After Hours and Lone Working Policy

All those working out-of-hours are expected to have a good working knowledge of the Safety Arrangements for the Department, since they may be the first to discover something that requires action.

Staff

No after hours working is allowed in the Basement Laboratory. (see Lab policy)

In the event of members of the Department working alone (defined as out of eye sight of another colleague) after 7 pm, or at weekends, they should inform security of their presence, and of their departure. Access cards used on entry to the Department will alert the Communications Room to your presence in the building. However, as they are not used on exit, your departure will not be recorded. Equally, if access to the building has been gained during the normal working day (without the use of a card), your presence in the building will not be recorded.

Postgraduate Research Students (MPhil/PhD)

Graduate students should have written permission from their supervisors to work outside of normal hours. The permission will be granted only for activities listed on their permit.   Out of hours access will only be granted to those students who have obtained such permission. Lone working is not allowed for graduate students within the Department after 7 pm or at weekends; at such times there must be someone else within eyesight or calling distance. Graduate students should make arrangements with their colleagues or supervisor prior to coming in to the building to ensure that this policy is adhered to and may expect to be asked to leave the building by security if found working alone. Persistent offenders will have their out of hours access revoked

Graduate Taught Students (Masters) and Undergraduate Students

No after hours working is allowed.

For Masters students "Out-of-Hours" is defined as being after 7pm or before 8am. For undergraduates it is defined as before 9am or after 5pm.

Undergraduate students have card access to the department between 9am and 5pm. They must leave the department at 5pm unless they are with their tutor or another member of academic staff.

Masters students may work until 7pm on the condition that their supervisor is present at all times.

PERMISSION FOR GRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENTS TO WORK OUTSIDE NORMAL HOURS

Graduate research students must obtain written permission from their supervisor if they wish to work after 7pm or at weekends. Supervisors should only grant this permission if they feel the student is competent to work unsupervised or if they are willing to remain with their student after hours in order to supervise their work. Only work listed on the form is permissible. Any other work must be authorised separately. The permission must contain the proviso that the student is within eyesight or calling distance of another person whilst in the Department. Graduate students should not, under normal circumstances, remain in the building overnight.

If students are in the department after hours, without  permission, responsibility for any problems that may arise rests with the supervisor.

Permission to work out-of-hours forms can be downloaded  as a word file from this link.

Permission to work outside of recognized Department Working Hours