parent safety statement - mtu
TRANSCRIPT
MTU Safety Statement D5 1
Safety Statement
15th March 2021
Version: 1.0 www.mtu.ie/policies
Safety Statement 2
Table of Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 5
2. MTU Organisational Overview .............................................................................................. 6
2.1 Overview of the University ..................................................................................................................... 6
3. Health and Safety Policy Statement ...................................................................................... 7
4. Transition Arrangements ..................................................................................................... 8
5. MTU Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................ 9
5.1 Responsibilities of the MTU Governing Body ................................................................................... 9
5.2 Responsibilities of the President ...................................................................................................... 9
5.3 Responsibilities of the Cork Campus Vice President Finance & Administration ............................ 10
5.4 Responsibilities of the Kerry Campus Vice President of Corporate Affairs .................................... 10
6. Covid-19 Risk Management ................................................................................................ 12
7. Cork Campus Roles and Responsibilities .............................................................................. 13
7.1 Responsibilities of the Vice President Finance & Administration ........................................................ 13
7.2 Responsibilities of Vice Presidents ....................................................................................................... 13
7.3 Responsibilities of Heads of Faculty ..................................................................................................... 14
7.4 Responsibilities of Heads of School ...................................................................................................... 14
7.5 Responsibilities of Heads of Department/Heads of Function .............................................................. 15
7.6 Responsibilities of the Head of Buildings and Estates (Buildings Officer) ............................................ 16
7.7 Responsibilities of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Operator ...................................................... 16
7.8 Responsibilities of the Department of Education and Skills PPP Contract Manager ........................... 16
7.9 Responsibilities of the Safety Officer ................................................................................................... 16
7.10 Responsibilities of the Technical Officer, Health and Safety (Faculty of Engineering & Science) ...... 17
7.11 Responsibilities of the Lecturer/Tutor/Researcher ............................................................................ 17
7.12 Responsibilities of Supervisors (Senior Technical Officer, Cleaning Supervisor, Maintenance Supervisor, Head Caretaker etc.) ................................................................................................................ 18
7.13 Responsibilities of Technicians, Technical and Support Staff............................................................. 18
7.14 Rights of Elected Safety Representatives ........................................................................................... 19
7.15 Responsibilities of Contractors / Sub-Contractors / Consultants ....................................................... 19
7.16 Responsibilities of Employees ............................................................................................................ 20
8. Cork Campus Safety Management System Arrangements .................................................... 22
8.1 Health & Safety Consultation ............................................................................................................... 22
8.1.1 Department/Function Health & Safety Co-ordinator .................................................................... 23
8.2 Operational Ancillary Safety Manuals (Cork Campus).......................................................................... 24
8.3 Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment ............................................................................................. 25
8.3.1 Definitions ..................................................................................................................................... 25
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8.3.2 Risk Assessment System ................................................................................................................ 26
8.3.3 Risk Assessment Flow Diagram ..................................................................................................... 26
8.4 Resources & Welfare ............................................................................................................................ 28
8.5 Training Standards ................................................................................................................................ 30
8.6 Contractor / Visitor Control .................................................................................................................. 31
8.6.1 Contractor ...................................................................................................................................... 31
8.6.2 Visitors ........................................................................................................................................... 31
8.6.3 General Information ...................................................................................................................... 31
8.7 Emergency Evacuation Procedures ...................................................................................................... 32
8.7.1 Definition ....................................................................................................................................... 32
8.7.2 Procedure ...................................................................................................................................... 32
8.7.4 Discovering A Fire .......................................................................................................................... 32
8.8 Site Safety Audit & Inspection .............................................................................................................. 34
8.8.1 Safety Audit ................................................................................................................................... 34
8.8.2 Safety Inspections .......................................................................................................................... 34
8.8.3 Statutory Inspections ..................................................................................................................... 35
8.9 Accident Reporting & Investigation ...................................................................................................... 36
8.9.1 Reasons for Reporting & Investigating Accidents ......................................................................... 36
8.9.2 Definition of Injury Class (Used in The Accident Report Form) ..................................................... 36
8.9.3 Reporting and Investigation Procedure ......................................................................................... 36
8.10 Policies & Procedures Controls .......................................................................................................... 38
8.11 Disciplinary Procedures ...................................................................................................................... 39
8.12 Management Review of The Ancillary & Department Safety Manuals .............................................. 39
8.13 Current MTU Organisation Chart Information from MTU Safety Statement ..................................... 40
8.14 Circulation of the Document .............................................................................................................. 43
9. Kerry Campus Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................. 44
9.1 Roles and Responsibilities of The Executive Team ............................................................................... 44
9.2 Roles and Responsibilities of The General Management Team (I.E. All Heads of Faculty, Heads of School and Central Services Managers) ..................................................................................................... 44
9.3 Safety Groups ....................................................................................................................................... 45
9.4 Role of The Safety Officer ..................................................................................................................... 45
9.5 Responsibilities of Employees .............................................................................................................. 45
9.5.1 General Responsibilities of All Employees..................................................................................... 46
9.5.2 Responsibilities of Specific Employees .......................................................................................... 47
9.5.2.1 Management Personnel (Heads of School, Heads of Department and Central Services Managers) ............................................................................................................................................... 47
9.5.2.2 Estates Manager .......................................................................................................................... 48
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9.5.2.3 Human Resources Manager ....................................................................................................... 49
9.5.2.4 Lecturing Staff............................................................................................................................. 50
9.5.2.5 Technicians and Related Technical Staff .................................................................................... 50
10. Kerry Campus Safety Management System Arrangements .................................................... 52
10.1 Resources ........................................................................................................................................... 52
10.2 Welfare ............................................................................................................................................... 53
10.3 MTU Kerry Campus Safety Committee ............................................................................................... 53
10.3.1 Safety Committee Membership .................................................................................................. 54
10.3.2 MTU Kerry Campus Safety Committee Structure ........................................................................ 54
10.4 Training & Induction ........................................................................................................................... 55
10.5 Accidents and Emergencies ................................................................................................................ 55
10.5.1 Recording, Reporting & Investigation ......................................................................................... 55
10.5.2 Accidents, Dangerous Occurrences or Near Miss Incidents Procedure ...................................... 56
10.5.3 Procedure in Case of Serious Injury or Collapse .......................................................................... 56
10.6 Contractors ......................................................................................................................................... 57
10.6.1 Contractor Safety Management .................................................................................................. 57
10.6.2 Method Statement (where necessary) ........................................................................................ 57
10.6.3 Preparation Prior to Commencing Work ..................................................................................... 58
10.6.3 Project Works .............................................................................................................................. 58
10.7 Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment ........................................................................................... 59
10.8 Further Health & Safety Considerations ............................................................................................. 60
10.8.1 Hygiene Facilities ......................................................................................................................... 60
10.8.2 Smoking ....................................................................................................................................... 60
10.8.3 Spillages ....................................................................................................................................... 60
10.8.4 Housekeeping .............................................................................................................................. 60
10.8.5 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ......................................................................................... 60
10.8.6 Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................ 61
10.8.6.1 The MTU Kerry Campus: ........................................................................................................... 61
10.8.6.2 Employees and Students: ......................................................................................................... 61
10.9 Purchasing .......................................................................................................................................... 62
10.10 MTU Kerry Campus Departments .................................................................................................... 64
Document Control .................................................................................................................... 66
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1. Introduction On 1st January 2021, Cork Institute of Technology joined with Institute of Technology Tralee to establish the Munster Technological University (MTU). MTU will be a multi-campus Technological University, contributing to the region through the provision of academic programmes that support student development and opportunities, education and research. Partnering with industry and community, MTU will invest in the future with state‑of‑the‑art research, education, enterprise, cultural and sports facilities. MTU will have an extensive regional footprint with six campuses across the South‑West region in Cork and Kerry.
Munster Technological University (MTU), heretofore referred to as the university, recognises its legal responsibility to provide a planned, managed and controlled place of work for its employees and students. The University intends to meet this statutory requirement through the provision of a Safety Statement, University Ancillary Safety Manuals and Departmental Safety Manuals, which include hazard identification and risk assessments.
Amendments to this document will be controlled by the University Safety Officer(s) and logged on the version control sheet of this document.
The purpose of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act, 2005 is to ensure the safety, health and welfare of employees in the place of work. This Act applies to employers, representatives and employees in all types of work situations and embraces the full range of activities undertaken at the university.
The Act requires the employer to prepare a Safety Statement(s) outlining the employer’s arrangements and the employee co-operation necessary to achieve this purpose.
In response to the above statutory requirement, the university has prepared this Safety Statement, which acts as a guide for all related Ancillary and Department Safety Manuals. This document identifies the health and safety procedures, controls and responsible persons within the university.
This document sets out management responsibilities, welfare facilities and resources provided. It also deals with consultation on safety issues and training standards required. It will be used as the overall management document for defining MTU’s safety policy.
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2. MTU Organisational Overview 2.1 Overview of the University The university presently operates from six separate campuses in Cork and Kerry. Corks main campus is located in Bishopstown and covers an area of approximately 90+ acres. As well as the original 1974 building, the campus consists of the Library & IT Building, Gymnasium, Astroturf pitch, running track and playing pitches. The Administration Building, the Student Centre and the Tourism and Hospitality Building are located around the Nexus courtyard. To the North of the campus is the Melbourn Building along with the Rubicon Centre which is an on-site business incubation centre. The NIMBUS Centre is adjacent to and attached to the Rubicon Centre. The NIMBUS Centre provides space for researchers, including facilities for undergraduate project students, visiting postgraduate students and researchers from other institutions and dedicated industry visitor workstations, already in use, where company researchers can work in close collaboration with NIMBUS staff and use NIMBUS research facilities.
The Kerry Campus is located in Tralee across two sites in Clash and Dromtacker. The North Campus in Dromtacker consists of the Business & IT Building, Solás Building, HCT Building and the Kerry Sports Academy (KSA) Building in addition to playing pitches. The North Campus also includes the Tom Crean Business Centre which is an on-site business incubation centre. The South campus in Clash consists of the main building (A, B, C Blocks which includes the Science and Engineering Laboratories), D block classrooms and F block Agricultural Engineering Building.
The Crawford College of Art and Design is located in three buildings at Sharman Crawford Street, 46 Grand Parade and Sober Lane, Cork. The MTU Cork School of Music is located in a purpose-built state of the art facility on Union Quay, Cork. The National Maritime College of Ireland opened in October 2004 and is located in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. Blackrock Castle Observatory (BCO) which is affiliated with the School of Science and Engineering is located in Blackrock, Cork. Student Numbers: The university currently has in the region of 18,000+ registered students with approximately 3,500 new entries year on year. Staff Numbers: At present, the university employs approximately 2,500 staff members consisting of academic staff and Professional, Management & Support staff composed of technical support, library, administrative and services staff.
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3. Health and Safety Policy Statement To staff members, students and authorised visitors: In accordance with the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005 (hereafter referred to as the “2005 Act”) and the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, it is the policy of the Munster Technological University that all reasonable and practicable steps are taken to provide a safe and healthy environment, with safe systems of work.
Munster Technological University considers the safeguarding of the health, safety and welfare of its staff members, students, contractors, service providers, visitors and members of the public as a high priority. This can only be accomplished by the persistent efforts of us all. Responsibility for health, safety and welfare rests with each employee, at every level within the organisation. The MTU Safety Statement will be used on an on-going basis by management in order to achieve our overall objective, improve safety awareness and reduce accidents and ill health within the organisation. Health, Safety and Welfare within the organisation must be dynamic and must not become routine.
The University will constantly strive as a collective campus to address all hazards in the workplace, by means of hazard identification and risk assessment, in accordance with Section 19 of the 2005 Act. Each functional area, heretofore referred to as “functional area” will be responsible for achieving this task in its relevant area. The allocation of responsibilities for health, safety and welfare by each functional area is laid out in the University’s Safety Statement. Each functional area will ensure that this document is readily available.
The University will make available adequate resources to implement this policy. The University will provide information, instruction, training and supervision as necessary to ensure that our health, safety and welfare objectives and duties are met.
The University will ensure that measures are taken to protect, insofar as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of individuals with disabilities.
The Safety Statement will be reviewed at least annually and revised when necessary to reflect changes in procedure or policy or otherwise to maintain this as an up-to-date policy and working document.
Is mise le meas,
______________________ ______________________
Professor Maggie Cusack Date:
President, Munster Technological University
This Safety Policy has the approval and support of the Governing Body.
15 March 2021
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4. Transition Arrangements This Safety Statement is the first version for the newly formed Munster Technological University.
• Section 5 below includes new roles and responsibilities for the President and Governing Body of MTU.
• Sections 7 and 8 contain the existing Cork Corporate Safety Statement effective in the Cork
campuses in 2020.
• Sections 9 and 10 contain the existing Kerry Safety Statement effective in the Tralee campuses in 2020.
It is the intent that health, safety and welfare procedures and systems will be aligned across both campuses over time in line with best practice and international health, safety and welfare standards. This Safety Statement will be updated to reflect this alignment and will be communicated to all relevant parties at each revision.
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5. MTU Roles and Responsibilities It is Munster Technological University’s responsibility through its management and staff to create an environment which supports employee commitment to health, safety and welfare improvement. The management at all levels within the organisation shares the responsibility with the President, Vice Presidents, Heads of Faculty, Heads of College, Heads of School and Heads of Department/Function to provide administrative support and to establish organisation and systems for attaining high operational safety standards within their respective areas of control. Senior management is ultimately responsible for safety within the university. The President of the University assumes overall executive responsibility for health, safety and welfare at the university.
5.1 Responsibilities of the MTU Governing Body The Governing Body, under the terms of the Technological Universities Act (2018), shall manage and control the affairs of the university to ensure they have integrated, coherent and effective governance structures in place concerning academic, administrative and management matters. In relation to the management of health, safety and welfare, the Governing Body will:
• Review and endorse the University Safety Statement as prepared by the Executive. • Receive and review annual report from the Executive on progress in implementation of the
Safety Statement. • Ensure sufficient resources are available to achieve and implement the Safety Statement.
5.2 Responsibilities of the President The President as the "Chief Officer" of the university assumes overall executive responsibility for health, safety and welfare and shall:
• Ensure the provision of adequate resources to implement the Safety Statement. • Take a direct interest in matters relating to health, safety and welfare and support staff to
comply with their duties as outlined in the Safety Statement. • Ensure an annual review of the Safety Statement is undertaken and sign the Safety Policy
Statement. • Include planning for the management of health, safety and welfare within the University’s
Strategic Management Plan.
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5.3 Responsibilities of the Cork Campus Vice President Finance & Administration a) Ensure the preparation and regular update of this Safety Statement in conjunction with the
Safety Officer(s). b) Prepare in conjunction with the Safety Officer(s) on an annual basis, a Cork Campus Safety
Management System Action Plan and identify the resources required for its implementation.
c) Ensure that progress in the implementation of the annual MTU Safety Statement Action Plan is regularly tracked.
d) Ensure the necessary organisational structures exist to ensure that health, safety and welfare is properly managed.
e) Identify, in conjunction with the University’s Safety Officer the safety management targets and objectives at the university on an annual basis.
f) Provide reports to the President and the Governing Body indicating progress in implementing the MTU Safety Statement Action Plan and on achieving agreed goals and objectives.
g) Review the minutes of the Safety Committee meetings and ensure adequate management support is provided to resolve any outstanding issues arising.
h) Ensure that health, safety and welfare management is a priority for the University’s Executive Team.
5.4 Responsibilities of the Kerry Campus Vice President of Corporate Affairs The Kerry Campus Vice President of Corporate Affairs fulfils the role of Safety Co-ordinator on the Kerry Campus. The responsibilities of the Safety Co-ordinator are to
a) Ensure the preparation and regular update of this Safety Statement. This updating will be based on staff feedback, changes in systems of work and/or changes in machinery and equipment and, where necessary, following advices from external consultants. The responsibility to update the Safety Statement on a regular basis or as often as may be necessary, does not take from the Health & Safety responsibilities of management to ensure effective safety management on a daily basis.
b) Prepare in conjunction with the Safety Officer(s) on an annual basis a Safety Management System Action Plan for the Kerry Campus and identify the resources required for its implementation.
c) Ensure that progress in the implementation of the annual Safety Statement Action Plan is regularly tracked.
d) Ensure the necessary organisational structures exist to ensure that health, safety and welfare is properly managed.
e) Identify, in conjunction with the University’s Safety Officer(s), the safety management targets and objectives at the university on an annual basis.
f) Provide reports to the President and the Governing Body indicating progress in implementing the Kerry Campus SMS Action Plan and on achieving agreed goals and objectives.
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g) Review the minutes of the Safety Committee meetings and ensure adequate management support is provided to resolve any outstanding issues arising.
h) Ensure that health, safety and welfare management is a priority for the University’s Executive Team.
i) Ensure that appropriate and adequate training in occupational health & safety is implemented and available to all staff.
j) Ensure that all accidents and dangerous occurrences are reported and are fully investigated and where appropriate, remedial measures are put in place. (In conjunction with the Safety Officers)
k) Ensure that adequate systems are in place for consulting with employees including the selection of safety representatives and a safety committee.
l) Work with the Kerry Campus Safety Officer and Heads of School/Function to establish and maintain Safety Groups on the Kerry Campus.
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6. Covid-19 Risk Management MTU has developed COVID-19 Response Plans for the Cork and Kerry campuses which details the policies and practices necessary to meet the Government’s ‘Return to Work Safely Protocol’ and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
The plans give an overview of key measures that are in place to ensure compliance with the protocol and to minimise the risk to Staff, Student, Contractors and others.
The plans are live working documents and are reviewed on an ongoing basis and amended to take into account new guidance from Government, the HSE and the Health and Safety Authority.
The plans are implemented by the Cork Emergency Management Team and the Kerry Campus Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT).
A Covid19 Operations Group has been established to coordinate activities and communications with subgroups operating under the remit of the Operations Group. Initially established in Cork, the Group has been extended to include representatives from Kerry from January 2021 with support from the relevant Campus Safety Office. Lead Employee Representatives (LWRs) have been appointed and trained across the university campuses to assist in monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of COVID-19 measures.
For further details please contact the relevant Campus Safety Office.
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7. Cork Campus Roles and Responsibilities The Vice President for Finance & Administration will take executive responsibility for ensuring the Safety Statement at the university is effectively managed and implemented on the Cork Campus. The MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer will fulfil the role of Cork Campus Safety Co-ordinator with the assistance of the various Cork Campus Departmental Safety Coordinators to review the Health and Safety Management System on behalf of the executive management team.
The Safety Committee supports the Safety Statement and makes recommendations to management on the System’s operation from time to time. The Safety Committee is supported and guided by the Cork Campus Safety Officer.
In addition to the Safety Management System described in this safety statement, MTU operates a Risk Management Policy which outlines how MTU manages its risk profile across all business areas of the university. This policy provides a framework for managing all risk, including any significant health, safety and welfare risks that cannot be managed at local/faculty management level. The Risk Management Policy describes how the University Executive Team manages all such risks and it is within this structure that significant health, safety and welfare issues, which cannot be resolved locally, shall be escalated and managed by the University Executive Team.
7.1 Responsibilities of the Vice President Finance & Administration a) Ensure the preparation and regular update of the university’s Safety Statement. b) Prepare in conjunction with the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer on an annual basis, a
Safety Statement Action Plan for the MTU Cork Campus and identify the resources required for its implementation.
c) Ensure that progress in the implementation of the annual Safety Statement Action Plan is regularly tracked.
d) Ensure the necessary organisational structures exist to ensure that health, safety and welfare is properly managed.
e) Identify, in conjunction with the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer the safety management targets and objectives at the university on an annual basis.
f) Provide reports to the President and the Governing Body indicating progress in implementing the Safety Statement Action Plan and on achieving agreed goals and objectives.
g) Review the minutes of the Safety Committee meetings and ensure adequate management support is provided to resolve any outstanding issues arising.
h) Ensure that health, safety and welfare management is a priority for the MTU Cork Campus Executive Team.
7.2 Responsibilities of Vice Presidents a) Take overall management responsibility for health, safety and welfare for activities within
their area. b) Understand how the Safety Statement is structured and ensure that management levels
reporting to them have been fully briefed on the implementation of the Safety Statement. c) Ensure that the President is advised on any serious safety issues arising in their area of
responsibility.
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d) Consult with and assist the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer on health, safety and welfare matters within their area of responsibility.
e) Schedule regular audits and inspections of the Safety Statement implementation in their areas of responsibility, review the findings of these audits and ensure closure of any significant non-conformances identified in a timely manner.
f) Review accident reports and investigations appropriate to their area of responsibility.
7.3 Responsibilities of Heads of Faculty a) Understand how the Safety Statement is structured and ensure that management levels
reporting to them have been fully briefed on the implementation of the Safety Statement. b) Take responsibility for health, safety and welfare for activities within their area. c) Take a direct interest in health, safety and welfare and support the Vice Presidents in their
role. d) Ensure that the appropriate Vice President is advised on any serious safety issues arising. e) Ensure suitably qualified and competent personnel are available to fulfil the role(s) of
competent persons as required by the statutory legislation. f) Ensure that the duties of the responsible persons in relation to health, safety and welfare
as defined in the MTU Cork Campus Ancillary Safety Manuals are conveyed to them. g) Consult with and assist the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer on health, safety and welfare
matters within their area of responsibility. h) Regularly inspect the facility with Heads of School in a walk-through audit to ensure the
safety standards are being complied with. i) Review accident reports and investigations appropriate to their area of responsibility and
ensure appropriate remedial action.
7.4 Responsibilities of Heads of School a) The Head of School, through the School Executive, shall ensure compliance with statutory
legislation and the requirements of the MTU, Ancillary and Department Safety Statements within their Schools.
b) Ensure through co-ordination with the relevant staff that processes, and activities carried out in the facility are undertaken safely and without risk to health.
c) Consult with and assist the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer on health, safety and welfare matters within their area of responsibility.
d) Identify the resources required for safety, health & welfare needs within the school. e) Understand how the Safety Statement is structured and ensure that management levels
reporting to them have been fully briefed on the implementation of the Safety Statement. f) Ensure the development of safe operating procedures as necessary for all activities with
significant risk to employees or students. g) Monitor on a semesterised basis, the effectiveness of and compliance with the Safety
Statement using health, safety and welfare progress reports submitted by the Heads of Departments.
h) Provide adequate resources and time for staff to undergo necessary instruction and training as is necessary by legislation and risk assessments.
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i) Confirm that emergency planning arrangements are communicated to all staff within the School.
j) Confirm that accidents and incidents within the School are reported through the immediate management and, where necessary, fully investigated.
k) Consult with the relevant Staff Safety Representative for the school as appropriate.
7.5 Responsibilities of Heads of Department/Heads of Function a) Understand how the Safety Statement is structured and ensure that management levels
reporting to them have been fully briefed on the implementation of the Safety Statement.
b) Ensure that the Department Safety Manuals are brought to the attention of staff within the Department at their induction training and repeated on a yearly basis.
c) Ensure that due cognisance is given to safety in all operational decisions. d) Ensure adequate resources are made available for the implementation of Department
Operational Ancillary Safety Manual requirements. e) Ensure comprehensive hazard identification and risk assessments have been carried out
for all activities within the department. f) Ensure all actions identified in risk assessments are closed out giving priority to higher
risk ratings. g) Ensure that all plant and equipment used in the department conform to current health,
safety and welfare legislation. h) Notify the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer when any member of staff is absent from
work for more than 3 days through a work-related accident. i) Ensure that, where an accident removes a person from their place of work for 3
consecutive days or more after the day of the accident, the Health and Safety Authority are informed by the relevant personnel.
j) Regularly inspect the facility in a walk-through inspection with the relevant staff to ensure that safety standards are being complied with.
k) Consult with the staff safety representative, as appropriate. l) Ensure staff receive adequate safety training, as identified in the risk assessments, to
bring them to the required level of competency. m) Ensure staff sign the Employee Acceptance Form to confirm they have read and
understood the contents of the Department Safety Manual. n) Ensure that the safety rules and procedures are communicated to staff, students, and
contractors. Pre-arranged visitors should be directed to the relevant section of the MTU website for access to relevant health, safety and welfare information.
o) Ensure that accidents and incidents within their area are immediately reported through the proper channels and, where necessary, fully investigated.
p) Submit health, safety and welfare progress reports on a semesterised basis to the Head of School or other relevant senior management.
q) Consult with and assist the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer on health, safety and welfare matters within their area of responsibility.
r) Notify any defects in safety critical systems to the Buildings and Estates Office (fire safety equipment, emergency lighting, gas systems etc.)
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s) Ensure statutory inspections are carried out and recorded as necessary on any safety critical equipment used and controlled by the department (lifting equipment, pressure equipment etc).
7.6 Responsibilities of the Head of Buildings and Estates (Buildings Officer) a) Understand how the Safety Statement is structured and ensure that management levels
reporting to them have been fully briefed on the implementation of the Safety Statement. b) Ensure that all on-going maintenance activities are carried out in a safe manner. c) Ensure hazard identification and risk assessments have been carried out for all maintenance
activities. d) Ensure that contractors procured through the department are fully compliant with the
University’s Contractor Management Safety Policy. e) Ensure that the university complies in full as a ‘client’ with the requirements of the Safety,
Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations. f) Inspect and monitor the activities of maintenance and contractor personnel on site to
ensure safe working practices are used on an on-going basis. g) Ensure that all safety critical systems at the university such as firefighting equipment, gas
detection equipment, emergency lighting, lifts, Mobile Elevated Working Platforms, forklifts, air receivers, boilers, etc. are subjected to an appropriate preventative maintenance regime and that records of inspection and maintenance are maintained including records of statutory inspections.
7.7 Responsibilities of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Operator Two of the constituent colleges of MTU (MTU Cork School of Music and the National Maritime College of Ireland) are managed on the basis of a Public Private Partnership where the selected PPP Operator operates and manages the facility and are responsible for the following health, safety and welfare obligations.
• Ensuring that the building structure and means of access to and from it is maintained so as to be safe.
• Ensuring that all safety critical systems at the facilities such as firefighting equipment, gas detection equipment, emergency lighting, lifts, air receivers, boilers, etc. are subjected to an appropriate preventative maintenance regime and that records of inspection and maintenance are maintained including records of statutory inspections.
• Liaising closely with staff of the university in relation to the management of any emergencies that occur at the facilities.
7.8 Responsibilities of the Department of Education and Skills PPP Contract Manager The appointed Department of Education and Skills PPP Contract Manager is responsible for liaising on an ongoing basis with the PPP Operators. This includes ongoing liaison about common areas and overlap on relevant health, safety and welfare issues. 7.9 Responsibilities of the Safety Officer
a) To assist and complement management to provide a safe place of work and learning. b) Advise management of current and new statutory legislation and amendments, and their
impact on operations.
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c) Ensure that adequate advice is available to all staff and management on all work practices, work procedures and safety standards.
d) Ensure the effective communication of the Safety Statement to all staff and management. e) Provide guidance, when requested, on issue and use of protective materials or equipment. f) Provide advice on, and assistance with, completion of accident forms. g) Notify the Health and Safety Authority of work-related accidents resulting in a staff member
being absent for more than three consecutive days. h) Establish systems with management for carrying out regular safety inspections of the
operational areas. i) Provide guidance and advice to management in relation to training requirements for
themselves and their staff. j) Provide advice to management in relation to Health & Safety Authority Inspector site visits
and inspections. k) Attend university Safety Committee meetings and advise members on health, safety and
welfare issues. l) Provide feedback on Department/Function audits, risk assessments and safety statements. m) Assist with establishing Department/Function Safety Advisory Committees.
7.10 Responsibilities of the Technical Officer, Health and Safety (Faculty of Engineering & Science)
a) Assist in the development and maintenance of the health, safety and welfare processes for the Faculty.
b) Work with the senior management team of the Faculty to ensure health, safety and welfare issues are addressed.
c) Participate in health, safety and welfare project reviews and health, safety and welfare project team meetings.
d) Assist in developing and achieving the Faculty health, safety and welfare goals. e) Ensure compliance tasks are completed. f) Perform/coordinate certain health, safety and welfare monitoring, data collection,
analysing and reporting for the Faculty. g) Coordinate the schedules for audits in health, safety and welfare for the Faculty. h) Conduct and document investigations of incidents and ensure follow up actions to prevent
reoccurrences. i) Ensure that use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and genetically modified micro-
organisms (GMMs) in MTU adheres fully to the relevant Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance requirements, in particular with the provisions of the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2001 to 2010, and with other relevant regulations as may apply over time.
7.11 Responsibilities of the Lecturer/Tutor/Researcher a) Ensure that students operating and adjusting machines and equipment under their control
receive correct instruction and wear the correct protective clothing. b) In workshops, ensure that all dangerous moving machinery parts are adequately guarded at
all times before being used by staff or students. c) Ensure that all students under their supervision receive adequate instructions appropriate
for the tasks assigned. d) Provide effective supervision for students undergoing training.
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e) Ensure that all materials and substances used in the area under their control are properly labelled and safely stored and/or are disposed of in accordance with the Material Safety Data Sheets.
f) Ensuring that relevant safe operating procedures for the safe execution of the work are available.
g) Ensure that all new chemicals, equipment, machinery, etc. are fully assessed in conjunction with the Head of Department with respect to the safety and ill health potential prior to purchase/use in the university.
h) Ensure through their manager that updated Safety Data Sheets are available for all hazardous chemicals and preparations.
7.12 Responsibilities of Supervisors (Senior Technical Officer, Cleaning Supervisor, Maintenance Supervisor, Head Caretaker etc.)
a) Understand how the Safety Statement is structured and ensure that all staff reporting to them are fully briefed on the implementation of the Safety Statement.
b) Ensure that due cognisance is given to safety in all operational decisions. c) Ensure adequate resources are requested for the implementation of health, safety and
welfare requirements. d) Ensure that actions from risk assessments that have been identified for staff reporting to
the supervisor are being implemented by those staff. e) Supervise all reporting staff in the implementation of safe work practices. f) Ensure that all plant and equipment being used by staff conform to current health, safety
and welfare legislation and is safe to use. g) Ensure all health, safety and welfare training certificates for reporting staff are current and
in date. h) Ensure that reporting staff sign the Employee Acceptance Form to confirm they have read
and understood the contents of the University Safety Statement. i) Ensure that the safety rules and procedures are adequately communicated to all reporting
staff. j) Ensure that accidents and incidents within their area are immediately reported through the
proper channels and, where necessary, fully investigated. k) Consult with and assist the University Health and Safety Officer on health, safety and
welfare matters within their area of responsibility.
7.13 Responsibilities of Technicians, Technical and Support Staff a) In workshops, ensure that all dangerous moving machinery parts are adequately guarded. b) Ensure that all materials and substances used in the area under their control are properly
labelled and safely stored and dispensed before use and after. c) Ensuring that all documented safe operating procedures are adhered to during execution of
work activities. d) Ensure that all new chemicals, equipment, machinery are fully assessed in conjunction with
their manager with respect to the safety and ill health potential prior to purchase/use in the university.
e) Ensure that updated Safety Data Sheets are available for all hazardous chemicals and preparations being used by them or under their supervision.
Safety Statement 19
7.14 Rights of Elected Safety Representatives In line with sections 25 and 26 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 employers have a duty to consult with their employees. Employees have a right to select a Safety Representative (or Safety Representatives) to represent them in health, safety and welfare matters with their employees. By agreement between employers and employees a Safety Committee may be established to facilitate the consultation process. The Safety Committee members shall be selected by agreement between employees and employers as outlined in Schedule 4 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The Safety Committee must include at least one Safety Representative. The role and function of the Safety Committee at MTU Cork is described in Section 8.1 of this Safety Statement. The selected Safety Representative will have the following rights:
a) Make representations to management on any aspect of safety, health and welfare in the workplace.
b) Receive advice and information from Health & Safety Inspectors on matters relating to Safety, Health and Welfare at work.
c) Accompany an Inspector on any tour of inspection of the place of work or any accident investigation at the discretion of the Inspector.
d) Carry out inspections of the premises or areas they represent, subject to prior notice and approval from the Head of Department/Function.
e) Investigate potential hazards and complaints made by the employees they represent, subject to prior notice and approval.
f) Make oral or written representations to Health and Safety Authority Inspectors on matters of Safety, Health and Welfare.
g) Provide assistance in organising Department/Function health, safety and welfare meetings.
7.15 Responsibilities of Contractors / Sub-Contractors / Consultants a) Contractors who are required to have a Safe Pass card must present it for inspection to the
Project Supervisor Construction Stage. Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards must also be presented, where applicable.
b) All contractors must comply with the university’s Safety Statement. The university’s Safety Manuals will be discussed by the Safety Officer with each contractor and they must become familiar with its contents before commencing work. The contractor will acknowledge in writing the receipt of the university’s safety documentation.
c) Contractors must present their Safety Statement for approval before entry to the university’s Approved Contractor Register, prior to commencement of the contract.
d) Having regard to safety matters, the contractor will liaise with the relevant university representative and Safety Officer, and act immediately on any recommendations made by them.
e) All contractor work must be carried out in accordance with relevant statutory provisions and take into account the safety of others on site as well as that of the general public.
f) Contractors must make arrangements for the provision of suitable personal protective equipment, clothing, welfare facilities, first aid and fire equipment for themselves and their employees in accordance with statutory provisions.
Safety Statement 20
g) Any injury sustained, or damage caused, by contractors or their employees, must be reported immediately to the university’s Safety Officer.
h) With regard to matters of safety, contractors must accept responsibility for their own acts or omissions and those of their employees. The principle of the employer being responsible for the employee’s safety as laid out in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 will always apply.
7.16 Responsibilities of Employees Safety must be seen as everyone’s responsibility. Employees have specific statutory responsibilities for their own safety under Sections 13 & 14 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. They are expected to discharge their work in a safe manner, so as to avoid injury to themselves or other employees and avoid damage to the university’s equipment and property. Employees must co-operate fully with the provisions made by the university for the safety, health and welfare of its employees and students. Each employee will immediately report accidents, dangerous occurrences, unsafe conditions and unsafe acts to their manager.
Under Sections 13 & 14 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, the Statutory Responsibilities of every employee are as follows: 13. (1) An employee shall, while at work—
a) comply with the relevant statutory provisions, as appropriate, and take reasonable care to protect their safety, health and welfare and the safety, health and welfare of any other person who may be affected by the employee’s acts or omissions at work,
b) ensure that they are not under the influence of an intoxicant to the extent that they are in such a state as to endanger their own safety, health or welfare at work or that of any other person,
c) if reasonably required by their employer, submit to any appropriate, reasonable and proportionate tests for intoxicants by, or under the supervision of, a registered medical practitioner who is a competent person, as may be prescribed,
d) co-operate with their employer or any other person so far as is necessary to enable their employer or the other person to comply with the relevant statutory provisions, as appropriate,
e) not engage in improper conduct or other behaviour that is likely to endanger their own safety, health and welfare at work or that of any other person,
f) attend such training and, as appropriate, undergo such assessment as may reasonably be required by their employer or as may be prescribed relating to safety, health and welfare at work or relating to the work carried out by the employee,
g) having regard to their training and the instructions given by their employer, make correct use of any article or substance provided for use by the employee at work or for the protection of their safety, health and welfare at work, including protective clothing or equipment,
h) report to their employer or to any other appropriate person, as soon as practicable— (i) any work being carried on, or likely to be carried on, in a manner which
may endanger the safety, health or welfare at work of the employee or that of any other person,
Safety Statement 21
(ii) any defect in the place of work, the systems of work, any article or substance which might endanger the safety, health or welfare at work of the employee or that of any other person, or
(iii) any contravention of the relevant statutory provisions which may endanger the safety, health and welfare at work of the employee or that of any other person, of which they are aware.
13 (2) An employee shall not, on entering into a contract of employment, misrepresent himself or herself to an employer with regard to the level of training as may be prescribed under subsection (1) (f). 14. A person shall not intentionally, recklessly or without reasonable cause—
(a) Interfere with, misuse or damage anything provided under the relevant statutory provisions or otherwise for securing the safety, health and welfare of persons at work, or (b) Place at risk the safety, health or welfare of persons in connection with work activities.
This information will be found in the various Ancillary Safety Manuals and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 22
8. Cork Campus Safety Management System Arrangements
8.1 Health & Safety Consultation A general obligation is placed on every employer under Regulation 12 of the General Application Regulations 2007 and Sections 25 & 26 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, Act 2005 to consult with their employees on matters of health, safety and welfare. It is the policy of Munster Technological University to consult with its employees on all matters of health, safety and welfare to encourage a teamwork strategy for safety and carry this out through the medium of on-going discussions with staff. MTU Cork Campus has set up a Safety Committee consisting of both management and staff representatives. The Safety Committee meets on a regular basis during the academic year to review all Safety, Health and Welfare matters. Department/Function Safety Advisory Groups were established with volunteers supporting the management of safety by the Head of Function, and safety regularly features on the agenda of meetings at every level within the university. Safety Representatives have been elected in a number of areas within the university (including union and Faculty representation) in compliance with Part 4, Section 25 of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act, 2005; these Representatives hold their posts for three years. They are trained in health, safety and welfare to allow them to fulfil their positions. The Safety Representatives may also be members of the Safety Committee. The Safety Representatives meet with the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer where required to review safety issues and to review the safety representative’s role and input. The minutes of safety committee meetings are recorded, published on the intranet and made available to staff. The Safety Committee meetings are attended by the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer, and safety issues are dealt with as they arise. Any matters that require the urgent attention of the University President are brought to their attention before the next meeting of the Committee. When and if an Inspector of the Health and Safety Authority visits any of the MTU Cork Campus facilities, the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer and relevant Head of School are informed immediately of the visit and its consequences. Additional persons (e.g. Disability Officer, HR Manager) can be invited to the Safety Committee meetings as is deemed necessary by the Committee. The provision of information on health, safety and welfare issues is one of the fundamental duties of the employer. The information available for staff includes their responsibilities, the type and extent of hazards and risks in their workplace area, and the preventative and control measures in place.
Safety Statement 23
8.1.1 Department/Function Health & Safety Co-ordinator In the MTU Cork Campus there is a designated person within a functional area who will co-ordinate the safety activities of the specific functional area. They will maintain all the safety paperwork but is not responsible for the overall health, safety and welfare of the functional area. This rests with the Senior Management within the MTU Cork Campus, i.e. Department/Function Head. The Health and Safety Co-ordinator will be identified in the Ancillary Safety Manual.
Safety Statement 24
8.2 Operational Ancillary Safety Manuals (Cork Campus) Individual Operational Ancillary Safety Manuals for each College, Department, Function are prepared for the MTU Cork Campus. Suites of documents contained in the Ancillary Safety Manuals will depend on the area they cover and the size and variety of the operations. The Ancillary Safety Manuals will be broken into a number of documents which will work together as a single control document. The following are the range of documents found in Safety Manuals. some documents may not be applicable to all Colleges/Departments; additional documents may be added if conditions dictate. A number of the control documents will be produced across all activities at MTU Cork Campus and will be accessible on the Health and Safety Section of the intranet. Other documents such as registers etc. will be held locally at departmental level as indicated below.
Doc No Document Identification Central Local 1 Operational Ancillary Safety Manual √ 2 Management Control Document √ 3 Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment Completed RA 4 Fire Control & Emergency Response Procedures & Register Register 5 Contractor Control Document & Register Register 6 Manual Handling Policy √ 7 Safety Training Document & Register Register 8 First Aid Document & Register Register 9 Safety Signs Document & Register Register 10 Hazardous Material Document & Register Register 11 Standard Operating Procedures Register Register 12 Accident Control Document & Register Register 13 Personal Protective Equipment Document & Register Register 14 Site Audit/Inspections Document & Register Register 15 Vehicle Control Document & Register Register 16 Dignity & Respect at Work Policy Document √ 17 Noise at Work Policy Document √ 18 Pregnant Persons Policy Document √ 19 Vibration at Work Policy Document √ 20 Employee Safety Manual √ 21 Ionising Radiation (Radon Gas) Policy √ 22 Working at Heights Policy Document √ 23 Work Equipment Document & Register Register 24 Lifting Equipment Document & Register Register 25 Office Safety & VDU Ergonomics Policy √ 26 PAT Testing Document √ 27 Permit to Work Policy Document √ 28 Lone Working Policy Document √ 29 Environment/Recycling Policy Document √ 30 Managing Asbestos in the Workplace Document √ 31 Alcohol & Drugs Policy Document √ 32 Gas Alarm Response Procedure √
Safety Statement 25
8.3 Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment In compliance with Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, Munster Technological University produces comprehensive Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment documentation for each School, Department, Building and Section, in line with its Safety Statement and statutory requirements. These Risk Assessments are working documents and are reviewed on an on-going basis to incorporate all significant changes which could impact on safety standards at work. The existing suite of documents contained in the Ancillary Safety Manuals contain blank Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment documents. Various designated persons within the MTU Cork Campus have been trained in Risk Assessment procedures and carry out and review risk assessments of their area.
8.3.1 Definitions Hazard: Is anything (situation, source, process or item) that has the potential to kill, or cause injury,
ill-health, harm or damage to property, damage to equipment, damage to the environment or a combination of these.
Risk: Is the combination of the likelihood and the severity of a specified hazardous event. A risk
therefore always has two elements: • The likelihood that the hazard will fulfil its potential. • The severity of the hazardous event.
Risk Rating:
The magnitude of the risk associated with the hazard can be calculated and compared to others by allocating numerical scales to the likelihood and severity. Depending on the methodology adopted, a rating scale is used to identify the high-risk activities etc. thereby allowing corrective action and control measures to be prioritised.
Acceptable Risk:
Ideally, the aim should be for the total elimination of all risks from the workplace. If this cannot be achieved, then the risk must be reduced to an acceptable level. To do this, a balanced judgement must be made about the risk rating against the time, trouble, resources and cost of the steps needed to remove or reduce it. There is no such thing as total safety. The purpose of risk assessment is to implement control measures thus reducing existing unacceptable risk ratings to an acceptable or low level. This principle is known as the A.L.A.R.P principle (As Low As Reasonably Practicable).
Accident: An unplanned or unexpected event or sequence of events, which results in loss, injury or
damage. An accident can also be a near miss which did not result in loss, injury or damage but had the potential to do so.
Safety: Freedom from danger and the risk of injury. Health: Freedom from illness, injury or pain - mental or physical.
Safety Statement 26
8.3.2 Risk Assessment System The process of risk assessments is best explained by the bulleted listing below. The assessment of the risks must be carried out by “a competent person” who is experienced in the task/location being assessed. This assessment allows an informed judgement to be made on the likelihood of the identified hazard fulfilling its potential and the severity of the outcome. In order to prioritise the risk, a quantitative rating system is used to categorise the risk. 8.3.3 Risk Assessment Flow Diagram
a) Define the task/location to be assessed b) Identify the Hazards c) Assess the Risks associated with the hazard d) Identify any existing control measures in place e) Calculate the Risk Rating f) Prioritise action from the Risk Rating g) Identify and implement additional control measures h) Recalculate risk rating with additional controls in place & and ensure acceptable levels. i) Complete the process for all hazards j) Monitor and review regularly
It is the responsibility of the management of each functional area to ensure, through their staff, that all changes to the facility, personnel or risk levels are entered into the Safety Manual, ensuring the document remains current to the MTU Cork Campus operational activity. The system of risk rating used by MTU Cork Campus is as follows: The Severity of the Injury is expressed in a range of 1 to 5, a rating of 5 being a Fatal Injury and a rating of 1 which is considered as No Injury. The Likelihood expresses the chance that an injury might occur. A rating of 3 is a High Probability of injury, and a rating of 1 is a Low Probability of an injury.
Severity of Harm Likelihood of Occurrence
Risk Level Calculation
Guideline Action Timetable
1 - Slight Injury, First Aid
1 - Rare 1 – 4 Acceptable/ Low
Prioritise after medium risk actions complete-in some cases no action required.
2 - Minor Injury, Restricted workday Case
2 - Unlikely 5 – 12 Medium Plan for improvement needs to be agreed and implemented; temporary measures may be acceptable pending a long-term control.
3 - Major Injury, Loss Time Injury
3 - Possible 13 – 25 High Prioritise Action immediately, the operation must be made safe before it is allowed to continue
4 – Single fatality, Permanent Total Disability
4- Likely
5 – Multiple Fatalities.
5- Almost certain
Safety Statement 27
Risk Matrix
Seve
rity
5
Medium
Medium
High High High
4
Low
Medium Medium High
High
3
Low
Medium Medium Medium High
2
Low
Low Medium Medium Medium
1 Low Low Low Low
Medium
1 2 3 4
5
Likelihood
In order to determine the level of risk as Low, Medium or High the following calculations will be used. 1 to 4 = Low Risk 5 to 12 = Medium Risk 13 to 25 = High Risk Where the risk level is determined as high, work may be discontinued immediately, or remedial actions prioritised. Where the risk level is determined as Low or Medium, work may continue but a plan of action must be put in place to reduce or remove the risk as soon as possible. Note: This information will be found in the various Ancillary and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 28
8.4 Resources & Welfare MTU Cork Campus dedicates the resources and welfare facilities necessary, whether time, finances, equipment or personnel, to ensure insofar as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare of its employees and others who may be affected by its operations.
The following resources and welfare arrangements have been dedicated:
a) The MTU Cork Campus Health & Safety Officer along with the Building and Estates Office, where deemed necessary, advises in the development of appropriate health, safety and welfare documents, operating procedures, inspections, maintenance programmes and training activities etc.
b) A number of staff have been trained in their own work area to carry out Risk Assessments and update of the Ancillary Safety Manuals on an on-going basis.
c) An MTU Cork Campus doctor or nurse (or hospital in the case of the constituent Colleges) supported by qualified First Aiders as appropriate, acts as medical support in the event of accidents or incidents.
d) A responsible person will be assigned duties within each functional area to co-ordinate the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 in that area, and liaise with the MTU Cork Campus Health and Safety Officer and the relevant Safety Representative.
e) An MTU Cork Campus Safety Committee meets on a monthly basis during the academic year. Minutes for these meetings are recorded and published.
f) Fully trained First Aiders and fully stocked First Aid kit(s) are located in each location. Each Ancillary or Department safety manual will identify the appointed first aider and the location of the first aid box(s) in the Manual.
g) Smoking is considered to be a high fire risk and smoking is not permitted in any enclosed work areas in compliance with the Tobacco Act of 2004. Smoking shelters have been provided.
h) Firefighting equipment has been positioned throughout each functional area location in the organisation, appropriate to the fire risk.
i) Signs have been erected in each functional area location throughout the university to provide directional information, emergency exits, firefighting equipment and identification of specific hazards. These signs are colour coded in compliance with the European colour coding listed below:
j) The European Colour Coding for all signs are:
Red Prohibition
Yellow Caution
Green Safe
Blue Mandatory
k) All Department/Function heads are responsible for the management and implementation of the Safety Statement (e.g. Ancillary Safety & Department Safety Manuals) in their area in compliance with current statutory legislation. This responsibility also includes the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the system and ensures that staff are aware of the system and responsibilities therein.
Safety Statement 29
l) Various welfare facilities are provided by MTU Cork Campus and these are controlled by specific personnel who will be designated on each of the Ancillary or Department Safety Manual. These include:
• The provision of kitchen/dining facilities (where applicable)
• The provision of toilets, washrooms
• The provision and filling of First Aid Boxes
• The provision of pre-employment medicals and GP referrals
• The liaison with insurance companies
• The notification of reportable accidents to the H.S.A.
• The provision of eyesight testing of staff operating VDUs on a regular basis in compliance with the 2007 Regulations.
• The provision and testing of firefighting equipment.
• The investigation and management of any alleged incidents of sexual harassment or violent abuse, bullying or racial discrimination in the University.
• The evaluation of workplace risks for pregnant persons in compliance with the Pregnancy Regulations, 2007.
• The provision of suitable weather protection gear for staff working outdoors.
• The provision of suitable personal protection equipment for staff as per the risk assessments of the various Department Safety Manuals.
This information will be found in the various Ancillary Safety Manuals and Department Safety Manual
Safety Statement 30
8.5 Training Standards MTU Cork Campus is committed to providing appropriate health, safety and welfare training and instruction for its employees applicable to their function within the organisation. This training begins with induction training on commencement of employment. The purpose of induction training is to ensure that new employees fully understand the potential hazards of their respective work activity and the safety precautions and emergency preparedness required to provide a safe place of work.
Training is also given in specialised areas where staff may require specific skills to ensure the required high level of safety is maintained. This training is provided where possible by competent staff of the University. Additional training is delivered by external experts as required by the risk assessment. The primary responsibility for the provision of staff training lies with management and particularly the relevant Head of Department in their respective areas.
The following are the common training courses which apply across all functional areas; additional site-specific training is applied in each functional area to ensure site specific competency:
(for specific training see the Ancillary and Department Safety Manuals).
a) Induction training b) First Aid training (Where applicable) c) Manual Handling d) Emergency Evacuation Procedures e) Use of Fire Extinguishers (Where applicable) f) Safe Working at Heights g) VDU Ergonomics (Where applicable)
All training on site is coordinated by the relevant Head of Department through the MTU Cork Campus Health and Safety Officers. This is not a comprehensive list of all training. For a plan of all proposed training, and completed objectives, see each Ancillary or Department Safety Manual.
Training, apart from being a legal requirement, is one of the most effective ways of establishing and maintaining high standards of health, safety and welfare. It is impossible to legislate against human error, but well-trained staff are less likely to cause or suffer accidents. MTU Cork Campus keeps training records on all courses completed. The standard of information retained on these records includes:
• Name of staff member being trained; • Date and duration of the training; • Training details and methods used; and, • Signature of both the trainer and the employee to the effect that the training has
been completed to the required standard. All completed training is logged in the register of the particular Ancillary Safety Manual. This information will be found in the various Ancillary and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 31
8.6 Contractor / Visitor Control 8.6.1 Contractor A contractor is defined as anyone who undertakes or carries out work, or who is self-employed and undertakes or carries out such work. This person or persons may work on any of the MTU Cork Campus facilities and may not be accompanied for the duration of the work by a staff member of the MTU Cork Campus. The definition includes contractors, sub-contractors; repair/maintenance and service call-out staff, visiting lecturers, etc. 8.6.2 Visitors A visitor is defined as any person who comes on site for the purpose of meetings, visiting staff members or students or attending various events. The visitor does not carry out any work on site; they are not accompanied by a member of staff while on site. 8.6.3 General Information An organisational contractor control system is in place to ensure that the MTU Cork Campus staff or students are not affected by the operations of the contractor. All contractors are bound by the standards of this control system. See the various Ancillary Safety Manuals for approved listing and Contractor Control Procedures.
All contractors who wish to work for MTU Cork Campus must first be registered on the Approved Contractor Control Register in the appropriate Safety Manual. In order to have their name added to the register, the following items must be deposited with the responsible persons of the university:
a) Copy of all employers’ liability insurance with a limit of indemnity of not less than €13m in respect of any one claim or series of claims arising out of any one incident.
b) Copy of all public liability insurance with a limit of indemnity of not less than €6.5m in respect of any one claim or series of claims arising out of any one incident.
c) Copy of all professional Indemnity insurance of not less than €6.5m. d) Insurance of the contract works providing for the full replacement of all
equipment, systems and materials included in the contract. (Amount to be agreed as part of the contract documents)
e) Copy of their Company Safety Statement f) Copy of any specific Method Statements applicable to high-risk work to be carried
out. g) Copy of relevant certificates for equipment brought or used on site. h) Tax Clearance Certificate C2 Form. i) Copy of the signed off Contractor Control Procedure (See the Safety Manual)
This information will be found in the various Ancillary Safety Manuals and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 32
8.7 Emergency Evacuation Procedures 8.7.1 Definition To provide instruction on how to assume a state of readiness which anticipates any emergency, provide for a network of communications to alert those who may be involved as to the degree of threat and to provide a controlled effective response to all eventualities. This is a basic requirement of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, the Fire Services Act, 1981 and the General Application Regulations (Workplace) 2007 and subsequent amendments.
8.7.2 Procedure An Emergency Evacuation Procedure will be established for each campus of MTU Cork Campus. This will be managed under the general direction of the identified responsible persons with support from the MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer. Since every incident is unique, the procedure will illustrate the principles to be followed. The most likely emergency situations to occur within each functional area location will differ and will be identified in the relevant Ancillary Safety Manuals.
A comprehensive fire and emergency plan will be drawn up for each campus to ensure a co-ordinated site response to any on-site fire or other emergency. This plan will be reviewed on a yearly basis. The provisions of this fire and emergency plan will be communicated to staff, students, contractors and visitors, and appropriate training will be given to staff. A notice will be placed in the public lobby of each location informing students and members of the public what action to take on activation of the fire alarm.
8.7.3 Awareness All MTU Cork Campus staff should make themselves aware of the location of fire alarm points, firefighting equipment and the minimum requirements on how to initiate the alarm, and ensure they are capable of a controlled evacuation, should an emergency arise in their place of work.
Firefighting equipment will be wall mounted, indicated with signage, and kept clear of obstructions at all times. Emergency evacuation drills will be carried out twice yearly. Records of drills will be filled out in the record sheet (see the appropriate Ancillary or Department Safety Manual). The fire alarm system will be tested on a controlled basis, to familiarise personnel with its sound and to ensure it is audible in all areas of the facility. Staff in the various buildings will be informed before a test. Fire safety awareness training will be made available to staff, which may include practical training in the use of fire extinguishers as appropriate.
8.7.4 Discovering A Fire Prompt action in the first few minutes of a fire can determine the eventual outcome of that fire. The main priority is for staff members and students to ensure their continued personal safety.
Should a fire occur in the immediate vicinity, the following actions should be taken:
• Ensure the alarm is raised by breaking the glass at the break glass wall mounted unit, or other means as appropriate.
• Obtain assistance if required. • Never let the fire get between you and your escape exit.
Safety Statement 33
• Upon arrival of the emergency services, let them take charge and evacuate to your assembly point outside the building.
EMERGENCY STAFF AND RESPONSIBLE PERSONS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE FIRE CONTROL & EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES & REGISTER.
A listing of all emergency services, contacts and telephone numbers will be included within each Ancillary Safety Manual.
This information will be found in various Ancillary Safety Manuals and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 34
8.8 Site Safety Audit & Inspection All work locations will be inspected by relevant Heads of Department at various frequencies throughout the year. This will provide an on-going awareness of safety within the Departments of the MTU Cork Campus and provide the information necessary to upgrade the Operational Ancillary Safety Manual. See the Operational Ancillary Safety Manual. It is recognised that the writing of an Ancillary Safety Manual in itself will not increase safety awareness or improve safety standards. The Operational Ancillary Safety Manual provides a base line to build on. In order to increase safety awareness, it is necessary for management and staff to have hands on involvement in support of the Ancillary Safety Manual. This will be achieved by the completion of safety inspections throughout the year and using that information to upgrade the Operational Ancillary Safety Manual.
The frequency of each safety inspection / audit and area to be covered can be summarised as follows:
8.8.1 Safety Audit A Safety Audit subjects each School/Department of the MTU Cork Campus to a systematic critical examination with the object of minimising loss. Every component of the total system is included, e.g. management policy, safety audits, awareness training, completed safety standards etc. An audit as in the field of accountancy aims to disclose the strengths and the weaknesses of the organisation and the main areas of vulnerability or risk. This will be defined in the Safety Audit Protocol Document.
Frequency: Yearly
8.8.2 Safety Inspections A Safety Inspection is a routine, scheduled inspection of a work location within the School/Department which may be carried out on a monthly basis by appropriate staff. The purpose of the inspection is to examine work practices, machinery/equipment, housekeeping, access and egress etc. The responsible person for the area will complete this type of inspection and a report on the findings will be sent to the Head of Department responsible for the area.
Frequency: Monthly or as deemed by each Department.
Safety Statement 35
8.8.3 Statutory Inspections In accordance with the statutory requirements, certain examinations, tests and inspections must be completed at each location where applicable.
Test/Inspection/ Examination Frequency Inspector
Fire Alarm System 3 Monthly Contractor Company
Fire Fighting Equipment 12 Monthly Contractor Company
Emergency Lighting 3 Monthly Electrical Company
Lifting Equipment 6 and 12 Monthly Insurance Assessor
Boilers 14 Monthly Contractor Company
Pressure Vessels 14 Monthly Insurance Assessor
PAT Testing As per PAT Testing Policy Electrical Company
Water Testing 6 Monthly Contract Plumber
A number of these tests may be undertaken internally using a competent person where appropriate.
Specific examinations/tests certified will be included in the Ancillary Safety Manuals appropriate to the equipment in use in that area. Records of these statutory examinations or tests should be filed with the appropriate Ancillary Safety Manual and copies held in the appropriate register.
This information will be found in the various Ancillary Safety Manuals and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 36
8.9 Accident Reporting & Investigation Reporting and investigation of every level of accident in the workplace will be managed and controlled. There are 5 good reasons why every accident should be investigated and reported, no matter how minor the injury, even where in a situation there is no injury but a near miss or property damage.
8.9.1 Reasons for Reporting & Investigating Accidents a) It is a requirement of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Reporting of Accidents &
Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 2016. b) Every accident affords an opportunity to improve health, safety and welfare by
correcting some deficiency, eliminate the hazard by implementing additional controls and prevent a recurrence.
c) By analysing accident trends, MTU Cork Campus can identify its weaknesses, put priority corrective action in place and improve safety awareness by training. This can be completed on a systematic basis.
d) A claim for compensation and possible litigation might ensue, in particular, where an apparently minor injury deteriorates.
e) A prosecution by the Health and Safety Authority might ensue if the Institution or individual within the Institution fails to report a lost time injury (3 days or more absent from work after the day of the accident).
8.9.2 Definition of Injury Class (Used in The Accident Report Form) All accidents that occur on site regardless of the severity will be initially reported on the First Aid/ Incident/Accident Report form.
8.9.3 Reporting and Investigation Procedure a) Accidents / incidents that occur on site, to any person, whether or not in the immediate
employment of MTU Cork Campus, however slight, must be reported to the responsible person and recorded on the accident/incident form.
b) The Head of Department / Function will sign off on the accident form. This will apply to all staff, students, contractors or visitors who have any level of accident on site. The University President and MTU Cork Campus Head of Faculty will be informed by the MTU Cork Campus Health and MTU Cork Campus Safety Officer within 24 hours of all accidents where the injury is disabling or a fatality. Where possible all accident reporting will be completed before the end of the day in which the accident occurred.
c) Notification to the enforcement authority (Health and Safety Authority) of accidents or dangerous occurrences will be completed by the MTU Cork Campus Health and Safety Officer on the appropriate IR1 Form online (www.hsa.ie). This is required if a person is away from their place of work for more than 3 consecutive days after the day of the accident. An IR3 Form is required for reporting any of the dangerous occurrences (e.g. contact with overhead power lines, serious fire incident, etc.) identified in the regulations. A copy of the completed IR1 or IR3 form must be filed by the MTU Cork Campus Health and Safety Officer.
d) If an accident occurs, the Emergency Response Team (ERT) shall be notified and an ERT member will go immediately to the scene of the accident.
Safety Statement 37
e) The ERT member will ensure that first aid treatment has been given and that outside medical assistance has been summoned (doctor or ambulance), where necessary, or if in any doubt.
f) The ERT member will liaise with the medical persons in determining the extent of the injury and the treatment administered. If the accident occurs in a controlled environment, e.g. classroom or workshop, the staff member responsible will ensure the First Aid report section of the accident form is completed and submitted to the Head of Department / Function.
g) The Head of Department / Function or Department Safety Coordinator should attend and record the scene if necessary, including photographs on the accident/incident form if appropriate.
h) Brief details of the incident should be recorded, keeping in mind the questions, WHEN, WHERE, HOW (the accident happened), WHO (was involved), WHAT (equipment, goods, work were involved), WHAT (conditions prevailed underfoot, weather, lighting etc.), HOW (did the accident occur), WHY (did the accident occur variation from procedure or training).
i) All witnesses to serious accidents including, where appropriate, the injured person him / herself should provide a written statement or complete an accident/incident form.
j) When the preliminary investigation is completed, do whatever is necessary to restore the conditions to normal. However, if the injury is serious, it may be advisable to leave the area undisturbed, until the Health and Safety Inspector visits (This is a legal requirement in fatal injury cases). This may call for a cordon to be thrown around the immediate area – use traffic cones, barrier tape or similar.
k) Where possible, the Safety Representative should assist management in the accident investigation as well as in the identification of preventative measures required to prevent a recurrence.
l) In the event of a reportable accident including a fatality, the Health and Safety Authority (H.S.A.) should be notified immediately by phone by the MTU Cork Campus Health & Safety Officer.
The following persons must sign off the accident form: • Investigating staff member (Head of Department) • First Aider (if one is available and used) or member of ERT • University Health & Safety Officer • Injured Person (staff, student, contractor, or visitor) where possible
This information will be found in the various Ancillary Safety Manuals and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 38
8.10 Policies & Procedures Controls Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are essentially codes of safe practice for various activities and certain operations. An SOP details the system of work to be undertaken in the interests of safety, quality and efficiency. Knowledge of the various procedures applicable to the job is essential for all employees and it is a requirement of this Safety Statement that all new and existing employees are trained in, and knowledgeable of, the SOPs relevant to their particular job classification.
It is the policy of MTU Cork Campus that procedures will be prepared for any hazardous activities and staff are trained in same. These procedures will be available in the workplace in the form of the relevant applicable Standard Operating Procedure Register which will be available for viewing at all times. The control and auditing of these procedures will be undertaken within the Ancillary or Department Safety Manuals.
All written procedures are controlled documents, and only current revisions may be used. SOPs may not be copied, unless stamped unapproved copy. Procedures will be regularly reviewed in order to ensure that elementary behaviours are continuously improved.
MTU Cork Campus copies of all safety procedures will be held with the MTU Cork Campus Ancillary Safety Manual applicable to that School/Department under document control and marked controlled documents.
This information will be found in the various Ancillary Safety Manuals and Department Safety Manuals.
Safety Statement 39
8.11 Disciplinary Procedures MTU Cork Campus has approved and agreed procedures for handling any disciplinary actions, and these will be followed where necessary. 8.12 Management Review of The Ancillary & Department Safety Manuals In order to keep Ancillary & Department Safety Manuals operational and applicable to the changing functions of the MTU Cork Campus, the MTU and Ancillary Safety Manuals will be reviewed and upgraded on a yearly basis by the appropriate functional area, supported by the MTU Cork Campus Health and Safety Officer. This end of year revision update will be based on a collection of all the changes made to the MTU or Ancillary Safety Manuals throughout the year. A meeting will take place at year-end of the Safety Committee Members to review the changes to the MTU, Ancillary and Department Safety Manuals.
Areas to be covered in the submission are:
a) Changes and amendments to this revision of the MTU and Ancillary Safety Manuals. b) Safety training completed during the year. c) Overview of the actions of the Responsible Persons. d) Results on the completed emergency fire drills. e) Breakdown of accident statistics for the year. f) Overview of planned safety programme for the coming year.
Safety Statement 40
8.13 Current MTU Organisation Chart Information from MTU Safety Statement There are two faculties within the MTU Cork Campus, Engineering & Science and Business & Humanities. Each of these faculties is made up of a number of schools and departments as outlined below. The management structure consists of Heads of Faculties, Heads of Schools and Heads of Department/Function.
UNIVERSITY EXECUTIVE TEAM
POST TITLE
President
Vice President for External Affairs
Vice President for Finance & Administration
Head of Strategic Development
Head of Faculty of Engineering & Science
Registrar & Vice President for Academic Affairs
Head of Faculty of Business & Humanities
FACULTY OF BUSINESS & HUMANITIES School of Business
Head of School Head of Department of Accounting & Information Systems
Head of Department of Management & Enterprise
Head of Department of Marketing & International Business
Head of Department of Organisation & Professional Development
FACULTY OF BUSINESS & HUMANITIES School of Humanities
Head of School Head of Department of Applied Social Studies
Head of Department of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies
Head of Department of Tourism & Hospitality
FACULTY OF BUSINESS & HUMANITIES MTU Crawford College of Art & Design
Head of School Head of Department of the Arts in Health & Community Practice
Head of Department of Fine Art & Ceramic Design
Head of Department of Media Communications
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FACULTY OF BUSINESS & HUMANITIES MTU Cork School of Music
Head of School Head of Department of Keyboard Studies
Head of Department of Musicianship & Academic Studies
Head of Department of String Studies
Head of Department of Wind, Percussion, Voice & Drama Studies
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & SCIENCE School of Building & Civil Engineering
Head of School Head of Department of Architecture
Head of Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering
Head of Department of Construction
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & SCIENCE School of Mechanical, Electrical & Process Engineering
Head of School Head of Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Head of Department of Mechanical, Biomedical & Manufacturing Engineering
Head of Department of Process, Energy & Transport Engineering
Head of Centre of Craft Studies
Head of Department for Nimbus
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & SCIENCE School of Science & Informatics
Head of School Head of Department of Biological Sciences
Head of Department of Computing
Head of Department of Mathematics
Head of Department of Physical Sciences
Head of Department for CAPPA
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National Maritime College of Ireland
Head of College Head of Department of Maritime Studies
Head of Department for NMCI Services
Head of Department of Mathematics
Head of Department of Physical Sciences
Head of Department for CAPPA
OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR & VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Dean of Academic Quality Enhancement and Acting Dean of Graduate Studies
Head of Academic Affairs, School of Graduate Studies
Head of MTU Strategic Student Engagement and Retention Initiative and Head of the Teaching & Learning Unit
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Head, MTU Extended Campus
Academic Faculty Representative, Faculty of Engineering & Science, MTU Extended Campus Head of Research
OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT
Head of Department of Technology Enhanced Learning
OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR & VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Academic Administration & Student Affairs Manager
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Human Resources Manager
Finance Manager
IT Manager
Buildings & Estates Manager
MTU & Legal
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Industry Liaison Manager
OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR & VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Librarian
Curriculum Development Facilitator
Safety Statement 43
8.14 Circulation of the Document A copy of the Safety Statement will be held by the Safety Officers and will be available for viewing by any employee on the university intranet, or through the MTU website.
Safety Statement 44
9. Kerry Campus Roles and Responsibilities 9.1 Roles and Responsibilities of The Executive Team
a) Ensure the preparation and annual review of the University Safety Statement. b) Review on an annual basis a Safety Management System Action Plan. c) Ensure that the Safety Management System Action Plan gives priority to areas of greatest
risk. d) Identify on an ongoing basis the resources required for the implementation of the Safety
Management System Action Plan. e) Ensure that progress in the implementation of the annual Safety Management Plan is
regularly tracked. f) Ensure adequate systems and resources are in place for identifying hazards and assessing
risks at the University. g) Ensure the necessary organisational structures exist to ensure that health, safety and
welfare is properly managed. h) Keep up to date on all matters in relation to health, safety and welfare and in particular
changes in legislation i) Ensure that health, safety and welfare audits are undertaken to monitor all aspects of the
University health, safety and welfare policy implementation. j) Oversee safety management targets and objectives at the University on an annual basis. k) Review on a quarterly basis activity reports received from the Safety Groups via Safety Co-
ordinator l) Ensure that adequate systems are in place for consulting with employees including the
selection of safety representatives and a safety committee. m) Review all accidents/incidents that occur to employees and students at the MTU Kerry
Campus and ensure thorough investigation and resolution of any safety issues identified. n) Provide updates to the Governing Body indicating progress in implementing the Safety
Management System Action Plan and on achieving agreed goals and objectives. o) Ensure that health, safety and welfare management is a priority for the Executive Team. p) Time will be allocated at Executive Team meetings as required to fulfil these functions. The
Safety Co-ordinator will prepare reports and act as the link to the Governing Body for health, safety and welfare issues.
9.2 Roles and Responsibilities of The General Management Team (I.E. All Heads of Faculty, Heads of School and Central Services Managers)
a) Ensure that the Safety Groups have been established and are operational in areas identified in the Safety Group Strategy Document.
b) Facilitate the working of the Safety Groups in relation to time and resources required to fulfil their role.
c) Ensure that staff are consulted in relation to the health, safety and welfare impacts of any changes in process or practices at departmental level.
d) Demonstrate active involvement in the management of health, safety and welfare at departmental level.
Safety Statement 45
e) Facilitate the provision of safety training as identified by the Safety Groups (make people available etc.)
f) Provide a report on a regular basis to the Executive Team indicating progress being made by the Safety Groups in implementing their areas of responsibility.
Time will be allocated at General Management Team meetings as required to fulfil these functions. The Safety Officer will report on health, safety and welfare issues as required. 9.3 Safety Groups Safety Groups are involved in the active safety management and continuous improvement of safety in their own areas. Safety groups will be assisted in their activities by the Safety Officer and External Safety Consultants. Safety Groups will be actively involved in the following activities
a) Execution of Risk Assessments b) Closeout of Corrective Actions c) Development of Safe Working Procedures d) Training of staff and students in Safe Working Procedures e) Monitoring of health, safety and welfare corrective actions
9.4 Role of The Safety Officer The key role of the Kerry Campus Safety Officer is to develop, maintain and promote a positive health, safety and welfare culture throughout the University. Responsibilities include: a) Updating the Health and Safety Statement, Emergency Evacuation Plans and associated
documentation required as part of the Safety Statement to meet with health, safety and welfare legislation.
b) Liaising with various statutory agencies including the Health and Safety Authority and the Fire Service to ensure that recommended policies and procedures are put in place to provide continued effectiveness of overall health, safety and welfare policy and practice.
c) Establishing and supporting matters on health, safety and welfare via the Health and Safety committee and advising relevant staff on ongoing health, safety and welfare issues.
d) Assisting management and staff in the identification of hazards and the evaluation of risk to facilitate elimination / minimisation of risk throughout the University.
e) Liaising with the University’s insurers on hazard audits, analysing audits and reviewing safe work practices and plant maintenance procedures on a routine basis.
f) Investigating and recording accidents, incidents, occupational diseases, near-misses and health, safety and welfare issues that arise in the MTU Kerry Campus.
g) Liaising with Human Resources Department with regard to staff safety training requirements. h) Assisting and facilitating the establishment and working of Safety Groups in each area of the
MTU Kerry Campus i) Providing feedback to the MTU Kerry Campus executive team and safety committee on Safety
Group activities, audits, risk assessments and implementation of safety procedures.
9.5 Responsibilities of Employees Foreword The Vice Presidents, Heads of School, Heads of Department, Central Services Managers and University Librarian share with the President, the responsibility to provide support to attain high operating safety standards within their respective areas of control.
Safety Statement 46
Management have day-to-day responsibilities to give full consideration to the Health & Safety of all employees, students, contractors and visitors to ensure full compliance with the university Safety Statement. This responsibility where appropriate is also expected of lecturing and support staff, where the students are in their domain. This Safety Statement should be communicated by personal example, by sincere concern and by providing the relevant safety training to all staff requiring such training.
9.5.1 General Responsibilities of All Employees All employees are expected to co-operate fully with all provisions made by the university for ensuring the Safety, Health and Welfare of employees. All employees have specific statutory responsibilities under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. This legislation is outlined as follows: It shall be the duty of every employee while at work to:
a) take reasonable care of their own safety, health and welfare and that of any other person who may be affected by their acts or omissions while at work.
b) co-operate with the university and any other person to such an extent to enable the university or the other person to comply with any legal duties imposed upon them.
c) use correctly any suitable appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided by the university (whether for their use alone or for use by him/her in common with others) for securing their safety, health or welfare while at work
d) undergo such training and instruction as the university may reasonably require and comply with all procedures for safe systems of work as required
e) report to their immediate supervisor, without unreasonable delay, any defects in the building, equipment, place of work or system of work, which might endanger safety, health or welfare of which they become aware.
f) report all accidents, however minor, and any dangerous occurrences, including near misses to their supervisor.
g) not to attend at work under the influence of an intoxicant such that the health, safety and welfare of themselves or others might be adversely affected.
In addition, all employees and students should:
h) Familiarise themselves with this Safety Statement and Health & Safety procedures in their area.
i) Demonstrate, through personal behaviour, that only the highest standards of health, safety and welfare are acceptable.
j) Ensure that all processes and activities under their control are completed safely.
k) Immediately report any defects to equipment or personal protective equipment.
l) Not operate equipment if aware of any defect in equipment.
m) Ensure that all activities are well planned so that they may be carried out in a safe manner.
n) Maintain safe working conditions and practices and immediately report on unsafe conditions or practices to their manager.
o) Inform their manager if contractors working in their area are not adopting a safe system of work, or where they feel the safety of employees or students are endangered by the activities of these contractors and if appropriate, request that the contractor cease working.
Safety Statement 47
p) Attend relevant Health & Safety information and training sessions provided by the university.
q) Immediately report all accidents, however minor, dangerous occurrences, unsafe conditions and unsafe acts to the relevant manager.
r) Complete any necessary accident forms and without delay, submit a detailed report to the Safety Co-ordinator, to enable further investigation to be carried out, if required.
s) Adhere to all safe systems of work, comply with and take notice of hazard warning signs and safety signs, which indicate dangerous machinery, substances or procedures.
t) Not undertake any activity unless appropriate training has been received.
u) Ensure that good housekeeping standards are maintained, that access routes, fire exit routes and all fire points are kept clear at all times.
v) Consider and support, when appropriate, any representations on health, safety and welfare matters from students and advise their manager of any such representations.
w) Meet when required with the Heads of School/Heads of Department, Safety Co-ordinator, Safety Representative and/or Safety Committee and: Co-operate in the review Safety progress in elimination or reduction of risks and achieving good practice. Co-operate in the review & progress on accident/dangerous occurrences and any Safety Inspections Co-operate in the discussion and prioritisation of their personal and departmental safety training. Co-operate in the discussion of welfare Facilities and Health concerns.
No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse any appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions or otherwise for securing the safety, health or welfare of persons arising out of work activities. Where personal protective equipment is provided the employee: Should make full and proper use of the equipment Use it in accordance with the information, instruction and training provided by the employer. Take all reasonable steps to ensure that the equipment is safely returned to storage after its use Report any defects to personal protective equipment.
9.5.2 Responsibilities of Specific Employees 9.5.2.1 Management Personnel (Heads of School, Heads of Department and Central Services Managers) Management personnel will, in so far as is reasonably practicable:
a) Make adequate resources (time, finances and personnel) available to comply with the Safety Statement
b) Take a direct interest in health, safety and welfare and support employees and students in complying with the safety statement.
c) Ensure that competent staff and appropriate materials are available to meet the requirements of safety Legislation, Standards, Codes of Practice and Guidelines
Safety Statement 48
d) Appraise the effectiveness of safety management within their area by meeting with the Safety Co-ordinator and/or Safety Officer on a regular basis.
e) Ensure that responsibility for health, safety and welfare is properly assigned and accepted at all levels.
f) Ensure that safety training, if required, is made available to staff and carried out on a regular basis
g) Ensure that students receive competent advice, instruction, training and/or supervision, as appropriate, when operating machines, using chemicals or engaging in other activities which present particular hazards, etc. by the appropriate lecturer.
h) Ensure that adequate and workable disciplinary procedures exist to deal with wilful breaches of safety rules and regulations.
i) Ensure that all processes and activities are planned and can be undertaken safely and without risk to health, safety and welfare.
j) Ensure that the university Safety Statement and other safety rules and guidance are adequately communicated and are implemented and observed at all times.
k) Establish a positive safety culture within their area and liaise with the Safety Co-ordinator and Safety Officer in this regard where necessary.
l) Ensure that the Safety Standards are established through the formulation of planned maintenance and safety inspection programmes.
m) Ensure that all staff under their control receive appropriate training in occupational health, safety and welfare and are trained in the safe methods of working, appropriate to their tasks in line with the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
n) Ensure health, safety and welfare awareness is included in orientation training and that students are aware of their responsibilities as laid out in the Safety Statement and the student handbook.
o) Ensure all accidents and dangerous occurrences are fully investigated (within 72 hours) and an accident/incident report form is completed.
p) Ensure that the lecturing staff and support staff under their control maintain safe working conditions and practices.
q) Ensure regular safety tours of departments are undertaken. r) Ensure that area Safety Groups are established and that risk assessments carried out are
comprehensive in that they cover all areas and activities. Ensure that action items raised in risk assessments are closed out in a timely manner.
9.5.2.2 Estates Manager The Estates Manager is directly responsible for maintaining services to all buildings and accommodation including all firefighting and fire prevention equipment. In addition, the Estates Manager is responsible for ensuring that employees under their control and other contractors are made aware of and fully comply with the university's Health and Safety Statement and the organisation and arrangements for ensuring that health, safety and welfare is effectively managed in all repair and maintenance activities that are undertaken at the university. The Estates Manager will liaise with the members of the executive as appropriate and is a member of the Health & Safety Committee.
Safety Statement 49
The Estates Manager is responsible for ensuring that:
a) All engineering work necessary for safety and good health is carried out promptly.
b) All personnel under the estate department’s control are competent to carry out their work and are fully aware of all hazards to themselves and others.
c) All relevant parties are kept informed regarding new projects in order that safe working practices may be established and maintained.
d) All statutory examinations and inspections of infrastructural equipment as set out in the appropriate Statutory Legislation are carried out and records maintained.
e) University Health & Safety objectives are met through planned maintenance and regular safety inspections.
f) Critical equipment & facilities under Estates Control are tested on a regular basis or subject to planned inspection programme.
g) Safe systems of work are included into the activities of all facilities personnel /facilities contractors and that adequate pro-active arrangements are put in place at the outset for securing the safety of persons likely to be affected by the work activities of various facilities contractors. This to include a method statement for any building work deemed hazardous.
h) All third-party contractors brought in by the Estates Office on campus to carry out works whose work may have safety implications provide a copy of their Safety Statement, together with their method statement for all activities to be undertaken. If equipment is to be made available to such contractors by the university, appropriate instruction and training must be provided.
i) All contractual arrangements with third party contractors must include a provision entitling the university to terminate their engagement forthwith for breach of any health, safety and welfare legislation or any specific requirements of the university.
j) New buildings and rental buildings are checked to ensure that they meet safety requirements prior to occupation.
9.5.2.3 Human Resources Manager The Human Resource Manager, in conjunction with the Executive is responsible for co-ordinating all staff training requests as determined in the first instance by their line manager, the Executive or where advised by the Safety Committee, Safety Coordinator or Safety Officer The Human Resources Manager will:
a) Ensure that all staff employed are advised of their Health & Safety responsibilities. b) Ensure that requested safety training in safety is carried out, including management and that
we review user feedback. c) Review with the Safety Co-ordinator and Safety Officer the level of completed training and plan
future training. d) Ensure that records of all safety training are kept, detailing the exact nature of the training
given to each employee. Employees should be asked to sign attendance sheets at the end of training sessions.
e) Inform the Safety Co-ordinator of any occupational illness trends, which may arise in particular areas/activities of the university.
f) Advise the Executive on Health & Safety training issues where so necessary.
Safety Statement 50
9.5.2.4 Lecturing Staff Lecturing staff and support staff will ensure that students under their immediate control adhere to the university's Health & Safety requirements. The success of the Safety Statement and the effective management of safety requires the support of all Lecturing and support staff. The establishment and maintenance of a Healthy and Safe environment is dependent not only on Management’s commitment to its responsibilities but also on the commitment of each lecturer, who is responsible for the following safe methods of work.
Each Lecturer will:
a) Ensure that students operating and adjusting machines and equipment under their control receive correct instruction and wear the correct protective clothing.
b) In workshops, ensure that all dangerous moving machinery parts are adequately guarded to relevant legislation and standards. Specific training on the requirements of these standards is available to all Lecturers.
c) Ensure that all students under their supervision receive adequate instructions appropriate for the tasks assigned.
d) Provide effective supervision for students undergoing training.
e) Ensure that all materials and substances used in the area under their control are properly labelled and safely stored and/or are disposed of in accordance with the Material Safety Data Sheets.
f) Ensuring that relevant work procedures for the safe execution of the work are available.
g) Ensure that all new chemicals, equipment, machinery etc. are fully assessed in conjunction with the Head of School/Head of Department with respect to the safety and ill health potential prior to purchase/use in the university.
h) Ensure through their manager that updated Safety Data Sheets are available for all hazardous chemicals and preparations.
9.5.2.5 Technicians and Related Technical Staff The success of the Safety Statement and the effective management of health, safety and welfare at the university requires the support of all technical staff. The establishment and maintenance of a healthy and safe environment is dependent not only on Management’s commitment to its responsibilities but also on the commitment of each technician, who is responsible for the following safe methods of work.
Each Technician will:
a) Report on unsafe conditions or practices to their manager.
b) In workshops, ensure that all dangerous moving machinery parts are adequately guarded to relevant Legislation and Standards*
c) Ensure that all materials and substances used in the area under their control are properly labelled and safely stored and dispensed before use and after.
d) Review Safety Standards in their Departments or areas on a regular basis and advise manager of any safety concerns.
Safety Statement 51
e) Ensuring that all documented work procedures are available and detail the safety procedures necessary for the safe execution of the work.
f) Ensure that all new chemicals, equipment, machinery are fully assessed in conjunction with their manager with respect to the safety and ill health potential prior to purchase/use in the university.
g) Ensure that updated Safety Data Sheets are available for all hazardous chemicals and preparations.
* Installed Machinery (with or without CE mark) is operated and maintained to comply in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or relevant risk assessment(s).
Safety Statement 52
10. Kerry Campus Safety Management System Arrangements
10.1 Resources MTU Kerry Campus will dedicate the resources necessary to ensure in so far as is reasonably practicable, the Safety, Health and Welfare of employees. The following resources will be dedicated:
• Management with the assistance of consultants where deemed necessary, will develop appropriate Health & Safety programmes, risk assessments, safety procedures, safe systems of work, inspections, maintenance and training activities for the MTU Kerry Campus.
• The Safety Co-ordinator will meet and/or advise managers of safety issues of concern or requiring action.
• MTU Kerry Campus will provide new students at the Campus with an orientation course, which
includes safety awareness. This shall also be incorporated in the student book.
MTU Kerry Campus commits to providing at all times the resources necessary, in so far as is reasonably practicable, for the safety, health and welfare of its employees, students and the general public on the MTU Kerry Campus university land and premises, including:
• Time for consultations, reports, investigations, audits and meetings where Safety, Health and Welfare are concerned.
• Supporting those who have responsibility for employee Safety, Health and Welfare to carry out their functions.
• Finance to ensure, in so far is reasonably practicable, the Safety, Health and Welfare of
employees. The aim shall be to provide adequate staff training and for the improvement or upgrading of present provisions, or starting of new provisions for securing the Safety, Health and Welfare of our employees.
• Ensuring that Health & Safety is taken into account at the planning stage of all new work,
where this new work may have effects on employee Health & Safety.
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10.2 Welfare Various welfare facilities are provided at the MTU Kerry Campus and these welfare facilities are controlled as follows:
a) The provision of adequate personal protective equipment. b) The provision and maintenance of safety showers and eye baths in School of Science. c) The provision of canteen facilities in the Kerry campus. d) Provision and Maintenance of toilets& changing rooms. e) The provision of a medical room for students and First Aid boxes and the filling of same. f) The provision of certified First Aiders for the campus. g) The provision of pre-employment medical and G.P. referrals. h) Liaison with insurance companies. i) Notification of reportable accidents/incidents to the Health and Safety Authority. j) The provision of student facilities, i.e. sports/ clubs & societies. k) Provision of Employee Well Being Programme.
10.3 MTU Kerry Campus Safety Committee The Safety Committee is a forum for facilitating consultation with employees and the student body at the MTU Kerry campus on health, safety and welfare matters. The functions of the Safety Committee are as follows:
a) Participate in safety management initiatives at the MTU Kerry Campus and in the formulation of the annual Safety Management System Action Plan.
b) Participate in the annual review of the MTU Kerry Campus safety statement. c) Raise employee health, safety and welfare concerns with management in a formal manner. d) Act as a forum for communication of health, safety and welfare concerns from management
to employees. e) Act as a support forum for safety representatives from across different departments. f) Review any accidents/incidents and near misses that occur on the MTU Kerry Campus. g) Review and comment on the implementation of the Safety Management System Action Plan
and participate in the process of prioritising action items. h) Review progress reports from Safety Groups. i) Participate in the preparation of employee training needs at the university.
The Safety Committee is formed based on the format outlined in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (4th Schedule) and will meet regularly to fulfil the functions outlined above.
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10.3.1 Safety Committee Membership a) Vice President for Corporate Affairs & MTU Kerry Campus Safety Co-ordinator - Chairperson b) Health & Safety Officer – Committee Secretary c) Estates Manager d) Students Representative e) Administration Staff Representative f) STEM Engineering Representative (Engineering Safety Group) g) STEM Science Representative (Science Safety Group) h) HSS Representatives (KSA Safety Group) i) HSS Representatives (Health & Leisure Safety Group) j) HSS Representatives (SOLAS Safety Group) k) Health, Catering & Tourism Representatives (HCT Safety Group) l) Computer Services & Audio Visual representative (ICT Safety Group)
10.3.2 MTU Kerry Campus Safety Committee Structure Employees will be given access to relevant information that pertains to the Safety, Health and Welfare of employees, subject to the exclusion of:
• Information relating to an individual, • Information pertaining to the MTU Kerry campus taking or defending a legal action • Information, which may not be disclosed without contravening a legal prohibition.
MTU Kerry Campus Safety Coordinator
(Chairperson)
Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths
(STEM)
STEM - Science(Safety Group)
STEM - Engineering(Safety Group)
Health & Social Science (HSS)
HSS - KSA (Safety Group)
HSS - Health & Leisure(Safety Group)
HSS - SOLAS(Safety Group)
Health, Catering & Tourism (HCT)(Safety Group)
Computer Services & Audio Visual
(Safety Group)Ex-Officio Members
Estates Representative
Estates Safety Group
Admin Staff Representative
Students Representative
Health & Safety officer (Technical Safety
Advisor & Committee admin)
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10.4 Training & Induction In relation to the training of employees, MTU Kerry Campus will comply with the duties placed upon it by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. It is recognised that ongoing safety training is needed to maintain a high standard of service. Safety training (First Aid Response, Manual Handling etc.) will be made available to all staff and specific training will be organised where a need or requirement has been determined in risk assessments and training needs analysis. All new employees will receive an induction which will include key elements of the Safety Statement. Induction safety awareness will highlight the practical issues requiring attention to include good housekeeping practices, general safety and their responsibilities, to ensure that employees are able to undertake their activities safely and competently. MTU Kerry Campus will ensure that their employees are made aware of the hazards present at their place of work and the safety precautions necessary. The primary purpose of instruction and training is to create a culture to think and act in terms of doing the work safely. Where it is deemed necessary, employees will be given further training or retraining as required and this will also be recorded, and progress monitored. • Staff will receive area / task specific training, where required and on the advice of their
management supervisor on commencement of employment to ensure that they fully understand the hazards of their respective work process and the safety precautions and emergency procedures required, as applicable to their position.
• Training will be given as necessary to all responsible persons and other staff to ensure that they have adequate knowledge and the necessary skills to manage their areas safely and without risk to health.
• In each instance, the names of competent trainers, the method of training, the frequency and record of all staff training will be organised and arranged by the Human Resources Manager.
Time off with pay will be allowed for all employees to undertake approved training required to enable them to undertake their work activities competently and safely. Employees must attend all training which the university reasonably requires them to undertake.
10.5 Accidents and Emergencies
10.5.1 Recording, Reporting & Investigation MTU Kerry Campus is required to record and investigate all accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences. The benefit of this will be to reduce or maybe even eliminate the risk of such occurrences happening again.
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Where a fatality occurs, this must be reported to the Health & Safety Authority immediately and the location of the accident closed off and left undisturbed. MTU Kerry Campus will follow the procedure as set out in its Critical Incident Management Plan (CIMP) when serious incidents occur on campus. 10.5.2 Accidents, Dangerous Occurrences or Near Miss Incidents Procedure • Evacuate people from the area and reduce risk where possible. • Preserve the area of the incident immediately until the investigation is completed. • The staff member must notify their manager immediately. • An Accident/Incident report form should be completed by the manager and returned to the
Safety Co-ordinator. Where damage to property has occurred, no employee or student should enter the area until this has been rectified, investigations have been completed and the property or equipment have been repaired or replaced and/or otherwise made safe. 10.5.3 Procedure in Case of Serious Injury or Collapse
a) When an accident occurs, ensure that the place is made safe before touching the injured person or the machinery involved.
b) Always isolate electricity when electrical shock is suspected. c) Do not move the casualty unless they are in immediate danger of further injury or they can
move themselves. d) If the injury cannot be treated on site, call emergency services immediately (112 or 999).
When calling the ambulance, use a mobile phone if possible. i. This allows you to speak to the operator when you are with the injured person and they
can give you advice, ask questions and help you as much as possible until the ambulance arrives.
ii. The information you pass on to the operator will be passed onto the ambulance crew and help them when they arrive at the scene.
e) If the injured person can be transported, then s/he may be taken to a Doctor or the local
Hospital. f) If a chemical agent is involved in the injury, always take the relevant Material Safety Data
Sheet or container and label, with the injured person, as this can be very helpful in treating the injury.
g) When the Emergency Services arrive or when you arrive at a Hospital, you must give a clear and exact account of what has happened to the medical personnel receiving the injured person.
Never place yourself in danger whilst trying to help someone else, especially if you are unsure of what you are doing. 10.5.3.1 Fire / Explosion / Evacuation MTU Kerry Campus has developed a comprehensive Emergency Procedures package to cover both North & South Campuses. 10.5.3.2 Fire Fighting Equipment All Fire Fighting equipment is reviewed annually or as otherwise required.
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10.5.3.3 Fire / Emergency Equipment & Exit Routes • Must always be kept clear and accessible. • Marked areas must not be obstructed at any time. • Never use Fire Equipment for other uses besides Fire Fighting. NEVER smoke in the vicinity of gas cylinders, petrol or other flammable substances. NEVER direct water at any electrical installation, machinery or wiring. 10.5.3.4 First Aid Kits First Aid kits are provided by the university throughout the MTU Kerry Campus by the Safety Office. If you become aware that first aid materials are not available, the Safety Office should be advised, either directly or by your manager or supervisor. A number of employees have also been trained as first aid responders and are able to carry out some simple first aid in the event of an accident or minor injury. A list of first aid responders is posted at building entrances, security and at emergency telephones throughout the MTU Kerry Campus.
10.6 Contractors
10.6.1 Contractor Safety Management Every contractor or subcontractor to the MTU Kerry Campus must comply with the requirements of applicable health, safety and welfare legislation as well as any requirements and regulations specified by the university. The Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 govern all contractors to the MTU Kerry Campus and they are required to comply at all times with the Act and any subsidiary regulations. Contractors must provide the Kerry Campus with a copy of the first page of their Safety Statement together (where required) with a method statement for works to be undertaken prior to commencing any works. The Contractor may be required by the Kerry Campus to make changes to their method statement. The contractor shall be responsible for the area in which they are working in. Trailing leads and cables shall be brought from overhead whenever possible. Contractors should erect barriers around their work area to minimise the risk of injury. 10.6.2 Method Statement (where necessary) All works undertaken by a contractor must be carried out in accordance with the method statement and otherwise in accordance with the terms of the contract entered into with the MTU Kerry Campus.
a) If and where applicable, safe working conditions must be agreed upon prior to commencement of work.
b) All work carried out must be to standards required by legislation. c) All contractors must comply at all times with the MTU Kerry Campus standards of
housekeeping.
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d) Passageways must always be kept clear at all times. e) Waste must not be allowed build up and must be regularly collected and removed from site.
10.6.3 Preparation Prior to Commencing Work Area managers and/or Estates / Safety Office will advise contractors of relevant safety requirements, prior to commencement of work. An outline of the Contractor’s plan of work and intended safe working practices may be required, where necessary. 10.6.3 Project Works The Estates Department is involved in works on its campuses which comes under the definition of “construction work” in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013. A detailed procedure has been developed which describes the method by which MTU Kerry Campus and personnel acting on behalf of MTU Kerry Campus ensure compliance with the requirements of the design and management sections of the Regulations. The procedure deals with Client, Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP), Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS), Designer and Contractor duties and the competence assessment and appointment of duty holders.
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10.7 Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment Risk assessments form the basis of this Safety Statement. Risk assessments for each area and activity in which the MTU Kerry Campus is involved can be accessed from the Safety Office or Head of Department / Head of School as appropriate. The Risk Assessments are used for the purposes of identifying measures to be put in place to seek to reduce the possibility of accidents or ill health occurring. Every effort has been made to identify the existing hazards and recommend possible solutions. Safety Group team members are involved in carrying out risk assessments in their own areas with the assistance of the MTU Kerry Campus Safety Officer and external safety consultants as required. The fundamentals of the MTU Kerry Campus risk assessment procedure including examples of hazards and the MTU Kerry Campus risk assessment procedures are captured in a training presentation “MTU Kerry campus Risk Assessment Fundamentals Training Module” available from the Health and Safety Office. The Risk Assessment is based on the combination of the SEVERITY and LIKELIHOOD associated with each hazard. HAZARD: Is taken to mean “anything that has the potential to cause harm RISK: Is “there a chance, great or small, that someone will be harmed by the hazard”. SEVERITY: Is the possible outcome of an accident / incident, e.g. broken leg, explosion likely to be minor or serous? LIKELIHOOD: What is the possibility of the accident / incident occurring? In the Risk Assessment SEVERITY and LIKELIHOOD have been graded as follows: SEVERITY LIKELIHOOD Major 3 High 3 Serious 2 Medium 2 Slight 1 Low 1 The Risk Factor is the multiple of Severity and Likelihood. RISK is then graded as follows:
GRADE OF RISK VALUE RISK CHARACTERISTICS High Risk 7 – 9 “H” Possibility of a single fatality or serious injury or of minor
injury to a number of people. Possibility of significant material loss.
Medium Risk 4 – 6 “M” Possibility of minor injury to a small number of people. Risk of some material loss. The possibility of fatality or serious injury or significant material loss is unlikely although conceivable.
Low Risk 1 - 3 “L” The possibility of injury or material loss is unlikely and likely injury minor, although conceivable.
Control measures which have been identified and actions for improvement are detailed in the individual risk assessments. The control measures and improvement actions are intended to either eliminate the risk or reduce the assessed risk to an acceptable level.
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10.8 Further Health & Safety Considerations
10.8.1 Hygiene Facilities Employees and students are encouraged to wash hands regularly, particularly before eating. Wash hand basins, towels, toilet facilities, running water are provided. 10.8.2 Smoking No smoking is allowed within any MTU Kerry Campus building or in the immediate vicinity of building entrances/exits. Staff/ students found smoking in these areas will face a fine. The Estates Manager is responsible for ensuring the ‘no smoking’ policy operates within the MTU Kerry Campus. The no-smoking policy extends to the use of electronic cigarettes. 10.8.3 Spillages Spillages of any form of liquid must be cleaned up immediately. If this is not possible the area of the spill must be cordoned off and made inaccessible for anybody else until it can be cleaned. If there is a chemical spill and/or any risk of the chemical igniting, the area must be evacuated immediately and the MTU Kerry Campus Emergency Evacuation Plan for that are brought into operation. 10.8.4 Housekeeping MTU Kerry Campus aims to ensure that the work environment is kept as tidy as possible so that any risks to employees, students or the public, through poor housekeeping, is kept to a minimum. This can only be achieved through co-operation amongst all staff. This is the same with housekeeping and tidiness of the Campus facilities. Contracts are in place with competent contractors for waste disposal and cleaning. All staff have a responsibility to keep their workplace as tidy and clean as possible. Staff must not place their own health, safety and welfare or that of their fellow employees and students at risk through untidiness or allowing build-up of clutter or waste. Any employee who finds or sees anything out of place or untidy should either find its proper place or report this to their Line Manager / Head of Department / Head of School. 10.8.5 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) The MTU Kerry Campus undertakes to provide the PPE for its employee's safety. Following a Hazard / Risk assessment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available for use when the risk cannot be reduced by other means. If an issue arises regarding PPE, the Safety officer can be contacted. Employees and students must use personal protective equipment when provided and in accordance with instructions. Each employee who is issued with personal protective equipment is responsible for its use and safe storage and must immediately report loss or damage to those in charge. It is unacceptable and against Safety Policy to condone non-use of the equipment by effectively turning a ‘blind eye’ to the non-user: the regulations and standards must be enforced for the health, safety and welfare of the individual.
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Any individual who refuses to wear the equipment should be advised as to the reasons why the equipment must be used. If the individual persists in refusing to use the equipment, they should be advised that the MTU Kerry Campus regards this as a matter of gross misconduct. If the individual continues to refuse to use the equipment, disciplinary procedure will be invoked.
10.8.6 Responsibilities 10.8.6.1 The MTU Kerry Campus:
a) It is the responsibility of the MTU Kerry Campus to provide adequate Personal Protective Equipment where no other method of risk reduction is reasonably practicable.
b) MTU Kerry Campus intend to supply PPE to adequate standards, sizes and amounts as it is required by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007.
c) MTU Kerry Campus intends to ensure that all PPE, which requires maintenance, is maintained to an adequate standard so as not to create a risk to the safety, health or welfare of the user.
d) MTU Kerry Campus intends to make provisions for ensuring that where PPE is provided that it is used.
10.8.6.2 Employees and Students:
a) Where employees/students have been provided with Personal Protective Equipment for protection of their health, safety and welfare, they are required to wear it.
i. The only exception to this is where a medical condition stipulates against its use.
However, this should be notified to the manager / lecturer to decide whether the employee / student can proceed without the PPE.
b) Any defects in equipment should be reported to the management supervisor and a
replacement obtained.
Types of P.P.E. necessary: • Gloves • Goggles, safety Glasses and facemasks were appropriate, such as laboratory work,
experiments, class preparation & various workshop activities. • Protective clothing
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10.9 Purchasing MTU Kerry Campus recognises that an opportunity to control workplace hazards arising from substandard equipment, materials, and services exists at the time of purchasing and prior to these goods and services being delivered on-site. Therefore, the MTU Kerry Campus will ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the purchase of goods and services that comply with Irish Safety standards and European Norms (EN) for the supply of materials, equipment and machinery. MTU Kerry Campus will:
a) Purchase equipment, materials and services against set specifications. These specifications will be included and referred to by the purchasing officer or originator of order in the purchase order to include specifically:
• Product safety information. • Material safety data sheets (where necessary) • Manufacturers operating and maintenance instructions. • Safety design features of Machinery/Equipment. • CE Mark. • Declaration of conformity.
b) Ensure that all purchasing personnel are aware of the safety implications of the purchase
and that this is communicated clearly to the supplier.
c) Prepare and hold a list of approved or suitable suppliers and procedures for regularly checking that all suppliers are still suitable.
d) As part of its overall programme of reducing Safety and Health loss exposures:
• Prepare a list of high-risk items and purchasing specifications developed on a
'worst first' basis. • Implement a review system through the Head of School of Science of all chemical
prior to purchasing. The Estates Manager must be informed of impending Purchases of Capital items of machinery or equipment requiring provision of space, power, gas, drainage, water supply, compressed air, special lighting, or other services, before the purchase is made. This will allow the Estates Manager the opportunity to consider the implications the purchase may have on the existing services in the area concerned. This will avoid situations where requests for installations occur when the item has already been delivered, or where the necessary services are not readily available ensure when purchasing equipment that due allowance is made to incorporate training (where deemed necessary) as an integral part of machine purchase. Ensure all tools and equipment will conform to CE, CEN, IEC, ANSI or BS standards. The equipment must be checked before use and if found to be damaged or faulty, do not use and replace as soon as possible.
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Ensure for each piece of machinery or equipment purchased that:
a) A planned inspection programmes will be specified in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations stating the inspection frequency, person responsible, methods of inspection, conditions to look for, records to be kept and only specifically trained personnel are authorised to operate and adjust machines/equipment.
b) All dangerous moving parts of machinery/equipment are adequately guarded to IS/EN 292 parts 1 and 2 and other relevant standards and European Machinery Directives 2006/42/EC.
c) Machinery risk assessments are carried out in accordance with EN 14121-1 where appropriate that all equipment purchased bears the CE mark.
d) All processes are designed to minimise the risk to staff and students from exposure to physical, chemical, fire/explosion and ergonomic hazards.
e) All equipment under their control is properly maintained and safe to use. 10.9.1 Donation of free equipment: MTU Kerry Campus will only consider such goods where it has an immediate use for same and that these free goods are of merchantable quality and safe to use. The potential costs of disposal will also be taken into account. 10.9.2 Chemicals & Solvents: The manager responsible will ensure when approving/purchasing such chemicals etc. that they are safe for the use intended and that they have the necessary Safety Data Sheets. 10.9.3 Electrical Equipment: The Kerry campus of the University shall seek to ensure that all electrical equipment is inspected & PAT (portable appliance tester) as required, in so far as is reasonably practicable.
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10.10 MTU Kerry Campus Departments
Department of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Chemistry Laboratory
Microbiology Laboratory
General Biology Laboratory
General Science Laboratory
Chemical Store Area (Internal)
Research Laboratory
Chemical Store (External)
Department of Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Motor Engineering Diesel Room
Motor and Agricultural Workshop/Store
Agricultural Machinery Storage Area
Agricultural Hall
Mechanical Engineering Workshop
Mechanical Engineering Store
Motor Engineering Workshop Store
Civil Engineering Test Lab
Carpentry and Joinery Workshop
Materials Test Room
Production Engineering Laboratory
Electronics Laboratories
Department of Nursing and Health Care Sciences
Clinical Studies Building (Solas)
Department of Health and Leisure Studies
Outdoor Education Locations
Sports Campus (Kerry Sports Academy)
Department of Hotel, Catering and Tourism
Hotel, Catering & Tourism Kitchen/Teaching Areas
Store Room
Department of Computing
All computer laboratories
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Department of Creative Media and Information Technology
All media laboratories
Student Services / Registrar
Admissions Offices
Library
Estates Department
External Areas, Car parks, Main Access/Egress Routes, Grounds and Security
Reception Areas/Hallways
Classrooms/Lecture Halls
General Offices
Facilities, Utilities, Contractors
Staff Rooms
Staff Welfare Facilities, Toilets
Student Common Room/Offices
Student Dining Hall
Student Welfare Facilities, Toilets, Meeting Room
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Document Control A. Document Details
Title: MTU Safety Statement
Owner(s): Health & Safety Officers
Author(s): Health & Safety Officers
This Version Number: 1.0
Status: Approved
Effective Date: 15/03/2021
Review Date: Important Note: If the ‘Status’ of this document reads ‘Draft’, it has not been finalised and should not be relied upon. An existing approved policy is deemed relevant until such time as an updated policy has been approved by the relevant approval authority and becomes the new binding policy.
B. Revision History Version Number
Revision Date
Summary of Changes Changes tracked? Proposed Review Date
0.1 04/12/2020 New document incorporating Cork and Tralee Safety Statements
Yes
0.2 09/02/2021 Updated document based on feedback from H&S teams, updated Kerry Campus departments layout
Yes
0.3 22/02/2021 Final review by Cork and Tralee H & S Teams, updated Covid 19 section
Yes
C. Relevant/Related Existing Internal/External Documents Health & Safety Policy Statement
D. Consultation History (where required) This document has been prepared in consultation with the following bodies: Munster Technological Health & Safety professionals, Egan Safety Solutions
E. Approvals This document requires following approvals (in order where applicable): Name Date Details of Approval Required Governing Body 12/03/2021 Approved by Governing Body
F. Responsible for Communication and Implementation The Manager/Functional Area responsible for communication and implementation: Title Functional Area Date Implemented Health & Safety Officers 15/03/2021