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- H&S policies and guidance
- Children, young people and vulnerable adults on campus
- Control of substances hazardous to health (CoSHH)
- Dogs in university buildings
- Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
- Driving vehicles on university business
- Fieldwork
- Fire safety
- First aid
- General risk assessment
- Health and safety policy and management
- Manual handling
- Meningitis
- Portable appliance testing (PAT)
- Radiation safety
- Smoking policy
- Forms, signs and templates
- How to...
- Health and safety training
- Health & Safety Committee
- H&S policies and guidance
4.2 Information, instruction and training
The provision of information, instruction and training to employees is a statutory requirement of all current UK health and safety legislation.
(1) Information
Information on health and safety can come from a variety of sources, too numerous to mention, but various examples are given below:
Sources of information
The Health & Safety Office
Members of the H&S team may be contacted to advise and inform, by phone, email or personal visit (by prior appointment) The Health & Safety Office is open during normal working hours (9.00am until 5.15pm).
Written Information
- Statutes and statutory instruments: current copies of most key health and safety legislation
- Books: A limited number of books on a variety of health and safety issues, including fire safety, first aid, the law, chemical safety, etc are available for short term loan.
- Catalogues: A range of commercial catalogues for the purchase of health and safety protective products, eg first aid supplies, ppe, are available for short term loan.
Electronic Information
Barbour Index
The Health & Safety Office subscribes to the Barbour Index; an internet service supplying full H&S documents for reading on screen or printing / saving as ‘pdf’ files.
The service is free for University staff to use but is password protected. Please contact the H&S Office for joining instructions.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) website
The HSE website is arguably the best source of free H&S advice and information. It has a wealth of documents which may be saved or printed. You may also wish to subscribe to HSE email newsletter service dealing with specific H&S issues. Joining instructions are on the site.
College Libraries:
Some Colleges have their own health and safety library. Ask your College Safety Officer (CSO) for details.
The School Safety Officer:
Has both health and safety and local knowledge of the School and thus may be the best source for an initial enquiry.
Trade Union Health and Safety Representatives:
Have a special interest in their members’ working conditions. They provide an invaluable source of health and safety information.
(2) Instruction
Instruction is specific practical information on how to carry out a process safely, ie the communication of a safe system of work.
Sources of Instruction
Managers & Supervisors:
The University has a core of highly skilled, experienced and knowledgeable supervisory staff and it relies upon the transfer of their skill, experience and knowledge to its support staff. Instruction can be both verbal and written.
Instruction Manuals:
Well-written instruction books, in particular more recent ones, will explain how equipment can be used correctly with the minimum of health and safety risk. In addition to use, there is a legal duty on manufacturers to explain how equipment may be installed, maintained and disposed of correctly.
(3) Training
Sources of training
Health and safety training is given by both internal and external training providers.
Internal training providers
The Health & Safety Office:
The Health & Safety Office staff are key health and safety training providers. The following courses are given throughout the year and are listed on the University website.
Annual Training Diary:
Courses include:-
Introduction to health and safety (mandatory for new staff)
Basic and specialist fire safety (mandatory for new staff)
Basic and specialist first aid and lifesaving skills
Manual Handling
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations
Office Safety
Risk Assessment
Training must be booked via the Learning and Development website.
External training providers:
Addresses and contact names are available from the Health & Safety Office. Examples are:
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA, general safety)
- British Safety Council (BSC, general safety)
- Red Cross and St John Ambulance (first aid)
- Exeter College (Abrasive Wheels Regulations)
- South West Electricity Board (Training Centre, Taunton, electrical safety)
- University of Bristol (NEBOSH Health and Safety Certificate, Diploma)
- Torquay College (NEBOSH Health and Safety Certificate)
- Plymouth College of Further Education (NEBOSH Health and Safety Certificate, Diploma)
- University of Portsmouth (NEBOSH Health and Safety Certificate, Diploma)
