T100 and T100 Lite: Meeting UCL’s August 2026 safety objective

What is T100 and why it matters

Target 100 (T100) is a self-assessment and improvement framework for departmental Health and Safety Management Systems. It helps teams to identify, assess and control risks through a structured and evidence-based approach.

Recognising that departments face different levels of risk, the framework has two pathways:

• T100 for high-hazard departments
•  T100 Lite for low-hazard departments

T100 Lite is a simplified version of the full T100 framework, supported by practical tools such as templates, checklists and evidence trackers to guide teams through the process.

Completing T100 or T100 Lite level is aligned with 2025-26 Health and Safety Objectives, and this also supports:

• Better visibility of risks and controls
• Greater consistency and accountability
• Stronger, more embedded safety practices

Progress so far: learning from RIGE’s achievement

To date, 56% of departments at UCL have completed either Lite or Level 1 assessment.

In the Professional Services area, Research, Innovation and Global Engagement (RIGE) stands out as the first Vice-Provost/ Vice-President (VP) Office to achieve full T100 Lite accreditation across all its departments.

Their achievement highlights what can be delivered through early planning, collaboration and a structured approach to managing evidence and processes. 

RIGE focused on:

• Starting early and setting clear expectations
• Close collaboration between teams and Safety Services
• Organising and evidencing existing processes effectively

Reflecting on the process, Verity Whiter, the Research and Innovation Change Lead within RIGE highlighted how the accreditation was only possible because of the collective effort across RIGE:

“This accreditation is the result of genuine collaboration. Everyone played their part, and it’s that shared commitment that made this achievement possible.

Their experience shows that prioritising this health and safety requirement, and working collectively can make the process manageable, even during busy periods. Their experience also shows that T100 (Lite) is more than a compliance exercise. It is also a practical way to strengthen how safety is managed day to day.

Their approach provides a useful model for other VP Offices to build on this momentum by progressing their own assessments and embedding strong, consistent safety practices as they work towards completion.
 

What you need to do now

All departments are expected to complete the appropriate level of T100 by August 2026, in line with the 2025–26 Health and Safety Objectives.

• Low-hazard departments: complete T100 Lite
• High-hazard departments: achieve T100 Level 1

Find out whether your department is categorised as a low- or high-hazard department

Delivering T100 or T100 Lite is a collective effort. It requires coordination across teams to ensure that processes are in place and evidence is clearly organised and accessible. In practice, this involves reviewing the relevant requirements, gathering key documentation such as training records, incident data and inspection reports, and storing this evidence in shared platforms like Teams or SharePoint. Departments will then work with their Lead Safety Advisor ]to ensure all evidence can be accessed and formally validated.

Responsibility sits with Heads of Department, supported by Departmental Safety Officers, operational leads and wider teams, including colleagues in roles such as Fire Marshals and First Aiders. Starting early and maintaining well-organised documentation will make the process significantly more manageable.

Support is available throughout. Departments are encouraged to contact their Lead Safety Advisor for guidance, make full use of the available toolkits and templates, and share learning across teams to build a consistent approach.

Thanks go to departments who have contributed to this through the work they have done so far. Each document developed, each process reviewed, and each conversation held has helped to strengthen how safety is understood and managed, laying a solid foundation for what comes next. Meeting the August 2026 deadline remains a shared priority.

All departments are encouraged to continue building on the progress they have already made, and to plan ahead to ensure they meet the deadline with confidence.