Staff responsibilities for student health and safety in activities related to academic work

This statement is an extension of the Health and Safety Policy and sets out staff responsibilities for students’ health and safety in academic related activities. These have been in place since the 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc Act and cannot be put aside or passed on. See the full Statement for the detail of your responsibilities.

There is a ‘mutual duty of care’ relationship between the University and its students around activities relating to academic work that students undertake. These could be in University buildings or other situations and relate directly to lectures, laboratory or workshop practicals, fieldwork and study abroad. Further support and advice is available from your Health and Safety Manager.

What are my responsibilities for students’ health and safety?

All staff:
General and equal duty of care – all staff represent the University and so must take reasonable care of students (and fellow staff and visitors).  This means you must co-operate with the University on health and safety and implement the standards and procedures found at www.leeds.ac.uk/safety.  

Emergency procedures – If a student becomes unwell or has an accident, you should call a First Aider or Security, then report accidents using local procedures through Sentinel, the online system. If emergency alarms sound, you should guide students (and visitors) to the appropriate assembly point and report any issues that may arise to the Fire Wardens or University Fire Safety Managers.

Specific responsibilities for staff supervising students:
When a student is under your supervision you acquire certain health and safety responsibilities; primary amongst these is the need to ensure that risks to students are controlled in line with the general duty of care. The best way to ensure this is by doing an effective risk assessment and putting in place any control measures you identify as necessary. In particular, you must ensure that students receive supervision and induction that is appropriate to the nature of their work, the risks involved and their experience. You should make sure these are recorded. The exact level of your duty of care depends on the identified risk to students in each situation, and the students’ experience and competence, e.g.:

Undergraduate and taught Postgraduate students – you should offer them a general duty of care including ‘such supervision as is necessary’.
Vulnerable adults, students aged 16-18 or under 16 – are owed a greater duty of care based on their individual experience and understanding.
Postgraduate/ Postgraduate Research students – when undertaking paid “work” for the University (e.g. demonstrations/ tutorials) they are classed as staff. As such you should manage rather than supervise them and give them extra support and training as they are not necessarily knowledgeable about University systems and procedures. Whilst doing research they may still be seen as staff but you cannot assume they are competent; you must actually make a decision that this is the case, which is why induction and ongoing adequate supervision is crucial.