Roles and Responsibilities

A key role in implementing this policy lies with all managers / Group Leaders who are responsible for ensuring the following requirements are implemented within their area of responsibility and control. Some specific responsibilities are outlined below.

Head of Department

Head of Department (HoD) is ultimately responsible for the management of work equipment in the Department. The HoD is responsible for ensuring that:

the Department complies with the requirements of the University Work Equipment Policy and Management Procedure and associated departmental policy and arrangements

Health & Safety Advisor

The H&S Advisor is responsible for:

advising on relevant University and regulatory requirements for work equipment
keeping the Department’s Health & Safety Management Plan up to date with relevant arrangements for work equipment
checking compliance with university and departmental work equipment policy and arrangements as part of general and specific departmental safety inspections/audits

Managers / Group Leaders / Supervisors

Managers / Group Leaders / Supervisors are responsible for:

ensuring the risks associated with the use of all hazardous work equipment (presenting risk of significant harm) are assessed and documented along with appropriate control measures
ensuring work equipment is adequately maintained and inspected such that it does not deteriorate to the point it presents a significant risk to workers
ensuring that all their workers receive appropriate local instruction and training on the work equipment associated with their work activities
ensuring training is recorded for the use of hazardous work equipment presenting significant risk of harm or injury / where specialist knowledge on safe use is required

Individual Workers (includes Staff and Students)

Individual workers are responsible for:

safe use of work equipment according to instruction and training received
reporting of any accidents and incidents, faults or defects associated with work equipment to their line manager

Biology Operations Management / Infrastructure

The Biology Operations Team are responsible for:

arranging the statutory inspections of all departmental autoclaves and pressurised liquid nitrogen storage vessels
arranging the statutory examination and testing of all local exhaust equipment (microbial safety cabinets)
arranging safe disposal of equipment from the Department
annual inspections of gas regulators and equipment
assigning a University asset number and recording service and statutory reports for equipment that is operated under statutory law
arrange the portable appliance electrical safety testing of equipment
providing training on safe use of departmentally managed work equipment (e.g. high speed centrifuges, central liquid nitrogen storage equipment)