There are three levels of access, each identified by a colour coded sign - red, amber and yellow. The highest risk areas (red and amber) require a licensing process to achieve this status to ensure that all necessary procedures are approved and in place. Yellow areas do not require licensing.

Access control

Access Control Code of Practice

Code of Practice for Access to Hazardous and Sensitive Areas
(May 2011 - pdf document)

Example floor plan where access control has been applied
(pdf document)

Flowchart describing how to Designate areas for access control
(pdf document)

Designated areas for access control flowchart

Flowchart

Licensing of Restricted and Highly Restricted Areas

Red (highly restricted) and amber (restricted) areas can only be demarcated as such upon specific authority provided by the Safety Department. This is so as to prevent misuse of this system and so as to ensure that adequate emergency and lone working procedures are in place. In order to apply for a licence for such an area, the the Access Control Application Form can be downloaded and once completed, sent to safetydept@imperial.ac.uk along with the written procedures requested in the form. As a minimum, all license applications must include an Emergency Response Plan ‌and access control procedures.

Training Documentation

A series of leaflets have been produced aimed at different categories of staff within the College. The leaflets explain exactly what the Access Control coding means to each category of staff. Managers and supervisors should disseminate the leaflets accordingly and use them as a basis for instructing the staff who report to them.

Instructions for Cleaning Supervisors
(pdf document)

Instructions for Cleaners 
(pdf document)

Instructions for Maintenance Staff and Contractors 
(pdf document)

Instructions for Security Staff 
(pdf document)

Permit to Work

Laboratory Permit-to-Work Form
Guidance on how to complete the form may be found in the Code of Practice for Controlling Access to Hazardous and Sensitive Areas (above).

The use of SafeZone to manage lone working is not permitted in both RED (highly restricted) and AMBER (restricted) access as now shown below.