Follow this link for a printable pdf version of the Health and Safety Policy Statement
Imperial College London is committed to pursuing excellence in everything it does and this includes the management of health and safety.
General Principles
1. Imperial College pursues research, education and impact that has a transformational impact on society. The value of our mission is underpinned by its integrity and ensuring that we pursue this with the highest regard for health and safety is a vital component of our commitment to our staff and student community. We expect staff, students, visitors, contractors, and other employees who work at the College to share this commitment.
2. We will ensure the health and safety of all persons who may be affected by our activities across all campus locations through:
a. Engaging with our staff, students and visitors to facilitate the safety of their working environment.
b. Providing, managing and maintaining an overall environment at our workplaces, grounds and properties so that they are, so far as reasonably practicable, safe and that risks to health are controlled.
c. Discharging the duties of the Building Safety Act 2022
d. Providing and promoting systems of work, information, instruction, training and supervision at all levels necessary to ensure that staff and students are competent to supervise or undertake their work activities and are aware of any related hazards and the measures to be taken to protect against them.
3. We will promote a positive health and safety culture for all of our activities. Where there are no existing College policies or guidance, we expect our staff, students and contractors to implement the highest relevant standards and to comply with relevant legislation. Where no standards or legislation exist, we will work with our staff, students and contractors to develop systems which comply with best practice and mitigate risk, drawing on relevant legislation and guidance.
4. For colleagues undertaking business-related travel, the College’s travel policy provides guidance to ensure the well-being and security of staff whilst travelling. The travel policy provides guidance on several matters, including travel health advice, travel insurance and accommodation safety, enabling colleagues to mitigate potential risks and optimise arrangements.
5. To support off-site working, the College provides a policy which takes into account the health and safety aspects of working away from the College campuses. Risks must be assessed before travel and controlled to the same standard as would be required for work within College.
6. The College is a large and diverse organisation; therefore, every Faculty, Division and Department must have written arrangements describing how they intend to comply with this Policy Statement.
7. Where buildings are shared between more than one Faculty, Department/Division and/or external organisations, we expect that all users co-operate closely with the College to establish clear lines of responsibility for health and safety that ensure a safe environment for all, and to formalise any appropriate arrangements for these purposes.
The senior leadership of the College are committed to this Policy and to the implementation and maintenance of the highest standards of health, safety and welfare across the College. We expect every member of the College to share this commitment and to work together to achieve it.
Professor Ian Walmsley
Provost
June 2024
Revision History
June 2007: Issued
July 2008: Updated (signed by Rector Sir Roy Anderson)
January 2010: Updated (amended and signed by Acting Rector Sir Keith O'Nions)
March 2011: Updated (following external safety review)
May 2013: Updated (to reflect change of title to President & Rector)
Nov 2014: Updated (signed by Provost Prof James Stirling)
May 2015: Updated (inclusion of physical and psychological health, resigned by Provost Prof James Stirling)
December 2016: Updated (modified Section 7 concerning shared premises, resigned by Provost Prof James Stirling)
February 2019: Updated (revised and reviewed, signed by the new Provost Prof Ian Walmsley)
March 2021: Updated (revised and reviewed, signed by Provost Prof Ian Walmsley)
December 2023: Updated (revised and reviewed, signed by Provost Prof Ian Walmsley)
June 2024: Updated to include the Building Safety Act 2022