followed in the event of a bomb threat being
received is detailed in appendix I.
2.3
Accident
In the event of an accident resulting in serious injury, or injury
which may be suspected as being serious, then an ambulance must be called
immediately by dialling:
2222 - University security control
Precise directions should be given, including the name of the entrance
to which help is to be sent, and a person sent there to await the arrival of
the ambulance, in order to direct it to the location of the accident with
minimal delay.
Having called the ambulance, the University Safety Adviser should also
be contacted by ringing 43242.
Note that unless unavoidable, any injured persons should not be left
alone.
Note that the scene of the accident should be left as undisturbed as
possible, without compromising safety.
All accidents, and "near misses", must be reported to the
staff member responsible, and to the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator as soon
as possible, and an Accident/Incident Report completed (see section 3.3).
For accidents involving personal injury, however minor, a record must
be kept in the Social Security Accident Book B1.510 (see section 3.3).
It is important in the case of serious injury, or acute illness, that
the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator is informed as soon as possible, in order
that relatives can be informed. If
the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator is not obtainable, an assistant DSC must
be informed.
2.4
First Aid
There are a number of trained first aiders in the Department who may be
called upon to give immediate assistance in any situation.
They are listed in Appendix B:
First aid boxes are situated at various points around the Department,
be conversant with their location and with the first aid wall charts.
During working hours, medical attention for minor injuries and
illnesses can be obtained from:
Student Health Service
adjacent to the Students' Union building, ext.44720.
Occupational Health Service, next to Bedford House, ext.43236.
Outside normal working hours, medical attention is available at the
Casualty Department of the Royal Liverpool Hospital, entrance off Prescot
Street.
3.
MANAGEMENT OF SAFETY IN THE DEPARTMENT
3.1
Introduction
The University is required to follow the provisions of Health and
Safety at Work legislation. This
legislation serves to ensure that employers take adequate measures to
protect their staff. They also
impose duties on every employee. In the case of Universities they apply
equally to students. A summary of
the pertinent parts of this legislation is contained in appendix
C.
Formal arrangements exist for identifying hazards, reporting accidents
and for assessing and controlling risks
3.2
Safety Inspection & Monitoring
The Department is inspected every six months by the Safety Co-ordinators
and other members of staff (including staff from outside the Department). This
inspection covers safety arrangements, working practices, fire safety,
housekeeping and the general environment, the use of hazardous substances and
any special hazards. Continuous
monitoring of safety is also undertaken by the Safety Co-ordinators, who have
the authority to take immediate action to suspend or stop any activity that is
dangerous or not carried out to the standards laid down by the Department,
pending investigation.
In addition pressure systems, lifting equipment, and exhaust
ventilation are subject to statutory inspection, and are the responsibility of
the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator.
A pressure system is defined as a closed system where the product of
pressure and volume is above 250bar litres.
A written scheme has to exist for each such system, and appropriate
records of test and examination must be kept.
Additionally, any pressure vessel in use must be covered by a current
certificate of thorough examination. No
alterations may be made to any system, nor new systems installed, without
reference to the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator.
All items of lifting equipment used within the Department (other than
fibre rope slings) are to be covered by a test certificate, and a current
written report of examination. No
person is to use lifting equipment unless they are competent to do so.
Extract ventilation systems are subject to annual examination,
organised by the Department of Buildings and Estates, with a copy of the
resulting report being sent to and retained by the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator.
3.3
Reporting Accidents and Serious Incidents
All accidents (whether or not they cause injury) and incidents which
may have been hazardous must be reported to the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator
and a university incident report form must be completed.
In addition; serious accidents
and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the University Safety Adviser by
telephone as soon as the needs of any injured person have been seen to. Serious accidents include any accident which requires that a
student or visitor be taken to hospital, any major injury to a member of staff
and any acute illness which resulted from exposure to toxic materials.
Accidents where injury has resulted must also be recorded in the Social
Security Accident Book B1.150.
Accident/Incident report forms and the accident report books are held
in the following locations: Room G13 in the George Holt Building, room M85 in
the Engineering Tower Block, room 3.14A in the Ashton Building (MEIM) and
02.01 in the Foresight Centre. A
fuller list of what should be regarded as serious accidents and dangerous
occurrences can be found on the cover of the report pad.
The main object of the accident report is to enable accidents to be
prevented and to remove the causes. Failure
to report an incident might lead to its repetition with far more serious
consequences. Copies of the
completed incident form are kept by the Department and sent to the University
Safety adviser.
3.4
Reporting Hazards
Any "situation which appears to represent a serious and immediate
danger to health and safety" must be reported to the Safety Co-ordinators.
This would include any broken or damaged piece of equipment which might
cause injury, tripping hazards such as trailing cables and so forth.
Do not assume that somebody else will have reported it.
3.5
Risk Assessment
3.5.1
General Risk Assessment
It is a statutory requirement that the Department assesses the risks to
the health and safety of people working in or visiting the Department, and to
the general public, arising from any of its operations.
Such assessments must be recorded in writing, and where necessary,
arrangements must be put in place to ensure that any required actions are
carried out.
This requirement may be satisfied in a number of ways:
i)
By being covered by this code of practice.
ii)
By being covered by other codes of practice and safety circulars issued
by the University, see Appendix C.
iii)
By being the subject of a specific risk assessment - this will apply to
all practical work in laboratories.
Risk assessments should be subject to regular review (maximum 5 years)
to ensure their relevance, and must in any case be amended where there is a
change in working methods, materials used etc..
3.5.2
Specific Risk Assessment
For all project and research work, including all undergraduate and
postgraduate projects, a specific risk assessment must be carried out by the
staff member directly responsible. In
many cases, persons who are to undertake the work will be involved in carrying
out the assessment, and so be aware of the requirements that arise from it,
but where this is not the case, or where other people get involved during the
course of the work, it is again the duty of the staff member responsible to
alert any such persons to the health and safety requirements of the job.
Supervisors of undergraduates and postgraduates have specific
responsibilities assigned to them, and a separate code of practice is
available detailing these. The
supervisor has a legal responsibility to provide "such supervision as is
necessary" as laid out in the code of practice, which states that
"Responsible staff must be able to demonstrate that they have exercised
an effective supervisory role.... within the context of departmental
procedures, systems of work and monitoring arrangements".
In brief, risk assessment forms do not need to be written for
coursework in teaching laboratories, but hazards and precautions are to be
included in lab protocols or handbooks. Individual
projects, however, require a risk assessment, which is to include a statement
of the level of supervision necessary.
Written assessments are to be carried out on the pro forma shown in
Appendix
E, and may only be authorised by the supervisor, or the responsible person
for the group concerned, or someone otherwise nominated by the Head of
Department or Safety Co-ordinator.
This form should be considered in two parts: The first requires brief
details of the project; note that all hazards should be assessed and the
relevant university codes of practice consulted.
If chemical hazards are involved a COSHH assessment is also required
(see below). The second part of
the form indicates the level of direct supervision required.
The supervisor should only sign this form when confident that the
student has received sufficient safety and practical training to carry out the
project. A copy of the completed form must be given to the Safety Co-ordinator
for departmental records. The
Safety Co-ordinator will pass copies of these forms to the University Safety
adviser.
By the very nature of the work within the Department, it will often be
the case that the scope of work varies as it progresses. In such cases it is essential that the risk assessment is
updated to take account of these changes where necessary.
To reduce duplication of effort, maximum use should be made of existing
assessments, codes of practice etc. when carrying out an assessment.
3.5.3
Other Risk Assessments
Written assessments are also required for the use of Display Screen
Equipment, for manual handling of heavy or awkward loads, and for the use of
'work equipment' and 'personal protective equipment'.
Display Screen Equipment legislation mainly applies to the use of
computers, but also applies to electron microscopes. It covers both hardware
and environmental factors (workstation layout, lighting, etc) and work
practices, stressing the need for frequent breaks when working with VDUs. All computers and workstations must comply with this
legislation and should be assessed when aquired, when a signifiacnt change in
useage is made, and every five years thereafter.
This assessment should be undertaken by core services according to the
procedures in SC43.
The code of practice on safe manual handling states that movement of
heavy or awkward loads now requires a written assessment. Departmental policy is that there should be no unassisted
manual handling of such loads except in exceptional circumstances.
Mechanical assistance should be used to lift and transport heavy or
awkward loads. Note that
"compact loads of less than 15kg" can be handled by most people
without problems provided that care is taken and that this is not repeated too
frequently (see the university booklet on "safe manual handling"
& SC44). If manual handling
of heavy or awkward loads is unavoidable see Mr D Whitehurst (G.13 George Holt
Building, ext 45374) who will carry out an assessment.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) require
that all Equipment must be suitable and adequately maintained and that
guarding and controls (where appropriate) must be adequate.
This includes hand tools as well as workshop and laboratory equipment.
All users must be adequately trained and written instructions must be
given where appropriate. Potentially
hazardous equipment should be assessed using the checklist held by the Safety
Co-ordinators, see SCR15.
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) regulations cover the provision
of equipment such as eye protection, masks, lab coats, gloves and safety
shoes. A written assessment of
PPE is required unless the requirement is simple and obvious, see
SCR16.
A PPE assessment form is included as
appendix
F. Departmental policy
requires the wearing of suitable clothing and appropriate protective equipment
in all workshops and laboratories.
3.6
COSHH Assessments
The use of any chemical (or mixture of chemicals) in the laboratories
requires an assessment of the hazards involved and the procedures which should
be used. This includes the
procedures for disposal of wastes and for spillage or other emergency.
An assessment must also be carried out for any chemical stored in
laboratories. A copy of this
assessment must be kept in the lab record file, the researcher or student
should also enter a copy or a summary of this assessment in their lab book.
For many chemicals in common use the assessment may conclude that
"standard precautions"
are acceptable. A copy of the
written assessment should be placed in the lab record file.
Note that in the case of standard sample preparation techniques an
assessment may have been carried out previously and a copy will be stored in
the lab file. In this case the
assessment should be repeated to ensure that it is correct (note that both the
regulations and the hazard ratings of chemicals change frequently) and the
researcher or student should enter a copy in their lab book.
In any case where these chemicals have not been used before, or a
different experiment is being undertaken, then a new assessment is required -
it is the use that must be
assessed.
In some cases, such as any use of carcinogenic chemicals or of
hydrofluoric acid (HF), "standard precautions" are insufficient.
In this case a "specific
assessment" is required and this must be carried out on the pro forma
which is included in appendix
G. This assessment is
specific to the experimenter only, a further person wishing to repeat the
experiment must carry out their own assessment.
A member of academic staff must authorise the assessment and a copy of
the completed form must be given to the Safety Co-ordinator for departmental
records. A copy should be placed
in the lab record file as before - there must be a separate form for each
researcher or student using the chemical. If carcinogenic chemicals are used
then a further copy is passed to the university safety adviser.
Full details of the procedures involved in making COSHH assessments are
laid out in university circular SCR18: "Guidance on carrying out COSHH
Assessments", which forms
appendix
G of this code of practice.
3.7
TRAINING
All new employees and postgraduate students within the Department will
be given a copy of this Code of Practice, and will be required to sign and
return the slip at the end of the document to the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator
to acknowledge that they have received, read, and understood the contents.
Additionally, all new students will be given a talk on health and
safety matters, and a register of attendance taken, before commencement of
laboratory/workshop sessions.
A Departmental Safety Training Record will be kept by the Departmental
Safety Co-ordinator, with an updated copy being forwarded each January to the
University's Safety Adviser.
Some specific safety training is organised on a university-wide basis
and members of staff will be permitted to attend such training courses where
relevant to their work. Further
specialist training will be arranged where a need is seen, and a record of
this will be kept by Departmental Safety Co-ordinator
4.
HOUSEKEEPING
Good housekeeping will reduce accidents and assist in controlling the
spread of fire. Good housekeeping
is an impossible task unless everyone working in the Department takes an
active part in contributing to the general tidiness of all areas.
The following rules should be taken note of but are only a starting
point.
1.
Always plan your work and operate in such a way that accidents are
avoided. Risk and COSHH
assessments should be seen as aids in planning work, not just as a legal
requirement.
2.
Corridors, fire exits and passageways forming means of escape through
working areas must be maintained
free of obstruction.
3.
Spillages and breakages should be cleaned up immediately,
particular attention being paid to flammable solvents, broken glassware,
mercury and strong acids or alkalis which may have to be neutralised before
removal.
4.
Report dangerous or faulty equipment to your supervisor and to the
Departmental Safety Co-ordinator.
5.
Do not use excessive length of cable.
Route cables to avoid creating a tripping hazard.
Use cable protectors where cables cross a walkway.
6.
Keep all chemicals in properly labelled and appropriate containers (see
section 8 of this document).
7.
Return surplus or unwanted equipment to Stores.
Do not keep empty boxes in labs or offices (they are a fire risk as
well as an obstruction).
8.
All lockers and cupboards should be kept clean.
9.
Eating and drinking is not permitted in laboratories.
10.
Keep fume cupboards clean.
11.
Gas cylinders must be kept in properly designed trolleys or chained to
the bench or wall. Keep cylinder
holding to a minimum (see section 6 of this document).
12.
Always clear up after yourself. Do
not leave it to other people.
13.
Always check water hoses and gas pipes to ensure they are in good
condition and leak-free and replace if necessary.
5.
UNATTENDED EXPERIMENTS AND WORK OUTSIDE NORMAL HOURS
For Safety
Purposes 'Normal Hours' are defined as: 9:00
am to
5:30 pm.
Work
Outside Normal Hours
You are permitted to
work in the Department outside normal hours provided that the following
regulations are obeyed:
1.
Before you start working you must enter your name, the location in
which you will be working and the time you start work in the local register
(in the entrance hall of the George Holt Building, the foyer of the Ashton
Building, the foyer of the Engineering tower block and the Building
Managers office in the Foresight Centre).
Enter the time you finish work as you leave the building.
2.
You may work alone only if there is absolutely no risk to
yourself by so doing.
3.
All lights, gas, water and electrical equipment must be turned off
before leaving, and the front door must be securely closed.
Unattended
Experimental Apparatus
Any experimental apparatus left on outside normal working hours requires
a permit (with the exception of some permanent proprietary items). The purpose is to ensure that experiments are left safely and
risks of fire, flood etc minimised. There
are two types of permit:
Yellow permit:
for long term operation of equipment.
pink permit:
valid for the duration of the experiment only.
It is suggested that the best system for all unattended experiments
outside normal hours is to have a permit in a plastic sleeve secured to the
outside of the door of the room containing the equipment.
If the room concerned contains several different pieces of equipment a
further copy of the permit (in addition to that on the door) should be placed
on or adjacent to the equipment. A
further copy of the permit must also be placed in the tray provided (in the
entrance hall of the George Holt Building, the foyer of the Ashton Building,
the foyer of the Engineering tower block and the Building Managers
office in the Foresight Centre).
Permits must display the following information:
-
Experimental details with all the chemicals etc. named;
-
Times and dates to indicate the duration of the experiment;
-
Special instructions in the event of an emergency, including shutdown
procedures.
-
Name, address and telephone number of the person to be contacted in the
event of emergency, normally that of the researcher or his supervisor;
-
Signature of the researcher concerned.
A counter-signature by a member of the academic staff should normally
be obtained also.
6.
PHYSICAL HAZARDS IN
WORKSHOPS AND LABORATORIES
The University Code of Practice for Physical Hazards states:
1.
Members of Staff have a
particular duty and responsibility for ensuring that machinery is safe to use
and that it is used safely.
2.
Instruction of students.
No student should be permitted to operate a machine unless he has been
properly instructed and must be kept under supervision until the instructor is
satisfied that he is competent.
The University Code of Practice for Physical Hazards should be
consulted when considering particular hazards within the Department. There are separate codes of practice covering workshop safety
and safety in chemical laboratories. Copies
are held by the Safety Co-ordinators and can also be consulted at the
departmental office.
Some areas covered by the code which are relevant to the Department are
summarised below and in the following section on Electrical Hazards.
These codes of practice are not intended to provide complete guidance.
Detailed verbal instruction should be provided for all users of
laboratory or workshop equipment and backed up by written instructions and
manuals where appropriate.
6.1
General Physical Hazards
These include tripping, obstructions and manual handling. The first two of these should be covered by good
housekeeping, and it is essential that everyone participates in keeping work
areas clean and tidy, with any surplus or waste material being stored or
disposed of as necessary.
With regard to manual handling, recent legislation requires that care
is taken in limiting the weight of objects lifted, see section 3.5.
Note that manual handling of loads in excess of 15kg requires a
specific assessment to be carried out. The Safety Co-ordinator should be
contacted to arrange this.
The Departmental Safety Co-ordinator should be informed of any medical
condition affecting anyone's ability to lift within the limits outlined in the
booklet.
6.2
Standard Precautions in Workshops and Laboratories
i)
Gloves of the appropriate type should be worn when so required for
protection from chemicals or physical injury (see SCR16), barrier cream is to
be used when there is a likelihood of handling materials contaminated with oil
or grease.
ii)
Eye protection must be worn "when there is a foreseeable risk of
injury to the eye". This
includes all work with acids, alkalis, solvents and other hazardous
substances, work with powered machinery, welding - see SCR16
for details. Staff using machines
in the metal workshop or wood workshop must wear eye protection at all times.
Staff who normally wear spectacles may be able to claim for subsidised
prescription safety glasses.
iii)
Overalls or laboratory coats are to be worn at all times when operating
machines both to prevent loose clothing becoming entangled in machinery, and
to protect normal clothing. Laboratory
coats are to be worn in all laboratory and workshop areas unless local codes
specify otherwise.
iv)
Staff and students are encouraged to wear substantial footwear to
reduce the risk of injury to the feet, and the basic cost of safety shoes is
subsidised for those staff who regularly move heavy equipment or materials.
Open toed sandals must not be worn in workshops or laboratories.
v)
When using noisy equipment, hearing protection must be used.
Where staff are often involved in working in a noisy environment, they
will be issued with the appropriate equipment for their retention.
6.3
Machinery
Virtually all machinery, under certain conditions, has the potential to
cause serious injury. Legislation
requires that all work equipment is assessed in order to ensure its safety
before being taken into use, a written record of the assessment normally being
made. The following general
requirements are appropriate for all machines:
i)
Machines are only to be operated by persons either trained in their
use, or capable by experience of their operation.
ii)
Machines are only to be used in accordance with their operating
instructions for the purposes for which they were designed.
iii)
Other than when necessary for maintenance purposes (and then only after
taking adequate safety precautions), no machinery is to be operated with any
guards removed, or any interlocks bypassed.
iv)
When the particular machinery in use is hand held, due account must be
taken of the possible effects of vibration on the hands.
v)
Where machinery in use has the potential to harm the operator, the
machine is not to be used outside normal working hours unless there is at
least one other person in the immediate vicinity who would be able to raise
the alarm in the event of an incident occurring.
vi)
During normal maintenance operations, machinery energy supplies are to
be disconnected and adequate steps taken to ensure that the supply can not be
inadvertently restored.
6.4
Compressed gas cylinders
Accidental damage to a gas cylinder may cause the release of large
quantities of toxic or flammable gas and can turn the cylinder itself into an
unguided missile. Correct
handling is therefore essential.
All cylinders should be stored upright in fire-resistant well
ventilated areas. Only the
minimum number of cylinders should be stored within workrooms and these must
be securely chained to a wall or bench or in a cylinder trolley.
Cylinders should only be moved using a cylinder trolley and care must
be taken on ramps etc. Do not
travel in an enclosed lift with a gas cylinder.
Flammable gases should not be stored within the building.
The correct regulator must be used, and it is strongly recommended that
any regulator over 10 years old should be replaced (and that hydrogen
regulators be replaced after five years use).
Cylinder valves must only be opened and closed with the correct key. Cylinders with leaking valves should be stored outside and
returned to the supplier as soon as possible.
6.5
Cryogenic liquids
Liquid nitrogen is widely used within the Department in cold traps on
vacuum systems. Both the liquid
and materials cooled by it can cause serious "cold burns" so it is
essential to wear hand and face protection when handling them. Gloves should be large enough to shake off should liquid be
spilt inside the gauntlet, if a splash occurs onto clothing this should be
discarded until the liquid has
evaporated. In the event of a
cryogenic burn flush the affected area with tepid water but do not apply heat. The casualty should be taken to hospital without delay.
Liquid nitrogen can condense oxygen from the air, forming a highly
reactive liquid.
The evaporation of liquid nitrogen in a poorly ventilated area can lead
to oxygen deficiency. Ensure that
all areas where LN2 is
used are well ventilated. In particular do not travel in an enclosed lift with a dewar.
6.6
Furnaces
Furnaces are a potential source of fire and can cause serious burns to
the user if correct procedures are not followed.
Personnel working with high temperature equipment should take due care
to protect themselves and others by the use of guards and/or signs as
appropriate. Manufacturers
instructions must be conformed with and the following safety features provided
as necessary:
i)
Where an explosive atmosphere could develop in a closed chamber
blow-out panels should be used.
ii)
Where thermal run-away could occur thermal fuses must be incorporated
to interrupt the power supply.
iii)
Where toxic atmospheres are used extract ventilation (with a failure
warning alarm) must be provided.
iv)
Where furnaces are kept at constant temperature a notice indicating the
temperature must be displayed.
Due to the nature of the Department's work, it is inevitable that there
will remain the possibility of contact with hot surfaces, and everyone should
remain alert as to the possibility of getting burns from certain pieces of
equipment through lack of care.
6.7
Glassware
Mishandling of glassware, particularly in laboratories, is a common
source of accidents and can result in serious injury.
Any chopped, cracked or damaged glassware is liable to break easily and
must be disposed of into a proper glass bin.
NEVER DISPOSE OF GLASS IN WASTE PAPER BINS.
Notorious sources of injuries include: the cut ends of glass tubing,
which are extremely sharp and should be flame-polished before use;
Insertion of glass tubes into rubber bungs, the correct procedure is
outlined in the university code of practice; removal of stoppers from bottles
without sufficient care.
Glassware vacuum systems are at risk of implosion, with dangerous
flying debris and contents, and should be screened as much as possible. Eye protection must be worn
6.8
Mechanical testing equipment
Testing specimens frequently causes flying debris and dust, so it is
ESSENTIAL TO USE THE SAFETY SCREENS PROVIDED.
Safety glasses must also be worn.
Grips, fixtures and load cells can be heavy and the correct handling
procedures must be observed to prevent injury to back, feet or hands etc (see
section above on manual handling).
Care must be taken when mounting specimens into the grips and fixtures
of the machines; this must not be done when the crosshead or ram is moving as
this can result in serious injury to fingers or hands.
No attempt should be made to remove or release specimens while under
load as this can result in injury.
There are emergency stop buttons on each of the machines in case of
accidents. Users must be aware of
their location and function before operating the machines.
Furnaces and cryogenic chambers are frequently in use and care should
be taken to follow the correct procedure when operating such equipment (see
notes above).
On no account should any attempt be made to open the outer casings or
inspection panels, there is a SERIOUS DANGER OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.
7.
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
1.
All equipment must carry a valid test label.
Any newly constructed or purchased equipment must be tested before use.
All plug-in electrical equipment should undergo a comprehensive check
by a competent person every two years, while those items that are subject to
heavy use and regular plugging/unplugging, such as electric hand tools, are to
be checked annually. Fixed
equipment is to be checked at intervals no greater than 5 years.
Safety Circular SC5/4
details the checks required in each of the above
cases. Equipment without an up to
date test label should not be used, and advice sought from the Safety Co-ordinator.
The use of "private" electrical equipment (kettles, fan
heaters etc) is discouraged by the university. All such equipment must carry a
valid test label. Note that
electric bar fires are a serious fire risk and are prohibited.
2.
While high voltages are generally regarded as being dangerous,
virtually any voltage, given the right conditions, can result in a serious
injury or fatality. Hence
great care is to be taken when dealing with the installation and maintenance
of electrical equipment.
3.
Injury to persons can arise primarily through shock, burns, explosion
and fire. Shocks, the most
common, can be felt from voltages as low as 15V.
It is believed that death can, in appropriate conditions, be caused by
voltages as low as 50V. Most
serious and fatal shock accidents occurs at the normal and industrial voltages
of 200-240V.a.c. and from a resulting current flow of 25-30 milliamps and
over. Injury can also be caused
by a minor shock, not serious in itself, but which has the effect of
contracting the muscles sufficiently to result in a fall from a ladder or
platform.
4.
Only qualified staff are permitted to work on electrical equipment.
When carrying out work on electrical equipment, the supply must be
isolated, and adequate steps taken to prevent it being switched on until the
work has been completed. You should always seek the advice of core services.
Newly wired equipment can only be used after electrical testing has
been carried out and a valid test label has been provided.
5.
You should bear in mind that the Department is responsible only for the
electrical arrangements from single phase socket outlets.
All other work is the responsibility of the Chief Engineer.
YOU MUST NOT CARRY OUT WORK OF ANY KIND TO OTHER ELECTRICAL
INSTALLATIONS SUCH AS RING MAINS, LIGHTING, etc.
Do not attempt to wire 3 phase supplies.
6.
All circuits must be fused in the LIVE circuit.
It cannot be too strongly emphasised that the selection of the correct
size of fuse is important. It
must interrupt safely the severe overload caused by a short circuit and act
quickly to protect the circuit or apparatus.
DO NOT replace a blown fuse with one of a higher rating. For new installations, or where an existing installation is
being modified or relocated, residual current devices will be included in the
circuit.
7.
Special care should be taken with elderly and 'home-made' apparatus,
which may not meet modern standards. Such
equipment must be completely enclosed. Where
VARIAC transformers are used they must be completely enclosed, including the
terminals. If wrongly connected
the whole apparatus may be live.
8.
Low voltage wiring, for example the connection of thermocouples, test
leads, computer connections, may be carried out by competent staff.
Such leads must be of the correct rating.
Keep all cables as short as possible and protect them where they
unavoidably cross the floor.
9.
Special wiring problems can be dealt with through qualified staff in
Core Services and in the Buildings and Estates Department.
IF IN DOUBT ASK.
10.
For further information consult the University Code of Practice for
Physical Hazards and the Electricity at Work Regulations.
8.
CHEMICAL SAFETY
You should consult the Imperial College booklet "Safety in
chemical laboratories and in the use of chemicals" - a copy is included
with the codes of practice in the departmental office.
Before undertaking any experiment you must carry out a COSHH
assessment as laid down in section 3.6 and
appendix
G of this document. A copy of
your assessment should be placed in the laboratory record file.
All chemicals used or stored within the Department should be considered
in respect of the regulations regarding the Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health (COSHH). Suppliers of all
chemical products are required by law to provide data sheets detailing health
and safety information. A copy of
each of these sheets will be retained in the stores.
Guidance on COSHH is given in Safety Circular SCR18, a copy of which is
included as Appendix G of
this Code of Practice. Particular
attention is to be paid to chemical carcinogens, teratogens, and embryotoxins,
and a copy of the university's guide for laboratory workers is included as Appendix
H.
Copies of the full code of practice for work with chemical carcinogens,
teratogens, and embryotoxins are obtainable upon request.
Good practice in the laboratory can be
summarised as:
Ventilation
Perform experiments in a well ventilated area and preferably in a fume
cupboard. Many experiments must
be performed in a fume cupboard, this will be determined by the COSHH
assessment. Fume cupboards must
not be opened beyond the indicated limits.
Hygiene
Avoid doing anything that might transfer chemicals to the mouth. This is why eating, drinking, smoking and the application of
cosmetics are banned in laboratories. Do
not suck or chew pens or pencils. Hands
should be washed frequently, even if gloves are worn.
Wash hands thoroughly on completion of the work.
Wear a clean laboratory coat in the laboratory and take it off on
leaving.
Housekeeping
Benches should be kept tidy, gangways clear, bottles clean and clearly
labelled. Chemicals must only be
kept in appropriate and properly labelled containers.
Chemicals and apparatus should be returned to their correct places
after use. Experiments or
unlabelled beakers of chemicals should not be left unattended.
Handling
There is a correct method of handling every material.
If this is not known consult a responsible person.
You must be fully aware of likely reactions between chemicals when
mixing etches, solutions etc. You should also understand procedures for disposal of waste
products and dealing with spillages, these procedures form part of the COSHH
assessment.
Protection
Eye protection (safety glasses or face masks) is essential when working
with chemicals, suitable equipment is provided by the university and must be
worn. Gloves or gauntlets will be
required in many cases, use gloves which are suitable for the job
Laboratory coats must be worn at all times in chemical laboratories and
should be kept clean. The level of PPE required must be assessed before starting
work.
9.
RADIATION SAFETY
Radiation sources covered by University codes of practice include all
radioactive materials, X-ray and other high energy sources and non-ionising
sources such as lasers and ultarviolet lamps.
Those most likely to be used within the Department are lasers, UV lamps
and X-ray sources.
Before using any X-ray facilities you must consult the Departmental
X-ray Safety Officer, Dr A Green. Local
rules for these facilities must be followed at all times.
There are strict regulations controlling the use of lasers, and a
separate set of rules has been drawn up to ensure that their use within the
Department complies with the legislation.
A copy of these rules will be given to each person involved in working
with lasers.
Before setting up any experiment involving the use of lasers you must
complete a risk assessment and submit it for the approval of the Department's
Laser Safety Officer, who will subsequently check the set up of the experiment
before it is conducted.
10.
Individual Responsibilities
As laid down in health and safety at work legislation, in addition to
the general requirement to act with due regard to their own safety, and the
safety of others, all persons working in the Department also have a duty to:
a)
Act in accordance with any safety training, or other instructions,
given to them.
b)
Notify accidents, dangerous occurrences, or near misses to the
Departmental Safety Co-ordinator, Head of Department, or academic supervisor.
c)
Advise the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator, Head of Department, or
academic supervisor of any health and safety matter in the Department which
may be considered to require attention.
Appendix A
The Head of Department is responsible for ensuring, so far as
reasonably practicable:
(a)
that the health and safety of staff, students and the general public
are not adversely affected by the activities of the Department;
(b)
that risks to health and safety are assessed to a reasonable and
consistent standard and that appropriate control measures and safe systems of
work are used; where specific risks are not covered by a university or
departmental code of practice they should be assessed in writing, and a copy
of the assessment sent to the safety adviser;
(c)
that an appreciation of appropriate safety aspects of the subject is
part of the educational process, and there is effective communication with
students on health and safety matters;
(d)
that buildings under the direct control of the Department are inspected
formally and health and safety arrangements are monitored at intervals of not
greater than six months;
(e)
that proper fire precautions are observed, that written departmental
fire instructions are brought to the attention of every individual in the Department, that fire evacuation exercises are carried out at least once a
session in the first term, that alarm bells are tested once a week, and that a
named individual and a named deputy are responsible for overseeing fire
precautions;
(f)
that the arrangements exist for ensuring that all accidents, including
incidents where injury or damage might have occurred, are investigated
with the aim of preventing recurrence and reported to the Safety Adviser on
the appropriate form;
(g)
that safe machinery and equipment and, where appropriate, any necessary
safety appliances or protective equipment are used, and the electrical safety
of appliances is checked at least every two years (except that departmental
equipment permanently connected to supply points is checked at least every
five years);
(h)
that the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator is informed about any new
machinery and equipment that may be hazardous, and that it is inspected and
tested where necessary before initial use;
(i)
that there is effective communication and consultation concerning
health and safety with all members of staff, and in particular with trade
union safety representatives;
(j)
that advice is sought from within the University or from outside bodies
when the need arises;
(k)
that hazards and defects outside the control of the Department are
reported to the Director of Estates or whoever is responsible for removing the
hazard;
(l)
that all relevant information on health and safety hazards is provided
to all persons, including contractors, maintenance staff and visiting
researchers, who undertake work within the Department;
(m)
that a departmental code of practice is prepared, given to all staff
and appropriate students, reviewed if circumstances change and at least every
five years, and observed;
(n)
that safety training needs are identified and that staff and students
are trained in safe practices relevant to their work; that a training record
be kept and a copy submitted regularly to the Safety Adviser;
(o)
that all uses of hazardous substances are assessed in accordance with
the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, and that they are
stored, used and disposed of in a safe manner.
In
buildings which the Department shares with other occupants any common user
areas are the joint responsibility of the heads of the relevant Departments.
Appendix
B
Departmental
Safety Representatives and First Aiders
Departmental
Safety Representatives:
name
location
extension
email address
Dr T B Joyce
G.05, George Holt
45369
tjoyce@liv.ac.uk
Mr R Seamans
M.85, Mechanical
44813
seamans@liv.ac.uk
Dr C J Sutcliffe
C1.05, Foresight Centre
48022
c.j.sutcliffe@liv.ac.uk
Mr J Gillies
2.03, George Holt
45375
gillies@liv.ac.uk
Departmental
First Aiders:
Louisa Parry
44919
2.12, Harrison Hughes
Eddie Carey
4 4957
Building Manager's
office, foyer of Tower
PeterBennett
4 4957
Building Manager's
office, foyer of Tower
Dave Brookfield
44831
Room 357 of Tower
Andy Snaylam
44880
Laser lab, 4th floor of
Tower
Bill Lanceley
44872/3 Hydraulic
lab. / flume
Dave Whitehurst
45377
G.13, George Holt Laboratory
Monica Hughes
45366
1.14 (Metallography),
George Holt Laboratory
Anna Crewe
4 8025
C1.11, Foresight Centre
Appendix
C
Health
And Safety At Work Legislation
Responsibilities
of Staff and Students
The
University is required to follow the provisions of Health and Safety at Work
legislation. This applies to
employees and to anybody who may use its premises as a place of work,
including students and others using university facilities.
This legislation imposes obligations on the employer and the
employee.
The
two main pieces of legislation involved are:
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The management of health and safety at work regulations serve to ensure that employers take adequate measures to protect their staff. They also impose duties on every employee. In the case of Universities they apply equally to students. Specifically:
Every
member of the Department must act
in accordance with any safety training or instructions given to them.
Every
member of the Department must
report:
(a) any situation which appears to represent a serious and
immediate danger to health and safety.
(b) any shortcoming in health and safety provisions.
These
should be reported to the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator or Head of
Department.
The
Health And Safety at Work Act 1974
Lays
down duties and responsibilities for employers and employees which are
summarised below.
The
Act places upon every employer a duty "to ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his
employees". In particular,
the employer has a duty
(a)
to provide and maintain "plant and systems of work that
are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to
health";
(b)
to make arrangements to "ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use,
handling, storage and transport of articles and substances";
(c)
to provide "such information, instruction, training and
supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable,
the health and safety at work of his employees";
(d)
to maintain places of work including ways in and out of them in a safe
condition and without risks to health "so far as is reasonably
practicable"; and
(e)
to provide and maintain "a working environment for his employees
that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health,
and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for welfare at work".
In
addition to these general duties owed to employees, any employer "who
designs, manufactures, imports, or supplies any article for use at work
"must, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure that it is hazard-free
when used correctly, that it has been properly tested to ensure that that is
the case and that adequate information is provided about how to use it
safely". Similarly, when an
employer "manufactures, imports or supplied any substances for use at
work" he must
(a)
ensure that the substance is safe to use and free of health hazards
when used properly, so far as is reasonably practicable, and carry out
whatever tests and examinations are necessary for that purpose, and
(b)
make available adequate information about the safe use of the
substance, and about the results of any tests which have been carried out.
It
may be, of course, that testing or examination of identical articles or
substances has been carried out elsewhere, and if that is the case, and the
employer can reasonably rely on the results, then he is not required to repeat
the procedures himself.
At
the same time as placing obligations upon the employer, the Act also places
obligations upon the employee (again this applies equally to students).
Each employee must take "reasonable care for the health and safety
of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions
at work". He or she must
also cooperate with the employer in fulfilling any statutory requirement in
the field of health and safety at work which is imposed on the employer, and
must not interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health
and safety.
Under
the Act the University now has a duty to anybody who, although not an
employee, may use its premises "as a place of work or as a place where
they may use plant or substances provided for their use there".
Whoever has control of the premises which are used must take reasonable
steps to ensure that the premises themselves, the access routes to them, and
any plant or substance there is "so far as is reasonably
practicable", safe and without risk to health.
This duty extends not only to our own students but also to any other
people who have use of University facilities.
In
less legalistic jargon the building and its experimental equipment must be
designed to afford protection to the following groups:
(a)
those actually working with the equipment;
(b)
those working in the immediate vicinity of the equipment;
(c)
members of the general public.
Everyone
working in this Department, whether as a member of staff, or as a student or
other researcher (and including visitors using Departmental facilities), has
an obligation to work within the rules and regulations presented in this
document.
The Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations 1992
The
most important aspect of these regulations is that all activities, other than
the routine activities of everyday life, should be assessed, and if
significant risks are discovered the risk assessment must be recorded.
The regulations laid down specific legislation which has been
incorporated into University codes of practice covering:
Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
Manual Handling
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
(PUWER)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Display
Screen Equipment legislation mainly applies to the use of computers, but also
applies to electron microscopes. It covers both hardware and environmental
factors (workstation layout, lighting, etc) and work practices, stressing the
need for frequent breaks when working with VDUs. Those who wish to make significant use of computers should
consult the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator about the regulations (see
SC43).
All computers and workstations must comply with this legislation.
The
code of practice on safe manual handling states that movement of heavy or
awkward loads now requires a written assessment. Departmental policy is that there should be no unassisted
manual handling of such loads except in exceptional circumstances.
Mechanical assistance should be used to lift and transport heavy or
awkward loads. Note that
"compact loads of less than 15kg" can be handled by most people
without problems provided that care is taken and that this is not repeated too
frequently (see the university booklet on "safe manual handling"
& SC44). If manual handling
of heavy or awkward loads is unavoidable see the Safety Co-ordinator who will
arrange for an assessment.
The
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations require that all Equipment
must be suitable and adequately maintained and that guarding and controls
(where appropriate) must be adequate. This
includes hand tools as well as workshop and laboratory equipment.
All users must be adequately trained and written instructions must be
given where appropriate. Potentially hazardous equipment should be assessed using the
checklist held by the DSC
(SCR15).
The
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work regulations cover the provision of
equipment such as eye protection, masks, lab coats, gloves and
safety shoes. A written assessment of PPE is required unless the
requirement is simple and obvious, see SCR16.
A PPE assessment form is included as
appendix
F. Departmental policy
requires the wearing of suitable clothing and appropriate protective equipment
in all laboratories.
Workplace
Health, Safety and Welfare legislation concerns the work environment;
lighting, temperature and so on. If
you have concerns about your workplace you should contact the DSC in the first
instance.
Other
legislation in the form of regulations includes: The Control of Substances
Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations 1989, updated 1994, which are
discussed in section 3 of this document and in appendix
G
(SCR18); The Electricity at
Work regulations 1989 (see section 7); The Noise at Work regulations 1989 (see
also SCR16 - PPE); The Pressure Systems regulations 1989; The Confined Spaces
regulations 1997. Should you
require further information about working within of these regulations you
should contact the DSC.
Appendix
D
UNIVERSITY
CODES OF PRACTICE & SAFETY EXPERTS
D
1. UNIVERSITY CODES OF PRACTICE
The
following University Codes of Practice are available for consultation from the
safety representatives or in the departmental safety library.
Asbestos
Chemical Carcinogens, Teratogens and Embryotoxins
Chemical Hazards
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Display Screen Equipment Work
Eye Protection
Entry into confined spaces (buildings and estates code)
Health and Safety at Work
Minibuses
Physical Hazards
Safe Manual Handling
Smoking
Workshop Safety
Other
Codes of Practice and details of the legislation involved can be obtained via
the Departmental Safety Co-ordinator or the University Safety Adviser’s
office.
D
2. UNIVERSITY SAFETY CIRCULARS
Copies of University
Safety Circulars are available from the Safety Co-ordinators and they can be
accessed on the web at address:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/New/safety/circulars.html
Circulars
on specific topics include:
SC4/3
Health and Safety: Inspection and Monitoring
SC6/2
Health and Safety Responsibilities and Duties
SC11/3
Accident/Incident Reports
SC43/2
Display Screen Equipment
SC44
Manual Handling
SC45
Workplace Regulations
SC48/2
Management of Hazardous Waste
SCR01
Safety in Practical and Laboratory areas
SCR13
First Aid
SCR14/2
Unattended Experiments outside normal working hours
SCR15/2
Provision and Use of Work Equipment (PUWER)
SCR16
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations
SCR17
Risk Assessments & Student Supervision
SCR18
Guidance on carrying out COSHH Assessments (see
appendix
G)
D
3. UNIVERSITY SAFETY EXPERTS AND
SAFETY STAFF
The
University Health and Safety Committee has established a panel of Safety
Experts. The Safety Experts
advise on specialist safety matters in their own areas of expertise.
These arrangements are not intended to supersede the position of
Departmental Safety Co-ordinators in these matters who, in normal non-urgent
circumstances, should be consulted first.
The
University Safety Adviser coordinates all safety matters throughout the
University. He is helped by a
full-time assistant.
The
Safety Officer (Buildings and Estates) co-ordinates and advises on the safety
of buildings, services, etc. He
is also responsible for the provision of safety equipment and the safe
disposal of dangerous substances.
University Safety Experts
Telephone
Extension
Building Safety: Mr K P Doyle, 42179
Director of Estates, Bedford House
Chemical Hazards, Organic and Inorganic:
Dr S J Higgins
4 3512
Department of Chemistry
Electrical Hazards:
Mr T.Mealey,
42190
Department of Buildings and Estates
Bedford House
Infective Hazards:
Professor C Hart,
15-4380
Department of Medical Microbiology
Mechanical Hazards:
Mr R Seamans,
44813
Laboratory Manager, Department of Engineering
Radiation Hazards: Dr P. Cole,
4 3467
Radiation Protection Advisor, Department of Physics
Toxic Hazards:
Dr W E Lindup,
45556
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
University
Safety Adviser:
Dr C M Bowes
43242
Safety Officer (Buildings and Estates
Department):
43172
Mr W Kildare
Occupational Health Physician:
Dr N L Wilson
43235
Senior Occupational Health Nurse:
Sister S.Racey
43236
Bomb
Threat
(I)
General
1
Be calm and courteous.
2
Listen, do not interrupt the caller.
3
If possible notify security on 2222.
4
Keep caller talking, e.g. pretend difficulty with hearing.
(II)
Things to do
1
Note exact time and date of call.
2
Record exactly what is said.
(III)
Questions to ask / Information to ascertain
1
When will it go off:
a) At a specific time?
b) In a few hours/minutes?
2
Where is it located:
a) Building or department?
b) Floor or general area?
3
What kind of bomb, e.g. explosive, incendiary etc.?
4
Why has the University been chosen for such action?
Has the caller a grievance?
5
If the building is one usually occupied, inform the caller that
detonation would cause injury or death
6
Does the caller seem familiar with the building, department or
procedures, or equipment in the building?
(IV)
Information to deduce / Observations to make
1
Caller’s identity:
a) Sex?
b) Approximate age?
2
Origin of call:
a) Local, long distance?
b) Pay booth, internal?
3
Voice characteristics:
a) Loud... soft?
b) High pitch.... deep?
c) Raspy... pleasant?
d) Intoxicated... sober?
4
Speech:
a) Fast... slow?
b) Distinct... distorted?
c) Stuttering, nasalised, slurred, lisping?
5
Language:
a) Poor... excellent?
b) Foul?
6
Accent:
a) Local (where?)
b) Foreign (nationality?)
c) Regional (where?)
7
Manner:
a) Calm... angry?
b) Rational... irrational?
c) Coherent... incoherent?
d) Deliberate, emotional, righteous, laughing?
8
Background noise
a) Factory or machinery?
b) Trains, station tannoy?
c) Animals or birds?
d) Voices, office machines?
e) Aircraft, jets, propellers?
f) Street noise or traffic?
g) Party atmosphere?
h) Hums, whirs, church clocks striking, ticking?