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Roles and responsibilities

Deans and directors of services

The key responsibilities for deans and directors of services are listed below.

You must:

  • Ensure effective governance of health and safety, including electrical safety issues
  • Ensure management systems are in place so that all electrical systems (including electrical equipment) are maintained in good condition, so as to prevent danger.
  • Allocate resources (time and money) for heads of schools/services, health and safety managers, school/service health and safety coordinators/officers and appointed PAT testing people to carry out their tasks


Heads of school or service

The head of school or service is responsible for the management of health and safety, including electrical safety issues within the school or service. Key responsibilities are outlined below.

You must:

  • Undertake duties delegated by the dean or director
  • Ensure adequate time and resources are available and highlight any shortfall to the dean or director
  • Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and corresponding University procedures.
  • Ensure an effective strategy is in place for inspecting and testing electrical equipment (PAT testing) at regular, planned intervals. (This may be carried out internally by appointed, competent, trained staff or externally by competent contractors. If the latter is chosen, it is recommended that there are still one or two in-house staff trained to enable one-off tests to be carried out when required, such as for new equipment and staff or students’ personal equipment used for work or teaching activities.
  • Where internal staff are appointed to carry out PAT testing, allow adequate time for training and completion of the inspection/testing of electrical equipment.
  • Where appropriate, ensure that electrical equipment is included in activity-based risk assessments, effective control measures implemented, within a specified time scale, and reassessments planned.
  • Ensure all users (including staff, research staff and students) of electrical equipment receive suitable information, instruction, training and supervision.
  • Where there is more than one employer or school or service in the building, it is important to make sure that arrangements for PAT testing of electrical equipment are discussed and agreed, especially where equipment may be shared in central areas.
  • Ensure any accidents or near-miss incidents associated with the school or service, that result from using electrical systems and equipment are investigated and remedial action taken.
  • Old electrical equipment is disposed of promptly via cleaning services
  • Ensure monitoring takes place to measure the effectiveness of controls and compliance with University standards

Note - If any of the above duties are delegated, measures must be in place to ensure the competence of those who will undertake the duties


Health and safety services

Central health and safety services will:

  • Organise suitable training courses for internal staff to attend, in order to become competent to carry out PAT testing.
  • Monitor compliance with legal and University standards via audits
  • Write University policy, standards and guidance

Health and safety managers will:

  • Undertake duties delegated by the relevant dean or director, and/or head of school or service
  • Work closely with the relevant dean or director and head of school or service, to assist them in managing and implementing their responsibilities throughout the faculty, school or service.
  • Work closely with the relevant school or service health and safety coordinator/officer.


School and service health and safety coordinators / officers

School or service health and safety coordinators/officers will work with the heads of school or service and relevant health and safety managers to assist them with the implementation of their responsibilities.


Academic staff and line managers

They must ensure for staff, research staff and students using electrical systems and equipment in their work area that they:

  • Are aware of the need to carry out user checks before using electrical equipment and how to do this.
  • Are properly supervised and follow relevant safe systems of work, where applicable.
  • Know to report any faults regarding electrical equipment to their tutor/line manager.
  • Know to report any accidents or near-miss incidents involving electrical equipment.
  • Are made aware of the school or service’s policy regarding use of personal electrical equipment.

In addition, academic staff and line managers must ensure that:

  • Electrical equipment is included in activity-based and/or machinery and risk assessments, where appropriate.
  • Electrical equipment is monitored to ensure that it has an up-to-date test label and remains in a good condition.



All staff and students

All staff and students using electrical equipment have a responsibility to do so safely, to take reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions, and to cooperate with the University in:

  • The safe use of electrical equipment
  • Following relevant risk assessments and safe work practices
  • Any other matters relating to health and safety
  • Informing their line manager or lecturer immediately if they identify any faults on electrical equipment.
  • Reporting any injuries from use of university electrical equipment or any near-miss incidents, via the Sentinel accident reporting system.
  • Familiarising themselves with their school or service’s policy regarding use of personal electrical equipment.