Health and Safety induction for

new staff

Diane Thomason

Robin Silvester

Area Safety Officer (Policy/Strategy)

Area Safety Officer (Operations)

Department of Physics

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Scope

• Emergencies

• Organisation, responsibilities

• Advisers

• Hazards, risk assessment

• Further information

• Handbook

Emergencies – Fire

• If the fire alarm sounds:– Leave the building and go to assembly

point– Do not re-enter until told to do so

• If you discover a fire:– Raise the alarm– Call the Fire Brigade – 999– (tackle the fire if safe to do so)– Leave the building and go to assembly

point.

Do the “Firewalk”• Locate the call points and telephones at

your places of work

• What does the alarm sound like?

• Locate the fire exits

• Locate alternative fire exits

• Make sure you know the assembly points

• Fire extinguishers, fire blankets

• Walk the routes

First aid, illness

• Call the nearest First Aider– Lists in handbook and by each first aid box

• Call ambulance if necessary• Out of hours or if a local first aider

cannot be found: call Security – phone 89999

• Do not move an unconscious casualty• If in doubt call 999• REPORT accidents and near misses

(accident report form)

Department of PhysicsSafety Organisation

Chairman of Physics

Executive Safety Officers(e.g. Radiation Protection

Supervisors)

Departmental Safety Officer

Specialist Safety Advisors

Physics Area Safety Officer

Deputy Physics Area Safety Officer

Safety Advisory Committees

Heads of Sub-Departments

And Support Services

Head of Teaching Faculty

Group SupervisorsPractical Course

Supervisor

Practical CourseDemonstrators

Practical Course Staffand Students

Group Staff and Students

January 2005 4B.1

Advisory Links Executive Responsibility

Practical Course Senior Demonstrators

Responsibilities

• Who is responsible for your safety?– Self

– Co-workers

– Supervisors, managers

– The University

– Any others whose work may affect you

Personal responsibility• Take reasonable care for your own

safety• Take reasonable care for others’

safety• Report dangerous situations and

shortcomings in safety arrangements• Co-operate with employers’

arrangements.

Advice• Departmental Safety Officer: Malcolm

Bradbury, Senior Administrator (CL)

• Area Safety Officer (Policy/Strategy): Diane Thomason (DWB)

• Deputy Area Safety Officer (Operations): Robin Silvester (DWB)

• Secretary: Carolyn Addison (DWB)

• Email: safety@physics.ac.ox.uk

• Building Safety Officers

• Fire Safety Officers

• Specialist safety advisers

PROHIBITION

you MUST NOT

MANDATORY

you MUST

ADVISORY

hazard warning

SAFE CONDITION /ADVISORY

FIRE

Safety Signs

Electricity

• Area Electrical Supervisors– Alan Hodgson– Trevor Harris – Only authorised Engineering Services staff

may work on the building wiring

• Portable Electrical Equipment Testing: Mr J Fopma Ext 73420– Get ALL new equipment checked before

use, including any that belongs to you

• See Handbook

Chemicals, Biohazards

• Advice on chemical safety and the implementation of the COSHH regulations:– Dr R C C Ward, Mr K R Belcher

• Departmental Biological Safety Officer: – Dr S Tucker Deputy: Dr R Berry – Responsible for liaison with the University Safety Office

and for advice on biological safety, including GM

Lasers• Departmental Laser Supervisor

(DLS): responsible for supervision and inspection

• DLS or deputy must be consulted if any safety procedures are unclear, and informed immediately of any accidents/incidents.

• All lasers and personnel working with lasers must be registered with, and authorised by, the DLS before starting.

• DLS: Dr M Johnston

Ionising radiation

• All radiation workers must be authorised

• University’s Safety Arrangements and Local Rules

• Department of Physics General and Specific Local Rules

• All work under the supervision of the SRPSs and RPSs

Mechanical workshops

• Workshops staffed by authorised technical staff

• Clarendon – Research Workshop

• AUTHORISED staff and students can use the Research Workshop under the strict supervision of the Workshop Supervisor.

Display screen equipment

• Check your workstation set-up• Complete the workstation checklist and

hand to your nearest Departmental DSE Assessor

• Occupational Health referrals if necessary

• If you have a problem – ASK, before it gets worse

Workstation Set Up Diagram

Shoulders relaxed

Screen height adjusted to

prevent poor head and neck

posture Screen height dependent on typing style, tasks performed,

software used and glasses worn

Neutral wrist posture

Elbows at approximately 90

degrees

Chair adjusted to support back at a comfortable angle

and to allow for appropriate upper

body posture

Even pressure across thighs

Space beneath your desk to allow you to move your legs

Feet supported by floor or footrest

Personal safety, security

• Keep the workplace secure• Working away from base or with the

public • Lone working• Business travel• REPORT violence, verbal abuse or

threats

Manual handling

• Lifting, carrying, pushing etc.

• Parcels, boxes, trolleys, gas cylinders, machinery

• AVOID where possible

• Assess risk – manual handling assessors

• Manual handling training

Risk assessment

• Hazard: Something with the potential to cause harm– Trailing cable – trip hazard– Faulty electrical appliance – electric shock

hazard

• Risk: The likelihood that the harm from a particular hazard occurs, AND the severity of the harm.

• Ensure you are aware of risk assessments for your work area.

Hierarchy of controls

• Eliminate• Substitute• Isolate/Segregate• Safe systems of work• Warning systems• Information, instruction, training

and supervision• Personal Protective Equipment

Safe PLACE controls

Safe PERSON controls

Further information

• Staff induction handout

• Physics safety handbook (on Physics Safety web pages)

• Risk assessments

• Safety talks

• University Policy Statements (on University Safety Office web pages)

Further information

• https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/Healthsafety/– Physics safety pages (in Information for

Staff)

• http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/safety/– University Safety office

• http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/uohs/– University Occupational health service