UCL SSEES: Good Housekeeping: Audits and Inspections

All staff and student have a duty of care to others and this includes responsibility for ensuring that poor housekeeping or untidiness do not create hazards such as:

blocking of corridors or emergency exits by unnecessary or careless displacement of furniture
trailing cables (e.g. computer of electrical equipment) that become a trip hazard
the accumulation of paper, boxes or general rubbish that becomes a fire or health hazard.

Those who disregard the rules of good housekeeping, and as a consequence place themselves or others in danger, will be reported to the appropriate SSEES senior member of staff and could face disciplinary action.

Inspections

The SSEES Services and Supplies Officer is responsible for monitoring cleaning and maintenance services and for reporting to the SSEES Safety Officer any potential hazards detected during the inspections regularly undertaken. Depending on the cause an nature of the hazard reported, the Safety Officer may bring a problem to the attention of whichever senior manager is responsible for ensuring appropriate action is taken.

A regular inspection of staff offices and public areas is conducted by the Services and Supplies Officer, following the guidelines and form provided by UCL Safety Services (http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/officeinspectionchecklist.pdf). Inspection findings are reported to the SSEES Director via SSEES management.

In addition to regular internal inspection, there are external parties with responsibility or statutory authority to enter SSEES premises and conduct inspections without prior notice. As part of the audit, these authorities can talk to staff and students, and collect evidence of poor safety management.

If a member of staff is approached by an enforcing authority requesting a safety inspection, they should inform the SSEES Safety Officer at the earliest opportunity. The UCL Safety Services will be kept informed about inspection visits.

This page last modified Thursday 16 September 2010.