The EveryDaySafe programme

As part of a commitment to risk management, the new University Safety Risk Management Report has been developed, using the University’s Assurance Risk Management template and guidance.

As outlined in the Universities Safety and Health Association (USHA) 2023 Management Standard, 'sensible risk management is concerned with:

• understanding your institution's risk profile
• focusing on reducing significant risks - those which have significant consequences or arise frequently
• ensuring that those who create and own risks manage them responsibly
• ensuring that those who are managing risks have the knowledge, skills and experience to do so
• ensuring that staff, students, contractors, visitors and members of the public are properly protected'

Obtaining a better understanding of the most pertinent University-level safety risks supports change by:

• informing prioritisation 
• enabling action by risk
• facilitating monitoring
• driving continuous improvement
• supporting all teams in recognising the full range of risks 

The University Safety Risk Management Report is supported by a cross-divisional group of safety professionals from the Safety Network and is shared regularly with the Safety Executive Group (SEG).

SEG review critical and increasing risks. A cross-divisional Safety Network group met in September 2024 to review the latest report, resulting in new risks being added in reference to environment and IT. The report was shared at SEG in October 2024 and the Safety Network Steering Group is available to divisional teams and departments to inform local safety risk management.

A new Health & Safety Basics eLearning package went live in May 2024. All staff should complete the course, either as part of the University induction process for new staff or in conjunction with ongoing safety training for existing staff.

Developed with IT Digital Learning, this package is the first to provide a consistent quality and content of H&S onboarding training on a University-wide basis. As such, it's vital in delivering basic legally-required knowledge of health and safety arrangements and universal risks, combining text, video, tasks and quizzes to provide an interactive experience. The video above gives a 10-second snapshot of what the course entails.

Refresher training for all staff should be put in place every three years and the package is also suitable for students

Complete and promote the Health & Safety Basics eLearning

The roles and responsibilities for managing health and safety are outlined in the Health & Safety Management Responsibilities policy statement (S1/24). This is an overarching summary of the University’s arrangements and will help those named discharge their duties effectively.

This statement was updated in November 2024 to:

• align policy to current governance
• highlight the H&S role of leaders and managers in the University
• emphasise the centrality of risk management
• enable ownership and accountability

An implementation toolkit was also provided to support heads of division and their divisional safety committees in the communication and implementation of this policy statement.

Read the Health & Safety Management Responsibilities policy statement (S1/24)

The EveryDaySafe Programme is now a key delivery partner for the University's People Strategy. It is cited as an important enabler of the 'great place to work' pillar of the University's People Strategy.

The Confident Manager Series, run by People and Organisational Development (POD), was re-launched in Michaelmas Term 2023 based around six core modules and supported by a programme of masterclasses which vary each term. Key health and safety messages are included in both the Managing at Oxford and Essentials of People Management Research modules.

Additionally, a Health & Safety Masterclass was delivered as part of the programme in June 2024. There’s also a H&S guide in the Managers' Toolkit, while the Collegiate University Leadership Induction Programme integrated health and safety content in March. 

Key safety messages have been included in the Researcher Hub welcome materials, and safety links incorporated into the Researcher's Trailmap.

Conversations have also started on how health and safety information can be incorporated into the Supporting Technicians at Oxford website and events, with the Safety Office leading a session at the Technician’s Conference held in June 2024. The mentoring scheme for DSOs is being piloted under the POD MentorNet system.

Three role-related training and competency frameworks were approved by the Safety Executive Group in January 2024. The roles are departmental safety officers (DSOs), supervisors/line managers and leaders (executives and senior managers). These frameworks set out the appropriate training and competencies for those roles.

These role-related frameworks set out a basic minimum level of training, with additional training added as needed based on the corresponding risk profile. This supports change by:

• providing guidance for the University on recommended training by role
• introducing standard frameworks for clear training management
• increasing competence and confidence of role holders as new training is introduced

Read the three training and competency frameworks

The Safety Network Conference 2025, which took place on Thursday 20 March, aimed to continue to empower the University's Safety Network to make a difference in their area. More than 200 members attended to hear talks from both the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar, keynote and external speakers, as well as a panel discussion with senior divisional leaders.

They participated and collaborated in a series of workshops, with topics ranging from increasing engagement, effective communications, supporting our leaders, risk management, planning for major incidents and the impact of technology. Delegates also had the opportunity to explore a range of information stands and network with their colleagues.

View the 2025 Conference resources

A new departmental safety officer (DSO) mentoring scheme began piloting in April 2024.

This scheme, which is integrated into the POD mentoring programme, supports change by:

• building confidence and competence amongst safety professionals
• increasing connections across the Network
• developing a sense of community
• two-way reward for both mentor and mentee
• new behaviours and action demonstrated

Complete the Mentoring for Development eLearning

The EveryDaySafe self-assurance project ran in May-June 2024, with a pilot involving seven departments across the University. The Safety Executive Group subsequently approved its roll-out. Roll-out is now dependent on the identification, resourcing and implementation of a suitable platform/systems solution.

This will:

• enable teams to increase their own awareness
• provide leaders and managers with data
• support an action-oriented safety culture
• drive action-taking and change

A wide-ranging consultation concluded in June 2024 in response to recommendation 10 of the Health & Safety Review:

‘There are significant IT opportunities to reduce compliance risk and inefficiencies, improve assurance processes, to spread best practice, and to foster a sense of openness around H&S. SHEMS should identify a prioritised list of needs/opportunities and work with IT Committee/Services, the Assurance Unit and the Safety Office to secure a rolling plan of investment.’

The Safety Executive Group approved the five future areas of safety need for IT in July 2024.

The development of a single University health & safety assurance framework will:

• provide a comprehensive framework of evidence sources
• achieve clarity around roles and responsibilities centrally, divisionally and departmentally
• ensure alignment with the Assurance Directorate lines of defence model
• enable continuous improvement as a result of a greater breadth and depth of data and insight

This work started in June 2024 and is involving the Safety Network from across divisions.

Clear role descriptors have been finalised for:

• heads of department
• supervisors/managers
• divisional safety officers
• departmental safety officers
• specialist safety officers

Helping to remove ambiguity from the H&S Management System, this work has started to be integrated into policy revisions S1/24, S2/24 and S3/24, and this exercise will continue. It's also being incorporated into H&S training.

A proposal was approved in October 2024 for new cross-divisional management level representation on the Safety Network Steering Group to enable the communication and implementation of Safety Executive Group (SEG) decisions.

This increases the opportunity for discussion and information sharing before and after SEG, as well as cross-divisional sharing.

Read more information about the Safety Network Steering Group

New Safety Standards Groups will replace and extend the previous Advisory Groups. These groups aim to bring experts together in a coordinated way on a regular basis and achieve enhanced risk management and mitigation.

The first Safety Executive Group Standards Group is for biosafety, and the first meeting is on 22 January 2025.

A new communications and engagement strategy aims to achieve role-based communications objectives in new and different ways. It should also recognise teams/individuals for safety success, a scheme which is being built into the 2025 Safety Network Conference.

In tandem with this, new or updated health and safety policies are now released on a biannual basis (November and May), along with associated resources. Evidence of this new strategy in action is the way in which the November 2024 policy release of S1/24, S2/24 and S3/24 were conducted. This included more targeted role-based communications and supporting implementation toolkits.

A Health & Safety Briefing Pack for heads of department is available on the Safety Office website. This pack provides essential information to help heads of department understand their responsibilities for protecting the safety of those in their care, as well as how to demonstrate and assure themselves that those responsibilities are being met. A one-page aide memoire provides a summary of the pack’s key messages and instructions.

The pack is to be accompanied by a briefing from the departmental safety officer, and divisional safety officer where helpful. The briefing’s purpose is to go through the pack’s contents, outline available support and advice, as well as facilitating ongoing conversations and engagement. Departmental safety officers are invited to download the pack materials and review the accompanying guidance for conducting the briefing session.

This pack and briefing are mandatory for heads of department (or equivalent functional units).

Access the Head of Department Briefing Pack