Keele University
Welcome to
Department of Occupational Health and Safety
Department of Occupational Health and Safety
Explore this Section
Authorisation to Work
Modifications/Adaptation of an existing building or its services and spiking/breaking of ground surface
Background
This guidance underpins the University’s commitment to ensure that a robust and clear procedure is in place to risk manage every modification or adaptation to its buildings and/or the breaking of the surface of the ground for any reason. By this means any latent hazard, which might not be recognised before work starts, can be assessed in terms of risk, so enabling safe procedures to be put in place in a proactive way. It is stressed that any modification or adaptation work is to be included in this procedure whatever its scale and whoever carries it out. Established routine maintenance work, e.g. fume cupboard thorough examination etc. is not included in this procedure.
Similarly, spiking or breaking of the ground for reasons such as building, erection of temporary structures or supports, planting of trees or searching for buried services etc, must also be subject to vigorous risk assessment, driven by this procedure. If in doubt consult Estates and Development Directorate (E & D) or the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS).
Procedure
The School/Department must first obtain Authorisation to Proceed by completing all the questions in Section 1 of the following Authorisation to Proceed form and sending the whole form to E & D.
E & D will assess the information before filling in Section 2 of the form.
If no specific hazards are apparent:
E & D will return the form to the Originating Department for ‘Fast Track Start’. This will mean that E & D will need no further input in the work so long as there is no change from the original protocol. The person responsible in the originating department must then complete Section 3, sign and date it and return it to E & D before the work starts.
If a significant hazard is indicated:
E & D will discuss this with the originating department so that appropriate conditions can be agreed and listed on the form. When a safe method of work has been agreed between E & D and the originating department, the form will be returned by E & D with Section 2 completed, authorising the work to proceed under the listed conditions. Again Section 3 must be completed by the person responsible in the originating department, signed and dated and returned to E & D before the work starts.
If the listed conditions include a requirement for any Permits to Work it is the responsibility of the originating department to ensure that these are in place before work can proceed. Advice about Permit to Work procedures can be provided by DOHS and E & D.
At the conclusion of the works the Originator/Responsible Person undertakes to ensure that all work has been completed and all persons, materials and equipment under their control have been removed from the work location.
Copies of drawings, operational and maintenance manuals and (where Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) apply) the safety file must be sent to E & D for their records.
Please note that if conditions cannot be agreed, E & D will return the form with Section 2 indicating that authorisation has not been given and the reasons for this.
