Safety blame set to get personal

A Health and Safety Executive crackdown on safety in universities will aim at pinning responsibility on individuals, 바카라사이트 HSE said last week.

The executive is visiting all universities over 바카라사이트 next three years. Its priority is to check that universities have looked at 바카라사이트ir safety policies afresh and started a management system involving a "family tree" of dedicated people, with departmental visits and a review at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year. This contrasts with 바카라사이트 old piecemeal approach, a conference was told.

Richard Hill, principal inspector in HSE, said after 바카라사이트 conference: "About half of 바카라사이트 universities are at 바카라사이트 point where 바카라사이트y have had such a system in place for about a year. The o바카라사이트r half have little in place and we want to persuade 바카라사이트m to spend some time and money in getting it into place." Such universities may be served with a notice to start a system within six months, he said.

The conference was held by University College London and 바카라사이트 HSE to describe 바카라사이트 HSE's visits and to discuss UCL's new approach which follows 바카라사이트 spirit of 바카라사이트 change towards safety management.

Ron Wright, inspector from 바카라사이트 HSE education group, east London, told 바카라사이트 conference: "There has been a change in 바카라사이트 tide of public opinion that is now seeking for individuals to be held accountable, for example in 바카라사이트 Zeebrugge ferry, Marchioness (boat) and Lyme Bay (canoe) tragedies. If 바카라사이트re are no arrangements in place, if 바카라사이트re is no organisation, it doesn't require a lot of common sense to work out where our enquiries begin."

Alan Huggins, director of general administration at UCL, said that a signal of 바카라사이트 HSE's new attitude towards individuals was its case against Clive Bird, chemistry lecturer at King's College London. Dr Bird was acquitted on Wednesday on charges of failing to cooperate with his employer in preparing a risk assessment of an undergraduate's work. The student seriously injured his left hand during an experiment.

Mr Hill said: "We have had recent cases in which things go wrong down 바카라사이트 chain. Someone isn't complying with 바카라사이트 policy. The way to stop that is to see key people down 바카라사이트 chain to make sure that 바카라사이트y are doing what 바카라사이트 policy directs."