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Chapter 4 - Health and safety risk profiling

This page forms part of UCL’s Safety Management System. This is Chapter 4 - Health and safety risk profiling.

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Target 100 (T100)


Target 100 (T100) provides a route map for improvement of its safety management system based on the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle. It is tailored to be compatible with UCL's environment and allows Departments to consistently measure and plan for improvement - outputs can be readily visualised and easily understood and therefore plans can be set and monitored which can be built on year on year.

> Read HSE guidance on Plan, Do, Check, Act - An introduction to managing for health and safety
> Read about leadership and management of health and safety in higher education institutions (UCEA)

T100 uses a number of defined areas around the PDCA cycle with each area having a discrete set of key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with them. A set of practical actions (termed measures) have been defined for each KPI to enable departments to see exactly how they can achieve the target of 100% (hence the name of T100).

> Target 100 programme

Risk assessment


It is the responsibility of the Head of Department to ensure that formal, systematic assessments are made of all activities, of the equipment and materials used for those activities and of the locations where the activities are carried out in accordance with the UCL requirements and guidance and defined responsibilities.

To facilitate this a risk assessment tool is provided within riskNET. This tool provides an online approval and authorisation process for Departmental risk assessments as well as central database storage of completed risk assessments with smart search function. Relevant professional support should be consulted before any high risk or complex activity is undertaken.

The essential requirement is that at any time the manager responsible for the work activity is able to demonstrate:

  • A suitable and sufficient risk assessment has been carried out, in good time and for every stage, for all risks associated with their work
  • The necessary controls identified have been put in place
  • Workplace Health has been informed of staff requiring health surveillance and immunisation using the Job Hazard Identification form
  • Effective communication of significant findings to those who may be affected by the activity
  • That assessments are recorded and reviewed periodically and especially when the work changes
  • That the controls continue to be appropriate and in place

All those involved in the activity, including the manager responsible for the workplace, will provide relevant information to inform the risk assessment process and will co-operate with those responsible to ensure appropriate controls are successfully implemented.

Monitoring of the completion and sufficiency of risk assessments is a key role of the safety forums as part of the active monitoring process.

Risk Assessment

Fire risk assessment


Fire risk assessment is a core part of the fire safety management process.

A fire risk assessment of each building is carried out using the PAS 79 methodology and documented using a bespoke pro-forma, looking at the building itself, the fire precautions and the activities and management of all departments within the building.

Action plans will be created detailing remedial work required by departments to reduce or maintain the risk.

The frequency of fire risk assessments is determined by the building Category.

  • Category 1 buildings will be fully fire risk assessed every 4 years, being of a perceived lower risk.
    • These buildings will generally be small, with low numbers of people present, generally with office-type occupancy and good means of escape available
  • Category 2 buildings will be fully fire risk assessed every years, being of a perceived ‘standard’ risk
    • These buildings will range from small to very large, with numbers of occupants also ranging greatly, as will type of occupancy. However, hazards will be considered to be generally well managed, and means of escape will be considered reasonable
  • Category 3 buildings will be fully fire risk assessed every years, being of a perceived higher risk (relative to other UCL buildings)
    • These buildings will generally have higher fire loads, more materials that are flammable and / or other process hazards. There may be lower standards of management than at other UCL buildings, or lower staff numbers, and a combination of these factors may lead to the decision to class a building as Category 3

All UCL premises have a base fire risk assessment (FRA) which are uploaded to riskNET as the cornerstone of recording and communicating the significant findings of that assessment. This will form the basis of the fire risk assessment process for the life of that building.

  • Base Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is a comprehensive fire risk assessment, in accordance with PAS 79
  • Fire Risk Assessment Review (FRAV) is a fire risk assessment with a restricted scope, reviews will be carried out annually between the FRAs to check any changes, issues or findings in the buildings

Each building will have a FRA according to the frequency defined by the building category. This process will ensure that not only can UCL demonstrate a process of continual review, but also that the Base Fire Risk Assessment will remain relevant and up-to-date and form the foundation for fire safety management within each building on the estate.

Fire risk assessments and reviews are recorded directly on riskNET. Copies of the fire risk assessment documentation can be printed as a PDF document and stored in the Fire Safety building file as a backup.

In accordance with the requirements of the BAFE SP205-1 Scheme, each fire risk assessment forming the Base Fire Risk Assessment, and any updated versions of that Base Fire Risk Assessment, will be issued with a BAFE certificate.

> Further information from UCL Fire Safety - Technical Note TN075.

Risk registers


Risk registers are kept at divisional and faculty level and significant health and safety risks raised and escalated during the risk management process are entered onto these registers for scrutiny at the corporate level.


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Chapter 3.8 - Workplace Health responsibilities


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Chapter 5 - Training, awareness and competence

Last updated: Tuesday, September 14, 2021