University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory Health and Safety Committee Chairman: Dr P Brooks Secretary: Mrs L Heptonstall Minutes of a meeting of the Health and Safety Committee held at 14.15 on Wednesday 17 December 2003 in the Computer Laboratory. Present: Dr P Brooks (Chair) Mrs M A Levitt (Acting Secretary) Dr A Wonfor Mr A A Brown Mr S Bishop Ms R Moss Mrs A Bollito Mrs C A Matthews Apologies: Dr G Titmus Ms J Cartwright 1. Minutes of the last meeting The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2003 were approved and signed. 2. Matters arising from the Minutes None. 3. Correspondence None. 4. First Aid and Accidents 4.1 Blood Donation Service A blood donor session had been advertised in the Computer Laboratory by e-mail. It was agreed that in future similar items should be sent to building-users. 5. Workplace Assessments None. 6. Fire 6.1 Door hold-backs in Intel A quotation had been received and the work was in hand. 6.2 Fire detection heads These have been fitted and are now working. 6.3 Fire Certificate The Fire Brigade has re-assessed the WG Building and a Fire Certificate was to be issued pending correction of their copy of the building plans. 6.4 Door closers The door closer in FN17 was reported as faulty. ACTION Archie Brown to contact Maurice Reed 7. Building Matters 7.1 Key Holders list Archie Brown reported that the list was now up-to-date and would be posted on the Department’s website. ACTION Archie Brown to contact pagemaster@cl 7.2 Tiling in First Aid Room Archie Brown reported that this was in hand and would be completed early next term. 7.3 Rubbish clearance from the Intel Teaching Laboratory Margaret Levitt reported that the policy and procedures were now in place and that the students had been informed. 7.4 Door handles on top floor Archie Brown reported that the manufacturer had been informed of the problems. The broken handles had been repaired by the contractors. 7.5 Car parking It was noted that there was to be no immediate change to the current policy. 7.6 Pigeons Archie Brown reported that an order for a falcon flight had been raised with the Raptor Foundation. The bird was to be flown around the WGB for five consecutive days and then once a week for three months, the exact timetable to be notified. 7.7 Cleaners Margaret Levitt reported that the Cleaning Supervisor had been notified of instances of the cleaners emptying bins with bare hands. The Supervisor and the cleaners were aware of the correct procedures. It was also noted that a following a complaint from a member of staff about a trailing vacuum cleaner cable, the cleaning staff had been reminded about good practice. 7.8 Food and drink in offices and lecture rooms Instances of flouting the no food or drink rule had been observed in the lecture rooms and it was agreed that the policy should be enforced whenever possible. It was noted that there was no official policy on the consumption of hot food in offices and that the Head of Department should be asked to consider if such a policy was now desirable. ACTION Margaret Levitt to consult Ian Leslie. 7.9 Refrigerators It was agreed that the cleaners should be asked to empty and clean the refrigerators on a fortnightly rota, with two to be cleaned in weeks 1 and 3 and two to be cleaned in weeks 2 and 4. ACTION Archie Brown to talk to the Cleaning Supervisor. 7.10 Shredders Archie Brown reported that the full-time cleaner would empty the bins daily and that the paper waste would be re-cycled in the normal way. 7.11 Portable Appliance Testing Archie Brown reported that Martin McDonnell was to attend a course early in the New Year, and that a training video was to be obtained for in-house refresher training. 7.12 Bomb alert Piete Brooks reported that following a University-wide bomb alert a security sweep of the WGB had been done but that the building had not been evacuated. It had been a useful exercise. 7.13 Building Management Services Archie Brown reported that a BMS head-end was now on site to enable him to make local checks on the services. 7.14 Disabled toilet Archie Brown reported that the disabled WC on the SW landing was still to be repaired. 7.15 Action by Animal Rights protestors Piete Brooks reported on the measures that had been taken following a warning that Animal Rights protestors were going to target the Computer Laboratory. The green exit buttons had been disabled, with occupants of the building warned by e-mail, local posters and by verbal announcements in lectures. It was noted that the emergency operation of the doors was not affected. 7.16 Office manual Archie Brown reported that he was checking a draft manual prepared by Markus Kuhn and that it would be posted on the Department’s website and made available to other users. 8. West Cambridge Site 8.1 West Cambridge Site Administrators Margaret Levitt reported that items 7.6 – 7.9 on the Minutes of the previous meeting had all been discussed at the meeting of West Cambridge Site Administrators, and that Andrew Gordon was therefore aware of the concerns. She would report back from the next meeting in due course. 8.2 Coton footpath A member of staff had reported that the local council’s policy was to grit the footpath only when there were likely to be 5 consecutive cold nights (category 3 status). The University was giving financial support to the improvement of transport facilities at West Cambridge and he had suggested that some resources could be channelled into this matter, raising it to category 1 status. The Committee strongly supported this, and expressed concern that the current policy could increase the likelihood of accidents. ACTION The Chairman to write to the West Cambridge Site Manager. 9. Any Other Business 9.1 No-smoking policy Archie Brown reported two instances of cigarette burns on furniture in meeting rooms GS13 and GS15. He was also concerned about the large number of cigarette ends on the ground beneath the FN balcony. The Committee noted that the Department’s no-smoking policy specifically included the entire building, the balconies and the courtyards, and it was agreed that a strong reminder should be published. ACTION Margaret Levitt to broadcast a message to building-users; Archie Brown to post local notices in vulnerable locations. 9.2 Christmas holiday arrangements In response to a query from Adrian Wonfor about out of hours working, Piete Brooks reported that access to the building would be by the usual weekend and evening arrangements, i.e. by Cotag card. Building management services would not be affected by the holiday. 10. Date of the next meeting Wednesday 21 January 2004 in GC22. Other meetings in 2004: 18 February, 17 March, 21 April, 19 May, 16 June, 21 July, 18 August, 15 September, 20 October, 17 November, 15 December.