Internal User

Our policy is to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all our employees and students and to provide such information, training and supervision as they need for this purpose. We also accept responsibility for the health and safety of other people who may be affected by our activities.

The allocation of duties for safety matters and the particular arrangements which we will make to implement the policy are set out below.

This statement of Safety Policy is based on the requirements of The University of Hong Kong's Statement of Safety Policy (S5/381 revised) which we fully support. The policy will be kept up to date, particularly as the department changes in nature and size. To ensure this, the policy and the way in which it has operated will be reviewed every year.

Signed ............................................................................................

The Head of the Department of Physics

Date ...............................June 2010........................................................

1. The Head of the Department of Physics has overall and final responsibility for health and safety in the department.
   (a) He/she is responsible to ensure that appropriate safety standards and procedures are established, adopted, and followed.
   (b) To ensure the health and safety of the staff and students, the Head will arrange adequate resources in the annual budget to provide for their health and safety whilst at work.
   (c) In addition, the Head is responsible to ensure that safe and healthy working conditions are maintained.
   (d) The Head will make provisions for and arrange for all level of staff to receive adequate and appropriate training on safety and health matters. He/she will inform new members of the department of the safety policy, standards, and procedures.
   (e) The Head of the department is responsible to enforce the safety policy and safety practices in the department.
   (f) The Head will appoint a Departmental Safety Representative, Departmental Radiation Safety Representative, and Fire Warden and define their duties.
2. The Departmental Safety Representative will aid and assist the Head in his/her safety duties to ensure that all measures designed to safe guard the health and safety of each individual are put into practice. The Departmental Safety Representative also has responsibilities:
   (a) To inform the Head and the university Director of Safety of any special hazards in, or new hazards about to be introduced into the department.
   (b) In consultation with the Director of Safety, to promote, plan, and conduct a regular programme of safety inspections to ensure that means exist for all equipment to be maintained and used in a safe condition.
   (c) To ensure with the assistance of the Director of Safety that First Aid and safety facilities are properly maintained.
   (d) To ensure that accidents are reported promptly in accordance with University procedures and to report any case of non-compliance to the Head.
   (e) To recommend accident prevention measures to the Head as and when necessary.
   (f) To maintain liaison with the Director of Safety and the Director of University Health Service.
3. The Departmental Radiation Safety Representative will take the responsibility to ensure the safe use of all radioactive sources, including lasers, x-rays, and other irradiating apparatus in the department. He/she also has responsibilities:
   (a) To register all radioactive sources in the department and update the records.
   (b) In consultation with the Director of Safety, to promote, plan, and conduct a regular programme of safety inspections to ensure that all radiation sources are used in a safe way and stored in a safe cabinet.
   (c) To ensure that First Aid and radiation leakage detecting facilities are properly maintained.
   (d) To recommend accident prevention measures to the Head as and when necessary.
   (e) To provide advice and training concerning radiation safety.
4. The Supervisor of each laboratory/section, teaching and research, has responsibilities for overall safety of all staff members and students in his/her own laboratory/section. The safety duties of the Supervisor are:
   (a) To ensure that staff members and students are trained, instructed, supervised, and informed of hazards (and how to overcome them) which they may be confronted with while at work.
   (b) To provide and maintain a safe working environment in the laboratory/section including the safe use of equipment and facilities.
   (c) To develop and establish safety rules for his/her laboratory/section, if necessary. These rules should be clearly explained to the users of the laboratory (e.g. explained in the introduction lecture, distribute safety notes to students, place posters in laboratory, etc.).
   (d) To ensure that staff members and students follow the safety rules and codes of practice that are developed to maintain a high standard of laboratory safety and hygiene.
   (e) To report any problem and potential hazards to the Head or the Departmental Safety Representative.
5. Every staff also has his/her own responsibilities not to carry out dangerous acts or omit to take appropriate safety precautions that could result in harm to themselves, their colleagues or any other person. The Department seeks and welcomes the cooperation and assistance of all staff to enable it to fullfil its obligations. Responsibilities of all other appointees and students are:
   (a) To make themselves familiar with, and conform to, the safety policies at all times.
   (b) To observe all safety rules at all times.
   (c) To wear appropriate safety equipment and use appropriate safety devices in accordance with rules and procedures.
   (d) To conform to all instructions issued by the appropriate authorities.
   (e) To report all accidents and damage of property to their supervisor and the Departmental Safety Representative.
   (f) To make appropriate suggestions designed to improve health and safety to their supervisor and the Departmental Safety Representative.
   (g) To inform his/her supervisor or the Departmental Safety Representative of any hazards that may be introduced as a result of his/her work.
   (h) To be responsible for his/her personal safety.
6. The following members of staff are responsible for safety in particular areas:
   

   Supervisor	Special Responsibility	Area
   Prof. J.H.C. Lee	Departmental Safety Representative	General Safety Affairs
   Prof. J.H.C. Lee	Departmental Radiation Safety Representative	Radiation, laser & X-ray Safety
   Prof. A.B. Djurišić	Fire Warden	Fire Safety

7. Members of staff are responsible for the safety of all students and minor staff under their supervision.
8. All employees have the responsibility to co-operate with supervisors and staff to achieve a healthy and safe workplace and to take reasonable care of themselves and others.
9. Whenever an employee, supervisor or student notices a health or safety problem, which they are not able to put right, they must straightaway tell the appropriate person named above. They may also tell the Head or the Departmental Safety Representative.
10. The departmental Safety Committee will review regularly the safety policy and the way in which it has operated, and make amendments to, or revisions of, the statement of safety policy as necessary.