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The level of service which the Safety Office aims to provide is described in the various sections below:
Introduction
The function of the University Safety Office is to advise in developing safety
policies or procedures and to monitor the implementation of safety policies.
The responsibilities of the Office include all aspects of health and safety,
including work with ionising radiation and fire precautions. It also has responsibility
for ensuring that effective procedures are in place for the correct disposal
of hazardous wastes.
The Safety Office generally communicates with Schools/Departments through the
School/Departmental Safety Officer and seeks to provide support and advice in
relation to local health and safety matters. Contact also occurs directly with
other members of the Department's staff although the SSO/DSO would normally
be aware of this.
The Safety Office also monitors the University's requirements for the use and
disposal of radioactive substances which are subject to various licences from
the Environment Agency. The Safety Office is also the primary contact point
with the Health & Safety Executive, The Environment Agency and the Fire
Service.
Safety Office Services
The Safety and Radiation Protection Office is committed to providing a high
quality support service to enable the work of the University to be carried out
safely and effectively whilst also enabling the demonstration of statutory compliance.
The minimum service levels which the Safety Office aim to provide are as follows.
There are also some actions which will assist us in meeting these:
General safety Issues
Enquiries
- Telephone and email enquiries will be answered within two working days
- Written enquiries will be answered within 1 week from receipt
- Where complex issues are involved you will be informed of the action we
are taking and given an indication when we will be able to provide a complete
answer
Requests for visits
- A request for a visit will be dealt with within 2 working days and the visit
will be paid within 2 weeks. Requests can be submitted directly to a member
of the Safety Office team, such as your usual contact, or to the general enquries
address bb-safety-office@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
Provision of information
The Safety Office will maintain electronic mailing lists by various relevant
groupings to assist in targeting information:
- Information on policies and guidance will be published on the Safety
Office website and Schools/Departments notified by email;
- Any guidance containing model documents will be available in electronic
format;
- On-going training courses provided by the Safety Office will be listed
on the Safety Office Web page;
- New training courses will be advertised by email distributions and posted
to the Web page at least 6 weeks prior to the date of the course.
Environmental Monitoring
The Safety Office can carry out environmental monitoring for:
- Airborne dust
- Light levels, i.e. illumination
- Noise - environmental and personal noise dosimetry
- Radiation
- Mercury in air
- Oxygen, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon gases and vapours
in air
- Other gases and vapours in air
- Ultra-violet radiation
- Formaldehyde
- Temperature and humidity
Any requests for monitoring will be responded within 2 working days. Requests
will be prioritised and a mutually acceptable date for the exercise agreed.
Radiation Protection
- Requests for approval of new radiation projects will be replied to within
5 working days of receipt of the proposal form
- New radiation dose badges will be issued shortly prior to the start of the
new monitoring period
- Request for personal radiation dose information will be responded to within
1 working day;
- All radiation monitors sent to the Safety Office for annual calibrations
will be turned around within 2 weeks of their receipt.
What you can do to help us
So that we can maintain and improve the quality of our service to you there
are a few things which will help us:
- Please contact the Safety Office at an early stage about any potential problems
so that we can give you the advice you need within good time. We may not always
be able to respond to complex issues at short notice
- Please inform us if you think you are receiving unnecessary information
or alternatively if you are missing out. We may be able to amend our mailing
lists
- Please keep us informed of any changes or proposed changes in SSO/DSO or
RPS etc.
- Please ensure that accidents are reported promptly, especially serious ones
which will require notification to the HSE. Also, please check that the report
and investigation forms are properly completed. This will save our time and
yours in chasing this information up
- Please ensure that the forms for registering new radiation projects or users
and new lasers and users are returned in good time before you want the work
to commence
- Please keep us updated of any changes which will be needed to the floor
plans showing the location of specified hazards i.e. radiation, biohazards,
lasers, compressed gases and chemical stores
- Please contact us at an early stage in relation to proposals which may entail
significant changes in the work or workplace, e.g. major refurbishment/remodelling
of the premises or the introduction of processes or equipment which involve
hazards which are new to the School/Department.
Feedback and Complaints
We are very happy to receive feedback on any of the services that we provide.
This helps us to improve them, as well as confirming what we are doing well.
In addition the University also has a complaints
procedure, details of which can be found in the Quality Manual.
For more information about any of the above, please contact the Safety Office
on ext. 13401 or e-mail sarah.c.watson@nottingham.ac.uk.
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