Health and Safety Policy

Statement of Intent

--- is committed to ensuring the Health, Safety and Welfare of its employees and
others is not adversely affected by our working environment, or the work we do.

We recognise that while it is not possible to remove all risks from the working
environment it is our duty to ensure that remaining risks are identified and properly
managed.

At the heart of our commitment to health and safety are 11 core principles that
everyone is required to embrace and which will assist us in achieving continual
performance improvement.

Health and Safety Core Principles

1 We recognise that the management of health and safety is paramount and we

will ensure that adequate resources are made available to manage it.
2 We will ensure through a proc---------- of ass----------ment, planning and
continuous review that suitable systems and arrangements are developed and
implemented to manage health and safety.
3 We will provide the nec----------ary information, instruction, training and
supervision to enable all employees to protect their own health and safety
while at work.
4 We will ensure that all work places are adequately maintained.
5 We will provide all employees with acc---------- to adequate welfare facilities
and will encourage a sensible approach to work life balance.
6 We will provide a safe means of acc---------- to, and egr---------- from all
workplaces.
7 We are committed to complying with all current and future legislation as a
minimum standard.
8 We recognise that the prevention of all work related injury and ill health is good
busin---------- practice.
9 We will ensure that --------- maintains acc---------- to specialist competent health
and safety advice, and that all staff are competent to fulfil the requirements of their
role.
10 We recognise and promote the fact that all employees have a responsibility for
their own health and safety and that of others affected as a result of their acts
or omissions.
11 We seek to communicate with, engage and involve all staff, students and other
stakeholders in creating and maintaining a safe and healthy working
environment.

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 Health and Safety Policy

Organisation This section contains a summary of the organisational structure for

managing health and safety in --

Safety Office and related functions

University Management (inc
 Fire, Radiation, Biological Executive Board)
 Insurance Officer
 Human Resource Managers
 Union Safety Representatives

University & Prof----------ional

Services Safety Committee

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
------------ Health and Safety
Committee

Director ---------- ---------- Health and Safety

Management Group

---------- Accountant ---------- Health and

Safety Officer

Heads of Service

Section Managers

Other managers/ team leaders/

supervisors

Employees

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 Health and Safety Policy

Responsibilities

Director of ----------

In line with the University Health and Safety Policy and the document ‘Heads of
School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School safety roles’ (see extract
below), the Director of ---------- (----------) has overall responsibility for all matters
relating to the health, safety and welfare of all persons employed by ---------- and for
ensuring that university staff, clients, students, members of the general public and
others, who may be affected by the activities and services provided by ---------- are
protected, so far as is reasonably practicable, from risk(s) to their health and safety.

The Director of ---------- will facilitate the management of health and safety at
Executive Level. This will include:

 Reporting to the University Registrar on matters affecting the health and

safety of ----------, including its performance and annual reports;
 Ensuring that ---------- manages its affairs in a way which can achieve
compliance with its health and safety obligations, its Health and Safety Policy
and objectives for continual improvement;
 Promoting and enabling improved working practices and conditions which can
allow for the greater well-being of employees and reduce risks to health and
safety.
Additionally, the Director of ---------- will ensure adequate support to enable ----------
meet its statutory duties, through the provision of adequately resourced prof----------
ional and competent advice and assistance; to this end ---------- has appointed a
Health and Safety Officer.
The Role of the Head of School

(Extract from ‘Heads of School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School safety roles’)

Heads of School usually have oversight of resources devolved from University funds. As such they have a duty not only
for the application of these resources but also its safe application. The term Head of School means not only the head of
each academic School but also the heads of Services Institutes etc. All these individuals should be held accountable for
their performance as managers.

Heads of School should take the lead in driving the Health and Safety programme within their area of responsibility.
Heads of School must demonstrate visible commitment by acting in the Job Description. The Job Description list
derived from the document “University Health and Safety Management – Code of Best Practice”.

In addition to the Job Description it is important that the Head of School demonstrates personal commitment to the
Health and Safety of the School staff (and students) by accepting their own responsibility in Health and Safety, and by
encouraging colleagues to do the same.

It is pertinent to remember that the role of Head of School is potentially liable to personal prosecution by the HSE under
Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974. This section is reproduced below in the section “a brief
guide to health and safety law”. This is because as Head of School the HSE may regard the role-holder as being, in
effect, a director of the University being the director in charge of the School (Service Institute etc.) concerned. It is
unlikely that the HSE would extend this privilege to staff lower in the University management chain.

Finally Heads of School are also accountable to the PVC’s and University Executive, for Health and Safety matters just
as much as for any other management issue. This is why it is important that reports are referred to the Provost etc.
along with action plans for the resolution of Health and Safety issues. 3
 Health and Safety Policy

---------- Health and Safety Officer

In conjunction with the University Safety Office the ---------- Health and Safety Officer
(---------- HSO) assists to develop and implement specific occupational safety and
health working practices and training that affect the Directorate. As the in-house
prof----------ional adviser for OSH related issues the ----------HSO is employed to
advise on legislative requirements and assist in compliance and also undertake a
monitoring role, which feeds into the corporate health and safety management
system. This function operates outside the management structure and acts as the
representative of the Director in matters related to occupational safety and health,
acting in the best interests of ----------.

Additionally, the ----------HSO acts in the University recognised role of School Safety
Officer for ---------- and the requirements associated with that role are outlined in the
document ‘Heads of School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School
safety roles’.

The Role of the School Safety Officer

(Extract from ‘Heads of School, School Safety Officer, and Other appointed School safety roles’)

In general, Heads of Schools are responsible for all aspects of the health and safety of personnel within the School.
(Responsibility for health and safety aspects of the fabric of the buildings rests with the Director of ----------).

School Safety Officers are appointed by the Head of School to advise on all aspects of Health and Safety within
the School. The existence of the SSO post should not create an attitude of "health and safety is the School Safety
Officer's problem not mine" in the mind of anyone in the School, from Head of School downwards. Such attitudes are
counter-productive.

Particularly in large Schools, safety-related activities are likely to be many and varied, and not all will devolve on the
SSO. Safety problems related to individual projects would normally be carried out by the principal investigator
concerned rather than the SSO, though the latter will be in a position to offer advice or to know where such advice
might be sought. Heads of large Schools may also appoint additional members of staff to provide specialist advice and
help in areas affected by statutory requirement, such as manual handling or visual display equipment ass----------ment.
It is ----------ential that every Head of School has a clear management structure for Health and Safety, and that this
management structure is communicated to the PVC and the University Safety Office.

The main role of the School Safety Officer is to ensure the Head of School and other colleagues and students within the
School are aware of the relevant safety information for working or studying in the School.

The School Safety Officer is the adviser, the monitor, and the communicator but not the line manager. Responsibility for
the management of safety issues within each School lies with the Head of School.

The production and review of risk ass----------ments is the responsibility of the person in charge of the activity not the
School Safety Officer. Risk ass----------ment training courses are available to all staff and postgraduate students.

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 Health and Safety Policy

Senior Management Team

The Senior Management Team (SMT) will consider health and safety issues and
their impact on departmental objectives, and will manage its affairs in a way which
can achieve compliance with its health and safety obligations.

Accountant

The Accountant is responsible for ensuring that adequate consideration is given to

health and safety when making budgetary decisions, e.g. by reminding budget
holders.

Heads of Service

Heads of service are responsible for the effective management of health and safety
within their respective divisions / areas of control. This will include:

 Providing health and safety leadership for the service;

 Ensuring individual and service actions and decisions always reinforce the m--
--------ages in the Health and Safety Policy;
 Engaging and encouraging active management participation and support for
occupational safety and health within the department;
 Involving partners and other interested parties, such as customers/clients,
contractors and recognised trade union bodies, in the management of
occupational safety and health;
 Ensuring that employees, partners and contractors, etc. working within the
service recognise and accept their personal responsibilities;
 Ensuring arrangements are effective for the competency of employees and
other applicable personnel, to carry out their designated roles and that
adequate resources are provided for the purposes of training and maintaining
competency;
 Ensuring that employees within the division have acc---------- to the Health
and Safety Policy and other relevant health and safety documentation;
 Ensuring that the Health and Safety Policy and other relevant health and
safety documentation are complied with and maintained;
 Ensuring general and specific risk ass----------ment proc----------es are fully
implemented with regard to the requirements of legislation, relevant standards
and best practice, especially following any changes;
 Utilising risk ass----------ments for the purposes of prioritising actions,
identifying training needs, developing operational controls and determining
future service requirements;
 Ensuring adequate arrangements exist for employee welfare, dealing with
emergency situations and for the establishment of procedures; to cover
situations where their absence could lead to deviations from the Health and
Safety Policy;

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 Health and Safety Policy

 Ensuring provision and utilisation of equipment, facilities, etc., as identified

through risk ass----------ment, safe systems of work, etc; including personal
protective equipment;
 Ensuring that all relevant health and safety aspects are considered, addr-------
---ed and maintained within all goods and service contracts and arrangements
for joint working / partnerships;
 Allocating adequate resources so that occupational safety and health risks
can be managed effectively (prioritising actions where nec----------ary);
 Monitoring occupational safety and health performance within the division on
a regular basis, ensuring all accidents, incidents, occupational diseases,
hazards and near misses are reported in accordance with procedures and
instigating appropriate action, where the need has been identified, to rectify
conditions or practices that give rise to significant risk;
 Establishing key health and safety objectives for the division on an annual
basis, to enable the achievement of the aims within the Health and Safety
Policy, and attain continuous improvement;
 Supporting the ---------- Health and Safety Committee, the Central Services
Safety Committee and the University Safety Committee, encouraging and
engaging the active participation of employees;
 Regularly discussing occupational safety and health at SMT and other
meetings, enabling effective consultation on health and safety matters and the
dissemination of relevant information;
 Liaising with and supporting the work of the ---------- Health and Safety Officer
and the University Safety Office.

Section Managers

Section Managers should actively support their Head of Service in the effective
management of occupational safety and health and are responsible for implementing
and maintaining arrangements within their area(s) of control. This will include:

 Ensuring individual actions and decisions always reinforce the m----------ages

in the Health and Safety Policy;
 Encouraging active employee participation and involving partners and other
interested parties in the management of occupational safety and health;
 Ensuring that employees within their control recognise and accept their
personal responsibilities and are competent to carry out their designated
roles, having acc---------- to relevant and nec----------ary information,
instruction and training;
 Ensuring that employees within their control have acc---------- to the Health
and Safety Policy and other relevant health and safety documentation, and
that these are complied with and maintained;
 Ensuring general and specific risk ass----------ments are undertaken, as
applicable, and especially before implementing any change, and that their
recommendations are acted upon so that the requirements of legislation,
relevant standards and best practice can be achieved;

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 Health and Safety Policy

 Utilising risk ass----------ments for the purposes prioritising actions, identifying

training needs and developing operational controls;
 Ensuring arrangements for employee welfare and dealing with emergency
situations are fully implemented for workplaces within their control, including at
shared premises, where co-operation must be sought with other users to fulfil
obligations;
 Ensuring provision and utilisation of equipment, facilities, etc., as identified
through risk ass----------ment, safe systems of work, etc; including personal
protective equipment;
 Ensuring that relevant health and safety aspects are achieved and maintained
within all goods and service contracts and arrangements for joint working /
partnerships within their area of control;
 Utilising available resources so that occupational safety and health risks can
be managed effectively, highlighting areas where additional resources may be
required;
 Monitoring health and safety performance on a regular basis, ensuring all
accidents, incidents, occupational diseases, hazards and near misses are
reported in accordance with procedures and instigating appropriate action,
where the need has been identified, to rectify conditions or practices that give
rise to significant risk;
 Establishing health and safety objectives for their employees, as appropriate,
to enable the achievement of the aims within Health and Safety Policy;
 Regularly discussing health and safety at meetings within the department,
enabling effective employee consultation on health and safety matters and the
dissemination of relevant information.
 Liaising with and supporting the work of the ---------- Health and Safety Officer
and the University Safety Office.

Other Managers / Team Leaders / Supervisors

Team Leaders and others with supervisory duties are responsible for health and
safety within their teams / areas of responsibility, on a day to day basis. This will
include:

 Ensuring individual actions and decisions always reinforce the m----------ages

in the Health and Safety Policy;
 Encouraging the involvement of employees and other interested parties in the
day to day management of occupational safety and health;
 Ensuring that employees within their teams recognise and accept their
personal responsibilities and are competent to carry out their designated
roles, having acc---------- to relevant and nec----------ary information,
instruction and training;
 Ensuring that employees within their teams have acc---------- to the Health and
Safety Policy and other relevant health and safety documentation, and that
these are implemented and complied with;

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 Health and Safety Policy

 Ensuring general and specific risk ass----------ments are available and that
their recommendations are acted upon, so that the requirements of legislation,
relevant standards and best practice can be achieved;
 Ensuring that employees are aware of the arrangements for their welfare and
for responding to emergency situations;
 Ensuring provision and utilisation of equipment, facilities, etc., as identified
through risk ass----------ment, safe systems of work, etc; including personal
protective equipment;
 Not entering into any contracts for the purchase of goods and / or services
unl---------- they have been specifically authorised;
 Ensuring all accidents, incidents, occupational diseases, hazards and near
misses are reported in accordance with procedures and instigating
appropriate action, where the need has been identified, to rectify conditions or
practices that give rise to significant risk;
 Attending and discussing health and safety matters at team and other
meetings, enabling effective employee consultation on health and safety
matters and the dissemination of relevant information.
 Liaising with and supporting the work of the ---------- Health and Safety Officer
and the University Safety Office.

Employees

All employees (including those on a temporary or fixed term contracts), have

responsibilities for their own and others health and safety, not to misuse anything
provided for the purposes of health and safety, and to co-operate with ---------- to
enable it to discharge its health and safety obligations. This will include:

 Ensuring all actions and decisions at work follow the m----------ages in the
Health and Safety Policy;
 Complying with the requirements of the Health and Safety Policy,
arrangements, and other relevant health and safety documentation, such as
procedural documents;
 Participating in any instruction or training which has been provided for the
purposes of health and safety;
 Assisting in the completion of risk ass----------ments, where required, and
complying with risk ass----------ment control measures (including specific ass--
--------ments, e.g. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH),
manual handling, display screen equipment (DSE), etc);
 Using equipment, facilities, etc., as per training/information provided and
utilising any safety equipment, features, facilities, etc., as required by
training/instructions received; including personal protective equipment;
 Reporting known hazards in the workplace which may have not been
previously identified or ass----------ed, including any defects to equipment
which is used or which has been personally issued;
 Being aware of the emergency arrangements for your workplace and
participating in any drills or exercises;

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 Health and Safety Policy

 Not entering into any contracts for the purchase of goods and / or services
unl---------- specifically authorised;
 Not bringing any items from home for use at work, unl---------- it has been
issued / authorised by work;
 Reporting accidents, incidents, occupational diseases, hazards and near
misses in accordance with procedures;
 Attending and discussing health and safety at team and other meetings; such
as to give feedback on new or changed working practices, to highlight any
areas of concern or make suggestions to enable improvements in workplace
practices or conditions.

All employees are required to acknowledge they have received, read and understood
the content of this document. This will be provided for by way of a ‘receipt form’
which must be signed and returned to the ----------HSO through your line manager.

Fire Warden/Marshal

Fire Wardens/Marshals assist in meeting the requirements of the Health and Safety
Policy in relation to emergency evacuations. They have a direct link to the University
Safety Office and ---------- Health and Safety Officer.

Union Safety Representatives / Representatives of Employee Safety

---------- welcomes and supports these roles in developing and maintaining a safe
and healthy working environment.

Contractors, Consultants and other Working Partners

All persons working with, or involved in the provision of goods and services on behalf
of ---------- must co-operate with the requirements of the University’s and ----------’s
Health and Safety Policy and accept their personal responsibilities for the health and
safety of themselves and others. Prior to the commencement of any work on behalf
of ----------, all contractors and partners must inform the authorising or
Commissioning Officer (Estates Support Services Representative) of the proposed
method of work and associated risk ass----------ments and controls, and these must
be reviewed and accepted. Additional measures must be taken, where nec----------
ary, to protect employees and others from risks that may arise as a consequence of
this work.

A site brief will be provided, where relevant, explaining any specific health and safety
hazards or implications, e.g. fragile roofs, and the actions to take in the event of an
emergency. Failure to comply with any of these requirements may result the
cancellation or termination of work.

Contractor’s health and safety competency will be ass----------ed; ---------- subscribe

to the Contractors Health and Safety (CHAS) Ass----------ment Scheme to fulfil this

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 Health and Safety Policy

requirement; contractors will, ideally, have been ass----------ed as compliant with

CHAS, as required by the scheme.

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 Health and Safety Policy

External Support Units/Staff

In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, certain University Units/Officers

also have specific responsibilities for developing, implementing and maintaining the -
--------- Health and Safety Management System, including:

University Safety Office and Occupational Health Service

Refer to the University Health and Safety Policy and the University document
‘Management of Health and Safety at Newcastle University’.

University Safety Office provides advice and assistance in relation to current and
proposed legislation, guidance, relevant standards and best practice. They develop
and implement corporate health and safety standards and procedures and provide
health and safety training in relation to this and other areas of health and safety law.
The team also ensures all accidents and incidents are reported to the relevant
enforcing authority and monitors health and safety performance generally. This
includes inspections and audits of departments and premises on a programmed
basis.

The Occupational Health Service provides advice and assistance in relation to:

 pre-employment health screening;

 health surveillance
 medicals and fitn---------- to work, including reasonable adjustments;
 rehabilitation;
 vaccinations;
 health promotion, and
 ill health re-deployment.

Specialist Advice and Support

Support and advice is available with respect to projects and design work carried out
by ---------- from the University’s Fire Safety Officer, University Radiation Protection
Officer and the Biological Protection Officer who should be approached for their input
in relation to any associated design, construction, improvements, alteration,
maintenance, etc works. (See also University document ‘Heads of School,

School Safety Officer and Other appointed School safety roles’.)

Insurance Officer

The Insurance Officer works closely with the University Safety Office in relation to
devising and developing strategies to addr---------- the University’s risk profile.

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 Health and Safety Policy

Human Resources

Human Resources have a specific role in supporting managers and employees in

complying with the requirements of the Health and Safety Policy; this can be
assisted by the inclusion of relevant health and safety responsibilities in job
descriptions.

Prof----------ional Services Safety Committee

The Prof----------ional Services Safety Committee reports to Executive Board and
Faculty Management Board, is chaired by the Head of Executive Office and is
attended by School Safety Officers, University Safety Office and other safety
representatives as required.

The Terms of Reference follow:

(a) To addr---------- health and safety concerns raised within the Services, and by
the University Safety Office, which are of a cross-faculty nature and therefore
are not the responsibility of any particular School.

(b) The Services Safety Committee has the power to institute working parties, as
required, to addr---------- particular issues of safety within the Services, and to
make recommendations for action to the Services Executive Board for the
attention of the Registrar.

(c) To receive and comment upon any proposals from the Registrar.

(d) To consider matters raised through the University Safety Officer or School
Safety Officers or representatives.

(e) To prepare an annual report to University Safety Committee.

(f) In exceptional circumstances, to make additional reports to University Safety

Committee on any matters of serious concern.

Details of the ---------- Safety Committee are included in the ‘arrangements’ section of
this policy.

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 Health and Safety Policy

Arrangements

In order to ensure it’s health and safety performance, and so that accidents and ill
health are minimised, ---------- will produce a series of health and safety
arrangements and procedures. These arrangements and procedures will be entirely
reflective of how ---------- intends to manage health and safety issues.

As a minimum ---------- will produce arrangements and procedures covering the

following issues:

 Risk Ass----------ment
 Permits to Work
 Audit and Inspection
 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
 Fire Safety, Precautions and Emergency Arrangements
 First Aid
 Display Screen Equipment
 Lone Working
 Work at Height
 Manual Handling
 Work Equipment
 Lifting Operations
 Electricity at Work
 Asbestos
 Pr----------ure Systems
 Gas Regulations
 Health Surveillance
 Construction, Design & Management
 Management of Contractors
 Safety in Offices
 Welfare
 Personal Protective Equipment
 Health and Safety Training
 Health and Safety Management and Employee Consultation
 Noise
 Vibration

Further arrangements and procedures will be produced as required by changes or

additions to Legislation, or should ---------- determine any shortfalls within its existing
health and safety management systems.

Where nec----------ary, general arrangements and procedures may need to be further

detailed to effectively apply to specific units/teams, etc., information will be provided
detailing supplementary information required in order to effectively manage health
and safety

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