School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Lone Working and Working After Office Hour / Revision number : 2
Date of issue : 18 Jan 2018
Next Review : 18 Jan 2020
Doc. number : NTU/SCBE/SWP/2
1Aim
The aim of this document is to provide the basic requirements for SCBE in adopting an adequate system to manage the safety and health of persons working after office hour at the workplace.
2 Scope
NTU/SCBE/SWP/2 provides school procedure for working after office hours. This includes lone working after office hour.
3 Definition
3.1Working alone – refers to work carried out in an area where normal means of contact (e.g. verbal, sight) with other staff are not available. This may include working in isolated areas on or off-site, either during or outside normal working hours.
3.2 Work after office hours – refers to work carried out after 1730on Monday to Thursday and after 1700 on Friday, and any time on weekends, public and University holidays.
3.3Supervisor- refers personnel who have staff/ student working under their charge. This is usually the principal investigators.
3.4 Staff in charge- refers to the staff who is appointed by the Management to take charge of certain responsibilities.
4 Requirements
4.1Undergraduate students are not permitted in any laboratory after office hours unless they are directly supervised by a member of staff. Staff/student who have any medical condition which may give rise to a dangerous or life threatening situation when working alone should notify their laboratory supervisor of their condition.
4.2A risk assessment must be conducted for all tasks to be carried out after office hour. Permission for working alone shall be subjected to the approval of the supervisor/PI based upon the experience and training of the individual involved.
Note: ‘Warning’ risk level as per the NTU SOP on Risk Management means having a risk RPN score of 12-15 points)
4.3Personnel who are to work after office hours can only do so if:
(a)They are authorized by their supervisor/PI.
(b)They tell the supervisor/PI of the timing.
(c)They have completed a risk assessment form and the risk level has been evaluated to be low, and emergency contact numbers are readily available in the laboratory.
(d)They know the emergency procedures.
(e)They shall need to complete the central laboratory log book when remaining in, entering and leaving the School after office hours.
4.4 High Risk Hazards
(a)Workingafter office hours is not permitted when any of the following high-risk hazards existunless proper control measures are in place. This list is not exhaustive, and any high-risk hazards that become evident as a result of the risk assessment must be treated as if on this list. High-risk hazards that may be encountered include the following:
(b)Working with, or near, highly toxic or corrosive substances where there is a significant risk of exposure to the substance.
(c)Using apparatus that could result in explosion, implosion, or the release of high energy fragments or significant amounts of toxic or environmentally damaging hazardous material.
(d)Working with exposed energized electrical or electronic systems with powers exceeding 100 VA and voltages exceeding 40 V.
(e)Operating equipment or machinery, including workshop machinery capable of inflicting serious injury, such as chainsaws, firearms, lathes and power saws.
(f)Working with hydrofluoric acid.
(g)Working with explosive and potentially explosive substances.
(h)Working with naked flames associated with flammable solvents. Working with solvent stills where flammable liquids are used.
(i)Working with spontaneously combustible substances or substances that emit flammable gases when wet.
(j)Working with toxic or flammable gases. Working in environments not at atmospheric pressure.
(k)Working with microorganisms of Risk Group 3 and higher, or which require the use of a Containment Level 3 facility or higher containment level
4.5Applications for working after office hours shall be processed by staff in-charge using After Office Hours Form NTU/SCBE/SWP/2/F1. Only those applications that are approved by school safety chairman are allowed to workafter office hour.
5 Revision Record
Rev. No. / Section / Details of revision / Review date / Approve by0 / None / Initial release / 12/11/2013 / Prof Teoh Swee Hin
1 / Header / Change Header / 18/5/2016 / Prof Teoh Swee Hin
Document number / SCBE/SWP/2 is renamed as NTU/SCBE/SWP/2
Content / Add
1 Aim
2 Scope
3 Definition
4 Requirements
5 Revision Record
2 / Header / Include lone working / 1/18/2018 / Prof Xu Rong
Definition / Added the definition of the following:
-Work after office hour
-Supervisor
-Staff in charge
Requirements / Included the statement on permission to work alone cannot be granted if the risk level has been evaluated as ‘Warning’ or higher.
High Risk Hazards / -Added in condition for work that are in high-risk hazards to have proper control measures in place.
-Amended to staff in-charge to process the After Office Hours Form NTU/SCBE/SWP/2/F1
-Added the statement on only those applications that are approved by school safety chairman are allowed to work after office hour.
Page 1