Question

You have been appointed as an H&S in charge of a university campus. The campus includes schools of science and technology that has chemicals and mechanical engineering laboratories. The president informed you that there have been a few incidents in past that included fire in the chemical laboratory in which a few students got burns, a fire in the canteen and an incident in civil engineering lab in which a lab technician almost lost one of his hands while handling an equipment. You have been informed that such incidents are raising in past three years. What steps you will take to make university a safer place and to reduce such incidents? (15)

Answer 1

it is very important for any university to ensure the safety and security of its staff as well as students. This is especially true in chemical laboratories where any minor mistake can result in accidents which could endanger the lives of the people working and studying in the university.

If I become H&S, I would take the following steps to ensure everyone safety:-

• Create a chart of do's and dont's after consulting the experts. This would help the students in knowing the things which they are allowed and are not allowed to do in the lab. This can help in reducing negligence and thus, accidents to a large extent.
• Make sure that all the people present in the lab at any given time wear protective gear like masks and clothing which helps them from fire or any other harmful chemical reactions.
• Ensure that the lab is properly ventilated to facilitate a safe working environment. Also, the lab would be regularly checked for maintainance to ensure that all the safety equipment like extinguishers and alarms are in working condition.

The above steps, if properly followed, can help in maintaining a safe environment at the university and will help in reducing any untoward accidents.