ADVICE TO MEMBERS: ON CAMPUS HEALTH & SAFETY
We have received numerous e mails from members who have encountered H&S issues on their first days back on campus. Please take a look at examples below and how you might respond. SHU has been keen to stress from the outset that we are ALL responsible for safety so raising these issues is a positive thing. You are not being ‘fussy’ or ‘creating work’; you’re being diligent and thoughtful.
Sometimes, you’ll need a quick response but there may be less immediate issues you’d like to raise via ! Estate & Operations.
- The room capacity says ‘X’ but I have been timetabled with a student group larger than that
Call x4444. Do not teach above the room’s capacity; this breaches the risk assessment. If an alternative room cannot be found, you can legitimately abandon the session. Teaching in cafes or outside is not a sustainable option. Alert your line manager/Subject Group Leader and ask them to contact Timetabling to check for other errors.
- Students are refusing to comply with guidance re wearing a face covering
Do not engage in a debate with students. Remind them of the guidance and tell them where they can collect a mask if they don’t have one. If they refuse to wear a face covering when they should, it is perfectly legitimate to terminate the session by leaving. If students become aggressive, call Security on x2000 or, if it’s an emergency, 888.
At the time of writing students who are exempt from wearing face masks are encouraged to wear visors. We have stressed that the latest evidence suggests that these do NOT protect against COVID and in the absence of any system for “proving” exemption, the policy is anyway flawed/inadequate. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/907587/s0643-nervtag-emg-role-aerosol-transmission-covid-19-sage-48.pdf
- A room is visibly dirty/littered/furniture has been moved.
Remind students they should wipe down their desk/chair/station before class begins but call x4444 if you are concerned about the cleanliness/changed layout of the room.
- There are no cleaning supplies/they are running low
Call x4444 or if the building has a Help Desk, check to see if they have supplies
- Signage is missing/inaccurate
Call x4444
- The room I’m teaching in is stuffy
Check whether the room has a ventilation system by calling x4444
If in doubt, call 10 min breaks every 30-60 min to allow the room to air out.
If the room feels ‘stuffy’, call x 4444. Stuffiness can be perceptual and based on a room being too hot but Estates will check the room for CO2 levels and any rooms found to be problematic will be taken out of commission.
Leave doors and windows open; if it becomes too cold/noisy to continue, you may legitimately stop the class. Do no sacrifice safety for comfort.
Some rooms on campus have no windows and doors may open onto indoor public areas and/or be fire doors. Fire doors must not be propped open to achieve [more] ventilation.
After reporting an issue, please do let your local UCU Rep know.
It would be a good idea to let your line manager/SGL/Head of Dept know too, so that they can encourage others to report and also alert more senior management to common problems/reinforce local messages to staff and students.