All staff, students and visitors are expected to comply with University Policies and regulations including but not limited to:

• Conduct
• Health and Safety
• Fire Safety
• IT and Communications
• Information handling and security
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

 

Main Access Point and Institute General Office

The main access point to the Institute is 18 University Square.

The General Office is located on the ground floor of House 18 in room 18.0G.002.

Entry and exit to the General Office is through House 18.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The QUB Safety Service team offer guidance, advice and training on all aspects of health and safety.  They also monitor compliance across the campus.  The full range of QUB Health and Safety Policies can be found here.

 

Health and Safety Co-Ordinator

The Institute’s Health and Safety Co-ordinator is Dr Wendy-Louise Smith, Extn 3888.

Any issues relating to health and safety must be reported to Dr Wendy-Louise Smith as soon as possible.

 

First Aid

First Aid boxes are located in the General Office, Room 18.01.002.

The Institute’s First Aider is Brett Walker.

Please contact the General Office on Extn 3609 if you require assistance.

If the General Office is closed, or you are working outwith office hours, contact Security on 028 9097 2222 or Extn 2222.

In the event of an emergency contact emergency services on 999.

Please notify Dr Wendy-Louise Smith of any issues or incidents as soon as possible.

 

Defibrillators

Defibrillators are located across the campus. The nearest defibrillator for the Institute is located in the Main Site Tower.

 

No-smoking policy

The University operates a no-smoking policy. 

Smoking is not permitted in any of the University buildings, temporary buildings and University owned vehicles.

There are a limited number of designated areas across campus for smoking.  The smoking area nearest to the Institute is in the car park at the McClay Library.

 

Institute Equipment

If there are any issues with the equipment in your workspace, meeting rooms or kitchen area please contact the General Office in person, or by email to mitchell.institute@qub.ac.uk. Do not attempt to repair or modify any of the equipment yourself.

 

Wellbeing

The University Wellbeing Unit offers a diverse range of support, advice and activities from healthy eating to counselling and support services.  Full details are available here. 

Queen’s Sports offers staff, visiting staff, students and the public excellent facilities, activities and services.  Full details can be found here.

 

Accessibility and Disability Requirements

If you have any access or disability requirements please contact Dr Wendy-Louise Smith.

Only the ground floor of the Institute is wheelchair accessible.

 

New, Expectant and Breastfeeding Mothers

Please inform Dr Wendy-Louise Smith of pregnancy, breastfeeding or having given birth in the previous six months.  This is to ensure that a specific risk assessment for the individual is conducted to take account of individual factors, such as advice provided by the General Practitioner (GP), Midwife or other health professional, and appropriate arrangements put in place.

Staff, students and visitors who become aware that they are suffering from infectious diseases, such as chickenpox, shingles or rubella, should not return to work or classes until they are recovered and are no longer infectious.  Staff bringing visitors, particularly children, into the University should ensure that those known to be suffering from an infectious disease do not attend until recovered.

Full details of the QUB policy can be found here.

 

Lifting and Carrying

Caution should be taken when lifting and carrying heavy items.  You should not attempt to lift or carry items outwith your capability and for which you have not received appropriate training.

If you require heavy items to be moved please contact the General Office by email at mitchell.institute@qub.ac.uk to make the necessary arrangements with Porters.

 

FIRE SAFETY AND EVACUATION PROCEDURES

Queen’s University Belfast recognises that the principles and practice of good fire safety are essential to ensure that all those involved in our institution are protected from the risks associated with fire.

Measures have been put in place to achieve an appropriate level of fire safety within all of our buildings and the risk from fire will be managed in compliance with the Fire & Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010.

 

Fire Safety Co-ordinator and Officers

The Fire Safety Co-ordinator for the Mitchell Institute is Dr Wendy-Louise Smith, Extn 3888.

The Fire Safety Officers are: Louise Milligan, Valerie Miller and Brett Walker

 

Fire Prevention

Staff, students and visitors are expected to prevent and minimise the risk of fire.

• Abide with the University no-smoking policy
• Do not obstruct emergency routes, stairwells, corridors or exits
• Do not prop or wedge open fire doors
• Do not stack or store cardboard boxes, waste materials and other combustibles in exit routes or stairwells
• Do not obstruct the ventilation of electrical equipment
• Do not store items on top of computer monitors or other electrical equipment
• Switch off electrical equipment when not in use
• Switch off all lights and close all doors and windows when leaving the office

More details on fire safety and prevention can be found here.

 

Fire Doors and Escape Routes

Fire doors protect escape routes from smoke and fire.  There are fire doors throughout the Institute, including at the kitchen area, in some of the corridors linking the buildings and on the ground floor.  These doors should not be compromised or kept open at any time.

Escape routes must be kept clear from any obstruction or storage.  Floors and walkways should not be used for general storage.

If you are aware of any issues with fire doors or escape routes, please contact the Institute’s Fire Safety Co-ordinator, Dr Wendy-Louise Smith.

 

Fire Alarm Testing

The Fire Alarms in the Mitchell Institute are checked on a weekly basis, usually every Monday at around 10am.

 

What To Do If You Discover a Fire

In case of an emergency you should call the University Emergency Service on 2222.

• Raise the alarm
• Only attempt to put the fire out if it is possible without taking personal risks
• Do not use the fire extinguishers unless you have been fully trained and you feel confident to do so

Once the alarm has been raised, evacuate the premises immediately, without stopping to collect personal belongings.

Do not re-enter the building until it is declared safe to do so.

Evacuation Assembly Point: Mitchell Institute, 18-19 University Square.

The Evacuation Assembly Point is on the pavement directly across the road from the Mitchell Institute, towards the Graduate School.

 

Evacuation Assembly Point: 22 University Square

The Evacuation Assembly Point is on the pavement at 29 University Square. On exit, turn left and walk down to building number 29. 

 

LONE WORKING, WORKING IN ISOLATION AND WORKING OUTSIDE NORMAL OFFICE HOURS

Staff, students and visitors may be permitted to work alone or in isolation provided appropriate precautions have been taken and the risks are not unacceptable.  A risk assessment must be carried out.

Hazardous work activities associated with significant risks should not be undertaken in isolation except where there are appropriate measures in place to mitigate the risk.

Full details of the University policies on lone working and working outside normal office hours are provided here. 

Students must discuss and obtain permission from their supervisor to be working in isolation and/or outside normal working hours.  A risk assessment must be completed.

 

Support Services Outwith Normal Hours

Support services such as fire wardens and first aiders will not normally be available outside normal working hours.

Out of hours, a self-evacuation policy is in place in the event of a fire alarm.

Emergency assistance can be obtained by contacting the Security Control Room, Level 1, Administration Building, which is staffed 24 hours a day all year round.

Emergency Number:           2222               (External 028 9097 2222)

Internal Numbers:               5099               (External 028 9097 5099)

You are advised to have these numbers displayed and readily available.  If there are any concerns in relation to personal safety or suspicious activity on site, you should be reported to the Control Room immediately.

 

Contacting Security

You must contact Security if you:

• Are working outside normal hours
• Are working late
• Are working at the weekend

Where possible, it is advised to do this in advance and prior to 7pm.

You must provide the following information:

• Staff / Student / Visitor name
• Contact details (office extension, mobile phone number)
• Time and date and duration of stay
• Location of room and building in which you are working
• Brief description of the nature of work/reason for working after hours
• Directions for Security in the event of an emergency
• Name and contact details for a supervisor/line manager in the event of an emergency.

These details will be held securely and confidentially in a log book in the Control Room.