Safety Statement

Introduction

This is a Safety Statement, in compliance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 and subsequent regulations, for the Office of the Vice-President for Learning Innovation/Registrar (OVPLI).  It has been drawn up following effective consultation measures and will be reviewed from time to time.  Any employee or group of employees working in the OVPLI will have the right to make such representations as they deem appropriate for the purposes of giving effect to our responsibility to implement the University’s statutory duties in regard to health and safety.   We undertake to give due consideration to any such representations.

In this regard, the OVPLI will nominate an OVPLI Health and Safety Co-ordinator, two fire wardens, and an occupational first-aider.  The OVPLI Health and Safety Co-ordinator will have the power to carry out general inspections or investigate potential hazards on his/her own cognisance or on notice to the Vice-President for Learning Innovation/Registrar (VPLI/R).  In addition, s/he may investigate accidents and dangerous occurrences, provided these do not interfere with the performance of any statutory function, such as the obligation to report accidents under the General Application Regulations 1993.  We acknowledge our responsibility to ensure that we are in possession of written risk assessments, to take account of changing circumstances and to ensure that risks are periodically evaluated.

This is a declaration of our commitment (under Section 6(1)) of the 1989 Act to ensure as safe and healthy a workplace as is reasonably practicable.  We and the staff of the OVPLI will comply with all relevant statutory requirements, approved codes of practice and technical standards.  We will pay particular attention to encouraging improvements in the working environment with regard to the health and safety of all colleagues.

The statement also identifies hazards and assesses risks to safety and health in the OVPLI.  We are committed to ensuring that safety and health considerations are integrated into all activities and at all levels of the OVPLI and that any person delegated with responsibility to implement the safety policy is given the necessary means to do so.

In terms of the basic policy in relation to overall health and safety, the driving principle is that of prevention.  The principles to be adopted within the OVPLI are as follows:

1. Avoidance of risks.
2. Evaluation of unavoidable risks.
3. Combating risks at source.
4. Adaptation of work to the individual, especially with regard to the design of places of work, the choice of work equipment and furniture and the choice of systems of work, with a view, in particular, to alleviating monotonous work and work at a predetermined work rate and to reducing their effect on health.
5. Adaptation of the place of work to technical progress.
6. Replacement of dangerous articles, substances or systems of work by non-dangerous or less dangerous articles, substances or systems of work.
7. Development of an adequate prevention policy in relation to safety, health and welfare at work, which takes account of technology, organisations of work, working conditions, social factors and the influence of factors related to the work environment.
8. Giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures.
9. Giving appropriate training and instruction to employees.

This Safety Statement and any subsequent revisions will be made available to all employees of the OVPLI and may be inspected by any interested person on the OVPLI website at http://www.dcu.ie/ovpli/index.shtml.When new and occasional members of staff commence employment, they will be provided with a copy of this document.  A copy will also be held by the DCU Health and Safety Officer.

If any member of the OVPLI has a query relating to health and safety in the OVPLI, he/she should discuss the matter with his/her supervisor, who may consult the OVPLI Health and Safety Co-ordinator or the VPLI/R. The VPLI/R will, if necessary, consult the DCU Health and Safety Officer.

Professor Maria Slowey

June 2008

Overall Responsibility

Overall and final responsibility for health and safety in the OVPLI is that of Professor Maria Slowey, Vice-President for Learning Innovation/Registrar.

Day-to-day responsibility

On a day-to-day basis, those responsible for ensuring this policy is adhered to within offices are:

To ensure that health and safety standards are maintained and improved, the following people have responsibility in the following areas:

Valerie Cooke

Health and Safety Co-ordinator

Valerie Cooke

Fire Warden

Jean Hughes

Occupational First Aider

Personal Responsibility

Each OVPLI staff member is responsible for:

• taking reasonable care for his/her own safety, health and welfare and that of any other person who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions while at work
• co-operating with his/her employer and any other person to such extent as will enable his/her employer or the other person to comply with any of the relevant statutory provisions
• using in such manner so as to provide the protection intended, any suitable appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided (whether for his/her use alone or for use by him/her in common with others) for securing his/her safety, health or welfare while at work
• reporting to his/her employer or his/her immediate supervisor, without unreasonable delay, any defects in equipment, place of work or system of work, which might endanger safety, health or welfare, of which he/she becomes aware.

Training

The following areas of training have been completed within the OVPLI:

• Occupational first aid
• Regular fire drills/evacuation procedures
• Office ergonomics

Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Possible Control Measure

House Keeping

Electrical Safety

Fire Safety

VDU Ergonomics (see appendix I)

Manual Handling (see appendix II)

Health and Safety Procedures

In the event of an accident requiring first aid assistance:

• The accident should immediately be brought to the attention of the Occupational First Aider.
• Following administration of first aid treatment, the Occupation First Aider will complete an Injury/Accident Report form, which must be filled out and returned to the VPLI/R.
• On completion by the VPLI/R, the form will be forwarded to the DCU Health and Safety Officer who will deal with it accordingly.
• A copy of the form will be returned to the VPLI/R and Human Resources.
• All reports of accidents will be kept in a file in the Health and Safety Co-ordinator’s office.
• Any recommendations highlighted by an accident must be dealt with as soon as possible.

In the event of a fire:

• When the fire alarm sounds, please exit the building immediately.  DO NOT take any belongings with you.
• All persons should proceed to their Fire Assembly Point, which is Point no. 9 on the grass square opposite the building.
• The Fire Warden will check that all persons have left the building.
• A headcount will be taken by the Fire Warden once everybody has exited; you should not leave your Fire Assembly Point until this has been done.
• It is safe to re-enter the building only when the fire alarm has stopped ringing or permission is given by Security/Fire Warden/Firemen.

Exit Points

It is important that you make yourself aware of the four exit points in the building at:

• Main foyer
• Stairwell beside room VBG03
• Door in the Common Room
• Door opposite the toilets

Emergency Fire Points

There are five emergency fire points (glass to be broken and button activated), situated at:

• Main foyer, left hand side
• Outside room VBG05
• At the door opposite the toilets
• Room VBG07
• Common Room

Emergency Door Release Points

There are two emergency door release points (glass to be broken and button activated), situated at:

• Door at the stairwell beside room VBG03
• At the door opposite the toilets.

The use of fire extinguishers

• A volunteer from each room will be shown how to use a fire extinguisher in the event of a Fire Warden being absent.
• Fire extinguishers only to be used by volunteers when

1. Fire Wardens are absent
   
2. The fire can be easily controlled e.g. waste bin fire.
3. In the event of a need for an ambulance:

• DCU Security must be contacted (5999).
• Inform Security of location of accident, number of people involved and nature of injury.
• DCU Security will ring the ambulance and complete a report containing information on time ambulance contacted, arrival time etc.
• DCU Security to direct ambulance.

In the event of the observance of a health or safety hazard:

• If you can deal with the hazard you should do so yourself.
• If you cannot deal with the hazard you should inform the Health and Safety Co-ordinator who will either attempt to deal with the hazard or arrange for the hazard to be dealt with by the appropriate person/department.
• If the Health and Safety Co-ordinator is not available, you should contact the DCU Health and Safety Officer (8896).

Statement of Approval

This document has been produced with specific regard to the Office of the Vice-President for Learning Innovation of Dublin City University.

This document has been checked and approved for publication by the undersigned with the strict understanding that regular evaluation and revision is vital and will be carried out.

This document took effect on 15 December 2004 and was updated on 19 April 2007 and again on 6 June 2008.  It will be given to all staff members currently employed by the OVPLI.  The next evaluation of this document will take place in June 2009.

Signed: _____________________________________________Date: __________

Professor Maria Slowey
Vice-President for Learning Innovation/Registrar

Signed: ______________________________________________Date: ___________

Eileen Tully
Dublin City University
Health and Safety Officer