The Professional Training Year – Risk Assessment

1. The Professional Training Year – Risk Assessment (adapted from The Professional Training Orientation Programme by Lindy Blair, University of Surrey, 2010) Neil Chapman Faculty Safety Adviser, FHMS

2. During this session we address the following issues: How can I make sure I’m ‘as safe as possible’? What do I need to do about my risk assessment? What’s important?

3. ‘Safe’ ….means different things to different people.

4. Legal situation UK placements • You will be an Employee • Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 (HASWA) applies • Responsibility lies with employer Overseas placements • Legislation varies, and is therefore more complicated! • EU similar to UK • Standards and expectations (yours and theirs!) may vary • Safety equipment and procedures may be different too

5. Terminology: What is a hazard? A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm e.g. scaffolding with no guard rails or volatile toxic chemicals What is risk? A risk is the likelihood that a hazard will cause harm e.g. if there are no guard rails on the scaffolding it is likely that a construction worker will fall off and if there are no safety measures then it is likely you will breathe the chemicals in Definitions from http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/faq.htm 8th March 2010

6. Work Risk Profiling Travel and Transportation High Medium Low Location General /Environmental Student Taken from: UCEA Health and Safety Guidance for the placement of Higher Education students, August 2009

7. Work • Working with materials that are highly hazardous or in very hazardous situations or locations • Working with materials that are moderately hazardous or in situations where risks are controlled by statute • Low hazard environment Some Examples: • Construction site • Machinery • High risk clients • Flying (yourself) • Most laboratories, R&D sites and manufacturing facilities • Administration, teaching and non-laboratory based research High Medium Low

8. Travel and Transportation

9. Travel and Transportation Some Examples: • Flying to NZ, Florida • Required to drive others • Lower local transport standards, roads, vehicles • Business travel in familiar car • No business driving High Medium Low • Significant travel to reach placement • Demanding travel during placement • Night travel • Long daily commute • Comfortable daily commute Most placements here

10. Location

11. Location Some Examples: • FCO advises against travel • Lone/remote or working near significant risk • FCO low risk • No adverse information known High Medium Low • Sig. risk of civil disorder, crime, etc. • Medical & Rescue services remote • Difficult communication • Communication delays • Few local risks Most UK placements here

12. General /Environmental Some Examples: • Immunisations required • Manual work in the sun • Cold storage facilities • Some health measures advisable • Work in the UK or EU High Medium Low • Regional health risks • Very Hot • Very Cold • Some environmental health risks • No sig environmental health risks Most of you will be here

13. http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/

14. Student Some Examples: • Limited language ability • Pregnancy • Regular need for hospital intervention • Religious observance • Dietary requirements • Allergies High Medium Low • Health, disability, linguistic or cultural issues leading to increased risk of illness or accident • Issues that may require adjustments, support • No long-term medical conditions or disability Most of you here, probably

15. Thanks and I hope that helped… Any questions?