2.6 - Health And Safety Code Of Practice

Supervision Of Students In Practical Teaching Areas, Laboratories, Teaching Kitchens, Workshops And Studios

This Code of Practice is issued as guidance for the protection of all persons either working or on legitimate business in laboratories, kitchens, workshops and studios. The University cannot and will not be held responsible for any incident which occurs to either unauthorised personnel entering these potentially dangerous areas or for personnel who deliberately ignore this code of practice

Consideration must always be given to the calibre, training and experience of staff or students before they are can authorised to operate a process or asked to undertake any operation during their working day. Risk Assessment documentation must be readily available for users and any person assigning a task, must insist that the user reads and declares that they have understood the contents of all relevant Risk Assessment sheets.

1. It is responsibility of Area Safety Managers to ensure that:

• All suitable and effective arrangements for the control of hazards are in place and understood by all relevant staff and students;
• Risk Assessment documentation is readily available and understood by operatives, for all practical operations and processes;
• Where necessary, all relevant safety training is undertaken, before a member of staff or student is expected to carry out a practical operation or process.

2. Personnel who are neither authorised, nor engaged in legitimate business, must not be permitted to enter practical working areas

3. Teaching staff are responsible for ensuring that:

• Students attention is directed towards all relevant Risk Assessment documents before they start any practical operation and that they are always instructed in and fully understand, all safety precautions.
• All necessary safety equipment and/or protective clothing is issued, checked for damage and properly used throughout the operation.
• All defects to safety systems/equipment is be reported to the person responsible for the facility, so that it can be isolated from use.
• Students are never left to work alone in practical areas unless authorised to carry out practical work and technical staff are informed.

4. Technicians are required to assist in the implementation of standards and to ensure that all equipment and materials provided are in a safe working condition

5. Risk Assessments must be:

• Available for all processes and experiments carried out within an area.
• Written and readily available within that area.
• Valid for all circumstances under which a process is used.

Revised May 2003