Prof Alistair Fitt has ultimate responsibility for Health & Safety but all staff have their own responsibility for ensuring the Health & Safety of themselves and anyone who can be affected by their actions.
The Health, Safety and Welfare Committee consists of about 20 – 25 staff members, including all 3 members of the Health & Safety team.
The committee discusses aspects of Health, Safety and Welfare across the University. The Health & Safety present an annual report and also report on any inspections that have been completed in the Faculties/Directorates.
A member from each Faculty/Directorate attends this committee meeting and Brendan Casey, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer is the chair.
The committee meets 3 times a year, with optional meetings if needed.
Here is a list of the University's Safety Advisers.
If the emergency is imminent and/or you have contacted the emergency service, please contact Security on +44 (0) 1865 60 3060 and explain the situation.
Remember to keep safe, report all incidents, see 'How do I report an accident/incident/near miss?', and inform your line manager or supervisor as soon as possible.
You must report:
Complete a safety concern form for those incidents that did not lead to an injury or loss. Report any incident no matter how trivial.
Knowing about these incidents can help us to assess how well we are managing health and safety, and identify worrying trends. They can help us to identify hot spots that require our attention and so prevent serious incidents from occurring.
Contact Security on 01865 60 3060 who will be able to tell you who your nearest First Aider.
Yes, you do need to inform your line manager that you have been involved in an incident/accident. If this happened in your workplace they may need to review their procedures and risk assessment.
Health and Safety is responsible for the University first aid boxes. If there are items that are missing, please contact healthandsafety@brookes.ac.uk
All DSE users are entitled to a free eye test and glasses where these are required specifically for DSE use. All DSE users must complete the eLearning DSE training and have completed the associated assessment. Please see the Eyecare webpage for further details on how to claim the costs of an eye test and glasses.
Contact your Faculty/Directorate DSE Assessor, they will be able to give you additional advice and review your original DSE assessment. If the pain continues or gets worse you may need to speak to Occupational Health and/or speak to your GP.
Speak to your line manager about arranging for your laptop to be PAT tested.
All new starters must attend Health & Safety Induction and Display Screen Equipment. (Depending on your role at the University you may need to attend additional training specific to your role, please speak to your line manager)
We also offer other training: Manual Handling, Risk Assessment, COSHH, Fire Marshal, Evac-Chair operator, Noise Awareness.
You can request additional training by visiting the Staff Learning portal.
You must evacuate the building via the nearest fire exit. Remember to close office doors when you leave.
If the alarm is sounding in a neighbouring building but is not sounding in your building, you do not need to evacuate your area. Only evacuate the building if the alarm is sounding in your building. Never enter a building where the fire alarm is sounding unless you have fire marshal duties.
Close the door to the area the fire is in, activate the nearest ‘red’ call point box and evacuate the building.
Alert the emergency services and contact security on 01865 60 3060 immediately.
You should carry out an assessment before you begin any work/activity/event which presents a risk of injury or ill health
To undertake a risk assessment you need to understand what, in the work/activity or event, might cause harm to people and decide whether you are doing enough to prevent that harm. Once you have decided that, you need to identify and prioritise putting in place appropriate and sensible control measures.
Start by:
Your risk assessment should include consideration of what in your workplace/activity or at your event might cause harm and how, and the people who might be affected. It should take into account any controls which are already in place and identify what, if any, further controls are required.
You should be able to show from your assessment that:
Your risk assessment should cover all groups of people who might be harmed.
Yes, please complete the training request Google form and one of the Health & Safety team will contact you.
The University risk assessment template can be found here: Example of Risk Assessment
Your risk assessment should be approved by your line manager and the Health & Safety team prior to your event or activity. Please make sure you allow plenty of time (3 weeks!) for the Health & Safety to read your risk assessment and respond. A risk assessment is a living document and you need to ensure that you have plenty of time to write it, revise it, approve it and review it before/during and after any activity/event.
Firstly, please check the rules that apply to you in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Workplace risk assessments whether for overseas or UK off-site work should cover all elements of the research interaction, for example including but not limited to:
Covid-19 risk assessments produced by collaborators and host organisations should be included with your workplace risk assessment document and submitted to the health and safety team for review and approval. Click to access the form: Covid-19 workplace risk assessment.
Who should I talk to about travelling and working overseas, fieldwork and outdoor education work placements?
You should talk to your Supervisor or Line Manager in the first instance, if you still require further information please contact the health and safety team on healthandsafety@brookes.ac.uk
I am planning to travel and work overseas/arrange fieldwork and outdoor education/arrange some work placements. What documents and processes do I follow?
Download the Travelling and Working Overseas / Fieldwork and Outdoor Education / Work Placement - Flowchart and click onto the relevant boxes to access the policy and forms. Please read the relevant policy fully.
What risk assessment form do I use for my Travelling and Working Overseas/Fieldwork and Outdoor Education/Work Placement?
Please download the Travelling and Working Overseas / Fieldwork and Outdoor Education / Work Placement - Flowchart, then click the relevant risk assessment box to access the document.
What risks and hazards do I need to consider when planning my overseas trip?
Consult the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth) website.
Consult control Risks (CR24) www.controlrisks.com - an international business risk consultancy, which provides general advice and assistance.
Download the Travelling and Working Overseas/Fieldwork and Outdoor Education / Work Placement - Flow chart and click on the relevant useful links box.
University - Travel checklist
Key Travel - Safe business travel (contains Covid-19 guidance)
Your Faculty/Directorate’s process for considering the ethics of the proposed research must be followed. Due consideration must be given to the appropriateness of travelling during the pandemic.
Please allow approximately 6 weeks.
Consider the following when assessing accommodation and when mitigating risks. The list is not exhaustive:
Please ask your line manager or supervisor for help and advice on completing the form in the first instance. The Health & Safety Team can offer further support and advice if you have more questions.
During the Covid-19 pandemic all staff and some research students potentially involved in data collection activities must complete an individual health risk assessment.
If you are travelling outside the EU or North America - please complete: Part C – Travel Health Assessment and return it to Occupational Health, with a copy of your travel form. Approval will not be given until you have done this. This form is confidential - please send it directly to Occupational Health and nowhere else.
All drivers must read the Minibus drivers policy and complete a Drivers Medical Form (contact Occupational Health about the medical). There are specific legal requirements that apply which drivers must meet. Contact the Health and Safety Team for further information.