18 January 2008
University health and safety partnership breaks new ground
A pioneering partnership to promote and safeguard the health and safety of staff and students is to be signed today (January 18) by managers and unions at the University of Leeds.
A declaration that health and safety is the University’s highest
priority is at the heart of the partnership, which is backed by a substantial
annual investment of £1.4m in health and safety, together with an
awareness-raising campaign and a package of improvements.
The partnership is the first of its kind in higher education in recognising
unions and managers as equal partners. Its purpose is to make the campus
a safe environment for all staff, students and visitors through achieving
the highest possible standards in health and safety.
The University aims to bring about significant and lasting improvement in the culture and performance of health and safety through a ‘revitalisation programme’. A number of steps have already been taken and others are planned, including:
- The appointment of the first director of wellbeing, health and safety in a UK university, supported by a professional team of 18 staff;
- A doubling of the health and safety budget to £1.4m over two years;
- New campus-wide health and safety standards;
- A new website and online risk assessment package;
- Health and safety ‘learning packages’ for staff;
- A health and safety DVD to be seen by all 8,000 campus staff;
- A six-month high profile awareness-raising campaign.
Around one in ten University staff have reported an accident at work, ranging from minor trips to injuries requiring time off. The University has received two improvement notices from the HSE in the last three years. University managers and staff agree that this is unacceptable.
University Vice-Chancellor Michael Arthur said: “The health and safety of our people is our top priority, and we will do whatever is necessary to make our campus as safe as possible.
“We need to bring about a permanent shift in health and safety culture. We should not underestimate the challenge of achieving this, but I am confident that by working together we will succeed. I look forward to the day when our university is a flagship for health and safety, with others looking to us to see how it should be done.”
In a joint statement, the University trade unions UCU, Unite (Amicus
section) and UNISON said: “We welcome the new partnership with the
University on revitalising health and safety.
We regard the health and safety of our members, and an excellent working
environment for staff, as essential and welcome the University's commitment
to this. We especially welcome the University's recognition of the crucial
role that trade unions have to play in achieving these goals.”
The Health and Safety Executive has been working closely with the University and has welcomed the partnership approach. HSE regional director David Snowball said: “Successful health and safety management depends on the combined efforts of everyone. I welcome this declaration which puts partnership at the heart of the University of Leeds’ efforts to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of its staff, students and visitors.
“It's not just a question of appointing someone with responsibility for safety and leaving it all to them. The drive and leadership needs to come from the top. Our job is to help those who create the risk to manage it for themselves.”
For interviews, more details about the partnership or copies of the health and safety DVD, please contact University media relations director Vanessa Bridge on 0113 343 4030 v.bridge@leeds.ac.uk
Download re-vitalising health and safety document
