Information for students

Practicals

The practical class risk assessment

Since it is necessary for us to demonstrate that we have conducted a risk assessment on each one of our teaching activities, a Undergraduate practical: Risk assessment (MS Word , 70kb)Assessment must be completed by the responsible academic before Teaching Laboratory staff will be prepared to provide materials for the practical. Indeed, it is essential that the organiser responsible for each practical has prepared an assessment at least two weeks in advance to avoid cancellation. Completed assessment forms for Undergraduate and Postgraduate practical sessions should be signed and returned to Wendy Crosby in the Biology Teaching Laboratory.

  • Undergraduate practical example: Risk assessment (PDF , 32kb)
  • Assessments provide a useful opportunity to identify any significant hazards associated with the work and appropriate measures required to reduce risk to an acceptable level. This is necessary for the protection of:
    • teaching Laboratory staff who are involved in the preparation and disposal of materials used in practicals
    • students and demonstrators during the practical itself
  • Significant hazards: it is expected that any proposed practical that identifies significant hazards associated with practical work will be discussed with the Chief Technician in the Teaching Laboratory as part of the risk assessment process. It must never be the case that a new practical is planned to be introduced at short notice without adequate consultation with the technical staff who will have to prepare and service the practical. Quite often the risks associated with the preparation work are greater than those associated with the student work.
  • All hazardous substances (typically chemicals and biological materials) needed specifically for each practical must be carefully assessed before purchase, recognising that their use in an undergraduate laboratory is less predictable than use in a research laboratory.
  • Lectures: although it might seem silly to consider risks associated with lectures, practical demonstrations within lectures are known to occur and they could involve the introduction of hazards into the lecture room.
  • Fieldwork/Fieldtrips: The isolated nature of some fieldwork and the possible encounter of unexpected hazards mean that fieldwork or fieldtrips require careful and full consideration. The departmental fieldwork code of practice should be followed for all fieldwork activities.
  • Chemicals for routine use in the teaching laboratories (i.e. chemicals used for more than one practical, such as common laboratory reagents) will be assigned a hazard severity level by the Chief Technician in Teaching in consultation with the Departmental Safety Advisor if necessary.
  • Computing practical sessions: a generic risk assessment is available for computing practical sessions. This is available from the Teaching Laboratory manager. Please check this covers your needs before the start of the session
  • Review: risk assessments should be reviewed on an annual basis or more frequently if significant changes are introduced

Handouts

Safety instructions on handouts

  • Safety Information must be given in writing, in a clear manner at the start of the handout or in a document that specifically addresses the safety of the work planned. It must be clearly labelled with a heading 'Safety Information'. Reminder information or specific information on handling a special hazard can be given later as part of the procedures but the hazard itself must be included in the list of hazards in the safety information section (or panel) at the start of the document.
  • If there are no significant hazards, state that in the safety information but make sure you are right!
  • The safety information should list all the significant hazards in order of estimated hazard potential. It is only permissible to state generic hazards (e.g. "class 3 chemicals") if the hazards are given classification later in the document (e.g. "sodium azide, category 3 hazard").
  • The safety information should contain generic instructions for procedures that must be adopted to make it safe to work with the hazards identified (e.g. "a lab coat must be worn", "safety eye protection must be worn"). If more detailed, specific safety instructions are given later in the detailed practical protocols, reference to these specific instructions must be made in the Safety Information section (e.g. "to work with sodium azide safely you must follow the procedures on p3 precisely).
  • You must not assume that any previous practical will have provided adequate safety information or instruction for the type of work you plan for your module.
  • If safety demonstrations are to be provided by the demonstrators this fact must be recorded in the safety information (e.g. "Do not attempt X until you have had a safety demonstration of snake handling or have watched the video")
  • Verbal reminder to students, emphasizing some of the key safety issues, should be seen as building on the foundation provided in the safety information.
  • It is OK to depart from the letter of these guidelines but not from the spirit.

Specimen examples of safety instructions

UG Projects

Undergraduate projects

Background

The whole point of the 3rd year project is that it gives a student an opportunity to conduct a piece of independent research. The student must have a greater responsibility for their own work. It is reasonable, and indeed sensible, to involve the student in the safety management of the project. However, getting the balance right can be hard as judgments must be made not only about the hazards associated with the work but also whether an individual student has the experience and responsibility to implement the appropriate risk reduction measures. As the supervisor you will have to err on the side of caution even if this reduces the value of the educational experience to some extent.

Responsibilities

All involved in a project (student and Project Supervisor) are responsible for safety. If, after consulting the supervisor, students still have concerns about safety issues, they should consult the Biology Safety Advisor.

Supervisors Responsibilities

It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure that the project is planned with the safety implications in mind. It is essential that this consideration takes place before the project description is submitted. Some items to be considered are listed below:

  • which hazards will the student encounter?
  • how will risks associated with those hazard be reduced to an acceptable level?
  • who will provide the appropriate safety training?
  • who will provide any special equipment needed to conduct the work safely?
  • who will monitor the work if it requires close supervision?
  • how will waste be disposed of?
  • are you sure that the project is appropriate for an undergraduate student? A project is supposed to provide an appropriate learning experience for a student - it should not just be an extension of a supervisor's research agenda.

Supervisors must ensure that:

  • written safety protocols for the planned work are provided where appropriate
  • safety instruction is given for all new tasks which involve new or unfamiliar hazards
  • appropriate safety equipment is provided
  • the facilities where the work is to be conducted is appropriate for the safe conduct of the work
  • appropriate supervision and monitoring is provided (see below) to establish, at intervals if the work is being conducted safely

The Risk Assessment

  • The risk assessment must identify all possible hazards associated with work and record a set of procedures that will be adopted to reduce the risks to an acceptable level.
  • The supervisor must complete a written risk assessment, preferably in consultation with the student as part of their training. A copy of the Undergraduate 3rd year project: Risk assessment (MS Word , 16kb) can be downloaded in Word format. The student and the supervisor must sign the risk assessment and submit a copy to the Undergraduate Office. A copy of the assessment must also be sent to the appropriate Teaching Laboratory Technician (along with any written protocols that are needed by the student or the technical staff) if work is taking place in this area. Work cannot begin until this form has been submitted.
  • The technician in charge of teaching must be informed of any new significant hazards that are to be introduced into the Teaching Labs after the project has started which are not covered in the original risk assessment. This must occur before the new hazard is planned to be introduced and new written protocols must be provided.

Monitoring Safe Working Practices

  • The student should be given appropriate supervision throughout the project - this may vary from the member of staff actually working with the student to a member of staff visiting the student at intervals where they are working. The diversity of work conducted by students is so great that precise guidance cannot be given. However, a useful scheme might be that if a student needs to work to a written procedure to work safely with a particular hazards, then the student should be personally supervised (by the supervisor or a person who has agreed to offer such supervision and who has the appropriate qualifications and experience) until the supervisor judges that the student can be relied upon to work correctly.
  • Should a laboratory worker supervising the student note any unsafe or potentially dangerous practices, they have the authority to stop the work immediately. The Project Supervisor will be informed and work can only commence again once the Project Supervisor is satisfied that work will be performed safely. The Biology Safety Advisor will be consulted if doubt exists about the safety of the work.
  • A project student who is working in an unsafe manner a second time will receive a written censure from the Chair of Biology Board of Studies. This note will clearly state that a third unsafe act will result in experimental work on the project being terminated immediately. For exceptional cases of stupidity, the ban on experimental work will be immediate.

Out of hours work limitations

  • Project work is normally restricted to normal working hours of 8.00 – 18.00. Work outside these hours is only permitted if:
    • the work is simply care and maintenance of living organisms or simple sample taking
    • project supervisors have approved the out-of-hours work by signing the Out of hours form for Undergraduate Students (MS Word , 33kb)
    • students are accompanied, for example, by their Supervisor, other worker from the area or friend
  • This applies to work anywhere in the Department including work carried out in the research labs of supervisors.

Masters projects

Masters projects

Background

The project allows a Masters student an opportunity to conduct a piece of independent research and requires the student to take a greater responsibility for their own work. It is reasonable, and indeed sensible, to involve the student in the safety management of the project. However, getting the balance right can be hard as judgments must be made not only about the hazards associated with the work but also whether an individual student has the experience and responsibility to implement the appropriate risk reduction measures.

Responsibilities

All involved in a project (student and Project Supervisor) are responsible for safety. If, after consulting the supervisor, students still have concerns about safety issues, they should consult the Biology Safety Advisor.

Supervisors Responsibilities

It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure that the project is planned with the safety implications in mind. It is essential that this consideration takes place before the project description is submitted. Some items to be considered are listed below:

  • which hazards will the student encounter?
  • how will risks associated with those hazard be reduced to an acceptable level?
  • who will provide the appropriate safety training?
  • who will provide any special equipment needed to conduct the work safely?
  • who will monitor the work if it requires close supervision?
  • how will waste be disposed of?

Supervisors must ensure that:

  • written safety protocols for the planned work are provided where appropriate
  • safety instruction is given for all new tasks which involve new or unfamiliar hazards
  • appropriate safety equipment is provided
  • the facilities where the work is to be conducted is appropriate for the safe conduct of the work
  • appropriate supervision and monitoring is provided (see below) to establish, at intervals if the work is being conducted safely

The Risk Assessment

  • The risk assessment must identify all possible hazards associated with work and record a set of procedures that will be adopted to reduce the risks to an acceptable level.
  • The supervisor must complete a written risk assessment, preferably in consultation with the student as part of their training. A copy of the Masters project: Risk assessment (MS Word , 46kb) can be downloaded in Word format. The student and the supervisor must sign the risk assessment and submit a copy to the Postgraduate Office. Work cannot begin until this form has been submitted.

Monitoring Safe Working Practices

  • The student should be given appropriate supervision throughout the project - this may vary from the member of staff actually working with the student to a member of staff visiting the student at intervals where they are working. The diversity of work conducted by students is so great that precise guidance cannot be given. However, a useful scheme might be that if a student needs to work to a written procedure to work safely with a particular hazards, then the student should be personally supervised (by the supervisor or a person who has agreed to offer such supervision and who has the appropriate qualifications and experience) until the supervisor judges that the student can be relied upon to work correctly.
  • Should a laboratory worker supervising the student note any unsafe or potentially dangerous practices, they have the authority to stop the work immediately. The Project Supervisor will be informed and work can only commence again once the Project Supervisor is satisfied that work will be performed safely. The Biology Safety Advisor will be consulted if doubt exists about the safety of the work.
  • A project student who is working in an unsafe manner a second time will receive a written censure from the Chair of Biology Board of Studies. This note will clearly state that a third unsafe act will result in experimental work on the project being terminated immediately. For exceptional cases of stupidity, the ban on experimental work will be immediate.

Out of hours work limitations

  • Project work is normally restricted to normal working hours of 8.00 - 18.00. Work outside these hours is only permitted if:
    • the work involves inherently low risk activities
    • project supervisors have approved the out-of hours laboratory work by signing the Out of hours form for Masters Students (MS Word , 29kb)
    • This applies to work anywhere in the Department including work carried out in the research labs. of supervisors.