School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (SoGEES)

Resources and Equipment

Access Terms & Conditions

The following terms and conditions must be read and understood prior to any resources or equipment being utilised.

GENERAL TERMS

All lab users must abide by the lab rules and follow good laboratory practice, as provided in the lab induction training.

In summary, you agree to:

• Wear all appropriate PPE and check it is clean and fit for purpose before each use.
• Wear appropriate clothing and tie long hair back.
• Complete all relevant CoSHH and Risk Assessments and upload to the SoGEES Health and Safety SharePoint site before starting work.
• Take care of equipment, put it back where you got it from, and report any breakages to SoGEES technical staff.
• Keep your workspace clean and tidy, wash and dry and put away sieves, metal trays and pestles and mortars, and clean up any spills if safe to do so.
• Put all used glass and plasticware in the washroom in 808 for cleaning.
• Label all samples and store them in your designated storage area.
• Not remove anything from the labs or take items to other laboratories
• Not tamper with any equipment or facilities in the labs.
• Not use any equipment without appropriate training.
• Not eat or drink in the lab or bring food or drink into the lab.
• Report any accidents or near-misses to technical staff.
• Dispose of waste appropriately, as outlined in the induction and CoSHH forms/risk assessments.
• Not work alone or outside of lab working hours, unless with permission and appropriate training and risk assessments in place.
• Use the booking system every time you visit the lab, even if for a short time.
  
  

SUSPENSIONS

Any abuse of the laboratory facilities or booking system will incur a suspension period during which access to resources or the labs will not be permitted.

Any damage as a result of poor use of a resource or facility may incur a suspension until the matter has been resolved with the School Technical Management.

Please be aware that suspensions are not here to obstruct, but to protect access to other users who require the resources and facilities.

TRAINING

A general lab induction is mandatory before any work in the labs can be started.

Further inductions may be required prior to access of any specialist equipment. This is to ensure safe and proficient use of resources / facilities and allows for Health & Safety training.

To attend these inductions, your programme leaders or tutors will make the appropriate arrangements.

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Health & Safety procedures must be followed with ALL items of equipment or laboratories.

• Students and staff cannot book equipment until all applicable inductions have been attended and signed off by a technical member of the team.

• All electrical equipment is Portable Appliance Tested (PAT tested) and should be visually checked before each use.

• A Risk Assessment will be required for any work in the labs and should be completed in conjunction with your project supervisor. If using chemicals, CoSHH forms will also be required. They must be uploaded to the School Health and Safety SharePoint site before any work begins in the lab.