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SSR: General policies and guidance

The page below lists all of the general MRC Safety, Security and Resilience Policy and Guidance notes.

 

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Accident reporting

The work-force of the Medical Research Council is recognised as its most valuable asset. In order to maintain a healthy work-force and a safe environment for its staff, it's visiting workers and the public, it is important to ensure that a responsible attitude to health and safety is maintained. A central part of this attitude is to ensure that the staff and visiting workers recognise the importance of the accident and incident reporting procedure operated by the MRC. This document sets out the MRC policy on accident reporting and investigation.

 

 

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Code of Good Health and Safety Practice

Good Health and Safety Practice (GHSP) is a code that reflects the work practices, ethos and culture of the MRC. All MRC staff, students and visiting workers must adopt the Code, whether they work in MRC managed laboratory areas or host laboratories. The Code affirms MRC’s position on mandatory wearing of personal protective equipment. GHSP includes consideration of attitude and behavioural risks to self, colleagues, and visitors. Working within the code framework of GHSP ensures that risks are adequately controlled and work activities are correctly planned, carried out, monitored, recorded, reported and archived.

 

 

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Driving and the use of vehicles at work

A significant number of MRC employees drive on Council business. Drivers range from those for whom driving is part or the whole of their job description to those who use hired or private vehicles for defined specific journeys. This MRC Policy and Guidance for the use of vehicles whilst at work has been prepared to assist units in developing an effective system of controlling the risk to employees who drive on Council business. Risk assessments should consider the role of the manager, as well as the driver, the vehicle and the journey to be made. The MRC policy on ensuring sufficient breaks are taken during long journeys is also included.

 

 

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Health and safety responsibilities

This section contains new policy and guidance on health and safety responsibilities. Separate guidance is provided for directors, line managers and supervisors, employees, and non-MRC employees and visitors. In addition, the appendix contains a statement on the MRC's position concerning Employer's and Public Liability insurance.

 

 

Directors should be aware of the specific guidance for directors, in addition to the introduction and Director's Summary. Other parts should be circulated to the appropriate personnel.

 

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Management policies

The management of health and safety has changed dramatically over the last 8-10 years. The shift has been from seeing health and safety provision only as a legal obligation to one where, through its commitment to the health, safety and welfare of its workforce, management can control losses and bring real financial benefits to organisation.

 

The MRC's core activity is research. Every incident/accident that takes someone away from the workplace, damages equipment, wastes materials or causes delay is a threat to our research effort.

 

With continuing financial constraints we cannot ignore opportunities to control these losses and make more effective use of research funds.

 

 

The following documents are also available for downloading as PDF and Word documents:

 

 

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Procedures for the opening of new establishments

Occupying new or refurbished premises requires that specific Health and Safety issues be addressed. Firstly there are issues of health and safety management, including organising the staff, ensuring that legislative requirements are met and ensuring that that the relevant authorities have been notified before certain types of work are started. It is also important that the premises being occupied are both safe and secure for staff and visitors.

 

The policy of the Medical Research Council is to ensure that its staff work to best practice within safe and secure premises. This guidance is designed to aid Directors and team leaders achieve this aim.

Scope

The guidance should be applicable to the establishment of new units or where MRC staff move to a new location.

Responsibilities

The Director is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the present policy is carried out.

Directors' summary

This policy is written to assist Directors in identifying the Health and Safety Management issues relating to the opening of a new unit or the relocation of an existing unit. It applies to units that will be either in stand-alone premises or in accommodation located within a host institution. It can also apply to both new and refurbished accommodation.

 

 

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Record keeping

The keeping of proper records can make a significant contribution to the good management of a Unit or Team. The management of particular records may be the delegated responsibility of individuals, but good liaison will ensure the records are readily available to management.

 

This Policy and Guidance is intended for directors, team leaders, unit safety co-ordinators, unit administrators and any others who have responsibility for health and safety related record keeping.

 

 

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Research continuity

Unexpected and untoward events and incidents can seriously delay the planned work and output of an organisation. The impact of such events can be minimised and a speedy return to normal working achieved by having in place well-understood research continuity plans.

 

 

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Research involving the public

Document for all those who are intending to work with the public, either within Council establishments or in the community. Such work with the public can involve visiting individuals in their homes or in other locations, such as hospitals and schools.  Depending on the research, other more unusual sites are occasionally used.  Studies may also involve visits by members of the public to MRC establishments or other premises where MRC staff work. Those working for the MRC may be employed permanently, or simply for the duration of a research project.  In some instances people working on one or more research projects may not be MRC employees, but may be actively participating in joint research with the MRC.

 

 

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Risk assessment of the workplace

The main purpose of carrying out risk assessments is to determine whether planned or existing risk control measures are adequate. The intention is that risks should be controlled before harm occurs.

 

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Travel

In comparison to previous generations we, as a population, travel more frequently whether for business or leisure purposes. The aim of the present document is to ask the business traveller to consider the “what if” situation and to put into place contingency measures, as far as it is possible to do so, that will cover eventualities that may occur during the course of travelling or at the final destination be it a conference, meeting or hotel or a combination of the aforesaid.

 

It asks the business traveller to carry out a travel risk assessment and the document also provides additional information that may prove to be of use to those travelling abroad on MRC business.

 

 

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Vacating premises

It is inevitable that from time to time MRC units and institutes vacate accommodation, either as a result of closure, relocation or major refurbishment. The MRC requires that when units or institutes vacate any accommodation, the unit or institute affected must ensure that the accommodation is left as free from hazard and risk as is reasonably practicable. The policy and guidance documents should be applied to the vacation of all premises, from single rooms through to whole buildings. The responsibility for ensuring that this policy is implemented remains with the unit or institute director. Where circumstances allow, it may be appropriate to delegate duties to identified team leaders and managers.

 

 

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Visitors to MRC premises

Revisions have been made to Guidance Note 5 (November 2007) relating to the work placement of young persons in animal houses and laboratories and the practical arrangements of organised school visits. The new text clarifies when and where these groups may enter MRC premises both on organised and social visits. Staff of MRC establishments come into regular contact with various visitors. These may include host institute employees, contractors and service engineers as well as other visitors who may be in our care for as little time as a few hours up to several years. The policy requires establishments to apply five principles as a means to ensuring the health and safety of all our visitors. These are:

  • clarification of roles and responsibilities
  • exchange of information between parties
  • establishment of routes of communication
  • agreement on working practices
  • safeguarding the security of persons and premises

 

This document is intended for all staff with line management responsibilities and all staff who receive visitors. The MRC Health and Safety Management section, including your Regional Co-ordinator, will be pleased to assist in the implementation of this policy and guidance.

 

 

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Working with the Law Enforcement Authorities

The document below describes the role and function of the authorities and the likely circumstances in which they would visit Council establishments. Each of the authorities produces its own helpful guidance. This publication brings them together as a single reference document, relevant to the operations of MRC establishments. MRC establishments should recognise that liaison with enforcement authorities and agencies is an important aspect of ensuring legal compliance and should therefore be familiar with the roles, functions and enforcement powers of these bodies. At present, the document provides guidance for working with the HSE, EA and SEPA (the last two only for radiation work).

 

 

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