Deans of Colleges / Directors of Services

What you should know and do

Firstly

As the Dean of College / Director of Professional Services you must take and accept responsibility for health and safety.  Responsibility is ownership and when we own something we look after it.

Then

You will introduce systems and arrangements to ensure no one is put at risk of injury, death or is made ill because of your College's or Professional Services' activities. Remember, if your College or Service has created a risk then you and your College / Service is responsible for controlling that risk. 

You must know what your Colleges / Services hazards (dangers) are, know how you are managing the risks from these hazards and be satisfied there is a programme of continuous improvement that will eliminate or reduce to as low a level as possible the likelihood of harm or ill health occurring because of these activities.

This involves:

  • Producing and implementing a College / Serviceshealth and safety policy.

  • Introducing arrangements to help implement your policy, including appointing a Health and Safety Coordinator(s).
  • Ensure there is in place a suitable College/Services overview risk assessment to identify your key hazards (dangers) and produce a hierarchical action plan for controlling risk.  This should also be part of a continual improvement process.
  • Ensure that other basic things are in place.

For example, do you (your College / Professional Service):

    • Have a system for periodically testing and inspecting all of your electrical appliances / equipment?
    • Induct all new students, staff and visiting academics on your health and safety risks and controls?
    • Ensure all new staff attend the formal University Induction organised by HR and that you have also provided them with an H&S Induction for local risks and procedures (keep records)?
    • Risk assess all significant dangers within your College / Services?  Do you have staff that are both competent and confident enough to produce suitable risk assessments?
    • Train your key staff in the more detailed aspects of health and safety, where the risk justifies?
    • Have a system for ensuring all new courses, projects and research activity are assessed for health and safety risk prior to their approval?
    • Have a consultative committee or group that discusses formally health and safety matters?  Do you take note of any recommendations and implement these where practicable?
    • Ensure all computer users have been on a short Computer (DSE) training course and have then risk assessed their workstations?
    • Have findings of Computer (DSE) Assessments been actioned?
    • Have a system in place for reporting all staff sickness absence and all accidents and incidents within your College / Professional Service?
    • Do you investigate all accidents and incidents appropriately?
    • Undertake fire evacuation practices at least twice a year, especially during your College's / Services' busy periods?
     

Reviewing

You must ensure health and safety systems are monitored and audited and that all of your staff and students are suitably trained or received appropriate information on how to avoid dangers that may be present within your College / Service.

Getting Help

The central Health and Safety team, a part of Campus Services, are there to help and not hinder your College / Service. They cannot undertake the full health and safety role for your College / Service but they will and can help you and your colleagues establish good health and safety systems and monitor your safety performance.