University of Kent General Health & Safety Induction
University of Kent General Health & Safety Induction
University of Kent General Health & Safety Induction
http://www.kent.ac.uk/safety/hs/pages/policy/policy.html
The University recognises that the success of its health and safety policy relies on the
actions and positive behaviour of members of the University community. It is essential
that all staff recognise and accept that they have a personal responsibility for their
own and others’ health and safety.
To the side sits the Director of Safety, Health and Environment, the rest of the SHE
Unit team, School / Departmental Safety Co-ordinators and Local Safety Committees,
all of whom provide support and advice to the University Community.
Committee structure
Council
Local Safety
Committees
Health and Safety Organisation
Council
Vice- Chancellor
Local Safety
Staff / Students Committees
Safety Representatives
(HSECC)
Health and Safety in Schools and Departments
Schools and Departments are responsible for the health and safety of their staff and
students, and within areas under their control. Every new employee should receive a
local health and safety induction from their School / Department. On your first day of
work you should receive instruction in emergency procedures, including fire
evacuation procedures. Other relevant health and safety information specific to your
role and School / Department should be provided to you within your first week. This
induction should be carried out by your line manager or local Safety Co-ordinator.
Staff can also bring items to the attention of the staff safety representatives who sit on
the Health, Safety and Environment Consultative Committee (HSECC). This is the main
forum for consultation between staff and management on matters of Health and
Safety. It reports directly to SHEEC.
Managers and Supervisors
Managers and Supervisors are the key players in converting University policy into a
positive health and safety culture on the ground. You should be familiar with the
policy but also with your School / Departmental health and safety management plan.
Evaluating hazards and assessing the risk they pose is the first step in achieving good
health and safety performance. For those managers and supervisors unfamiliar with
the process of risk assessment, the SHE Unit provides training in this area.
For any student activity that is being performed as part of their studies, the
supervising academic, like any supervisor or manager, should ensure that those
undertaking the activity are trained appropriately and have the necessary level of
competency. The activity should be risk assessed appropriately and measures to
reduce significant risk implemented and monitored.
Director
Director
Bernard
Bernard Angus
Angus
Health
Health &
& Safety
Safety Fire
Fire &
& Environment
Environment Biological
Biological &
& Scientific
Scientific Occupational
Occupational Health
Health
Ray Brenda
Brenda Brunsdon,
Brunsdon,
Ray Allard
Allard Andrew
Andrew Briggs
Briggs Jim
Jim Bloor
Bloor
Caroline
Caroline Groombridge
Groombridge
Environmental
Environmental Co-ordinator
Co-ordinator
Catherine
Catherine Morris
Morris
Support
Support and
and Secretarial
Secretarial Assistance
Assistance
Angela
Angela Hewlett-Day,
Hewlett-Day, Julie
Julie Martin,
Martin, Pat
Pat Armstrong
Armstrong
SHE Unit services – Training
The SHE Unit provides a range of training for staff. Full details of the courses available
can be found by following this link: https://www.kent.ac.uk/safety/training/index.html
All new members of staff are required to attend the Fire and Safety Awareness Course.
If you have not already done so please speak to your line manager and see the ‘new
members of staff’ page at the website above.
Other training provided is more specialist in nature. Some Schools and Departments
have specific role-related training requirements for their staff, including:
• Risk and Safety Management, for members of the Executive Group and senior
managers. It explains health and safety law and responsibilities in relation to the
activities of the University.
• Fire Emergency Response for Fire Marshals and those with a specific role during fire
evacuations.
• CIEH and IOSH courses for those who need specific training for their role, and which
lead to accredited certificates. These include general health and safety, manual
handling and hazardous substances (COSHH).
SHE Unit specialist services
The SHE Unit also provides specialist advice and some training in a number of areas.
These include:
• Fire safety
• Lasers
• Ionising Radiation
• Biological and Chemical Safety
• Health and Safety Monitoring
• Health and Safety Auditing
Reporting
Accidents
It is University policy that all work-related incidents which have caused, or had the
potential to cause, harm should be reported. This is done via the on-line iCASS
reporting system. This can be accessed through the link on the front page of the SHE
Unit website. Although all members of staff have access and can report incidents,
several Schools / Departments have developed local procedures for data entry into
this system. You should familiarise yourself with any such procedure.
Hazards
Any hazard spotted at work should be reported to your line manager. Those in
managerial / supervisory roles should act to remove the hazard considering the limits
of their competence and ability and that of their staff. Hazards involving defects to
buildings or the University Estate should be reported to the Estates helpdesk.
Specialist advice can also be sought from the SHE Unit.
Occupational Health
Occupational Health (OH) is a specialism within medicine and nursing. Its focus is on
the interaction between an individual’s health and the work they do. The University
OH Department provides the organisation and individuals with advice, both proactive
health advice and advice relating to ill health problems. In more recent years, the
focus has become broader, most especially to assist individuals who are disabled, or
who develop chronic health problems, to carry on with their jobs by initiating work
place adjustments.
Occupational Health
As a specialism, OH aims to:
• prevent work-related ill health
• facilitate rehabilitation and return to work following periods of illness or injury
• promote physical and mental health and wellbeing at work.
The University’s OH Department nursing staff have specific qualifications in OH and it
employs the services of a consultant OH physician on a contract basis.
The SHE Unit also leads a comprehensive programme of internal environmental audits
covering both the Canterbury and Medway campuses.
Environmental Training
As part of its commitment to the Environment, the University requires all staff to
undertake a short e-learning Environmental Awareness training package. This can be
accessed through the SHE Unit website or this link
http://www.kent.ac.uk/safety/env/pages/Environmental_training.html
Any further questions?
Contact the Safety, Health and Environment Unit, Keynes College
http://www.kent.ac.uk/safety/
Before you go …….. there is no formal assessment in this induction presentation , but
please be sure that you can answer all of the questions on the next page. If you
cannot, then you may need to look at the presentation again, or ask some questions
within your own workplace to get the answers.
Do you know:
• who the person immediately responsible for your own health and safety is?
• which Committee makes policy decisions about Health, Safety and the
Environment on behalf of Council?
• who the Safety Co-ordinator in your School or Department is?
• who your local Safety Representative is?
• who your nearest First Aider is?
• your local Fire and Evacuation Procedure?
• how your Safety Representative can escalate an issue on your behalf?
• who is directly responsible for the safety of students when away on field trips?
• how you would report an accident?
• to whom you would report a hazard in your workplace?