To carry out a risk assessment you need to:

1. Identify all reasonably foreseeable hazards
2. Consider who might be harmed and how
3. For each hazard consider whether it can be removed completely or replaced by a less hazardous alternative
4. Assess the risk with the existing controls and identify if any additional controls are needed
5. Check and review the risk assessment periodically

The University’s Risk Assessment form takes you through the process. If you need help or advice you can contact your Line Manager or local Safety Adviser for further information.

Line Managers must be advised of all Lone Working activity that takes place.

In many situations e.g. typical office work, the risks of lone working are no greater than being alone at home, and can take place without additional precautions or with minor adjustments to working practices. In offices, for example, the risk of accidental injury is very low. The main perceived risk may be to personal safety and security, either from intruders in the building, or from walking alone to the car park or public transport, particularly if this is late at night or in the dark. Basic precautions can be taken, such as locking the office door, arranging to walk to the car park with a colleague, keeping to well-lit areas, not taking short cuts.

Any Lone Working activity in addition to this should be risk assessed. There is an On Campus Lone Worker Checklist‘ that can be used to assist with the production of a risk assessment.

It is the responsibility of your Line Manager to ensure that a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans) is in place if you need one.

Accident report forms must be signed by a ‘responsible person’ such as your Line Manager or local Safety Adviser and sent to Safety Services within 3 days of the incident occurring. If there is no ‘responsible person’ to sign your form (in most cases there will be a deputy or equivalent who can sign the form) please send it to Safety Services without a signature explaining why it is unsigned. It is better to send the form to Safety Services quickly, rather than delay sending the form.

Staff Training and Development Unit (STDU) record all of your training. You can log onto the training catalogue and view all of the training that you have received here: https://app.manchester.ac.uk/training/

If you use Display Screen Equipment (DSE) you will be asked to undertake a DSE Self-Assessment as part of your induction. Please contact your local DSE assessor, who can assist with this. If you have any specific health concerns regarding DSE use, please contact the Occupational Health Service directly, or via your Line Manager.

There is a useful guide available on setting up your workstation.

All employees using DSE on a regular basis are encouraged to attend the University Occupational Health Service for a visual screening test (not to be confused with a conventional eye test) in the following circumstances:

• When first using DSE on a regular basis.
• If they begin to experience discomfort or other visual problems when using DSE.
• At further intervals if advised appropriate to do so.

For further details contact Occupational Health.

Any costs for equipment are picked up locally within your Division.

If you feel that you are experiencing ill health as a direct result of your working environment, you can speak to your line manager in the first instance, or you can self refer to Occupational Health Service.

There is a useful guide available on setting up your workstation.