Health and Safety - Hazards
The hazards listed in the table below are organised based on the hazard grid. Invida is an Estates-owned system to record hazards. Used by Community Safety and others during an incident, and as part of risk profiling. Used to be held in QuEMIS.
Health and Safety Services Webpage
An important source of health and safety information for each laboratory is the lab noticeboard, posted by the entrance. This contains the basic lab rules (including appropriate PPE to be worn), the principal hazards which are present and the name(s) of those having responsibility for the area. The noticeboard should be consulted for advice before entering the area.
Lab noticeboard templates can be downloaded under the header 'University Links' here.
Advice about the suitable PPE is available from the Health & Safety Officer or from the University Health & Safety Services office.
Hazards Requiring Health Monitoring
There are hazards where there is a requirement, in certain circumstances, to provide health surveillance to persons who are exposed to the hazard in their work. For further information refer to the University Occupational Health web pages
A Risk Assessment must be carried out for all research activities and teaching practicals involving biological agents or GMOs, which will lead to the assignment of the Containment Level (CL1, CL2 or CL3) where the work must be conducted. These are given a University hazard categorisation of low, medium or high, respectively. Genetic modification (GM) work will be assigned to Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 contained use, with the equivalent containment levels and University hazard categories.
Please complete the appropriate risk assessment form for the type of work you intend to do. You may also make use of the generic risk assessments that cover many of the common activities of Class 1 GM contained use undertaken across the University. Please send your completed form to the University Biological Safety Adviser (UBSA) by emailing biosafety@warwick.ac.uk
The UBSA will provide advice around the process and progress all completed Biological Risk Assessments for approval.
Biological risk assessments will then be considered for approval by the University’s Genetic Modification & Biological Safety Committee (GMBSC), or sometimes the UBSA (according to the level of risk), and you will be able to start the work.
Biological risk assessments need to be reviewed after 3 years for CL1 activities, 2 years for CL2 activities and annually for CL3 activities. There is an amendment and review form for this purpose. This form can be used for amendments within the review period. Submit completed forms to biosafety@warwick.ac.uk .
New workers must be added by an amendment prior to starting work.