Blizard Institute Health and Safety Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 18th April 2012
Present: Mike Curtis, Jeff Maskell, Chris Pelling, Jo Kirner, Sam Benson, Kerry Newbury, Chris
Evagora, Ralph Thompson, Steve Cannon, Eithne O’Sullivan, Lise Schreuder, Matthias Dittmar,
Melanie Kemp, Debbie Hampson, Daniela Nitoiu.
Action
1.
2.
3.
Apologies for absence:
Muriel McAughtry, Susan Surguy, Graham Neil
Terms of Reference: The Innovation Centre and the Pathology and Pharmacy
Building should be included under point 2.
An additional point to be included covering any issues arising from Fire Risk
Assessments carried out on the Institute’s buildings.
H&S responsibilities within the Blizard Institute of Managers, Supervisors,
individuals and H&S Coordinators: JM proposed that the most effective way of
managing H&S issues throughout the Institute would be for the respective
Managers and Safety Coordinators to work together on a day to day basis. The
Director would be notified of any serious incidents or H&S issues which required
his advice, guidance or intervention.
Laboratory areas: H&S within the laboratory areas within the Blizard, Abernethy
and Wingate buildings will be managed by JM, CP and SB (Safety Coordinator).
Laboratory areas within the Pathology and Pharmacy Building: All areas
occupied by College staff and students will be managed by CE (Safety
Coordinator).
CE was not sure which other areas of this building are occupied by College staff
other than in the Core Pathology Facility. JK to investigate and send details to CE.
Office and communal areas: The office and communal areas of the Institute’s
buildings will be managed by JK and KN (Safety Coordinator).
4.
Containment Level 3 laboratories:
MRU/HPA: MK reported that their lab is now functioning well following the
extensive work on the dampers which were failing to close correctly preventing
safe and effective fumigation from being carried out if it had been required. An
incident occurred towards the end of 2011 when the microbiological safety
cabinets (MSCs) went into recirculation mode without warning owing to some
work being carried out at the Mile End Campus. They have been assured by Anil
Gooneratne that this link has now been severed and that only certain named
individuals within the Estates Department will have access to the controls for
these laboratories.
Abernethy 2nd floor: All ok
JM
JM/CP/SB
JK/KN
JM/CP/SB
CE
JK
JK/KN
Blizard HIV: Apart from one MSC that goes into alarm mode temporarily when
the lab door is opened, the lab is functioning well. An engineer to be called to
investigate fault.
JM
Blizard TB: All functioning well now that an earlier problem with the MSCs has
been resolved.
5.
Cleaning of CL3 labs: RT requested that he be given adequate warning of CL3 lab
shutdowns for maintenance so that floor cleaning can be organised.
Fire Safety:
Fire equipment checks (fire doors, extinguishers, escape routes etc): Last year a
new fire safety standard and management procedure was agreed with senior
management and this now applies across the College. As part of this procedure
regular weekly checks need to made on fire safety equipment (fire doors,
extinguishers, escape routes etc). Keith Vagg circulated a spreadsheet in order to
assist the Fire Marshals with the maintenance of these records.
The laboratory areas in the Blizard Building have been checked weekly since this
procedure was introduced in January 2012 and plans are afoot to cover the lab
areas in the other Institute buildings.
This still needs to be initiated for the office and communal areas of the Institute.
KN had been informed that buildings were to be ‘zoned’ and presumably
allocated to Fire Marshals. KN to seek clarification of this.
Latest information on the numbers and names of Fire Marshals in the Institute
buildings is required. JM to contact Keith Vagg to request this information.
Fire Safety Induction and Familiarisation: This was also introduced recently and
consists of a checklist covering fire alarms, escape routes and assembly points
etc. This is used to ensure that everyone is conversant with fire safety equipment
and procedures in the building where they work. The Lab Management have
included this as part of the induction for new staff and students for the Blizard
Building since January 2012. This needs to be rolled out to the lab areas in other
buildings.
KN to liaise with ‘managers’ of other buildings (e.g. Yvonne Carter) to ensure that
there is an induction and Fire safety procedure in place for office/admin staff. All
induction forms to be forwarded to the Lab Management for access to be
arranged and for details to be added to the database.
6.
Fire safety refreshers: It was agreed that it would be difficult for Fire Marshals to
arrange refresher courses for staff and students throughout the Blizard Institute
on a regular basis and considered that this should be carried out by the Fire
Safety Officers. Proposed that a Fire Officer be invited to the next meeting to
discuss this.
First Aid: The procedure for alerting First Aid qualified staff has changed. First
Aiders can no longer be bleeped. Upon discovering an incident a First Aider may
be summoned by calling 3333, Security will then call the appropriate responders
for that building. In the event of a serious incident where an ambulance is
required, then 999 should be the first response, followed by a 3333 call in order
JM/CP/SB
KN
JM
JM/CP
KN
JM
to inform Security. All security staff will be attending the one day training course
in order to learn basic First Aid measures.
7. Building inductions: Blizard Lab Management currently cover the inductions
(including fire safety) for all new staff and students in the Blizard and Abernethy
Buildings. Sue Surguy has agreed to modify the documentation and to cover the
process for the Wingate Building. KN to speak to MM regarding inductions for
the Yvonne Carter Building. KN, MM and SS to liaise with CP in order to
standardise documents. It was agreed that access would be organised by JM and
CP who would maintain the records for all areas.
8. Training records: An SMD training record scheme was initiated in the Blizard
several years ago but it is not clear whether this was successful (although
probably not!). There are plans to introduce a QM-wide scheme in the near
future, so it was agreed that we should wait until this has been established
before re-implementing it in the Blizard.
9. Personal protective equipment (PPE): Although the use of safety eyewear in
laboratories is currently based on Risk Assessment (Kevin Thurlow E-Safe
Newsletter, January 2012) rather than a blanket policy, it was agreed that owing
to the communal nature of the majority of laboratory areas in the Blizard
Institute safety eyewear should be mandatory. A generic Risk Assessment would
be drafted for the Institute laboratories in order to provide guidance for this. It
was emphasised that it was clearly the responsibility of all staff and students and
their supervisors to ensure that everyone is adequately protected when working
in the laboratories. PIs, research group leaders and anyone who has
responsibility for staff and students working in the laboratories must ensure that
this is enforced.
DN said that the majority of staff and students only wear safety glasses when
under scrutiny, but felt that a sanction such as being prevented from accessing
the labs would be effective. This process has already been approved by the
Institute Policy management Committee and can therefore be brought into
effect when required.
N.B. KN holds vouchers for eye tests/prescription eyewear (must have had DSE
training)
JM/CP hold vouchers for laboratory work
10. Lone Working Policy: The criteria for allowing staff and students to work outside
normal working hours was discussed and agreed at a recent meeting of the PMC.
Those wishing to work in the labs outside normal hours (08.00 – 20.00
weekdays) must have a QMUL contract, attended a building induction, have
worked at the BI for at least one month, have completed a Lone Working Risk
assessment (signed by their supervisor) and provide evidence of COSHH Risk
Assessments relevant to their work.
11. Laboratory Clearance: A new document ‘Procedure for Laboratory Clearance –
Health and Safety requirements’ has recently been issued for the clearance of
laboratories in the SMD. This provides details about the roles and responsibilities
of staff, procedures for decontamination and a checklist template.
12. H&S inspections:
The following inspections have taken place since the end of 2010:
HSE inspection of CL3 laboratories (10/9/10) following the completion of the
new lab in the Abernethy Building. The issues that arose during this inspection
were relatively minor (mainly concerning management and training procedures)
and have now been completed.
Peer review inspections by the SMD Advisory Group:
SS
KN/MM/SS
JM
JM/CP/SB
Wingate Building (24/2/11): Very few issues reported with these laboratories
and all resolved.
Core Pathology Facility, Pathology and Pharmacy Building (15/6/11): No
significant issues reported.
Blizard TC and Class 2 GM labs (29-30/11/12): The main issues raised concerned
the lack of Risk Assessments and appropriate disinfection procedures in some
areas. An action plan is to be provided prior to the next SMD Advisory Group
meeting on 30th May.
HazMap inspection of the Blizard: This is due towards the end of 2012 and is an
in depth investigation of management procedures etc. The Institute will be given
at least three months prior notice.
13. Institute website: The Laboratory Management section of the new website will
contain a lot of information on H&S issues, with links to the QM H&S website
where appropriate.
14. Incident reports: The majority of incidents that occur within the Institute’s
laboratories are needle sticks and cuts when handling tissue samples. A recent
incident involving a fault on a centrifuge bucket assembly in the CL3 lab on the
second floor of the Abernethy Building has been referred to the manufacturers
for assessment. A report to be given at the next meeting.
15. AOB: None
JM/CP/SB
JM/CP/SB
JM