Tag Archives: safety

E-cigarettes, Batteries & Chargers

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BU’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team would like to remind students about the risks of using mains/USB chargers for E-Cigarettes.e-cigs-1

Electronic cigarettes have been linked to more than 100 fires. Fire services in the UK are now attending at least one blaze involving the devices each week. They have attended dozens of incidents suspected to have been sparked by e-cigarettes or related equipment – including chargers – in less than three years.

Students should be aware of the fire hazard associated with the use and recharging of e-cigarettes, disposable electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), cigars, pipes and similar battery powered tobacco replacement products which use a heating element (atomiser) to produce a vapour which resembles smoke.

The devices should not be left whilst being recharged either by using a mains adaptor, USB port on a laptop, or computer in case they catch fire. This applies to all BU vehicles as well, including those hired in.e-cigs-2

They should not be used in an oxygen rich environment given the increased risk of ignition and explosion.

They should only be used outside at least 10 meters away from buildings as they are treated the same as normal smoking material with regards to BU’s policy on smoking.

Equipment used for charging should be marked with a CE mark to provethey have been tested to an approved higher standard.

New Defibrillators on Campus

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defibrillatorThe health and wellbeing of our staff and students is a priority.

In addition to the numerous services we provide, eight fully Automated External Defibrillator’s (AEDs) have recently been located around both Talbot and Lansdowne Campus.

An AED is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm in the event of sudden cardiac arrest and, if needed, can send an electric shock to the heart to try and restore a normal rhythm.

These units are easy to use and clear instructions are provided, but to support this initiative defibrillator training is being held over the coming months.

Students are encouraged to participate in these sessions, which not only provide an invaluable life skill, but could also ultimately save someone’s life.

To book onto a session, please email the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team indicating which session you would like to attend;

Thursday 2 October, 12.30pm – 4.30pm, CG07, Christchurch House, Talbot
Tuesday 14 October, 9am – 1pm, R207, Royal London House, Lansdowne
Friday 31 October, 12.30pm – 4.30pm, CG06, Christchurch House, Talbot
Tuesday 11 November, 9am – 1pm, R303, Royal London House, Lansdowne
Monday 24 November, 12.30pm – 4.30pm, R303, Royal London House, Lansdowne
Tuesday 9 December, 9am – 1pm, R302, Royal London House, Lansdowne
Wednesday 10 December, 9am – 1pm,  P401, Poole House, Talbot
Thursday 18 December, 12.30pm – 4.30, R303, Royal London House, Lansdowne

The Defibrillators are located at;

Talbot Campus
Poole House [Main Reception]
SportBU [Reception]
Talbot House [External Main Entrance]
Christchurch House [Main Entrance Porch]

Lansdowne Campus
Studland House [Main Reception]
Executive Business Centre [Reception Area]
Bournemouth House [Reception Area]
Purbeck House/Melbury House [Entrance Lobby]

 

Access to Talbot Campus from Monday 15 September

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Over the summer, work on BU’s flagship New Academic Building started on Talbot Campus. The building, due to open in summer 2016, will host academic and support facilities, including seminar rooms, lecture theatres, break out space and catering facilities.

Due to the construction work taking place on site, temporary pedestrian routes are necessary and signs will be provided to guide on key preferred/shortest routes.

Pedestrians should remain on the pathways and follow safety instructions. The pedestrian path along the campus road will be re-routed through the student village – please do not walk on the campus road.

Cyclists should remain on the campus road (not pathways).

Students should also be aware that following recent feedback about the university bus services, some changes have been made to help make your journeys between campuses and around the Bournemouth area easier and more efficient. These changes will come into effect on Monday 15 September and more information about the different services can be found on the Bus for BU website.

Lock It or Lose It campaign launched

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A new campaign launched by the students’ unions at Bournemouth University (BU) and Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) will encourage students to lock their homes and keep belongings secure.

The Lock It or Lose It campaign is supported by United Taxis and the Universities’ Safer Neighbourhood Team, and was launched by attaching 2,000 dye-cut padlocks on properties around Winton.

 Each padlock contained information on how to keep properties secure. United Taxis contributed to the event by sending out text messages, detailing similar information to students who ordered vehicles.

Murray Simpson, President of the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU) said: “Although we have seen a reduction in burglaries over the past year in Bournemouth, we are seeing more burglaries happen during the day and we think that burglars are targeting specific properties at specific times of the day.”

Serving as visual reminders, it is hoped the padlocks will reinforce the campaign’s message that residents need to ensure properties are kept securely locked at all times.

Both SUBU and the Student’s Union at AUB (AUBSU) have also worked hard to promote security information internally.

Ben Musitano, AUBSU Student Union President, added: “We have been trying to promote information around AUB through poster boards as well as much as we can. Hopefully our student body will understand that burglaries in this area are actually quite a big problem.”

The Lock It Or Lose It campaign will also release a video focused around burglary prevention and safety in the local community. Murray Simpson summarized the overall purpose of the campaign as trying to “instill a new culture where people are safe and secure.”

PC Andy Scarratt, of The Universities’ Safer Neighbourhood Team, advised students in particular to work as a team to combat potential break-ins.

“If there are 5 of you in the house, get to know if you are the last one leaving and what time people going to be back”, he said.

“The danger is that students just forget about it.”

He also believes that the work conducted by SUBU and AUBSU to launch new initiatives such as Lock It Or Lose It is key to ensuring students’ possessions are kept safe, adding that it is important “to remind students that this is a time of year when you need to come back from Christmas with your new Christmas presents – and to look after them.”

By Alex Geraghty, Second Year BA (Hons) Media and Communications Student  

Fire Strike – 1 & 4 November

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fire-engineThe Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have announced that their members will be on strike between 6.30pm until 11pm on Friday 1 November and 6 am until 8am on Monday 4 November, so staff and students are advised to take greater precautions during these times.

Safety systems of work that are already in place will remain. However, everyone has a duty to participate in fire safety at BU, particularly at the time of a strike by Fire Brigade personnel. You can assist greatly in preventing fires and alarms. 

Everyone should consider delaying any non-essential activities that may increase fire risk until full fire service coverage is resumed. 

Staff and students on campus during this time should take even more care and to think about their safety from fire in all of their activities. 

  • You should postpone, where possible, all hazardous activities for the duration of the strike. These may involve workshop or laboratory activities.
  • Please consider the fire hazards within your areas and do all you can to minimize risk
  • Ensure that all fire doors are kept shut and not wedged open.
  • Ensure that all escape routes are unobstructed at all times and that accumulation of waste materials is avoided.
  • You must immediately evacuate any area in which an alarm sounds.  Never enter a building in which the alarm is sounding, and await direction from the responsible person.
  • Non-fire emergencies, such as becoming trapped in a lift, procedures remain unchanged.

Directors/Heads of Professional Services and School Directors of Operations should ensure the following within their relevant departments:

  • Hazardous processes, experiments and works are postponed for the duration of the strike wherever possible.

Teaching staff should all be aware of the following:

  • That people in their charge leave the building during an evacuation.
  • That those requiring assistance with evacuating in their charge, including those with mobility difficulties, are taken to the nearest refuge areas. 

For further information contact the BU Fire Safety Officer, Chris Hewitt on 01202 965101 or the Estates Help Desk on 01202 965515.