Keele University
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Department of Occupational Health and Safety
Department of Occupational Health and Safety
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Maintenance Procedures
Background
There is much criminal law on maintenance. For example:
Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Works Act 1974 requires the University to maintain plant and systems so they can be used safely and without risks to health. That Section also requires any place of work, or any access or egress from it, to be maintained in a safe condition. It also requires the maintenance of a safe environment. All of the above requirements are couched in terms of what is ‘reasonably practicable’.
Regulation 5 of the Workplace Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 has similar duties to provide the maintenance of the workplace and of equipment, devices and systems in an efficient working order and in good repair.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992. Regulation 6 has a similar requirement. Both of these duties are written in ‘absolute’ terms.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 (COSHH) also have great relevance.
The scope of these requirements is therefore immense. It would include the maintenance of the infrastructure, fire precautions, gas installations, fume cupboards, microbiological safety cabinets, autoclaves, guards on machinery, electrical equipment, personal protective equipment such as respirators and clothing. Safe systems of work once provided must also be maintained for example doing maintenance work itself where often difficult conditions may exist with particular risks such as plumbing work associated with the Department of Chemistry or the Department of Biological Sciences, window cleaning etc.
Structural and plant maintenance at the University is managed primarily within CFM Estates. They have long-standing expertise and experience in the maintenance of buildings, engineering matters and the grounds – but not exclusively so. For example (see Section F – E10), responsibilities for electrical maintenance are shared, that is the department will maintain portable electrical equipment, whilst CFM estates will usually maintain fixed plant. The maintenance of fume cupboards is carried out by both parties.
It will be for the Heads of Schools/Departments to ensure for any particular requirement that it is in fact carried out satisfactorily from a Health and Safety point of view, whether by CFM Estates, within the Department, or by an outside contractor etc.
Permit to Work/Authorisation to Work
There are two areas where a Permit to Work needs to be considered before maintenance work can start. The first of these is where modification or adaptation of an existing building or its services are contemplated and the second is before work in a hazardous area is carried out.
See Permit to Work
Gritting and Snow Clearance Procedure
During winter months the University has a prioritised maintenance procedure in place for salting and snow clearing; see the Gritting and Snow Policy 2011-2012. See also this map of campus showing priority areas for gritting.
