The University Health and Safety Policy is available at the health and safety office website, here.

The UH Health and Safety Policy outlines the University’s Emergency and accident/incident reporting procedures.

Codes of practice

Health and Safety matters are an integral part of study. Codes of Practice are listed in all areas and are there to make sure that you can work successfully and safely with the equipment and facilities offered by the areas. You have a responsibility to be aware of safety issues.

These are explained by the following:

• Read the Emergency Action notice;
• Take note of the location of fire extinguishers, fire exits and assembly points;
• In the event of an accident/incident, a first-aider is to be called;
• If anyone sees something suspicious or dangerous, it is to be reported to a member of staff;
• Good housekeeping is to be practised in the studios, workshops and computer suites;
• Do not misuse or damage the equipment, furniture, fixtures and fittings;
• Any electrical equipment must be Portable Appliance Tested;
• Mobile phones and radios etc. should not cause distraction;
• Aerosol spray cans or any process giving off high levels of fumes or dust must be assessed and carried out in the appropriate designated areas;
• Do not reconfigure electrical equipment.

Risk assessment

Each employer is required to make a suitable assessment of the risks to the health and safety of people while they are at work. As a student at the school you too will have to take part in this process.

A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people. The Risk Assessment is a set of simple questions. For example:

• Can you see any hazards?
• Who might be harmed?
• Is the risk adequately controlled?
• What further action is necessary to control the risk?

As part of this process there is a requirement that the findings of any risk assessment must be recorded. Once completed, information on the risk assessment and the appropriate measures to be taken to ensure minimum risk for the parties involved must be carried out.

The School has carried out Risk Assessments for areas, equipment and processes. These are for the routine activities carried out on a daily basis. For non standard activities a student project risk assessment form will need to be completed and signed by the appropriate member of staff.

Student Project Risk Assessment

For the process of risk assessment a form must be completed before any project is commenced, taking place on or off site. A copy is available on the School StudyNet site. The assessment will vary according to the nature of the activity but it must be appreciated that the responsibility for making such assessment rests with those who are organising the activities.

The form is to be completed by the student and the module tutor of the area involved and countersigned by the programme tutor. Technical officers will provide advice

If there is a difficulty then you should contact the most appropriate person: School Officer, Manager, or Module/Programme Tutor.

The University of Hertfordshire has a written Safety Policy in which students are expected to accept the same responsibilities in relation to the Safety Policy as members of the University’s staff. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

General Health and Safety Regulations

• Registered students should be conversant with and adhere to the safety regulations laid down by the University.
• This includes those in the University Policy and the working practices of local Subject Area workshops, these can be found in the Safety policy.
• Everyone should take reasonable care for their own health and safety and also for that of people at the University who could be affected by their actions.
• No one should misuse equipment or behave irresponsibly anywhere on the University premises or during activities controlled by the University which do not take place on University premises.
• No one should interfere with or knowingly misuse any equipment which has been provided for safety purposes as it is a criminal offence, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1975, to tamper with safety equipment. In general terms this means machine guarding, goggles, other protective equipment, fire alarms, first aid boxes, etc. This cover also extends to halls of residences and all other University premises.
• The University reserves the right to ban any student immediately and without warning, from using machinery or other equipment or from taking part in an activity, if it is deemed by the responsible member of staff that the student or another person might be endangered were they to take part.
• You are required to co-operate with the University on all matters relating to health and safety to enable the institution to perform any duty to comply with any requirement or statutory provision.
• Any accident, no matter how minor, which occurs during any activity which is controlled by the University on or off its property, must be reported in accordance with the Safety Policy. Students must report all accidents to their supervisor immediately.
• Areas which are out of bounds: All roofs, Electrical sub-stations, conduits and switching gears, The telephone exchange, Boiler houses and heating control rooms, Lift and hoist mechanisms, Building and construction sites, Security control points and the master controls for the University’s alarm system
• Intentional or reckless interference

It is a criminal offence to interfere with safety or emergency equipment and the University has a responsibility to report such matters to the police. The matter is subject to an internal disciplinary hearing, which if the case is proven, could lead to a final warning or exclusion from the University.

Fire Action Notices

In the event of a fire or fire drill students and staff are asked to:

• Leave the building through the nearest exit as swiftly as possible;
• Do not use lifts. There are trained Fire Wardens who will evacuate anyone who requires assistance with the evac-chairs;
• Assemble at the Fire Assembly Point. Please do not block the entrance or stand in the road, as this will obstruct access for the Fire Brigade;
• Please listen for and obey the instructions of the Fire Marshall and Wardens;
• Under no circumstances is anyone allowed back into the building until the all clear is given.