1 Avoiding Slips, Trips and Falls

Minimise the risk of slips, trips and falls - the most common cause of injuries at work - by:

• keeping walkways clear;
• preventing trailing cables;
• cleaning up spills immediately;
• keeping your own work area clean and tidy;
• wearing sensible footwear while at work;
• promptly reporting loose or damaged floor covering, stair treads or any other slip/trip hazard to your General Health & Safety Adviser;
• using a proper stepladder to reach items stored at height.

Further information is available in Safety Services’ Safety Policy Arrangement 12/2002 – Slips, Trips and Falls.
Also see the HSE Slips and Trips eLearning package. Most useful for cleaning, kitchen and maintenance staff and their supervisors/managers, but many key points are relevant to all SLS personnel.

2 Fire Prevention

Reduce the risk of fire breaking out by:

• not accumulating rubbish unnecessarily;
• avoiding non-essential storage of combustibles;
• keeping essential combustibles away from ignition sources and safely stored;
• eliminating ignition sources where possible;
• not using unauthorised/untested heaters or other electrical equipment;
• never leaving hotplates, toasters or microwaves unattended;
• adhering to the basic principles of good electrical safety;
• not smoking in or around University buildings;
• promptly reporting any potential fire hazards to your General Health & Safety Adviser.

3 Electrical Safety

• All new electrical equipment must be registered on the SLS Asset Register and any item with a plug on it must be subject to Portable Appliance Testing (PAT). This includes items brought in from home, e.g. CD players, toasters, kettles. All personnel are expected to cooperate with the PAT technician.
• Before using portable electrical equipment, perform the following visual checks.
  • Look for any sign of mechanical damage or overheating of the cable or plug.
  • Check that the cable is securely clamped into the plug.
  • Check for kinks in the cable or signs that the outer insulation is beginning to harden.
  • Ensure the cable is not in a situation where it is likely to get damaged.
  • Look for any obvious damage to the equipment itself (in particular: the casing; points where cable passes through the casing; switches).
• All faults and concerns must be promptly reported to General Health & Safety Adviser.
• Locate equipment and cables carefully, e.g. away from sinks or areas where large amounts flammables are used or stored.
• Equipment removed from laboratory Cold Rooms must be allowed to warm up to room temperature and thoroughly dry out before use.
• Never operate switches with wet hands.
• Whenever possible, switch off and unplug equipment that is not in use.
• Avoid using extension cables, especially the coiled variety which are likely to over-heat if not fully unwound. If an extension cable must be used, it should only be a temporary solution, it must be fully extended and it must not create a trip hazard or be overload.
• Personnel are not permitted to fit plugs or undertake electrical repairs unless it is a recognised part of their job and they have been fully trained.

4 General Safety

There are many aspects to general safety and the list below is not intended to be exhaustive. Rather it highlights some key aspects.

• Take sensible precautions at all times to help ensure your safety and that of those around you.
• Be aware of what other people are doing and take appropriate precautions (e.g. eye protection).
• Report any situations that you feel represent a hazard to health or safety.
• Do not take short cuts or subvert/inactivate safety devices on equipment.
• Do not wear headphones that prevent you being aware of persons around you or signals indicating danger (e.g. fire alarm).
• Take care when using stairs and always hold onto the bannister if possible.
• Do not enter laboratories or operate equipment when you have taken alcohol or other substances that affect your mental capacity or are on medication that states you should not operate machinery.
• Do not bring children into hazardous areas unless part of an organised and assessed visit.
• Do not work in laboratories or other hazardous areas when you are tired.