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Health and safety guidance for County Hall workspaces

Health and safety guidance for people working at County Hall workspaces.


Signing in and out

If you attend County Hall you must continue to sign in and out via reception or by a designated entry and exit point. You can do this by reporting to reception or using the self-service devices located at various entrances throughout the building.

When you use the self-service devices, select check in, then select your name, building block and room number. On departure you sign out of County Hall by selecting check out, select your name and confirm you're signing out of County Hall.

Please remember to check out and check back in, if you leave the County Hall complex during lunch, or leave to attend an off-site meeting.

Fire safety

To help us maintain a high standard of fire safety, we ask that all employees do the following:

  • read and fully understand the buildings fire action notices so you know what to do if you discover a fire or hear the fire alarm sound
  • get familiar with all escape routes and where the assembly points are - it's good practice to walk these routes, so you know where to go in an emergency
  • complete your fire safety awareness e-learning available on Derbyshire Learning Online prior to using the building.

County Hall operates a detailed emergency evacuation plan that the evacuation team will use in the event of a fire. You can view a copy of this on request at main reception.

We test the fire alarms every Monday morning across the County Hall complex. The alarms will sound for less than 10 seconds. If the alarms continue to sound for more than 10 seconds you should treat it as a genuine emergency and evacuate the building.

For any fire safety related query, please email fire.safety@derbyshire.gov.uk

Personal emergency evacuation plan

Where employees are unable to evacuate from a building unaided, a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) is required. The manager must ensure that this is undertaken and resourced when such an employee is at work. It must be communicated to Facilities Management to ensure they are aware of the procedures to follow in an emergency evacuation situation.

PEEPS are not required for working from home, but the working from home self-assessment needs to reflect that an employee can safely leave their home in the event of a fire.

Further guidance and a template document is attached to this page.

First aid

If you require first aid

First aid boxes containing equipment for dealing with minor injuries will be located in the kitchen areas in your building. They will be suitably labelled. If you use any equipment from any of these boxes, please inform the Facilities Management Hub tel: 01629 536673 so it can be replenished.

If you require support from a first aider, please contact the County Hall emergency number tel: 01629 536666 giving as much detail as possible so a suitable response can be put in place. Or go to the Facilities Management Hub located by reception.

In an emergency situation tel: 999 and then inform the Facilities Management Hub tel: 01629 536666 that an ambulance is on its way, so they can be met at reception.

Checking electrical equipment

You must check your equipment before use for any visible faults. If you spot any faults, report them to your line manager and do not use the equipment until it has been checked.

You should also formally record a visual inspection of your electrical equipment every 6 months. Formal inspection guidance is attached to this page.

Display screen equipment assessment

It's essential that we ensure that workstations are correctly set up to avoid injuries that can arise from poor posture. It's important that you understand what good posture and practices are and the measures you need to take to adjust your workstation set up to support your wellbeing.

You have a personal responsibility for your own health safety and wellbeing, and we expect employees to follow the guidance for setting up workstations which is attached to this page.

All fixed workers are still required to carry out the display screen equipment online assessment.

You don't need to undertake an assessment each time you use a new workstation, but will be expected to follow the guidance for setting up workstations each time you set up.

Medically prescribed equipment

To support staff to undertake their role the following will be put in place to facilitate modern ways of working and to allow staff to work from home or an office location as service need dictates.

Staff who have a disability as defined in the Equalities Act

Where they are likely to work predominantly at a fixed location, the required specialist equipment will be provided at that location (wherever it may be).

Where they are likely to work between split locations (for example at home and a recognised team zone) specialist equipment relevant to their needs will be provided at more than one location where it is necessary and reasonable to do so at both locations. Services will be responsible for managing office locations to ensure that the specialist equipment located in offices is not altered and is available for the employee to use when they are accessing the office.

Occupational health referral may be necessary to assess provision of additional equipment based on things like working patterns.

Staff who do not have a disability but have previously been provided with equipment following a referral to occupational health

Specialist equipment will only be located at their main place of work. This will include where staff work predominantly from home.

Managers may make a referral to occupational health for a further assessment to determine whether additional or secondary equipment would be beneficial. The provision of secondary equipment will be assessed on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration things like work patterns, service need, the availability of suitable equipment at alternative locations.

The provision of secondary or additional equipment will be funded by the relevant department.