School / Directorate Health and Safety Management Policy

1. Purpose and Objectives

1.1 Purpose

To ensure that Schools and Directorates have appropriate arrangements in place for the overarching management of health and safety to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended).

1.2 Objectives

To ensure that School and Directorate management are aware of their responsibilities regarding:

• having a local health and safety policy and associated procedures, including a health and safety committee and safety advisor
• ensuring that material loss and near-miss incidents are reported and investigated promptly and effectively to prevent a recurrence
• inspecting workplaces under their control at an appropriate frequency and implementing corrective actions where deficiencies are identified
• ensuring suitable arrangements are in place to deal with serious and imminent danger
• reporting to central University groups on health and safety performance metrics

2. Policy Statement

Schools and Directorates are required to ensure that health and safety is managed effectively to prevent adverse health and safety events resulting from activities being undertaken. Such events include ill health or injury to staff, students or others and damage to equipment or contents. To ensure the effective management of health and safety, Schools and Directorates will implement the procedures and practices detailed below and will also comply with other University policies as appropriate to the activities undertaken.

3. Arrangements

3.1 Local Health and Safety Policy, Committee and Advisor

Every School/Directorate within the University of Dundee will have a local Health and Safety Policy that details how the School/Directorate will implement the University's Health and Safety Policy. The local Health and Safety Policy will include

• a statement by the Dean/Director confirming their commitment to provide a safe and healthy working environment;
• a section describing health and safety responsibilities held by individuals and committees to ensure effective management of health and safety issues;
• a section giving specific details of health and safety arrangements.

The Dean/Director will ensure that the local Health and Safety Policy is updated annually and that all staff have access to paper and electronic copies.

An outline of a typical School/Directorate Health and Safety Policy is given in Appendix 1.

Every School/Directorate will constitute a local health and safety committee that will operate in line with the guidance provided within the University of Dundee Health and Safety Policy. Particular note should be taken of the desire of the University that campus union health and safety representatives be present at committee meetings.

Every School/Directorate will appoint at least one named individual to provide local advice on matters of health and safety. The individual(s) will be qualified appropriately and will have a dedicated amount of time allocated to their health and safety duties; both being in accordance with the range of work activities undertaken in the School/Directorate. The adviser will report to the School Manager or Director.

3.2 Incident Reporting and Investigation

Many incidents are preventable and so the University’s health and safety arrangements are centrally reviewed and updated regularly to reduce the risks of incidents and Schools/Directorates must likewise review their local arrangements. When incidents do happen, it is essential that they are all reported and investigated promptly so that actions to prevent a recurrence can be implemented.

Incident reporting and investigation is not about scapegoating and the University has a just culture to promote incident reporting. However, where negligent or wilful behaviour contributed to an incident, disciplinary action may result.

The University of Dundee also recognises the importance of “near miss” reporting as a vital part of its health and safety management system. Schools/Directorates must encourage all staff to report near misses, no matter how trivial.

An incident, for Health and Safety purposes, is any unplanned event where:

1. personal harm or damage to property occurs (material loss);
2. someone could have suffered harm or damage to property could have occurred if the circumstances had been slightly different (often called a ‘near miss’ or ‘near hit’ or dangerous occurrence).

See the handbook “Reporting and Investigating Incidents” for more details and examples of what incident falls in each category.

All staff and post-graduate students must report incidents verbally to their supervisor/manager immediately and also in writing as soon as possible using the Safety Incident Reporting System

Normally, the person who experienced / was involved in the incident will report it. In cases where that person is unable to report it themselves for whatever reason, a colleague (e.g. co-worker, first aider, manager) MUST report it on their behalf, ensuring that it is clear who will report the incident so that this requirement is not overlooked.

Serious incidents must be reported immediately by telephone to Safety Services (x84104).

Staff and students working in Clinical Areas under the jurisdiction of the NHS should report incidents using the NHS incident reporting system.

The School/Directorate must investigate every incident in sufficient detail so that the cause can be identified, allowing corrective actions to be implemented. Once a detailed investigation has been carried out, a copy of the investigation report must be sent to Safety Services and the incident noted as closed off.

Serious incidents will be investigated by Safety Services and may also be investigated by the Enforcing Authority (usually the Health and Safety Executive) and the University insurers. Full co-operation of the School/Directorate is required in any investigation and, in the case of investigation by an Enforcing Authority, any obstruction may give rise to enforcement action.

The University Incident Investigation process is detailed in the handbook “Reporting and Investigating incidents”, which includes template report forms. An incident register template is also available and should be maintained by the School/Directorate health and safety adviser (where present) or another nominated individual (where a health and safety adviser is not present).

3.3 Inspecting Workplaces

The University of Dundee recognises that workplace safety inspections are an integral and essential part of its health and safety management system and have a key role in improving standards.

Inspections are also a legal requirement under Regulation 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999). Therefore, it will ensure that inspections proportionate to the level of risk in a workplace are carried out at regular intervals. These inspections will be conducted in an open and positive manner, with the only objective being continuous improvement.

Deans/Directors will ensure that workplace safety inspections are carried out in accordance with the requirements below. They will ensure prompt action is taken regarding any issues identified during inspections.

Safety Services will provide training in undertaking of workplace safety inspections. Guidance (including how to use the inspection database) is provided in the handbook “Workplace Inspections”.

Note that appointed union safety representatives also have a legal right to undertake workplace inspections, as stated in The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977. Nothing in this policy affects the rights of union safety representatives to inspect the workplace in accordance with their legal rights.

Requirements for inspections:

1. Frequency

Regular safety inspections are an important part of a School/Directorate’s health and safety management system. The University H&S Policy recognises this and requires Schools and Directorates to carry out inspections at frequencies commensurate with the risk posed by activities taking place in those areas. The table below identifies three levels of risk and the associated frequencies of inspection required.

Examples (not an exhaustive list) of area types are provided in the table, but Schools and Directorates must assign all areas under their control a risk level and inspect those areas at the appropriate frequency. If there is doubt about the risk level for an area, the higher risk level will be chosen.

2. Purpose

Regular inspections provide a means for Schools/Directorates to measure safety performance against standards such as University Safety Policy Arrangements or local safety procedures. They also serve to identify unsafe procedures and unsafe conditions and rectify them before an incident happens. They provide an opportunity to ensure that other, more specific, checks and tests have been made at the appropriate intervals (e.g. LEV and pressure systems statutory inspections or electrical equipment checks). They facilitate compliance with the University's policy on risk assessment by identifying where risk assessments need to be completed.

3. Inspection arrangements

It may be convenient to develop a programme over the year, rather than attempting to inspect all the workplaces in one session. Inspections may be carried out by one person (e.g. the School Safety adviser) or, ideally, by a small team. There is no reason why staff should not be notified in advance of inspection dates and times; they are more likely to be cooperative if they do not feel an attempt is being made to catch them by surprise. Each inspection must have a “lead inspector” who takes charge of recording observations.

4. Inspection database

The University uses an inspection database containing bespoke checklists for all types of area. The checklists contain standardised items to check, but also allow any other observations to be recorded. The database keeps track of inspections that are due and outstanding actions, with reminders issued. Schools and Directorates must arrange for all areas under their control to be added to the database.

5. Inspection report

The database produces a report that includes the date and scope of the inspection and the names of those carrying it out. It also includes details of any issues identified (their nature, location and severity), the remedial actions with an indication of the priority and the timescale, and the person(s) responsible for taking remedial action.

Inspection reports should be discussed at the School/Directorate Health and Safety Committee to ensure that recommendations have been acted upon. Issues associated with taking corrective action must be escalated (to the Dean/Director if necessary) so they can be resolved without delay.

3.4 Serious and Imminent Danger

The University of Dundee recognises the need to have effective arrangements in place to minimise the risk of injury and illness to staff, students, visitors and contractors in a wide range of foreseeable emergency situations. In all these emergency situations, the safeguarding of life takes precedence over any other considerations.

Deans/Directors must ensure plans to deal with foreseeable emergencies in areas under their control are prepared, resourced, tested and communicated to staff. They should be reviewed at least annually.

Foreseeable emergencies, which have occurred in recent years, include:

• incidents resulting in serious injury
• serious illness
• fire
• floods
• students and staff with urgent and/or severe mental health problems
• serious hazardous chemical spills and leaks
• mains gas leaks
• uncontrolled release of flammable gas
• complete power failures
• phone failures

Other foreseeable emergencies include:

• phone threats
• suspect letters, parcels and objects; bomb and bio-terrorism threats
• an active shooter/stabbing incident

Deans/Directors are responsible for resourcing their plans between 8.00am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Out-with these hours Deans/Directors should liaise with Director of Estates and Campus Services to ascertain the level of support available from Campus Security and E&CS staff.

Staff must familiarise themselves with emergency arrangements at their usual work locations, and especially the number to dial in an emergency.

Emergency Numbers:

• City Campus, Wilson House and Botanic Gardens 4141
• Ninewells Hospital and Medical School 2222
• Dental School 2222 (daytime), 4141 (out of hours)
• McKenzie Building 9-999
• Kirkcaldy Campus 9-999
• Riverside Playing Fields 999
• Frankland Building 77-4141

Staff with responsibilities for the safety of students, visitors and contractors at the University must instruct these people in emergency arrangements.

Further guidance on emergency procedures is provided in Appendix 2.

3.5 Reporting of Health and Safety Metrics

As the governing body of the University with responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of staff, students and others affected by the University’s activities, the University Court requires an annual report on health and safety matters. This report is provided by Safety Services via the Health, Safety and Welfare Committee and comprises metrics and analysis in relation to a range of matters, some of which Safety Services directly compiles and some of which is obtained from Schools/Directorates.

Schools/Directorates are required to submit an annual return to Safety Services providing performance metrics in relation to a standard set of health and safety matters. A pro forma is provided for this.

4. Further Information

Related University policies

• University Health and Safety Policy

Related University guidance

• Workplace Inspection Handbook
• Incident Reporting and Investigation Handbook

5. Document Information

5.1. Equality Impact Assessment

This policy has undergone screening for impact on protected characteristics covered under the Equality Act 2010 and no impact has been identified.

5.2  Approvals & Renewals