Workplace Safety Adviser - Keele University

Keele University Department of Occupational Health and Safety
Workplace Safety Adviser (WSA)
25 th July 2008
The Workplace Safety Adviser (WSA) is a member of staff concerned with
day-to-day health and safety matters within their work area. In academic
Schools the WSA should normally be a member of the academic staff,
however, at the discretion of the Head of School suitably trained technicians
can be appointed as WSAs.
The WSA's main function is to advise the Head of School/Department on all
matters relating to health and safety affecting that School/Department. Other
important responsibilities include disseminating safety information within a
School/Department, advising other members of their staff on hazardous
procedures and investigating accidents and dangerous occurrences. The
WSA will also have a duty to carry out any duties agreed with the Head of
School/Department.
Good performance in these duties will be recognised in staff appraisal and
staff development activities.
The rôle of the WSA includes:
i. being fully familiar with the University's health and safety policy and
their area's health and safety policy
ii. providing advice to members of the School/Department on matters of
occupational health and safety and in particular advising the Head of
School/Department on the formation and revision of their health and
safety policy and procedures.
iii. acting with the delegated authority of the Head of School/Department
in matters of urgency
iv. referring promptly to the Head of School/Department or the University
Health and Safety Adviser any health and safety problems which
cannot be resolved locally on a timescale commensurate with the risk
v. liaising with the University Health and Safety Adviser and other central
advisers on health and safety matters
vi. attending (ex-officio) meetings of their Health and Safety Committee
vii. conducting and coordinating systematic health and safety inspections
and accident investigations (with safety representatives of the
recognised trade unions having employees working in the
School/Department), to identify unsafe or unhealthy conditions or work
practices and monitoring that prevention action is recommended and
pursued.
viii. ensuring that reportable accidents, dangerous occurrences and
diseases are reported to the Department of Occupational Health and
Safety and that an investigation report is written and submitted to
Heads of Department/Schools and the Department of Occupational
Health and Safety.
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Keele University Department of Occupational Health and Safety
ix. disseminating health and safety information and reporting to
appropriate members of the School/Department’s staff and students
x. ensuring that new members of the School//Department receive
adequate induction with respect to health and safety matters
xi. identifying members of the School/Department for appropriate
• health and safety training events;
• occupational health and safety medical surveillance and
• liaising with other internal or external health and safety
specialists
xii. monitoring in their area that
• a high standard of housekeeping is maintained;
• adequate precautions are taken regarding any special existing
or new hazard;
• adequate precautions are taken regarding any changes to be
made;
• plant equipment and processes are being maintained as
required by any relevant statutory provisions;
• staff and students are suitably informed, instructed and trained;
• adequate health and safety records are maintained where
appropriate i.e. as required by relevant statutory provisions or by
the University or by their School/Department’s health and safety
policy;
• safe working practices and procedures together with any
necessary risk assessments for project work (especially for
postgraduate students) are complied with;
• personal protective equipment needs are assessed and that
sufficient suitable personal equipment is available and used;
• systems are set up and maintained to check that health and
safety facilities such as first aid boxes, fire fighting equipment
etc are provided and maintained in a readily useable condition
and
• other aspects that legislation or
University/School/Department/area policy may dictate are
catered for.
xiii. advising the Head of School/Department on recruiting first aiders and
for the responsibility of maintaining first aid boxes, being a member of
the fire drill evacuation team and assisting the Head of
School/Department in arranging fire drills
xiv. reviewing periodically health and safety procedures within the
department/area
xv. such other health and safety duties as may be assigned by the Head of
School/Department.
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