Code of Practice for the Maintenance and Cleaning of
Laboratories and Workshops by Non-laboratory
Personnel and Maintenance Contractors
Effective from 12/05/2010
Version Number: 2.0
Author: Safety / Fire Coordinator
Health, Safety and Wellbeing
te
University of Salford
Code of Practice for the Maintenance and Cleaning
of Laboratories and Workshops by Non-laboratory
Personnel and Maintenance Contractors V2.0
Document Control Information
Status and reason for development
Status:
Revised
Reason for
development:
Change of staff and room uses
Revision History
Date
6/8/14
Author
Dave Lamb
12.05.10
Tony Meachin
Summary of changes
Amended onto new form and font and changed
content to make abbreviations consistent. Separate
SSW created and referred to.
Document developed
Version No.
V2
V1
Code of Practice Management and Responsibilities
Owner:
Associate Director, HS&W
Author:
Others with responsibilities
(please specify):
The owner has delegated responsibility for day to day management of the code to
the Safety / Fire Safety Officer.
All subjects of the code will be responsible for engaging with and adhering to this
policy.
Trade Unions will be responsible for engaging with and consulting on proposals for
change.
Assessment
Cross relevant assessments
Equality Analysis
Legal
Information Governance
Academic Governance
x
Cross if not applicable
x
x
x
Consultation
Cross relevant consultations
Staff Trades Unions via H&S Committee
Students via USSU
Any relevant external bodies
(please specify)
x
x
x
…………………………………..
Authorised by:
Associate Director of Health, Safety & Wellbeing
Date authorised:
18/08/14
Effective from:
18/08/14
Review due:
6/8/16
Document location:
HS&W website http://www.salford.ac.uk/hr/health-and-safety
Page 2 of 7
University of Salford
Code of Practice for the Maintenance and Cleaning
of Laboratories and Workshops by Non-laboratory
Personnel and Maintenance Contractors V2.0
Document dissemination and communications plan
The Health and Safety Coordinators for the Colleges and Professional Services will promotion throughout their area of
responsibility.
Page 3 of 7
University of Salford
1.0
Code of Practice for the Maintenance and Cleaning
of Laboratories and Workshops by Non-laboratory
Personnel and Maintenance Contractors V2.0
Purpose
Maintenance and cleaning of University laboratories is usually undertaken by Estates & Property Services staff. This
guide provides information on arrangements Schools in the University should put in place to ensure the safety of
support services staff working in laboratories.
The University also uses the services of external companies for maintenance and repair of plant and equipment as
well as building work. It is essential that any contractors are also aware of and protected from risks within
laboratories and workshops as far as is reasonably practicable.
2.0
Scope
This code of practice applies to;
 Estates and Property Services employees who enter laboratories and workshops for maintenance or
cleaning purposes.
 Technical staff with responsibility for laboratories or workshops.
 Contractors working on University premises in laboratories and workshops.
3.0
Code of Practice Statements
All staff who enter laboratories or workshops for cleaning, repair or maintenance work need to be aware of the
hazards they may encounter in those areas. For the purpose of this document laboratories and workshops are
covered. The University has several buildings which house these types of area as listed in the appendix.
All of these areas have their own specific hazards however, there are general guidelines that should protect staff
who are inexperienced with these hazards but who may need to access the areas for cleaning / maintenance
purposes.
A Safe System of Work (SSW) accompanies this document which gives practical advice for operatives entering
these areas and this should be read and signed by any operatives who are tasked with entering laboratories or
workshops. This SSW should also be provided to and signed by Contractors entering these areas.
For larger scale work such as building and refurbishment work a Laboratory Clearance Certificate should be issued
prior to Contractors or E&PS tradesmen beginning work. This form is available along with its associated code of
practice on the HS&W documents page.
Laboratories
There are three specific types of laboratories within the University:
1.) Chemical laboratories where the hazards are: exposure to harmful chemicals, which may cause harm by
inhalation, ingestion or contact; and work near glassware, which could cause cuts.
2.) Biological containment laboratories where the hazards are: exposure to micro-organisms, which may cause
harm by inhalation, ingestion or contact; and in some cases, could cause infection and illness.
3.) Radiation laboratories where the hazards are: exposure to harmful radiation, which may cause harm by
inhalation, ingestion or contact.
Page 4 of 7
University of Salford
Code of Practice for the Maintenance and Cleaning
of Laboratories and Workshops by Non-laboratory
Personnel and Maintenance Contractors V2.0
Workshops
These vary between subject groups but often have similar equipment such pillar drills, lathes, bandsaws and hand
tools. Some workshops may have much larger equipment such as rams, forklift trucks and compressors.
The main hazards in workshop areas are from coming into contact with moving machinery, contact with harmful
chemicals, inhalation of harmful dusts, contact with sharp objects and slips and trips on equipment / workpieces.
Cleaning
The cleaning of floors, hand wash basins, emptying of waste paper bins and general maintenance are basic tasks
that it is reasonable to expect support services staff to undertake without any specialised training. However, in
order to work safely the support services staff must be made aware of the need to always follow some basic
precautions as detailed in the accompanying SSW.
Maintenance
Additional hazards arise when support services staff carry out work on general laboratory sinks, workbenches,
heating equipment etc.
If support services staff are expected to carry out maintenance / repair work on laboratory or workshop facilities
then more detailed information and instruction should be provided to avoid miss-handling of chemicals, accidents
with glassware or potential contamination from biological materials and in all cases a clearance certificate should
be issued prior to work commencing
Specific arrangements should be made for staff working in biological containment laboratories and/or laboratories
where radioactive material is handled, as outlined below;

For GENERAL LABORATORIES - support staff may work unsupervised providing that prior permission to
enter the laboratory has been approved by the authorised laboratory supervisor.

For HIGH HAZARD LABORATORIES - Schools should carefully consider the arrangements they put in place
for support services working in these laboratories, depending on the specific nature of the research
work. The arrangements should reflect the increased risks.
High Hazard Areas
Each School must provide both Estates and Property Service and Health Safety and Wellbeing a list of high hazards
areas under their control detailing the nature of the hazards and the main contact for that area. This will allow for
work to be planned safely and hazards to be controlled adequately.
In these areas, routine support services work must only be carried out under the supervision of authorised
laboratory staff.
Provision of information and instruction
All support services staff should be given instructions on the things they should and shouldn’t do whilst working in
laboratories with a brief explanation of why it is important to follow these simple basic rules.
Page 5 of 7
University of Salford
Code of Practice for the Maintenance and Cleaning
of Laboratories and Workshops by Non-laboratory
Personnel and Maintenance Contractors V2.0
It is recommended this discussion take place when staff first start work in the laboratories and then re-enforced
and supported by provision of appropriate written or verbal information and instruction.
Where a School’s “non-laboratory / workshop” staff are required to work in hazardous areas, Schools must provide
them with information, instruction, training, supervision and equipment to enable them to work safely.
Where contractors are working in laboratories, they should be provided with information and instruction on the
nature of the hazards in the area, to enable them to work safely. It is the responsibility of School to provide the
information to the contractor using the Clearance Certificate mentioned earlier.
Supervision and monitoring
Schools must satisfy themselves that staff are working safely in their laboratories or workshops, irrespective of
who employs them. They must monitor and review the arrangements regularly to ensure they remain effective.
A named person within the School should be responsible for ensuring the safety of Support services staff or
Contractors whilst working in laboratories / workshops. The School’s H&SC should provide health and safety
support and assistance as appropriate.
Any non-compliance or dangerous practices must be reported immediately to either Estates and Property Services
or Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
Any accidents or near misses must also be reported immediately to either line managers or Health, Safety and
Wellbeing.
4.0
Code of Practice Monitoring and Performance
This CoP will be implemented by E&PS and relevant Technical Managers. Performance will form part of the H&S
audit.
5.0 Related Documentation
Code of Practice for the vacating or clearing of workshops and laboratories
SSW for the Maintenance and Cleaning of Laboratories and Workshops by non-laboratory personnel
Available:
http://www.salford.ac.uk/hr
6.0 Training and Support
Where required, support will be provided by the Health and Safety Coordinator.
Page 6 of 7
University of Salford
Code of Practice for the Maintenance and Cleaning
of Laboratories and Workshops by Non-laboratory
Personnel and Maintenance Contractors V2.0
7.0 Appendices
7.1 Contact Details for Laboratories and Workshops
Building
Adelphi Building
Allerton Building
Allerton Studios
Brian Blatchford
Building
Cockcroft Building
Gilbert Rooms
Maxwell Building
Mary Seacole Building
Newton Building
Solvent Store
Type of facility
Art & Design workshop (metal /
woodworking etc.).
Podiatry clinic and workshops.
Main Contacts
Tim Bailey / Martin Hughes
Art and Design workshop (metal /
woodworking etc.).
Prosthetics and Orthotics workshops.
Craig Tattersall / Martin Hughes
Biological and Chemical Laboratories and
associated stores.
Helen Bradshaw / Belgees Boufana / Laurie
Cunliffe / Dave Lamb / Heather Yates /
Steve Parr / David Sheel.
Tony Meachin
Peter Thornton / Steve Pearson / Steve
Howard
Keith Ross / Simon Steel / Tiehan Shen /
Dave Armour
Bernard Seddon / Alan Farnell /
Radiation store.
Estates and Property Services Workshop
(metal / woodworking etc.).
Physics Laboratories.
X-ray and scanning clinic, sports and gym
equipment.
Mechanical / Engineering Workshops and
Physics Laboratories.
Bulk storage of solvents.
Page 7 of 7
Kath Parnell / Liam Parnell
Bernard Noakes / Glyn Heath
Duncan Bottrill / Dave Lamb
Mark Parlby / Helen Bradshaw