Policies & Procedures

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HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

GENERAL STATEMENT OF INTENT

The University of the West Indies recognizes that Health Safety and Environment is as important a management responsibility as academic excellence, student intake, societal problem solving or public perception. The St. Augustine campus therefore, is committed to providing and maintaining, a safe and healthy environment for its employees, students, visitors or any other person who may be affected by its activities and to do so in an environmentally sensitive and responsible manner. The St. Augustine Campus will strive to continuously seek ways of improving health, safety and environmental conditions and agrees to provide adequate resources for achieving this.

The St. Augustine campus: -

- Recognise and accept their responsibilities and duties under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2004. It will comply with all other relevant legislation, codes of practices, established standards and guidelines and will ensure that statutory requirements are met through the formulation, implementation and development of policy, together with the setting of objectives and performance standards. Appropriate action will be taken at senior management level to underpin this commitment. The campus also recognizes the contribution of employees in policy implementation and will encourage their personal input through the union representatives.

- While recognizing its own responsibilities, expects the full cooperation of all employees in meeting these obligations as outlined by the employees’ duties in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2004. In so doing, students leaving the institution will be inculcated with an attitude that accepts good health, safety and environmental practices as essential, important and normal.

- Agrees to provide and maintain, in so far as is reasonably practicable, a facility that is safe and healthy and free from unacceptable risks through safe systems of work and the elimination or control of hazards.

- Believes that all jobs can be done safely and that all occupational injuries can be prevented with due care for the environment.

- Will continuously, through the Campus Safety Committee and its delegates, monitor and review its health and safety performance to ensure that the highest possible standards are met. It will endorse appropriate health and safety management standards, recognizing that a successful health and safety management system is one which is integrated with other management activities, with the aim of achieving a progressive and prioritized improvement in health and safety performance

- Recognizes that concern for health, safety and the environment is a fundamental and integral part of management responsibilities and will endeavor to ensure that staff at all levels are provided with the appropriate information, instruction, training, supervision and communication systems. An Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Unit will be established to provide advice and assistance.

- Provisions will be made in all appropriate budgets for financial and physical resources for occupational health, safety and environment.

- Will review this safety policy in light of new experience, technology, hazards, organizational changes, codes, legislation or any such development that may impact of the performance of the safety management system.

While The Council is the governing body for the University of The West Indies, the responsibility for Health Safety and Environment at the St. Augustine Campus has been delegated as follows.

a) Campus Principal, Pro Vice Chancellor is responsible for: -

- Chairing the Campus Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Committee
- Preparation of HSE policies on the recommendation of the Campus Safety Committee
- Implementation of HSE policies through various line management delegation
- Reporting to The Council on HSE matters affecting the campus
- Devolves responsibility to Deans of Faculties and Unit Heads.
- Ensuring that Health, Safety and Environment are incorporated into the planning and decision making activities.

b) The Registrar is accountable to the Campus Principal for ensuring that administrative units under his / her control adhere to the campus HSE policy.

c) Estate Manager is accountable to the Campus Principal and is
responsible for the maintenance of the buildings on campus and their surroundings and for the provision of the various utilities to the premises. He / she shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that these facilities do not put at risk the health and safety of its users.

d) Senior Registrar, Human Resources is accountable to the Campus Principal through the Campus Registrar. His / Her responsibilities include: -

- The hiring of competent persons to fill vacancies on campus
- Provision of an Orientation Session for new employees, those changing departments / faculties, those changing portfolios, those returning after extended leave and those injured on more than one occasion. This session should not be scheduled latter than one month after the occurrence.
- Assist in the scheduling of HSE training for all employees in consultation with the Safety Officer.
- Informing relevant line managers of any medical condition that an employee in that area might have.

e) Deans of Faculties/Academic Heads/Unit Heads are accountable to the Campus Principal for: -

- Ensuring that departments in their faculty adhere to the Campus Safety Policy, the Occupation Safety and Health Act 2004 and all other relevant legislation.

- Allocating adequate resources to enable departments to discharge their HSE responsibilities.

- Ensuring that all risk within their area are identified and assessed with the assistance of the Campus Safety Officer.

- Communicating results of the risk assessment to staff and students and the proposed control measures.

- The formulation and promulgation of specific rules for activities conducted within their area and the prevention of accidents in so far as is reasonably practicable.

- Implementation of approved safety measures following recommendations by the Campus Safety Committee.

- The formation of a Faculty Safety Committee and the scheduling of monthly meetings. Matters raised at these meetings must be addressed immediately and the Campus Safety Committee and Safety Officer notified.

- The permission of the Estate Manager must be sought before carrying out any installation, construction, modification or alteration of any building or services

f) Heads of Departments/Units are accountable to the Campus Principal through the Deans and the Campus Registrar for: -

- Maintenance of facilities, vehicles and equipment in a safe working condition.

- Organization of proper training for all employees in his / her area so that the required level of job and HSE competency is achieved.

- Notifying the Estate Manager of any defects that falls under his purview.

- Provide and enforce the use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment where risk elimination and control has failed.

- Appointing a Departmental Safety Committee and the scheduling of monthly meetings. Matters raised at these meetings must be addressed immediately and the Campus Safety Committee and Safety officer notified.

- Allocating adequate resources to enable support staff to discharge their HSE responsibilities.

- The permission of the Estate Manager must be sought before carrying out any installation, construction, modification or alteration of any building or services.

g) Academic Research Supervisors are accountable to the deans through the heads of departments and must: -

- Comply with health and safety legislation, codes of practice and Campus Policies.
- Ensure competent persons carry out risk assessment of projects and the results acted upon so that no one is put at undue risk. Record the findings of the process and copy the safety officer.
- Monitor members of the research team to ensure they are following necessary safety working procedures.
- Ensure that members of the research project team have received adequate training, information and instruction to perform their work competently.
- Liase with safety (and other) personnel in other groups in shared premises to ensure harmonised safety procedures are in force.
- Report accidents in line with campus procedures and investigate their causes to prevent a recurrence.

h) Chief Technicians / Supervisors are accountable to the Dean or Unit Head. He /she is responsible for: -
- Carrying out fortnightly safety meetings with employees in their area and have it documented.
- Enforce all safety legislation, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
- Ensure that any accidents or incidents are reported as prescribed in the accident reporting procedure.
- Ensure that persons working in their area are competent and receive the appropriate orientation for working in their area.
- Ensure that there are at least two technicians / foremen trained and certified in First Aid and CPR

h) Safety and the Individual
By law it is the duty of every person whilst at work:
- To take all reasonable steps to safeguard the health and safety of themselves and all other persons who may be affected by their acts or omission at work
- To cooperate with the Head of Department or any other person having specific safety duties, so that they can comply with health and safety legislation, codes of practice, appropriate guidance, and with Campus Health and Safety Policy/Policies
- Not to interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.
Much of the work in the Campus is highly specialised, and often only those who are engaged in it will have knowledge of the hazards inherent in the work. Although it is the duty of the Campus to provide suitable and safe equipment and systems of work, safety depends on individuals doing everything in their power to prevent injury to themselves and others. The Campus therefore requires all staff and students to:
- Use safe working practices and procedures at all times, and in particular to use any machinery, equipment, material, chemical or biological agent, or safety device in accordance with the training and instructions given to them.
- Report every accident at work which results in personal injury (however minor) and every dangerous occurrence (including fire) involving staff, students or visitors to their Head of Department or his/her nominee. They must also report the incident to the Safety Office on the campus official accident report form and to submit a report to the Campus Safety Committee
- Notify the Campus Medical Doctor when suffering from a disease or medical condition, which may be caused by, or made worse by, work activities.
- Not to proceed with any activity if they feel it poses a threat to their health and safety or to that of others and to report unsafe or unhealthy working conditions, or suspected faults in buildings and equipment and report to the Head of Department or their immediate supervisor without delay.

i) Students are responsible for conforming to the all safety legislation, rules, regulations, policies and procedures as outlined by the St. Augustine Campus. This includes not wilfully placing the health and safety of others at risk or wilfully and recklessly interfering with or misuse of items or equipment provided in the interest of Health, Safety and Environment.

j) Visitors are required to comply with all instructions given by authorised persons for the protection of their health and safety while on campus. It is the onus of the employee they visit to appraise them of the campus rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

k) Campus Safety Committee is an advisory committee to senior management and is responsible for making recommendations on policy and for prescribing action with respect to: -
- Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Matters from the campus community
- The promotion of safe and healthy working and study environment for all staff and students
- The reduction of accidents and incidents
- Continuously creating HSE awareness on campus through regular Health, Safety and Environment Communication and Awareness programmes. .
- Formulating, reviewing/evaluating, modifying and enforcing of HSE standards, rules, and procedures on campus.
- Evaluation and continual improvement of the University Safety Management System by regularly setting and reviewing measurable objectives
- Having an input in all activities at the planning and design stage.

The committee membership should include Academics, Senior Management,, a Safety Committee representative from each faculty / unit and a Trade Union representative from each bargaining unit.

l) The Campus Safety Officer is responsible for: -
- Advising senior management, Deans and Heads of Department / Units, on all HSE issues.
- Dissemination of information on statutory requirements, regulations, standards and industry best practices.
- Implementation of all HSE training.
- Carry out periodic inspections of all facilities.
- Monitor and audit all HSE procedures
- Coordinate and Carry out accident investigation as required.
- Coordinating with external agencies in emergency situations.
- Assist all staff and students in the execution of their HSE responsibilities
- Continually update staff and students on current HSE development.
ARRANGEMENTS
Policy and performance standards will be continually developed, implemented and promulgated to achieve the highest possible HSE conditions on campus. The Campus Safety Committee will propose these standards and once approved by the Campus Principal will become part of the Campus Safety Policy.
The sources of policy and performance standards are: -
1. The legal requirement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, its Regulations, Approved Codes of Practices and the legal requirements of other regulatory bodies.
2. Guidance on safe working conditions as developed by the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards, Trade Associations etc.
3. The University’s own Codes of Practices and Procedures developed with particular reference to University’s activities as may be outlined in the University Safety Manual.

Deans of Faculties and Heads of Departments and Units must prepare and regularly review their Faculty / Unit Safety Policy Statement. These should reflect the University’s policy and performance standards and include local arrangements for their implementation. These statements must be brought to the attention of all staff and students.