3. POLICY ON SAFETY, HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

GENERAL STATEMENT

In the Strategic Plan for this University, key objectives relating to safety, health and the environment have been established. They are:-

• To improve the working environment of staff and students and to promote the health, safety and welfare of staff, students and visitors.
• To show a commitment to environmental issues in general and to work towards a "green" University.

This University has long recognised that people are its most valuable asset and attaches the greatest importance to ensuring their well-being through effective safety, health and environmental policies and procedures.

Taken together with the Strategic Plan objectives, and mindful of the legal obligations on the University, this philosophy will be translated into action by such policies and procedures based on the following principles.

• It is University of Sunderland policy that in the course of all its activities, proper care be taken to protect the health and safety of all persons involved, and to safeguard the environment.
• This policy also requires that the University manages its activities to avoid causing, as far as reasonably practicable, risk to the Health and Safety of the employees, students or any other person who may be affected, or to the environment. The University will conform with statutory requirements and relevant codes of practice and will take any additional measures it considers necessary.
• The University will ensure that teaching, research, practical work and all other activities are undertaken in an environmentally sensitive way. Particular care will also be taken during field study work to follow best practice and to aid site conservation.
• The application of this policy will be a prime consideration in the management of all University activities and the efforts of all employees in the fields of safety, health and environmental protection will be valued equally with their other contributions to its activities.

The University will ensure that this policy is given high priority and is actively and effectively pursued, but this policy also requires the active co-operation of everyone.

Prepared for WWW by laurie.fenwick@sunderland.ac.uk

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