Health, Safety and Environment Information (HSE) for SKOK and SVT 2011-2012

Our Safety Delegate is Ragnar Fjelland (SVT): 55 58 32 35

Our Deputy Safety Delegate is Marit Fjeldstad (SKOK): 55 58 24 71

Introduction

Safety Delegates

Fire-safety Delegates

Building Manager

HSE-Report

Ergonomics

Guidelines for use of computers at SKOK and SVT

Everyone is responsible for working environment

Social environment, job satisfaction and dealing with undesirable behavior

Indoor air quality

Performance appraisals

Medical examinations, consultations, eye examinations, computer glasses

Substance abuse issues

Prolonged absence due to illness

Accidents and near misses

Relevant websites

The HSE-gateway website for the Health, Safety and Environment Section at UoB

Introduction

Every staff member is required to uphold the laws and regulations of the Health, Safety and Environment Act.

Guidelines for systematic HSE: Health, Safety and Environment work are found in the HSE-handbook. The HSE-Section (HMS-avdeling in Norwegian) is responsible for ensuring that the various institutes and departments at UoB follow up on and adhere to the rules and guidelines that apply to each area; the HSE-section is there to aid and support the centers in their efforts to comply with these requirements.

The Centers’ Heads of Department have the primary responsibility for health, safety and environment at the centers. They can however delegate areas of responsibility to other staff members.

Questions regarding general health, safety and working environment issues can be directed to the Safety Delegates: Executive Officer Marit Fjeldstad (SKOK) or Professor Ragnar Fjelland (SVT). Questions may also be addressed to the Centers’ Heads of Department: Professor Matthias Kaiser (SVT) or Professor Ellen Mortensen (SKOK).

If you prefer to speak to anyone outside the center, contact the HSE-Section. Phone: 55 58 20 54, Fax: 55 58 96 47, E-mail: post@hms.uib.no

Safety Delegates

The safety delegates are the employees’ representatives in working-environment issues at the same time they also work in cooperation with the department heads and head of administration. The safety delegates shall participate in the planning and implementation of the systematic HSE-work at the centers.

The staff has elected the following 2011-2012 Health, Safety and Environment Delegates:

Safety Delegate: Professor Ragnar Fjelland, SVT (55 58 32 35)

Deputy Safety Delegate: Executive Officer Marit Fjeldstad, SKOK (55 58 24 71)

Fire Safety Delegates:

Basement: Main Delegate: Kjell Soleim; Deputy Delegate: Fanny Verrax

1st floor: Main Delegate: Signe Solberg; Deputy Delegate: Roger Strand

2nd floor: Main Delegate Torjus Midtgarden; Deputy Delegate: Ragnar Fjelland

3rd: floor Main Delegate: Tone Lund-Olsen; Deputy Delegate: Randy Gressgård

4th. floor: Main Delegate: Gaudencia Mutema; Deputy Delegate: Claus Halberg

Fire Safety Delegates are responsible for ensuring that all staff members at the centers are informed about the escape routes and fire-fighting equipment. They are also responsible for ensuring that there is an annual fire drill. See UoB’s Safety Handbook Section 5.4 for more information on Fire Prevention. All fire-fighting appliances are to be inspected annually by the company under contract to UoB.

Building Manager:

Marit Fjeldstad is the building manager; Deputy Manager: Signe Solberg

The Building manager is responsible for all the rooms in the building. Everyone is responsible for his/her own room/office. This means that you are responsible for monitoring the Health, Safety and Environment condition of the room to which you are assigned.

HSE-Report

In connection with the annual reporting of all activities at the Centers, one must also report the physical condition of ones own office.

Ergonomics

To prevent stress and physical disorders our workplaces (both existing and new) are planned according to ergonomic principles. This will help keep us healthy at work. The contact person at the HSE-Section is Astrid Johannessen, Head Occupational Therapist, 55 58 20 54. She is the consultant for designing computer work spaces and assists users in planning and preparing their office layout. The furniture exhibition is located at Hans Tanks Street 19, 3rd floor. It consists of tables, chairs and other aids that meet ergonomic standards. The exhibition can be visited by appointment with Executive Officer Astrid Joseph, 55 58 87 38.

Guidelines for use of computers at SKOK/SVT

The University’s computer system should not be used for viewing and/or downloading pornographic material. Anyone who has access to UoB’s computers is obligated to use them in accordance with the guidelines for use of university computer systems. Pornographic material puts undue stress on the network, may lead to the spread of viruses, causes extra work for the IT Managers, and last but not least, such use is perceived as very unpleasant for colleagues.

If employees use PCs at their own office to look at pornographic pictures, there can be serious consequences, which may include the possible loss of ones IT-account. Further consequences will depend on the individual circumstances and will be handed over to Center’s Department Heads to consider.

Those who have visiting foreign students or visiting scholars who will be using the University’s computer system, are required to inform guests about the guidelines.

Everyone is responsible for own working environment

This applies to correct seating, lighting, desk/PC, noise, pollution, etc. If there is something in the workplace that is perceived as bothersome/annoying, please by all means take contact with the safety delegates, Centers’ Department Heads or others.

Social environment, job satisfaction and dealing with undesirable behavior

Our social environment is also important to our wellbeing, and may be a bigger problem for many workers and students than the physical environment. Issues relating to human interaction are difficult to pinpoint and harder to address than physical factors. However, there is nothing worse for the wellbeing and creativity in the work place than conflicts that build up over time, or adverse social interactions that are allowed to develop over time. Do not hesitate to take up these issues with management, the safety delegates or other employees or students that you trust, so together we can assess whether corrective measures should be implemented. Unwanted behaviors include, for example, bullying/harassment, exclusion or repeated unwanted sexual attention.

Indoor air quality

Contact the University’s HSE-Section at 55 58 87 37 for information about indoor air quality and assistance in monitoring and evaluating indoor air quality. Indoor air is defined to include thermal (heat, cold, drafts, humidity), atmospheric (air quality, pollution, lack of fresh air), acoustics (noise, perception of speech and sound), actinic (illumination, radiation, electric and magnetic fields) and the mechanical environment (ergonomics, slip resistance, vibration, etc.).

Performance appraisals

Annual performance appraisals of individual employees and their superiors should be held every year. For technical/ administrative staff, this is required by the University Senate (Det akademiske kollegium). Annual appraisals are strongly recommended for academic staff but are not required.

For technical and administrative staff: With the Center’s Head of Department/Head of administration

For academic staff: With the Center’s Head of Department

Medical examinations, consultations, eye examinations, computer glasses

Health Examinations, which are not specifically required for ones job at UoB, are not offered by the University of Bergen. The HSE-Section has only a limited consultation service for employees with health problems caused by working conditions. Cases where long-term health problems might be/are related to the working environment and in cases where measurements are needed to improve work environments will be a priority.

Employees over 40 years old and who work in front of a computer screen more than three hours a day have the right for a reimbursement of expenses for a vision examination by an approved eye care professional every three years. UoB has an agreement with at least one optometrist that employees must use when they have the eye exam. Computer glasses are also reimbursed for employees over 40 years old (every three years).

UoB has a contract agreement with: Øyeoptikk (Teigland) 55 32 33 99.

Substance abuse issues

The HSE-Section offers follow up consultations for people with substance abuse problems.

Prolonged absence due to illness

The HSE-Section offers follow-up to employees with long-term sick leave. Their role in this context is to assist in making the workplace more assessable and conducive to the employee’s needs so that they can resume their work at the University of Bergen.

Accidents and near misses

Most accidents and injuries do not happen at random, they are caused. Unsafe actions account for at least 80-90% of all accidents. All accidents and near misses must be reported. This is done by completing the form: “Internal accident reports of accidents and near misses.” Procedures for reporting accidents and near misses can be found in the HSE-Handbook chapter 5.1. If personal injury has resulted in medical treatment, an additional fill RTV form to the National Insurance Administration is needed. Both forms can be found in the HSE-Handbook chapter 5.1. If you have questions, contact the HSE-Section.

Relevant websites
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority
Health, Safety and Environment Section at UoB

HSE-Handbook (In Norwegian)