No person may operate these tools unless they have been properly trained in their use, hold a current certificate of training and be competent and authorised. The Site Safety Advisor can assist in obtaining appropriate training. The noise generated by this equipment is greater than the first action level and therefore hearing protection is required.

This type of equipment shall not be used unless adequate personal protective equipment including eye protection is provided and worn.

Before any JBO vehicle is used, permission must be obtained from the Site Safety Advisor or his deputy and the name of the driver must be recorded in the Proxsafe database and user added by the Site Safety Advisor.

The driver of the vehicle must possess a valid licence appropriate to that class of vehicle, and must be named on a list of authorised drivers maintained by the Site Safety Advisor. This includes vehicles driven off the public highway. Authorised drivers must allow their licences to be checked online on the DVLA website annually. Any conviction for a driving offence must be reported to the Site Safety Advisor immediately, and may result in the driver being barred from using JBO vehicles.

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that the vehicle is safe to use. In particular, drivers should check the oil and water, and satisfy themselves that the brakes, lights, tyres, mirrors and windscreen wipers are in good working order. Any fault, however small must be reported when handing back the keys to the key cabinet. It is the responsibility of the JBO vehicle inspector to ensure the vehicle is safe to drive before authorising its use.

Drivers must take a break of at least 15 minutes after driving for 2 hrs, and must not drive for more than 6 hrs (total) in one working day. Driving is not permitted more than 12 hrs after the start of a working day without driver rotation, or at any time when tiredness or illness may impair safety. The University’s Driving at Work toolkit can be found here.

Where a vehicle has equipment whose operation requires special precautions (e.g. a hydraulic platform or power take-off), this equipment may be used only by staff with appropriate training or supervision. This is controlled at JBO by an electronic key cabinet. Training in the use of the tractor can be provided by the Telescope Supervisor and only added to the database when full working knowledge of the machine can be established.

Please also see the main site arrangements in Section 3.3.

The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) impose absolute duties on employers and employees to ensure the safety of all electrical systems and equipment. In particular, work subject to the Regulations may be undertaken only by suitably qualified people. The suitably qualified people at JBO are the electricians, under the supervision of Ray Comber – Electrical Engineer. They must be consulted at the design stage about any installation, modification or non‐ proprietary equipment which may present a hazard and, in particular, any which uses voltages in excess of 50V AC or 120V ripple‐free DC.

The electricians also organise regular safety testing of electrical appliances in accordance with the Regulations. All appliances used at work are subject to these tests, including proprietary equipment and personal property, and users must ensure that their equipment is made available for testing. When any electrical equipment is purchased or newly brought to JBO, the person responsible for it must inform the Telescope Engineer so that it may be included in the test programme. Equipment tested will be labelled and the test results recorded, to demonstrate compliance with the Regulations. Unsafe equipment must be withdrawn from use immediately and arrangements for repair or procurement of a safe replacement is the responsibility of the user.

Residual Current Devices and similar safety equipment are also subject to regular testing by the Electricians. The users of circuits protected by these devices are responsible for ensuring that the tests can be conducted conveniently.

In the event of a power outage you need to consult the Emergency Power Outage procedure.

6.3.1.      User checks

All equipment users must:

• Carry out pre-use visual checks and regular examination of the equipment for signs of damage or deterioration
• Carry out safe operation of the equipment, according to training, risk assessments and operating manuals
• Only use equipment that is fit-for-purpose or use equipment in a suitable environment (e.g. wet environment with a residual current device (RCD))
• Report defects to the Academic Supervisor, Line Manager or Technical Support Staff
• Not overload power supplies or “daisy-chain” cables and extension leads
• Not trail cables across access and egress
• Not modify equipment unless qualified and competent to do so
• Not use equipment that has not been electrically tested

It is the responsibility of the Academic Supervisor or Line Manager of an area to ensure defective equipment is taken out of use. Defective electrical equipment should be given to the electrical department at JBO, who may be able to fix the equipment.

All electrical equipment which is defective and is to be disposed of should be labelled to warn others. Electrical equipment for disposal must be passed through the electrical department at JBO for removal from the electrical testing database and disposed of via the electrical waste storage facility.

Staff and students should seek the permission of their manager, supervisor or principal investigator before bringing personal electrical items of equipment into the Department for use. Any such personal items of equipment must be safe and be included in the regular Department testing programme.

The University’s Guidance on the Maintenance of Electrical Equipment can be found below:

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=15604

6.3.2.      High voltage work

Where the user or others may be exposed to high voltage, this must be covered by a comprehensive risk assessment with the relevant controls in place. High voltage is defined as “a voltage in excess of 1000 V ac or 1500 V dc.” Any lab which uses high voltage equipment must ensure the external door shows this risk. Care should be taken to ensure cleaners and other visitors of the lab are not exposed to these hazards.

6.3.3.      Live equipment

Defined as “equipment that is at a voltage by being connected to a source of electricity. Live parts that are uninsulated and exposed so that they can be touched either directly or indirectly by a conducting object are hazardous if the voltage exceeds 50 V ac or 120 V dc.”

Live work is defined as “work on or near conductors that are accessible and ‘live’ or ‘charged’. Live work includes live testing, such as using a test instrument to measure voltage on a live power distribution or control system.”

Live work on systems over 50V is NOT permitted unless covered by a comprehensive risk assessment that is specific to the actual task. In any event, lone working on live equipment is prohibited.

All work on high voltage and live equipment must be signed off by the Head of Group or line manager of the area to show they consent to this high risk activity and that the correct controls measures are in place to ensure everyone’s safety.

The fire alarms are tested remotely by Estates on a Friday morning. 

Any malfunction of the alarms or inaudibility should be reported to the Site Safety Advisor.

At all other times IF THE FIRE ALARM BELLS SOUND: Evacuate the building as follows:

1) Switch off all electrical equipment and gas supplies if safe to do so. Close windows and shut any doors behind you.

2) Walk out via the NEAREST exit or fire exit. Do NOT stop to collect personal belongings. Obey any instructions from the staff or emergency authorities.

3) Fire assembly points are:

• Control Building – at the base of the 42ft telescope away from the main entrance.
• Main development lab – on the Green.
• Dormitory & Telescope workshop – the power house car park area. Discovery Centre – Visitor car park.

4) Do NOT impede the fire brigade or other emergency services.

5) Do NOT re‐enter the building until told to do so by the fire officer in charge.

If you have a personal health issue which might affect your ability to leave the building promptly in an emergency situation then you should contact the Site Safety Advisor so that a suitable personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) can be discussed and drawn up.

Action to take in the event of discovering a fire

If there is NO danger to yourself and you have received relevant training you may attempt to put out the fire using the appropriate extinguisher. Always position yourself between the fire and an exit. Do not take personal risks. If you have any doubts about your ability to put out the fire, leave the room, shut all doors, sound the alarm and call the fire brigade (internal 9-999).

The following procedures can be found on the JBO H&S intranet:

• Fire action procedure for the control room
• Fire action procedure for contractors working on the Lovell Telescope
• Fire action Procedure for the Lovell Telescope

6.4.1.      Fire Prevention

A major hazard in any laboratory or workshop is fire. The following precautions should be observed to minimise the risk and spreading of fire:

Fire doors and smoke doors must be kept closed at all times. Do not wedge them open.

Fire exit routes must be clearly marked and free from obstruction.

All staff and students must be familiar with the emergency procedures to be followed in the event of a fire.

All staff and students must be familiar with the type, location, colour coding and use of fire extinguishers and other fire‐fighting equipment.

6.4.2.      Fire Extinguishers

EEC regulations require that all fire extinguishers are red with an identifying triangle to indicate the type of extinguisher. The colour of the triangle corresponds to the classifications given below.

Black: CO2 extinguishers. These do not have an appreciable cooling effect and when the CO2 has evaporated there may be spontaneous re‐ignition. CO2 extinguishers MUST NOT be used on alkali metal fires.

Blue: Dry Powder. These extinguishers are suitable for use with fires involving metal hydrides, magnesium or alkali metals, but should only be used in essential cases because the dispersed powder is difficult to clean up.

Red: Water ‐filled extinguishers. These are suitable for use with fires involving paper, wood, textiles and fabrics. DO NOT USE water on electrical or chemical fires.

Cream: Foam water based fire extinguishers. These are suitable for use with fires involving paper, wood, textiles and fabrics or flammable liquids.

Dry sand is useful for sodium fires.

Any extinguisher that has been used, even partially, must be immediately exchanged for a fully‐charged one via the Site Safety Advisor.

All internal areas are designated as NO SMOKING areas.

Please do not congregate around the building entrances whilst smoking.

A fire plan for the control building can be found in the Emergency procedures section, here.

Guidance for the Schuster and Turing buildings can be found in Section 2.

First Aid Boxes are green and contain a small supply of plasters, bandages and dressings. Deficiencies in the stock of a First Aid Box should be reported to a First Aider or Departmental Safety Advisor.

The Department has a number of members of staff who are designated as authorised First Aiders. These people have been trained up to standards approved by the Health & Safety Executive, and hold a current First Aid at Work Certificate their names are listed below.

Lists of first aiders are placed around the observatory and its outbuildings.

A defibrillator unit is located in the main control building on the Lovell Telescope access route.

First aid boxes are located within every building and telescope area.

A map of where the main control building first aid supplies are located is in the Emergency procedures section, here.

Guidance for the Schuster and Turing buildings can be found Section 2.

University and campus guidance about lone working can be found in Section 2. This is additional guidance for JBO.

At least two competent people must be present throughout any hazardous operations

• With rotating machinery or machine tools
• On live electrical equipment with the covers removed
• With reactive chemicals
• On high structures (apart from routine inspections conducted using standard access routes)
• At outstations (apart from "office work" activities restricted to the equipment building)

Before any lone working can commence an assessment must be completed in writing, and a copy submitted to the Site Safety Advisor.

The staff based in the main control room at Jodrell Bank work on a shift basis 24hrs a day 365 days a year. Occupational Health issue nightworker questionnaires and will take any appropriate action on the response.

Security are required to carry out regular checks with the control room staff and have access to 2-way radios at all times.

Any student or group of students engaged in a hazardous activity must be accompanied by an experienced member of staff, who will be responsible for their safety.

JBO will ensure that the correct type of mobile elevating work platform is selected for any work task that is to be undertaken. Under no circumstances will any member of staff be permitted to operate the equipment without proper and adequate training specifically for the type of machine being used.

It is JBO policy to issue safety harnesses and to ensure that they are worn at all times by employees using the working platform via the use of fixed length lanyards.

Prior to using any equipment the operator will undertake daily inspections of the equipment before commencing work to ensure that the equipment is in working order.

Under normal operating conditions, a fibre system forms an enclosed environment for optical radiation. That changes if a non-shielded plug is disconnected or a fibre is broken. The overriding priority is to ensure that all personnel - whether cable installers or equipment technicians - are protected from laser hazards under all reasonably foreseeable conditions. At Jodrell Bank we are concerned with lasers up to and including Class 1 & 1M.

NEVER look down a fibre to check if it is working.

The outstations, including most of the repeater stations, are unmanned, remote sites.  In these circumstances, the consequences of otherwise minor accidents or ailments could be severe for an individual working alone. Lone visits to outstations are therefore discouraged and must be restricted to entirely non-hazardous operations. Always report by telephone to the Duty Controller at Jodrell Bank, on arrival at an outstation and before you leave it. This applies whether or not there are other people on site. It allows the Controller to maintain a list of the personnel at each site which may be consulted in the event of an emergency. Any person attending a site alone must follow the lone worker procedures and obtain a Peoplesafe lone worker device from the main control room at Jodrell Bank before leaving. Usage instructions can be found on the JBO intranet.

Jodrell Bank does not allow the use of unmanned aircraft anywhere on its site without prior arrangement with management.

For the purposes of this arrangement, the term “unmanned aircraft” means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the device. This includes the associated operational elements and components that are required for the pilot or system operator in command to operate or control the device (such as cameras, sensors and communication links). This term includes all types of devices that meet this definition (e.g. model airplanes, quadcopters, drones that are used for any purpose, including for recreation or commerce).

The Duty Controller is responsible for ensuring the safe operation of all the telescopes, and has authority over all users of the telescopes and all personnel on the structures. Any difficulty encountered must be reported to the Duty Controller without delay.

Permission must be obtained from the Duty Controller to gain access to the telescope.

The telescopes are high moveable structures which may be operated remotely and start without warning. The drives must be isolated before personnel approach any hazardous location on a telescope, and it is essential to ensure that all personnel are clear of the hazardous areas of the structure and all equipment is correctly stowed before any movement is attempted.

There are several different types of telescope, each with a different set of operating procedures and safety regulations. Details of these procedures and regulations are held in the Control Room.  They must be studied and followed by persons intending to operate the telescopes or have access to them.