UWA's Health Safety and Environment Statement

Thought I'd post this up here - Welsh version is available on the main University website http://www.aber.ac.uk/safety-environment/english/policy/index.shtml

This is the text of the university's Health Safety and Environment statement. In case you're wondering, this is it and there isn't much else in terms of translating these nice words into environmental action. If you wander around the HSE webpages you'll find that most of the material is related to the Health/Safety part of it - procedures and safety and so forth. I think that that's a fair reflection of the attention given to the Environment side of things. Anyway, more on this to follow in the coming weeks and months. Here's the statement.
----------------------------------------------------
The University of Wales, Aberystwyth recognises that the protection of the health and safety of our employees, students and others affected by our activities, and of the quality of the environment, are an integral part of the university’s operation and a prime responsibility of management at every level.

Specifically UWA will:
· comply, as a minimum, with legislation and associated codes of practice and improve on the performance standards they specify where it is reasonably practicable to do so.

· conduct our activities safely and in an environmentally responsible manner.

· endeavour to improve continually our health, safety and environmental management systems so that work related ill health and accidents, environmental releases and production of waste are minimised, and energy is used efficiently.

· require all our employees and students to work safely and with due consideration for the health and safety of others and for the environment, and provide whatever training and supervision are necessary.

· involve and consult employees, where appropriate through their representatives.

· by recognising our fundamental role in higher education, aim to include health & safety and risk management topics in our taught courses of study as appropriate.

· wherever reasonably practicable, apply the principles of sustainability when sourcing goods and services.

· require contractors who work for us to accept the same standards of care for health, safety and the environment as the university itself.

UWA will make available appropriate resources to implement the policy. The university will take all necessary steps, including measuring performance and auditing compliance, to ensure that the policy is understood and is being implemented and maintained at all levels.

The policy will be reviewed annually, updated when necessary and any revisions brought to the attention of all employees and those others who may be affected.
----------------------------------------------------------