Head of Unit - Key Responsibilities
The following summarises the action required to establish a safety management system.
1. Prepare a local Safety Policy document setting out the arrangements, procedures and management responsibilities in place within the School or Service. This should identify local management responsibilities for health and safety.
2. Appoint competent people, to help with managing health and safety in the unit. This may include some legally required appointments. The following will apply in some units but other appoitments may also be needed depending on activities of the unit:
- Safety Co-ordinators (general or specific to risk areas)
- Fire Safety Coordinators and Fire Wardens
- First Aiders
- Radiation Protection Supervisors (as required)
3. Form a College/School/Service HS&W Committee with management and staff representation. The committe should help develop suitable local procedures and should be consulted on changes affecting safety.
4. Establish systems to identify workplace and activity-related hazards and to conduct risk assessments aimed at identifying the protective measures needed to combat the identified risks.
5. Ensure that risk assessment derived safety control measures are in place and maintained.
6. Ensure provision of any necessary training and information, and suitable supervision, and keep records of this.
7. Establish suitable and proportionate emergency procedures are in place, including first aid and spillage proceures.
8. Estalish systems for compliance monitoring and review. This will include reactive monitoring such as recording, reporting and investigation of accidents and incidents and proactive monitoring such as regular local inspection of the workplace and activities.