Health and Safety

This Health and Safety Policy (and associated policies and approved guidance notes) applies to all premises falling, to any extent, under the University’s control. It also includes all activities on, and off campus conducted on behalf of the University.  The policy sets down a framework by which the University and our community will be able to meet their health and safety duties.

Consideration has been given to the protected characteristics of all population groups identified in the Equality Act 2010. These protected characteristics are: 

• Age
• Disability 
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Race
• Religion and belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Pregnancy and maternity

The University recognises the need for specific measures to ensure the health and safety of each of these groups. This policy and all other associated health and safety related policies and procedures take this into account. 

• The Court of Queen Margaret University
  • Has overall accountability for the Health and Safety policy and strategy

• Principal / Vice - Chancellor
  • Is responsible for influencing and shaping the strategic direction of Queen Margaret University

• Senior Leadership Team
  • Responsible for the operational implementation of the Health and Safety Policy and resource allocation.

• Heads of Departments / of Division
  • Responsibility for developing and delivering the strategic plan of a particular school or department

• Line Manager and Supervisory Staff (Academic and Professional Staff)
  • Responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of activities and the management of staff in line with the strategic direction of the particular School or Department.

• Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team
  • Responsibility for advising and guiding all tiers of the health and safety structure.

• University Health and Safety Committee
  • Acts on behalf of the Court as the statutory consultation group for health and safety. Agrees policy and standards, monitoring University safety performance. 

7.1 The Court of Queen Margaret University 

The Court of Queen Margaret University, as the governing body and employer, has the overall statutory responsibility for occupational health and safety in the University. Members individually and collectively have a duty to consider health and safety while approving strategy and reviewing the University’s occupational health and safety performance. 

Specifically, the Court shall plan to ensure:

• appropriate governance and communications systems are put in place to support this policy including its review and development
• awareness of significant health and safety risks faced by Queen Margaret University
• oversight of the health and safety implications of strategic decisions
• emergency planning arrangements are kept up to date

The Court will seek assurances from the Principal / Vice-Chancellor & Senior Leadership Team that:

• health and safety arrangements are adequately resourced
• risk control measures are in place and acted upon
• effective processes are in place to ensure training and competency
• suitable processes are in place for auditing health and safety performance
• there is access to competent health and safety advice
• processes are in place for employees or their representatives to be involved and engaged in decisions that affect their health and safety

The Court shall receive and evaluate leading and lagging data relevant to health and safety and, where appropriate, ask for data on process (preventive and maintenance) and competency indicators.

Additionally, the Court shall be satisfied that there are independent reviews of health and safety management across the University, that lessons are learnt from adverse events, audit processes are reviewed, and that the University’s risk profile is regularly reviewed.

7.2 Principal / Vice-Chancellor

The Principal / Vice-Chancellor has delegated authority from the Court for the delivery and performance management of this Health and Safety Policy. The Principal / Vice-Chancellor ensures that suitable and sufficient arrangements are in place for the effective planning, organisation, control, measurement and review of all health and safety and is accountable to the Court for the overall implementation of this policy.

The Principal / Vice Chancellor shall ensure that arrangements are in place to:

• implement and endorse this policy as a visible demonstration of ownership and communicate its values
• agree on how this policy will be measured, monitored and reported through the setting of appropriate key performance indicators and review such performance data celebrating achievement and taking corrective action where targets are not being met
• allocate suitable resources for the management of health and safety
• establish and define membership, appoint a chair and maintain a Health and Safety Committee
• ensure emergency procedures encompass all relevant risks
• consider the health and safety implications of strategic decisions such as large projects etc.
• review and monitor health and safety performance.

7.3 Senior Leadership Team 

The Senior Leadership Team shall support the Principal / Vice Chancellor by designing, implementing, maintaining, and monitoring local safety arrangements and managing risks to protect staff, students, visitors, and contractors, based upon the University’s risk profile and priorities. 

Specifically, the Senior Leadership Team shall:

• confirm that processes are put in place to ensure all activities are appropriately risk assessed and controls implemented
• ensure responsibilities are delegated and understood for tasks such as risk assessments
• ensure that all formal School or Department meetings include, as a standing item, health and safety, discussing concerns, development opportunities and successes
• have oversight of any adverse event, investigation, or audit
• respond to audits (internal and external), reports, concerns by recognised trade unions / enforcing authorities and the University’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team
• support campaigns to raise health and safety awareness and behavioural change
• discuss health and safety issues and performance with direct reports and at performance/development reviews.

7.4 Heads of Departments / Divisions 

Heads of Departments / Divisions shall design, implement, maintain, and monitor local safety arrangements and manage risks to protect our community. Heads of Departments / Divisions, having clear understanding and oversight of the operations and activities undertaken within their specific specialism shall define the most appropriate local safety structures and align / integrate these with the overall strategic direction of the University. 

Specifically, Heads of Departments / Divisions shall, in relation to their areas of responsibility:

• put in place processes to ensure all activities are appropriately risk assessed, controls implemented and reviewed
• ensure responsibilities are delegated and understood for tasks such as risk assessments 
• plan arrangements to ensure the health and safety of all persons who may be affected, including contractors, students, and visitors
• work with the Health, Safety and Wellbeing team to identify and control higher areas of risk
• ensure that induction arrangements include all relevant information for all new starters
• ensure that all formal School or Department meetings include, as a standing item, health safety and wellbeing, discussing concerns, development opportunities and successes
• agree health and safety competency and development needs of all staff and set training objectives based upon the QMU Performance Enhancement Review Policy and Procedures
• have oversight of any adverse event, investigation or audit
• assign sufficient resources (competent personnel, with enough time and facilities), including specialist support from occupational health, radiation protection advisors, biosafety specialists etc. where needed
• ensure staff consultation involves all appropriate stakeholders including trade unions representatives and student representatives
• assess the health and safety impact of new projects at planning stages
• when purchasing equipment, consider the health and safety requirements/implications - set-up, use, maintenance, inspection & servicing
• follow contractor management procedure when arranging work
• check that all actions and recommendations from health and safety processes e.g., audits and inspections are implemented
• consider information from external and internal sources e.g., audits and use the information to review planning and risk management processes.

7.5 Line Managers 

Line managers are required to implement and operate local health and safety and direct management arrangements, and to monitor and check their effectiveness. 

Specifically, line managers shall, in relation to their area of responsibility:  

• implement and operate local health and safety systems and arrangements
• put in place processes to ensure all activities are appropriately risk assessed, controls implemented and reviewed
• set reasonable objectives to cover their area of responsibility, including allocation of work on risk assessments based on their Head of Department or Head of Division's plan - ensure risk assessments are undertaken and recorded, and that staff, contractors and students are following all safety systems and control measures, ensuring any new processes are properly risk assessed before implementation
• take part in formal/informal audits and have responsibility for completing any remedial action plans identified by the auditor(s). 
• take appropriate action when health and safety is likely to be compromised and, if necessary, suspend an activity pending a reassessment of the risk
• develop or use existing communication processes (e.g., team meetings) to keep teams informed, and receive information back from team members
• plan deployment of resources to achieve health and safety objectives such as training (refer to QMU Performance Enhancement Review Policy and Procedures)
• take and implement direction from the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team on matters affecting health and safety
• provide induction training for all staff and students (if necessary)
• ensure all new equipment is checked for hazards, and users are trained on safe systems of work and risk control measures
• keep up to date with health and safety requirements for specific areas of responsibility
• have a program for statutory testing of equipment, as required, and ensure this has been carried out.

7.6 Supervisory Staff

Staff members with supervisory responsibility in a School / Department – module coordinators, campus operations supervisors etc - are expected to operate, monitor, and check that the local arrangements and rules are being followed. A critical aspect of this role is to ensure that any concerns with the effectiveness of local health and safety arrangements are communicated to the appropriate person to ensure continual improvement of the health and safety management system.

Supervisory staff shall:

• ensure all activities are appropriately risk assessed, controls implemented and reviewed (where appropriate)
• ensure that they, and those they supervise, understand local safety policy and procedures
• plan any skill, knowledge or refresher training for themselves and their team, where appropriate, based on Queen Margaret University Performance Enhancement Review Policy and Procedure
• plan resources and ensure all staff understand what is expected of them
• ensure staff and students are aware of, and follow, all relevant safe systems of work
• ensure visitors and contractors are provided with relevant health and safety information - develop clear and concise procedures and include key safety information in them
• ensure that they, their team, and students, where appropriate, have received induction training and relevant training appropriate to their activities / studies
• raise any issues of non-conformance through the line-management structure
• provide feedback on health and safety issues
• ensure all risk assessments have been carried out, are up to date, recorded, and that control measures are effectively implemented and understood
• ensure any actions arising from audits and inspections have been completed or to monitor progress

Everyone has a responsibility for their own health and safety, as well as that of others who may be affected by their work, research or study and their acts or omissions. Everyone has the right not to proceed with any activity if they feel it poses a danger to their safety or that of others, and they must immediately raise their concerns with their line manager, academic tutor or the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team.

All Staff and students must:

• take reasonable care of themselves and others
• cooperate with the University on health and safety matters
• carry out their work, research, and study safely and in accordance with this Policy, accompanying procedures, local arrangements, or any relevant legislation
• complete and follow the requirements of the risk assessment and implement any identified control measures
• report any adverse events (accident, incident, near miss / dangerous occurrence or work-related illness) using the University reporting procedure
• notify their line manager / HR Partner and / or academic tutor / Student Services if they have a condition affecting their health which may be caused by or made worse by work, study, or research activities
• Complete all mandatory health and safety training and induction
• report any faults, damage, unsafe or unhealthy working conditions, practices, or equipment, using local arrangements - or to their academic tutor
• use equipment for its intended purpose
• not interfere with or misuse anything provided for health and safety
• on discovering a fire, raise the alarm
• if emergency alarms sound, leave by the nearest emergency exit 
• notify their line manager / HR Partner and / or academic tutor / Student Services in advance to set up a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) if they will need assistance or special arrangements to evacuate
• not damage the fabric of the building, or connect directly to the services - other than through a standard electrical socket - without prior agreement from the Director of Campus and Commercial Services
• bring any breaches of this Policy, protocols or local health and safety arrangements to the attention of their line manager, academic tutor or Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team.

The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team’s role is to help ensure that the health, safety, and welfare of our community members within the University is not adversely affected by its activities or processes. Therefore, the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team’s mission is to assist and advise the Court of Queen Margaret University, and all members of the University community, in ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all  community members. To achieve this, the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team shall provide appropriate and effective support to facilitate the University’s attainment of its core objectives in teaching and research, and hence the University’s strategic goals, whilst promoting the highest quality of health and safety practice and continuous improvement across the University’s wide spectrum of activities, so meeting all its legal and moral obligations in this regard. 

The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team, on behalf of the Court, shall have full access to any record, document, person, or premises and is authorised to take any reasonable emergency / critical actions thought necessary to ensure the health and safety of all persons, employed, studying, or engaging with QMU and for the protection of the physical assets of the University at any time. 

Queen Margaret University is committed to reviewing and developing its policy, to ensure that it remains both current and relevant. 

The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team will ensure a programme of safety audits are undertaken throughout the University to measure the performance of this policy. The results of such audits, including successes and areas of non-compliance, shall be relayed to the most appropriate senior manager and Health and Safety Committee along with recommended actions.

This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed every three years by the Health and Safety Committee to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of the University and to recommend any changes considered necessary. Alternatively, any significant changes which affect this policy will prompt a review.