H&S Round Up November 2025
Posted on Thursday 13 November 2025
SHWO Update
First Aid online refresher
In response to HSE recommendations, Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Work Office (SHWO) have made available a new, non-mandatory First Aid at Work online refresher course on the LMS, aimed at maintaining competency. SHWO recommend that all UoY first aiders access this resource which does not replace the full in-person training courses. Thank you to David Hartley for providing the material for this course.
USHA and Fire conferences
Three of the SHWO team recently represented the University of York at the USHA (Universities Safety and Health Association) conference. The Director of Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work Dev Agarwal gave a talk titled "Enablers and Blockers for Neurodivergent colleagues in a Neurotypical World – experiences of a neurodivergent professional!"
The Fire team recently represented the University of York at the Golden Thread Fire Safety and Building Safety Act seminar. The seminar showcased how public bodies and universities are leading the way on the Building Safety Act compliance to instigate change.
Seasonal Advice
Take care travelling around campus in adverse weather. It is extremely dangerous to go on the ice if the lake is frozen - please report anyone on the frozen lake to Campus Safety.
*NEW* Latest updates from the Workplace Health and Safety Committee (Annual Report)
Reporting period 21st September 2024 to 20th September 2025
| Incidents reported | 531 |
|---|---|
| Fire risk assessments | 79 |
| Fire alarm activations | 176 |
| Overseas travel trips | 2952 |
Mandatory Training
The mandatory training target is 90% completion. Fire Safety training is still at levels that are unacceptable at 85%. DSE training is at 91%.
SHWO Completed Projects
|
Project |
Summary |
|
New Governance Framework |
The new governance framework was finalised and approved. H&S Business Partners have met with relevant department representatives (HoDs, DHoFOs, DSAs) to explain the new governance framework and discuss its implementation. This contact has been welcomed and received positive feedback. The new framework has been in place from the start of the 2025-26 academic year, with the first Level 2 meetings scheduled for the start of 2026. |
|
First Aid training backlog |
The backlog of first aid training has now been addressed. All current first aiders have been offered refresher courses and courses are in place to train new first aiders. H&S Business Partners are working with departments and areas to ensure sufficient first aid provision. |
|
First Aid online refresher |
A new non-mandatory first aid online refresher has now been launched on the LMS for all UoY first aiders. This is in response to advice from the HSE and feedback from first aiders regarding maintaining competence between training courses. |
|
H&S Communications: H&S Round Up Safety Alerts |
The H&S Round Up is issued at the end of each month on the H&S News pages and contains updates from the SHWO such as new processes, training information and positive H&S drives at the University. A link to the H&S RoundUp is published in the Staff Digest and HR Round Up and is sent to all DSAs for further cascading via their local newsletters. Safety Alerts are issued on a case-by-case basis to highlight University wide H&S issues. The Safety alerts are published in the Staff Digest, on the H&S News Pages and are linked in the H&S Round Up. They are also sent directly to DSAs for further distribution. |
|
Hazard profiling project Phase 1 |
Working with DSAs, a hazard profiling project was completed mapping all hazards across the University. |
|
Accident and incident reporting and investigation procedure. |
The process has been reviewed and associated guidance, management standard and webpage have been reviewed, updated and communicated. |
|
Overseas Travel |
Following extensive consultation, reviews and iterations, the Overseas Travel process was approved. New guidance, Management Standard and webpage have been produced and communicated. An Overseas Travel risk assessment training course is now available. The Severe Risk Travel Procedure was also established and approved. Since its launch there has been a distinct improvement in travel risk assessments received and the new process has received much positive feedback. |
|
Assisted Evacuation |
A new process for Generic Emergency Evacuation Plans (GEEPs) and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) has been approved and launched. Training for PEEPs assessors is now available. |
|
Fire warden training |
Fire Warden training reviewed and updated. New training is being delivered to current and new fire warden (nominated persons). A total of 69 nominated persons have been trained. |
|
Fire safety audit Phase 1 |
Refer to University Health and Safety Internal Audit for further details |
SHWO Upcoming Projects
|
Project |
Summary |
|
New H&S Cloud management system |
A new accident and incident reporting system is planned to be procured and introduced in the coming months (subject to approval). Some of the modules the preferred system includes (but not limited to) are: Accident and Incident Manager, Fire Risk Management, Staff Induction / Training Tool, Audits Manager/HASMAP, Monitoring & Inspection Manager, Workstation Assessment (Display Screen Equipment) Management, Central Document Manager, Staff Competence Tracker, Contractor Management, Risk Assessment Manager, COSHH, etc. |
|
Fieldwork Guidance |
SHWO guidance for Fieldwork is being produced as part of a review of off-campus activities. Interested parties in the Faculties are being consulted as part of a working group to inform this project. |
|
Out of Hours and Lone Working |
Guidance for out of hours and lone working is being reviewed and updated. |
|
DSA Support Review |
A DSA Forum will be arranged at the start of 2026. New DSAs are now offered a package of training courses to support the role. Further training will include Incident Investigation training and Inspection Training |
|
Training Project |
There is an on-going project to review and update SHWO H&S Training. Current training being reviewed includes:
|
|
Senior Leadership Training |
All senior leaders at the University have been strongly recommended to attend the Senior Leadership H&S Training course run by Human Apps. Approximately half of those invited attended sessions in the summer and further opportunities are being offered in October and November for those who were unable to attend. |
|
Web page review |
The SHWO web site moved to the new pages in 2025. There is an on-going programme of review and update of the information on these pages, aligned with other projects and communicated in the SHWO monthly communications. |
|
Hazard profiling project Phase 2 |
This will be reviewed in 2026 as part of the active monitoring process. |
- The University’s Safety, Health, and Wellbeing Policy will undergo a light-touch review in consultation with the H&S trade union representatives. A full detailed review will be conducted in the next academic year.
- The Vice-Chancellor completed a Health and Safety walkaround in the Biology department in July, including the containment level 3 parasitology labs and the anaerobic digestion lab. The Vice-Chancellor heard details about how the facilities work and their emergency procedures.
- Upon invitation from the Dean, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor completed a series of Health and Safety walkarounds with a visit to the Faculty of Social Sciences. The walkround took place in the departments of Education, and Politics and International Relations.
- UoY Senior Leaders have been attending Senior Leadership Safety Training sessions over the summer.
- In September the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited the Department of Biology to conduct an investigation in relation to a Dangerous Occurrence. The HSE lead investigator met with the worker directly involved in the incident, and visited the facility where it happened. There were no follow up actions from the visit.
- A Biological Safety Audit was carried out in the Faculty of Science. The consultant will also be supporting the Director of SHW with developing an institutional-wide biological safety strategy.
- Since November 2025, SHWO has issued a total of 17 safety, health, and wellbeing related communications. 9 of these were via the monthly round-ups and 8 via the safety alerts.
For further information please see the Workplace Health and Safety Committee pages.
Mandatory Health and Safety training completion
| Fire Safety Training | DSE Training | |
|---|---|---|
| August 2025 | 85% | 92% |
| September 2025 | 85% | 91% |
| October 2025 | 84% | 92% |
Health and Safety training
|
Course |
Target Audience |
Spaces Available |
Booking information |
|
Operational staff |
6-12 |
||
| First Aid at Work (Requalification) |
Operational staff |
6-12 |
|
|
All Staff (lower risk areas) |
6-12 |
||
|
Gaining Confidence in Risk Assessment (Practical Workshop) |
DSAs and operational staff |
12 |
The online RA training is a prerequisite. |
|
DSAs/managers |
10 |
||
|
DSAs and operational staff |
14 |
||
|
All staff |
12 |
||
|
Operational staff |
12 |
The online Manual Handling Introductory Training is a prerequisite |
|
|
Operational staff |
12 |
The online COSHH - an Introduction course is a prerequisite |
For further information see our Health and Safety Training pages.
Reporting of Estates-related maintenance issues
It is important to report maintenance issues immediately to prevent the problem getting worse and causing further disruption.
To report a fault, log in to the Helpdesk Portal.
Reporting of Health and Safety incidents
Reporting adverse events and hazardous situations is an essential part of managing health & safety at work. To report an accident, incident, near-miss or hazard observation, use the SOLAR System.
For general enquiries, contact us on shwo-enquiries@york.ac.uk.
For fire safety queries, contact us on firesafety@york.ac.uk