1.5 - Duties of Safety Personnel

Area Safety Managers

Responsible for The Health, Safety And Fire Management Of:

• Physical areas assigned to them within the University, regardless of the function of those areas
• All personnel, staff, students and visitors - who use or operate within these buildings/areas, both in terms of their personal working conditions and fire precautions. It is the Area Safety Manager's responsibility to appoint Fire Wardens for each area for which they are responsible.

Area Safety Managers Must As Far As Is Reasonably Practicable Ensure That:

• Their staff are fully trained and supplied with all necessary safety equipment in order to carry out their duties safely and without risk to their health
• All such Safety Equipment is provided, free of charge
• Make it clear to all their staff, that they have a reciprocal duty to inform them - the Area Safety Manager - of any situation, process and/or piece of equipment that an individual considers could compromise the safety of any person
• They carry out the mandatory Safety Inspections see 2.2 Health and Safety Inspection Guide and Emergency Fire Evacuation Practices at regular prescribed intervals;
• Written records of these events are completed, signed by the Area Safety Manager and distributed to specified persons;
• These records must specify what action is required to be taken and by whom - all requests for action by Property Services must be accompanied by a Work Management System Request for each item.

Specifically, The Main Functions Of Area Safety Managers Are:

1. To conduct Safety Inspections twice per year, having previously invited the Health Safety and Environment Advisor and both UCU and UNISON Trade Union Safety Representatives
2. Action their Inspection Reports
3. Appoint local Fire Wardens
4. Arrange and oversee Emergency Fire Evacuation Practices twice per year and record results on the BSU Fire Practice Record form
5. Ensure that Risk Assessments are carried out by appropriate expert staff in all areas and on all processes under their jurisdiction
6. Monitor operational safety in the light of (e) above and any potentially hazardous developments which have been, or are introduced into their area
7. Meet with all their staff periodically, specifically to highlight and address Health, Safety and Fire issues and concerns
8. Liaise with the University Health Safety and Environment Advisor for advice on safety and fire issues;
9. Assign suitable staff to accompany and assist the Health Safety and Environment Advisor as and when requested. Eg. For accident investigations;
10. Ensure that Accidents, Dangerous Occurrences and Incidents / Near Misses are reported on the University Accident Form and are passed to the Health Safety and Environment Advisor as soon as possible, but immediately by telephone in cases of serious injury.

Fire Wardens

Appointed by and responsible to the Area Safety Manager to ensure that fire safety equipment and procedures are maintained within their area of operation. In addition they must keep up to date staff lists which include their permanent base location.

They are required to conduct a monthly check that all fire protection equipment is in place and has not been tampered with and fire escape routes are clear. A standard Fire Wardens Monthly Check Sheet is provided for completion at this time and should then be submitted for any necessary action and filing by the Area Safety Manager. Particular causes for concern should be reported to the Area Safety Manager at any time, using a BSU Fire Safety Defect Sheet.

During a real or practice Fire Evacuation, Wardens will station themselves at their Assembly Point. On the arrival of the Fire Brigade, the Fire Warden will report the latest situation to the Senior Fire Officer, who will need to know:

• If any personnel are missing;
• Details of any person with a disability who is stranded and where;
• If there are any particular hazards within the fire area;
• The nature and quantities of chemicals and gas cylinders within the area;
• If there is a high voltage electricity supply within the fire area.

Fire Marshals

All staff and students have responsibility to act as Fire Marshals whilst on campus.

 

Revised September 2009