Report from the Health, Safety and Environment Group
Meeting
Ref HSE No 16
Thursday 14th October 2010 10am- 11am , JMS 3B11
In Attendance
Prof Laurence Pearl (Chair )
Dr Teresa Knapp, Dr Martyn Stenning, Dr Stephen Pearce, Mr Geoff Ward, Mr Lee Thompson
Ms Alethea Wimble (Secretary)
1. Apologies
Dr Robin Fulton, Mr Stuart Harley, Mr Graham Frost
2. Acceptance of Minutes from Previous Meeting
Minutes 16th July 2010 were accepted
3. Matters Arising from Previous Meeting

Refurbishment of specifically identified areas for working with radiation Action: Laurence to raise with DVC Prof Bob Allison

Replacement waste traps for sinks used for radioactive disposal are still to be fitted
Action: Geoff Ward to follow this wrok up with EFM

Project assessments
Action: Laurence to raise with T&L committee possibility of implementation of project risk
assessments being carried out and assessed by students as part of U/G project

Environment Agency inspectors will be reinspecting shortly,
Action: Geoff Ward to Geoff Ward to provide date of this visit.

There is no agreed position for the University for provision of a Biological Officer.
Within the School the service is currently provided by Steve Pearce. It is agreed Steve
should serve as the BSO for Life Sci.
Action: Laurence to send letter of appointment for position.

Acetylene cylinders – smaller cylinders have now been installed in Chemistry there is
still one in JMS which needs to be addressed.
Action: Martyn/Steve to liaise with Prof Tim Flowers on situation. Tim hopes to complete
everything by Easter next year. Could then consider giving equipment to Chemistry.
4. Safety Information Reports
a) University Safety Committee (Geoff Ward)
Members of committee have changed.
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University Annual Safety Report will be presented at next meeting due second week of
November.
b) Radiation Protection Sub Committee (Geoff)

Reduced number of RPS supervisors to 2, each with a deputy.
Action: Laurence - letter of appointment required.


44 active radiation workers.
Consider who will take responsibility for gamma cell irradiator when Alan
Lehmann retires.
Action: Laurence to discuss with Alan Lehmann

University license has been replaced by Environmental Permits under EPR 2010
which includes waste water and hazardous substances.

Change of School process for ordering radioactive materials
Action: Teresa to finalise details
c) Environment Report (Martyn Stenning)

Martyn issued handouts detailing electricity consumption. In general the School usage
shows a decrease, but is still quite high, Genome consumption has increased. Large
proportion of consumption is down to heating and cooling. Looking for suggestions to
improve the situation i.e capture and recycle heat. Much of this is used by autoclaving
waste which could be reduced if level 1 waste can be transferred directly to clinical
waste paladin without autoclaving. NB Need to be confident we can separate Level 1
and Level 2 waste.
Action: Steve – to carry out Waste Risk Assessment
Action: Martyn to liaise with Patrick Pica Flag up at ‘Campus Fit For Purpose’.
Action: Teresa – Look at VAT exempt areas, check with Carey McLaughlin.

Cooling: -60 to -80 freezers, efficiency in question, purchase of new equipment
should take energy ratings into account.

Legislation requires all refrigeration using R12, 22, 502 to be replaced by ??????. This
issue needs to be raised at University level.
Action: Teresa to ask Andy Black and Andy White to carry out an audit of School use of all
banned gases
Action: Fiona – send email to Laurence before Science Space Meeting to remind to raise
issues of cold rooms, refrigerant gases and heat capture.

Environmental Forum due next week – let Martyn know of any issues to be raised.
d) School Safety Advisor (Steve Pearce)

With the vacation of some labs, Steve is ensuring all hazards have been removed
bearing in mind that cost of disposal of chemicals to be kept within limits.

Laurence in process of assembling a database to indicate which staff any visitors are
assigned to. Will also look to do this with emeritus staff. Regular re-justification of
emeritus activity is required.

PG Induction – Steve is monitoring this. stragglers will be invited to attend the final
safety session shortly.
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
UG – do not get a safety talk. Suggested a need for this in the future to be slotted in to
the Induction Programme. Steve happy to deliver this. Geoff could do it for LifeSci as
he already delivers to BSMS.
Action: Laurence to raise with other Science School Heads, possible could be built in to
Registration.

Steve would welcome a list of staff starters from Fiona. He plans to book a room every
fortnight for new staff and visitors.
Action: Fiona – give Steve a list every month of new staff and visitors.


More training of individual groups is underway by Steve.
Inspections – these will now be carried out as a rolling programme rather than every 6
months. Steve/Geoff will spend a half day per week inspection to keep on top of
things.
e) Biological Safety Committee (Geoff Ward)

The University committee has not met since the last School Safety Committee.
Steve Pearce and Geoff Ward have reviewed all projects covered by ACGM and
have updated these onto new paperwork. A current register of all projects has
been prepared.
f) Human Tissue Committee (Teresa Knapp)

The committee has not met since the last School safety comittee.

Keith Caldecott will step down as Designated individual and we thank him for all
of his past work. This role will be assumed by Teresa Knapp, the School license
is being changed to reflect this. Human Tissue Authority are due to visit BSMS in
the first week of November and are likely to inspect JMS.
Action: Laurence - letter of appointment required.
4. Staff/Student Training – covered above
5. Refrigerant Gases – covered above
6. Accidents and Incidents


Ingeneral there have been very few accidents during the last 12 months. Steve gave
some examples i.e Phenol burn (Paget group), Agar burn.
Laurence would like to get some structure in place on wearing lab coats and safety
glasses.
7. No other business
Memo for Laurence
Issues to be raised at next Science School Space/Estates Meeting
 Solvent still reduction in to one safe place
 Piped gas issue
 Issue of action/fixing to be done when things are discovered.
Action: Fiona – remind Laurence before the Science Space meeting to raise issues listed
above.
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