Statement of health and safety organisation for BioEscalator of Medical Sciences Divisional Office
As Head of the BioEscalator, I, Chris Price, am responsible for ensuring compliance with University Health and Safety Policy. My responsibilities are set out in the Annexe and I have delegated some of these responsibilities to others, as set out in Section 1.
1. EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY
Every employee with a supervisory role is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of staff, students, and other persons within their area of responsibility; and of anyone else (e.g. contractors and other visitors) who might be affected by their work activities. In particular, the responsibilities listed in the Annexe are delegated to supervisors for areas under their control.
As it is my duty to ensure adherence to the University’s Health and Safety Policy, I instruct every employee with a supervisory role and the Departmental Safety Officer [and the Area Safety Officer where appointed] to report to me any breach of the Policy.
All those with executive responsibility should notify me and the Departmental Safety Officer Khwaja Islam and the Area Safety Officer Graham Ross where appointed of any planned, new, or newly identified significant hazards in their areas and also of the control measures needed to avert any risks identified.
Where supervisors or others in charge of areas or with specific duties are to be absent for significant periods, adequate substitution must be made in writing to me and such employees and other persons as are affected. Deputising arrangements must be in accordance with University Policy.
The following employees have executive responsibility throughout the Department for ensuring compliance with the relevant part of University Safety Policy:
The laboratory manager Khwaja Islam is responsible for making arrangements for visitors, including contractors, and for ensuring the necessary risk assessments have been made.
The person responsible for the bulk storage of highly flammable and flammable liquids is Khwaja Islam.
In the following parts of the department, the persons named below have executive authority for safety:
Basement B1 – Unit 2 lab/Offices Tenant
Basement B1 – Store room Khwaja Islam
Level 0 - TC Lab Khwaja Islam
Level 0 – Services Lab Khwaja Islam
Level 0 – IL-1 Khwaja Islam
Level 0 – IL-2 Khwaja Islam
Level 0 – Managers Office Khwaja Islam
Level 0 – Reception Khwaja Islam
Level 0 - Kitchen/Hub/Meeting rooms Khwaja Islam
Level 0 – Unit 1 Labs/offices Tenant
Level 0 – Unit 2 Labs/offices Tenant
Level 1 – Freezer Room/Kitchen Khwaja Islam
Level 1 – Unit 1 Labs/offices Tenant
Level 1 – Unit 2 Labs/offices Tenant
2. ADVISORY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY
I have appointed those listed below to advise me on matters of health and safety within the Department. If any member of the Department does not take their advice, they should inform me. If they discover danger that requires immediate action, they are authorised to take the necessary action and inform me subsequently.
Departmental safety officer (DSO)
Khwaja Islam is responsible for
- advising me on the measures needed to carry out the work of the Department without risks to health and safety
- coordinating any safety advice given in the Department by specialist advisors and the University Safety Office
- monitoring health and safety within the Department and reporting any breaches of the Health and Safety Policy to me
- informing me and the Director of the University Safety Office(USO) if any significant new hazards are to be introduced to the Department.
The DSO’s duties are described in University Policy Statement S1/01
To assist in this work, the Department has the following specialist advisors:
Area safety officer (ASO)
Graham Ross has been appointed to support the DSO in his/her administrative, monitoring and advisory role.
Departmental fire officer (DFO)
Facilities and Services Manager is responsible for advising the DSO on all matters relating to fire precautions and fire prevention in compliance with University Health and Safety Policy.
Fire marshals for specific areas
Basement (B1) Tenant(s)
Level 0 (Ground) BioEscalator Team/Tenant(s)
Level 1 Tenant(s)
Departmental biological safety officer (DBSO)
Khwaja Islam is responsible for advice on all matters relating to biological safety, and in particular on the implementation of University Policy Statement S5/09. The BSO’s duties are described in University Policy Statement S5/09.
Departmental Safety Advisory Committee (DSAC)
In addition to the above arrangements I have set up a Departmental Safety Advisory Committee, whose functions are set out in University Policy Statement S2/01and whose membership comprises:
Business Manager Claire Shingler
DSO Khwaja Islam
USO Graham Ross
Representative from individual company Tenant(s)
The Committee’s terms of reference are to review the implementation of new University and safety policy statements and to review accident/incident reports forwarded to the safety office. Other matters for discussion should include the results of Departmental inspections and prior consideration of new and significant risks.
It will meet termly.
Genetic Modification Safety Committee
I have also set up a Genetic Modification Safety Committee, whose functions are set out in University Policy Statement S5/09 and whose membership comprises:
Chairperson/DBSO Khwaja Islam
USO Graham Ross
Representative from individual company Tenant(s)
The Committee’s terms of reference are to assess the veracity of new GMO risk assessments, to review the annual GMO returns, to advise the DBSO and to maintain the highest levels of safety within the site. (University Policy Statement S2/08).
It will meet annually in person but GM risk assessments will be circulated to the committee for approval as needed.
3. OTHER SAFETY FUNCTIONS
First aid
The following persons are responsible for first aid in the shared areas of basement, ground and first floor of the building (laboratories or offices) but third party (tenants) who rent laboratory or office space are responsible for their own first aid provision:
Khwaja Islam Qualified First Aider
Claire Shingler Qualified First Aider
Fabiha Ahmed Qualified First Aider
Connor Norton Qualified First Aider
Julia Hill Qualified First Aider
First aid facilities are located as follows:
Throughout level 0 (Ground) and level 1. Lobby area in the Basement.
Accident and incident reporting
Khwaja Islam is responsible for keeping the accident/incident report forms and for ensuring accidents are reported promptly to the University Safety Office. Accident report forms are available on-line and accessed via single sign on (SSO) login credentials and this enable staff and students to log incidents securely online this has replaced the paper accident book. All reports are held on the University’s incident reporting and investigation system (IRIS).
Display screen assessors
I have appointed the following people as Display Screen Assessors, and the number is sufficient to ensure no one has to assess more than 50 persons. This is now carried out using the online display screen equipment assessment using SSO login credentials.
Khwaja Islam
Manual handling assessors
I have appointed the following people as Manual Handling Assessors.
Khwaja Islam
Departmental electrical safety
Facilities Manager (Estates) is the electrical safety supervisor.
4. TRADES UNIONS AND APPOINTED SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES
University Policy Statement S2/13 sets out the arrangements for dealing with trade unions and their appointed safety representatives. Employees who wish to consult their safety representatives should contact the senior safety representative of the appropriate trade union.
UCU: http://www.oxforducu.org.uk
Unite (was Amicus): http://users.ox.ac.uk/~unite
UNISON: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~unison
5. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
All Departmental employees, all students and all other persons entering onto the Department's premises or who are involved in Departmental activities have a duty to exercise care in relation to themselves and others who may be affected by their actions. Those in immediate charge of visitors and contractors should ensure that those persons adhere to the requirements of University Health and Safety Policy.
Individuals must
(a) Make sure that their work is carried out in accordance with University Safety Policy.
(b) Protect themselves and others by properly using any safety equipment or devices (e.g. machinery guards) provided.
(c) Protect themselves by properly wearing any personal protective equipment that is required.
(d) Obey all instructions emanating from the Head of Department in respect of health and safety.
(e) Warn me and the DSO/ASO (Khwaja Islam/Graham Ross) of any significant new hazards to be introduced to the department, or of newly identified significant risks found on the premises or in existing procedures.
(f) Ensure that their visitors, including contractors, have a named contact within the department with whom to liaise.
(g) Attend training where managers identify it as necessary for health and safety
(h) Register and attend for health surveillance with the Occupational Health Service when required by University Safety Policy.
(i) Report all fires, incidents, and accidents immediately to Khwaja Islam.
(j) Familiarise themselves with the location of fire fighting equipment, alarm points and escape routes, and with the associated fire alarm and evacuation procedures.
Individuals should
(a) Report any conditions, or defects in equipment or procedures, that they believe might present a risk to their health and safety (or that of others) so that suitable remedial action can be taken.
(b) Offer any advice and suggestions that they think may improve health and safety.
(c) Note that University Policy Statements are available on the web at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/safety/policy-statements/ and in hard copy at [insert location].
6. SPECIFIC SIGNIFICANT RISKS
The following areas/activities have been identified as significant risks in this Department:
Cryogenic Liquids
Compressed Gases
Signed: ……………………………………………………..
Chris Price
As Head of the BioEscalator
Date 04/10/2021
ANNEX
It is my responsibility, as Head of BioEscalator, directly or through written delegation
- To ensure adherence to the University’s Health and Safety Policy and to ensure that sufficient resources are made available for this.
- To plan, organise, control, monitor, and review the arrangements for health and safety, including the arrangements for students, contractors, and other visitors, and to strive for continuous improvements in performance.
- To carry out general and specific risk assessments as required by health and safety legislation and University Safety Policy.
- To ensure that all work procedures under my control are, as far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health.
- To ensure that training and instruction have been given in all relevant policies and procedures, including emergency procedures.
- To keep a record of all cases of ill health, accidents, hazardous incidents and fires, to report them to the University Safety Office, and to ensure any serious or potentially serious accidents, incidents, or fires are reported without delay.
- To inform the University Safety Office before any significant hazards are introduced or when significant hazards are newly identified.