Establishing a Departmental Safety Committee

A Departmental Safety Committee assures effective management of health and safety risks by reviewing performance, consulting staff and unions, monitoring compliance and escalating significant issues.

On this page 

• What is a departmental safety committee?
• Scope
• Membership
• Frequency and quorum
• Reporting and escalation

What is a departmental safety committee?

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A Departmental Safety Committee assists the Head of Department by providing assurance on the effective management of health, safety and wellbeing risks. The committee’s size, representation and meeting frequency should be proportionate to the level of risk and complexity within the department.

This information should be recorded in the committee's Terms of Reference and should be reviewed every two years. Where appropriate, and especially in smaller departments, health and safety matters should be considered regularly at departmental management meetings.

Further detail, including a suggested agenda template and governance expectations, is set out in the UCL Departmental Safety Committee Terms of Reference (SGR 016) (UCL login required).

Scope

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The Departmental Safety Committee covers all departmental activities, including labs, workshops, clinical areas, fieldwork, teaching spaces and offices; all staff, students, contractors and visitors; and any off‑site activities conducted under UCL direction. Shared‑space risks must be communicated to building managers or partner departments.

The departmental safety committee will:

• Monitor compliance with UCL policies, training, statutory requirements, inspections and risk assessments.
• Review accident, incident and ill‑health data, identify trends and ensure completion of actions.
• Monitor progress against T100 and UCL safety objectives.
• Develop monitoring programmes including inspections, audits, investigations and follow‑up.
• Establish staff consultation arrangements.
• Establish co-operation with shared‑workspace partners.
• Monitor and review performance.
• Maintain an accurate Responsible Persons Register.
• Promote positive safety culture and communication.
• Escalate significant risks to the Head of Department and the Faculty Safety Committee.

Membership

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There is no correct number of committee members as each department will differ. The size and representation of the committee should be commensurate with the magnitude of the risk and complexity of departmental activity. Where relevant, Principal Investigators should be included to ensure representation from key areas of research and teaching activity.

Representatives should include:

• Head of Department (Chair)
• Departmental Safety Officer (DSO)
• Technical Managers/Lab Managers
• Building/Facilities Representative
• Trade Union Safety Representative(s)
• Early Career Researcher or Student Representative (if appropriate)
• Specialist safety role holders (e.g. Fire Evacuation Marshal, Radiation Protection Officer)
• Lead Safety Advisor (ex officio)

Frequency and quorum

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• The committee must meet at least three times per year (termly). Additional meetings may be held following major incidents or significant change.
• A meeting is quorate when the Chair or Deputy is present and at least 50% of members attend.

Agenda and minutes

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• Agenda approved by Chair and circulated no fewer than five days prior to the meeting.
• Minutes must summarise discussion, decisions and actions and be approved at next meeting.

A suggested agenda template is provided in Appendix 1 of the UCL Departmental Safety Committee Terms of Reference (SGR 016) (UCL login required). Departments should use this template as the baseline structure for their meetings.

Reporting and escalation

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• Routine reporting to the Faculty Safety Committee.
• Immediate escalation of urgent matters to Head of Department.
• Scientific hazards escalated to specialist sub‑committees.
• Provide clear communication of safety decisions to staff and students, and co-ordinate with building managers and partner departments.
• Serious incidents reported via Inside UCL form and to HoD immediately.
• Building issues reported via MyCampus.
• Training gaps summarised to the Head of Department.