Health, Safety & Environmental Protection Office Safety risk management A summary for staff and students Version 1 September 2009
Contents Introduction 1 Risk Assessment 2-3 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 4-5 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 6-7 Provision and Use of Work Equipment (PUWER) 8-9 Workplace 10-11 Display Screen Equipment (DSE) 12-13 Manual Handling (MH) 14-15 Statutory Inspections (SI) 16-17 This leaflet is designed to give staff, managers and supervisors a quick guide to their respective duties in ensuring a safe working environment through the process of risk management. Knowing where to find relevant information from the College s and Schools/ Directorates safety management system and other external sources such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should assist staff in working safely and help managers and supervisors to effectively implement the safety management system within their area. 2 safety/internal/ra
Introduction Safety risk management is nothing more than the careful examination of what in our workplace could cause harm to people so that decisions can be made as to whether enough precautions have been taken to minimise the likelihood of this occurring. The aim is to make sure, so far as reasonably practicable, that no one gets hurt or becomes ill. The risk assessment and management system of the College follows the Health and Safety Executive s (HSE) five step approach ie: The controls managers are required to implement also follows HSE guidance ie: Elimination eg doing the process/task differently Substitution eg using a safer substance Engineering controls eg machine guarding Step 1 Identify the hazards Procedural controls eg safe system of work Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how Personal Protective equipment eg gloves Step 3 Evaluate the risk and decide on precautions Step 4 Record your findings and implement them Step 5 Review assessment and update if necessary safety/internal/ra 1
Risk Assessment Why risk assessments? It is an essential first step in ensuring the health and safety of employees and others who may be affected by the College s activities. Does the College have to do risk assessments? Yes, the College is legally required to assess the risks in the workplace. A competent person should carry out the assessments. Risk assessment courses are provided by the Health, Safety and Environmental Protection Office (HSEP Office) at www.kcl.ac.uk/about/structure/ admin/safety/internal/training/ What approach is used for risk assessments? The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) five step approach: 1. Look for hazards (the potential to cause harm or damage). 2. Decide who might be harmed and how. 3. Evaluate the risk (the likelihood of harm or damage occurring) and decide whether the existing precautions are adequate. If not, decide whether additional precautions are practicable. Any assessment should look at controlling the risk by elimination, substitution, engineering controls etc. Only when other controls cannot adequately deal with the risk should personal protective equipment (PPE) be relied upon. 4. Record the findings (always useful as a record of why you have come to the conclusion you have). 5. Review and revise as necessary. Additionally, an employer must inform its staff of any significant risks arising out of this risk assessment process and provide them with sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to allow them to work safely. IMPORTANT! Ensure all training is recorded in staff training records. Does it apply just to laboratory and hazardous areas? No! Hazards can be found anywhere. They can be found in any work environment that could lead to harm or injury eg slips, trips and falls, faulty electrical equipment, step ladders etc. 2 safety/internal/ra
What should be assessed? The workplace, equipment, work systems and procedures and, in addition to general risk assessments, a further assessment should be made where work involves: Manual Handling Personal Protective Equipment Working with machinery and tools Display Screen Equipment Hazardous Substances (chemical and biological) Noise Radiation (ionising and non-ionising). IMPORTANT! Hard copies of all local risk assessments must be held and be available for staff to view within the areas to which the assessment applies. What do managers do? 1. Ensure appropriate staff have attended risk assessment training. 2. Ensure risk assessments for all activities have been written. 3. Ensure staff have access to the assessments. 4. Ensure staff sign that they have read and understood assessments. 5. Monitor the workplace to ensure staff comply with the protocols set out in the assessment. 6. Revise the assessments should circumstances change eg an incident, or you are otherwise made aware that the assessment may no longer be suitable and sufficient. What should you do? 1. Risk assessments are there for your own safety so you should read and understand the assessments relating to your work. 2. Take part in any training programmes arranged. 3. Report any hazard or defect to your line manager or supervisor. 4. Report any symptoms of ill-health to your line manager do not suffer in silence. 5. Use PPE appropriately. Useful sources of information Risk assessment policy and proforma can be found at: safety/internal/ra HSE guidance can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index safety/internal/ra 3
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Why COSHH? Many substances, both chemical and biological, can be hazardous to your health so the law requires your employer to control exposure to hazardous substances. What is a substance hazardous to health under COSHH? There are a range of substances: 1. Substances or mixtures of substances classified as dangerous according to the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for supply) Regulations (CHIP). 2. Substances with Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL). 3. Biological agents (eg bacteria and other micro-organisms, cultures of human and other cells, also including Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)). 4. Any kind of dust in concentrations specified by COSHH. 5. Any other substance which has comparable hazards to people s health that may not be included in the categories above. What are the College s duties under COSHH? 1. To carry out (COSHH) risk assessments. 2. To implement control measures ie to prevent or control exposure. 3. To review the assessments at regular intervals or when new processes or substances are introduced. 4. To provide you with information about the risks and train you to use the control measures identified and protective equipment supplied. 5. Where necessary to monitor and record exposure to ensure the control measures in place are effective. 6. Where necessary, arrange health surveillance through our Occupational Health provider. 7. Where necessary, supply PPE to complement other control measures. IMPORTANT! Ensure all training is recorded in staff training records. What are your duties under COSHH? 1. Take part in any training programmes arranged. 2. Read labels on containers carefully these will tell you the hazards associated with the substance. DON T ignore labels! 3. Practice safe working habits. 4 safety/internal/ra
4. Report any hazard or defect to your manager or supervisor. 5. Use PPE appropriately. Ensure you understand its limitations and always inspect before use. 6. Store equipment and chemicals properly don t leave them lying around. 7. Take part in health surveillance programmes where they are provided for you. 8. Use control measures properly follow any safe system of work. DO NOT abuse equipment provided for your safety. Useful sources of information Risk assessment policy and proforma can be found at: safety/internal/ra Specific forms and other information for GMO assessments can be found at: safety/internal/bio/gmra Specific forms and information for non- GM biological agent assessments can be found at: safety/internal/bio/bioagentraform Information relating to hazardous substances can be found at: safety/internal/hazsub Specific forms and information can be found at: safety/internal/rad HSE advice can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index safety/internal/ra 5
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) What is PPE? PPE is equipment designed to be worn or held by persons to protect them against one or more risks; it includes gloves, footwear, high visibility clothing and hard hats etc. When should PPE be used? When employees are exposed to risks not adequately controlled by any other means. Even when control measures such as fume cupboards and safe systems of work are implemented some hazards may still remain. PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk. What are the College s duties? 1. When risk assessments and safe systems of work within your area have identified the need to use PPE, an assessment of the PPE suitability should be carried out. 2. The aim of this assessment is to answer these two fundamental questions: What hazard do I want to protect employees against? Will this particular type of PPE protect them against the identified hazard? WARNING! PPE should be used only as a last resort. Any assessment of the risks should look at controlling them by elimination, substitution, engineering controls and safe systems of work. Only when these other controls cannot deal adequately with the risk should PPE be employed. Where required: a. Ensure the PPE is suitably maintained and in good working order. b. Provide suitable storage when not in use. c. Provide adequate training and instruction. d. For respiratory protective equipment, where appropriate, carry out fit testing to ensure adequate user protection is afforded. What should PPE training include? 1. Explanation of the risks. 2. The operation and performance limitations of the PPE. 3. Instructions on selection and use. 4. The interaction with other PPE and working conditions. 5. Inadequate fitting (eg long hair, beards or spectacles). 6. Personal factors (eg hygiene). 7. Inspection, maintenance and instructions for storage (where appropriate). 6 safety/internal/ra
What are your duties? 1. To use any PPE provided in accordance with the training and instruction provided. 2. Make full and proper use of the PPE provided. 3. After use return the PPE to the storage provided or, if designed for single use, dispose of appropriately. 4. Report any defect or loss to your manager or supervisor. Useful sources of information Risk assessment policy and proforma can be found at: safety/internal/ra HSE guidance on PPE can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg174.pdf HSE guidance on selection of gloves for work with chemicals: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg330.pdf safety/internal/ra 7
Provision and Use of Work Equipment (PUWER) What is equipment? This is any equipment, machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work. This can range from a hammer to a vehicle to a mass spectrometer. Use includes starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing and cleaning! What are the College s duties? 1. To carry out a risk assessment with regard to its initial integrity, ie its suitability for the task, the place where it will be used and the purpose for which it will be used. 2. Ensure the equipment can be maintained and a log kept. 3. Ensure, where appropriate, that a manual is supplied with the work equipment which includes 8 safety/internal/ra
instructions for safe use, assembly, installation, commissioning, safe handling, adjustments and maintenance. 4. That work equipment is inspected at installation and at regular intervals thereafter, including statutory inspections such as insurance inspections. 5. Ensure any specific risks to staff, eg during maintenance, are catered for by a written safe system of work. 6. The College, through its managers and supervisors, must supply all persons who use work equipment with adequate health and safety information to ensure its safe use. 7. Ensure adequate training, where appropriate, is provided to staff using work equipment so they may do so safely. 8. Ensure, where appropriate, that work equipment carries a CE mark. (NOTE: a CE mark is NOT a mark guaranteeing safety, it merely indicates that the manufacturer is claiming that the work equipment complies with the law. Employers still need to check the work equipment is safe before it is used). 3. Report any hazard or defect to your line manager. 4. DO NOT use any obviously faulty equipment until it has been checked and you are advised it is safe to use. 5. Use control measures properly and follow safe systems of work. 6. DO NOT abuse equipment or use it inappropriately. IMPORTANT! Ensure all training is recorded in staff training records. Useful sources of information Risk assessment policy and proforma can be found at: safety/internal/ra HSE guidance on work equipment can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg291.pdf What are your duties? 1. Take part in any training programmes arranged. 2. Practice safe working habits. safety/internal/ra 9
Workplace What is a workplace? This is any non-domestic premises used as a place of work and includes any place to which persons have access while at work, eg a room, corridor, staircase, road or other place used as a means of getting to or from the workplace. What are the College s duties? Health 1. Ventilation: workplaces should be adequately ventilated. 2. Temperature: a minimum of 16 o C should be maintained unless the work involves physical effort in which case it should be at least 13 o C. NOTE: there is no legal maximum temperature! 3. Lighting: this should be sufficient to enable people to work and move freely. 4. Cleanliness: every workplace, the furniture, furnishings and fittings, should be kept clean and it should be possible to keep surfaces of floors, walls and ceilings clean. 5. Room dimensions: workplaces should have enough free space to allow people to move about with ease. Eleven cubic metres per person is a minimum and may be insufficient depending on the layout, content and nature of the work. 6. Workstations and seating: workstations should be suitable for the people using them and for the work. People should be able to leave workstations swiftly in an emergency. Seating should give adequate support for the lower back. Safety 7. Maintenance: the workplace and certain equipment and systems should be maintained in efficient working order. 8. Floors and traffic routes: there should be sufficient traffic routes, of sufficient width and headroom to allow people and vehicles to circulate safely and with ease. 9. Falls: if a person might fall, barriers or other protection must be provided. 10. Falling objects: materials and objects need to be stored and stacked in such a way that they are not likely to fall or cause injury. Welfare 11. Sanitary conveniences and washing facilities: suitable and sufficient conveniences and washing facilities should be provided. 12. Drinking water: an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water should be provided. 13. Accommodation for clothing and facilities for changing: adequate, suitable and secure space should be provided to store worker s own clothing and special clothing, eg lab coats. As far as reasonably practicable, the facilities should allow for drying clothing. Changing facilities should also be provided for workers to change into special work clothing. 10 safety/internal/ra
14. Facilities for rest and to eat meals: suitable, sufficient, readily accessible rest facilities should be provided. These should have sufficient seats and tables and be large enough for the number of workers likely to use them at any time. What are your duties? Useful sources of information Risk assessment policy and proforma can be found at: safety/internal/ra HSE guidance on workplace temperature can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/index To bring to the attention of the College, through its managers and supervisors, any short comings in the workplace facilities provided. safety/internal/ra 11
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) What is meant by Display Screen Equipment (DSE)? The term Display Screen Equipment covers a wide range of display screens and Visual Display Units (VDUs). The most common are those attached to personal computers (PCs) but it also applies to any monitor including for example those associated with digital electron microscopes. Should DSE be assessed? Yes, the College is legally required to assess the risks in the workplace and a specific analysis is required for DSE. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations apply. 12 safety/internal/ra
Why assess DSE? Apart from the legal requirement, staff need a workstation that is well designed and comfortable, particularly if they are regular DSE users. This is to help users work efficiently and effectively and reduce the risks of eyestrain, headaches and musculoskeletal disorders. How do I assess my workstation? An Advice Note provides information on working with display screen equipment and a workstation analysis checklist is provided for staff to complete. The HSEP Office provides 90 minute training sessions for staff who work with DSE. Further information can be found at: safety/internal/dse The completed checklist should be forwarded to the local DSE Assessor for review and advice on any necessary remedial measures. If a member of staff has been off sick or has been receiving treatment for a health problem which is believed to be related to or affected by work with DSE a referral should be made by the line-manager to Occupational Health (OH). Occupational Health will ask for a copy of the completed checklist. The line-manager should liaise with OH concerning the OH assessment outcome. What should I do with the completed forms? Completed checklists and assessments should be collated within your department and kept with other risk assessments. Any action required as a result of the completed checklist or more in-depth assessment (eg purchase of alternative pointing devices, foot rests, chairs etc) is the responsibility of the line-manager from department budgets. Advice on alternative equipment, chairs and furniture is available in the first instance from the local DSE Assessor or from the HSEP Office. Advice is also available from the College s preferred ergonomic equipment suppliers. What about eye tests? The cost of an eye test for work at a display screen will be met through the local budget where staff are required to use DSE as a regular part of their normal duties. Useful sources of information Further information and documentation can be found on the HSEPO website under Working with Display Screen Equipment: safety/internal/dse safety/internal/ra 13
Manual Handling (MH) What is meant by Manual Handling (MH)? The term manual handling probably speaks for itself but, to avoid confusion, manual handling can be defined as the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or bodily force. This includes, moving heavy packages or objects, including furniture, but also other less obvious operations such as shelving activities in libraries. Is it a problem in the workplace? Yes, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) manual handling causes more than a third of all over three a day injuries reported to them! Should MH be assessed? Yes, the College is legally required to assess the risks in the workplace and a specific assessment is required for manual handling (Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 apply). Hazardous manual handling activities are identified through the general risk assessment process and must then be assessed according to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. Guidance on what constitutes a hazardous manual handling activity is given in the HSE Guidance on the regulations and HSE leaflet. What are the College s duties? 1. To avoid the need for hazardous manual handling as far as is reasonably practicable. 2. To assess the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling that cannot be avoided. 3. To reduce the risk of injury from manual handling as far as is reasonably practicable by, for example, changing the way the task is done, changing the load and/or providing manual handling aids. 4. To provide suitable information, instruction and training. IMPORTANT! Ensure all training is recorded in staff training records. What are your duties? 1. Follow the appropriate safe systems of work laid down for your safety. 2. Practice safe working habits. 3. Report any manual handling hazard or equipment defect to your manager or supervisor. 4. Use control measures properly and follow safe systems of work. 5. Do not abuse equipment provided for your safety. Ensure you understand its limitations and always inspect it before use. 14 safety/internal/ra
Do you habitually move heavy or awkward loads? If you do, the activity must have been risk assessed you must be trained in the correct manual handling techniques and you must have been provided with appropriate manual handling aids if this has been identified as necessary in the manual handling assessment. What else can be done A manual handling risk assessment can highlight areas and jobs where the risk could be reduced or eliminated by the use of mechanical aids such as trolleys and lifts etc. The use of such aids depends on whether it is reasonably practicable to do so, ie a balance between the cost of the aids and the benefits such equipment would have in reducing or eliminating the risk. Useful sources of reference HSE guidance note Getting to Grips with Manual Handling which can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf HSE guidance on assessing manual handling tasks can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/index HSE advice on pushing and pulling loads can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/msd/pushpull/index General advice is also available from the Health, Safety & Environmental Protection Office: safety/internal/ However, if the manual handling risk can be avoided altogether by changes to working procedures then mechanical aids become unnecessary. The aim of a manual handling risk assessment is to reduce the risk to the lowest level. safety/internal/ra 15
Statutory Inspections (SI) What are Statutory Inspections (SI)? The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR), the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and Electricity at Work Regulations (EAWR) all specify inspection regimes by competent persons for certain types of equipment. This is in addition to any maintenance inspections which may be carried out. What type of equipment requires Statutory Inspections? The following list illustrates the type of equipment which requires Statutory Inspections and the inspection interval (please note this list is not exhaustive, if in doubt check with the manufacturer or installer of the equipment): Passenger equipment for lifting individuals six months Lifting accessories eg slings six months Other lifting equipment eg goods lifts 12 months Jacks and other vehicle lifting equipment 12 months Pallet trucks 12 months Autoclaves 12 months Pressure vessels (associated with plant rooms) 12 months Fume cupboards/microbiological safety cabinets 6-12 months (depending on usage). All are statutory limits, more regular inspections may be necessary or dictated by particular use or College policy. Who carries out Statutory Inspections? The person carrying out the examination will often be an insurance company engineer, although other suitably competent persons can be appointed to carry out this function. Any person appointed to carry out a thorough examination on behalf of an employer is also required to: Notify the employer immediately of any defect which affects the safety of the equipment. Send a copy of the report as soon as practicable to the relevant enforcing authority, where there is an existing or imminent risk of serious injury. And Maintain and send a signed record of the thorough examination to the employer and to any organisation from which the equipment has been hired or leased. 16 safety/internal/ra
What actions should the College carry out? 1. Identify all equipment requiring Statutory Inspections, including equipment constructed in-house, and ensure it is included on the Estates and Facilities database, so that it is included in our insurers inspection schedule. 2. Ensure the person carrying out the Statutory Inspection is competent to do so. 3. Ensure there is, where required, a written scheme of examination (an instruction detailing the Statutory Inspection requirements). 4. If equipment undergoing a statutory inspection fails the inspection or is not inspected within the specified statutory period (please note one to two months leeway is often built into the statutory period) the employer must: Ensure that the equipment is not used until the defect(s) specified in such a report have been rectified. The employer is duty bound not to use the equipment until the defects are rectified. Ensure equipment that has fallen outside the inspection period is not used until it has passed a retest. NOTE: If the employer ignores the advice of the competent person, and an accident occurs, the employer could be liable to prosecution by the enforcing authority and subject to personal injury claim from anyone injured as a result of the defective equipment. What actions should College staff carry out? 1. Report to your line manager any equipment noted to be outside the Statutory inspection period. 2. DO NOT use any equipment without a valid Statutory Inspection Certificate allowing its continued use. 3. Arrange for defects to be rectified within the specified time frame. Useful sources of reference HSE advice can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg375.pdf Inspection regime guidance can be found at: www.allianzengineering.co.uk/ inspectionguide/inspectionguide safety/internal/ra 17
Design & production Corporate Design Unit King s College London design@kcl.ac.uk King s College London August 2009 481