SWANSEA UNIVERSITY – Document Ref: H&S/P02 Issue 002
Health and Safety Policy Arrangements
Risk Assessment
Relevant Legislation
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order
Manual Handling Operations Regulations
Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations
Noise at Work Regulations
Personal Protective Equipment Regulations
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
Control of Vibration at Work Regulations
Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations
Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations
Ionising Radiation Regulations
Policy
Swansea University recognises that some of its work activities may, unless
properly controlled, create a risk to employees, students and others and will take
all reasonably practicable measures to reduce these risks to the lowest level that
is reasonably practicable.
Suitable and sufficient assessments of all risks will be undertaken to identify all
the hazards with a potential to cause harm to our employees, students and
others who may be affected.
Consideration will be given to every foreseeable situation in which exposure
might occur. The potential consequences of foreseeable emergencies will also
be assessed.
Arrangements
Competency
Risk assessments will be carried out by persons who are competent to do so.
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SWANSEA UNIVERSITY – Document Ref: H&S/P02 Issue 002
This means that they will have practical knowledge of the work activity and will
have access to information about any legal requirements that apply.
Swansea University will delegate responsibility for carrying out risk assessments,
but where possible they will involve individuals who carry out the activity being
assessed and/or their representatives, if appropriate.
In some cases (i.e. where the competence does not exist within the organisation)
it may be necessary to involve external specialists.
Workplace Precautions
Risk assessments will evaluate the adequacy of precautions (ventilation,
personal protective equipment and management systems such as training,
monitoring etc.) that exist to reduce the risk to the lowest level that is reasonably
practicable. Additional precautions will be identified and implemented, where
appropriate.
Swansea University will review accident; near miss and ill-health reports to
identify risks that are not as well controlled as was first thought and which may
also highlight the need for an assessment to be reviewed.
Monitoring
All individuals with responsibility for the management and supervision of work
activities also have a general responsibility to implement appropriate monitoring
to ensure that adequate precautions (as determined by risk assessment) are in
place, properly applied and effective. Records of monitoring will be maintained
for at least 5 years.
Health Surveillance
Health surveillance (including, where necessary, biological monitoring) will be
provided, where appropriate, to protect the health of employees and students.
Records of health surveillance in respect of each employee or student will be
kept for at least 40 years after the last date of entry.
Information, Instruction and Training
All employees and students will be given sufficient information, instruction and
training about the risks associated with the work activity undertaken. This will
include information about the risks and the results of any monitoring and
collective (not individual) health surveillance.
Employees and students will be informed of the risks to which they might be
exposed and the precautions that should be taken to avoid risk, including any
precautions or actions to be taken in an emergency. Training will be provided to
include the correct use of precautions, protective clothing, equipment, hygiene
measures, etc. as required. Regular refresher training will also be provided.
Use of Workplace Precautions, Reporting of Defects and Shortcomings
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SWANSEA UNIVERSITY – Document Ref: H&S/P02 Issue 002
Employees at all levels have a duty to take all reasonable steps to ensure that
workplace precautions are properly used.
Employees and students will be trained in how to recognise defects in workplace
precautions and to understand their health and safety implications. Employees
will rectify any such defects themselves if they are competent to do so.
Employees or students must report defects in workplace precautions to their line
manager or supervisor at once. Line managers or supervisors will take prompt
precautionary and remedial action when such defects are reported to them.
Remedial Action Plans
The need to develop or amend workplace precautions will be highlighted as a
result of employee or student feedback, risk assessments, accident or incident
investigations, workplace inspections or audits. In such cases, the Head of
School / Department responsible for the area/activity will initiate a Remedial
Action Plan.
Maintenance, Examination and Test of Plant/Equipment
Designated individuals will ensure that any respiratory equipment is examined
and tested (if appropriate) at suitable intervals.
All plant and work equipment that contributes to workplace precautions will be
maintained in efficient state, efficient working order and good repair. The
responsibility for this depends on the nature of the plant/equipment. Where
appropriate, suitable thorough examinations and tests will be carried out.
Assessment Review
Risk assessments will be reviewed periodically to ensure that they remain valid
and in the case of COSHH assessments, the period between reviews will be no
longer than every five years.
Swansea University will undertake automatic re assessment if there is:
a change in legislation
a change in workplace precautions
any significant change in the work carried out
transfer to new technology
any other reason to suspect that the original assessment is no longer valid or
could be improved.
Records
Records will be kept of:
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SWANSEA UNIVERSITY – Document Ref: H&S/P02 Issue 002
risk assessments undertaken
information, instruction and training provided
provision and maintenance of workplace precautions.
Further Information
For further information please refer to:
Swansea University Safety Intranet Site http://www.swansea.ac.uk/safety
Safe Working Guidelines
Quality Control Data: Document H&S/P02
Issue
Author
Date
001 Draft A
GJ
12/02/2008
001
GJ
17/07/2008
002
GJ
01/11/2014
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