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Working Environment


The page below lists all MRC corporate Health, Safety and Security Policy and Guidance notes in relation to the Working Environment.

 

 

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Display Screen Equipment

This document is the revised MRC Health and Safety policy and guidance on the management of display screen equipment.

 

In addition, there are three Appendices that contain checklists and forms for assessors and users. These can be downloaded separately;

 

 

The provision of eyesight tests for DSE users and prescription glasses specifically for DSE use at work is described in the revised MRC Eyecare Policy which can be found in the Shared Service Centre Policy site on the Portal (added 01 Nov 2006). Please also see our Eye Protection policy introduction for details on companies that offer much reduced prices through their voucher.

 

 

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Electrical Safety

This Policy and Guidance is for the attention of local safety personnel, maintenance managers and others with responsibility for electrical safety. It is a revision of our 2001 Policy and Guidance notes, and replaces those documents. The documents outline the policies, procedures and practices that should be in place to comply with current legislation and approved guidance and reminds establishments that work on electrical equipment or installations must be done by trained competent staff and outlines the standards of competence required. It provides general guidance as well as specific guidance on the inspection and testing of portable and fixed electrical equipment.

 

 

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Ergonomics

General guidance is provided for staff within MRC units working in static, sitting positions for prolonged periods.

 

Posturite is one company that specialises in a vast range of products and services which alleviate, but more importantly, prevent, most types of posture-related disorders.

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Eye Protection (Policy and guidance on selection and use)

Injuries to the eye continue to occur in MRC establishments. This has necessitated the introduction of a new policy on eye protection that requires it to be worn in all laboratory and other designated work areas, unless a risk assessment determines it is not necessary. MRC establishments are therefore required to ensure eye protection is worn according to this policy to protect the eyes of staff and visitors from the risk of harm.

 

The first annual health and safety communication competition took place in 2009. The subject was ‘Eye protection’. The joint winners were MRC Epidemiology Unit for their suite of posters now in use across the MRC and MRC CSC Hammersmith for their booklet ‘Eye protection: a guide to provision and use’. This booklet, after minor adaptations to enable its use across the MRC, is now downloadable from this website and forms the guidance to the implementation of the policy.

 

Standard safety spectacles

Safety spectacles can be purchased through the Shared Service Centre catalogue and BOC, as a preferred supplier, have worked with the MRC to ensure that they meet our corporate needs. They also provide prescription safety eyewear (also see following section)

Prescription safety spectacles

The guidance states that where an employee normally wears spectacles and the risk assessment determines that safety spectacles are appropriate, prescription spectacles can be purchased at the expense of the employer. In contrast to the requirements of the DSE regulations, the employee is responsible for providing an up-to-date prescription.

 

Edenred (formerly Accor) provide Eyecare Vouchers and Bollé Safety Eyecare Vouchers and offer a prescription service for Safety Spectacles as well as prescription glasses for DSE working. Vouchers are available in £55, £75 and £10 top-up denominations for DSE working. Bollé vouchers are £25 available in books of 5. Three are required for single vision safety spectacles, four for bi-focal and five for varifocal lenses. Choices are available on frame design. The employee presents the vouchers to the optician (most chains accept the vouchers) and the optician contacts Bollé. The system would be efficient and cost effective where several employees are identified as requiring prescription safety spectacles. Units should contact Edenred directly for further information.

 

Specsavers run a similar scheme, with vouchers available in packs of 5 (unused refundable or exchangeable on expiry date) from £36.81 for single vision Safety Spectacles. Two vouchers are required for bifocal or varifocal lenses. Units should contact Specsavers directly for further information.

 

Boots Opticians have introduced their own very similar competitively priced scheme with full eye examination for £15 for those who have to pay, £25 for single vision DSE spectacles and single vision safety spectacles from £35. Payment is direct and no vouchers are required for registered customers. Units can also contact Boots via email or telephone 0115 9591279 for information.

 

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Fire Safety

Unexpected, dangerous and untoward events not only put staff and others at risk but also can seriously impede a unit or an external scientific staff (ESS) team from achieving its targets and goals. The most likely cause of disruption is fire and its aftermath. Within the Medical Research Council and the public sector relatively minor fires, where lives were not threatened, have led to major disruptions to research and teaching programmes. It is important, therefore, that this subject is adequately addressed by MRC establishments and ESS team leaders.

 

See also our Fire Precautions (Workplace) Amendment (Note. September 2000)

 

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First-Aid at Work

We are all familiar with the benefits of rapid first-aid treatment following an accident. Minor incidents remain so and those more serious can be contained until professional medical help can be obtained. This document sets out the MRC's policy on first-aid at work and gives guidance on the factors that need to be addressed when deciding first-aid provision.

 

 

HSE Books can supply copies of the following leaflets and posters on first aid at work;

 

  • Basic advice on first aid at work - leaflet (INDG347) is available in priced packs of 20 (ISBN 0 7176 2261 4) or as single free copies
  • Basic advice on first aid at work - poster is available as single copies priced at £12.50 (rigid) (ISBN 0 7176 2263 0) and £7.50 (encapsulated) (ISBN 0 7176 2265 7)
  • Electric shock: first aid procedures - poster is available as single copies priced at £12.50 (rigid) (ISBN 0 7176 2262 2) and £7.50 (encapsulated) (ISBN 07176 2264 9).

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Hand Protection and Skin Care Management

This policy and guidance deals with skin care management, particularly of your hands, how it should be put into practice and the warning signs to be aware of, that indicate your skin has been damaged in some way. The Guidance Notes focus on occupational skin diseases but it should be borne in mind that skin care does not begin and end at the workplace. The advice given can equally be applicable to the home and to other situations, for example, hobbies such as gardening or fishing where neglect of good skin management can lead to or exasperate an already existing skin condition.

 

The policy of the Medical Research Council is to provide, as far as is reasonably practical, work premises, a work environment and work practices that protect the health, safety and welfare of both its staff and visitors. This document, “Hand Protection and Skin Care Management” is part of a series of published documents in support of the Medical Research Council’s overall health and safety policy.

 

Directors and Externally funded Scientific Staff Team Leaders should ensure that this document is circulated and read by all staff and visiting workers who may be working with substances, or carrying out activities, that may be detrimental to the skin (particularly of the hands) or who require to wear gloves whilst carrying out their duties. Directors and externally funded Scientific Staff Team Leaders are directly responsible to the Council for the health, safety and welfare of all their staff and their visitors.

 

Directors and External Scientific Staff (ESS) Team Leaders are responsible for the implementation of this policy. The actions required are set out in the Director’s Summary.

 

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Manual Handling

Back injuries can and do occur and tend to be serious, frequently with medium to long term consequences. They can lead to substantial claims for damages. The best way to avoid such injuries is through risk assessment and the implementation of appropriate training programmes. Establishments should ensure they are doing all that they reasonably can to reduce the risk of injury to staff. The major requirements are identifying staff involved in manual handling operations, assessing the risks and providing appropriate training and where identified suitable lifting aids. All line managers, especially those who manage staff engaged in manual handling as part of their normal duties should be familiar with the guidance. In addition, all staff should be familiar with Guidance Note 4.

 

Learning Link has a free on-line learning programme on manual handling. HSE leaflet published 06/05/02: HSE Manual Handling leaflet (pdf format).

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Noise in the Workplace

This document contains Health, Safety and Security information on Noise. It is a revision of the document published in 2000.

 

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Safety Inspection and Monitoring

A key element for ensuring that health and safety standards at work are maintained at a high level is to make sure that regular safety inspections are carried out. Inspections are useful not only for monitoring work place activities but they are also important tools for ensuring compliance with statutory duties. Regular safety inspections will ensure that the work place is safe for staff, visiting workers and visitors. The document is intended for unit safety personnel, members of the safety committee and those in charge of the day to day running of laboratories.

 

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