Taking the temperature: introducing safety temperature checks

Introducing Temperature Checks

We all play a part in making UCL a safe and healthy place. To help us understand how our safety culture feels across the university, Safety Services has introduced safety health checks called Temperature Checks. You might have previously thought we only get in touch when things go wrong. This initiative is about proactively gauging the everyday safety climate in different areas.

What is a Temperature Check?

Temperature Checks are quick, informal observations conducted by Safety Advisors to get an overall sense of the safety culture within UCL spaces, with impressions shared centrally to spot broader trends. To ensure honest and unbiased feedback, these checks aren't scheduled or announced, capturing a natural sense of the safety culture.

During Temperature Checks, Safety Advisors focus on these 10 visual cues that often indicate a strong safety culture:

1. Housekeeping: Is the area tidy and well-maintained?
2. Security: Are there any obvious security lapses?
3. Waste Management: Is waste being handled correctly?
4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Is PPE being used and stored appropriately?
5. Emergency Access: Are emergency routes and exits clear?
6. Portable Equipment: Does portable equipment appear safe to use?
7. Hazardous Substances: Are chemicals and other hazardous materials stored safely?
8. Workstation Ergonomics: Do workstations seem set up with good posture in mind?
9. General Behaviour: Do people seem to be working safely and considerately?
10. Unsafe Acts/Conditions? This is the crucial additional point - see below.

For the first nine points, the aim is a 'yes' – indicating things look good. If something raises a concern, the Safety Advisor will look to understand why. This feedback is shared to highlight both positive practices and areas that might need attention.

The 10th point: seeing something unsafe

The 10th point is vital and phrased as a question: Were any unsafe acts or circumstances observed? The expected answer is a clear 'No', directly reinforcing UCL's safety vision: People action what is needed for a safe and healthy environment.

If the answer to this question is 'Yes', the Temperature Check stops being just an observation. It becomes an intervention that will trigger a riskNET incident report. The Safety Advisor will immediately take appropriate action to make the situation safe. This could involve stopping work, informing supervisors and ensuring the incident is formally reported.

What we've learned so far

Our initial 100+ Temperature Checks have highlighted three key areas where we need to focus our collective efforts:

• Housekeeping.
• Security (particularly preventing tailgating).
• Waste management.

Over the next six months, we'll be working to improve these areas at individual, team, departmental, and UCL-wide levels.

You might have seen our articles on housekeeping, departmental hazardous waste management plans and the proper handling of sharps bins – these came directly from our observations.

UCL Health and Safety Strategic Plan 2024 - 2027

This initiative directly supports the UCL Health and Safety Vision: 2027 and beyond:

• Theme 1: Role, responsibilities and support – Enabler 4: Competent advice.
• Theme 5: Systems and documented information – Enabler 3: Clear Communication.

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