All employees should assume that visitors are ignorant of the hazards which may be present in the University. Visitors should only be allowed access to laboratories or workshops at the discretion of the Head of Department by prior arrangement and only in exceptional circumstances will children be allowed such access. Visitors having been granted legitimate access must be assured of the same standards of health and safety as are afforded University Staff and students. When visiting laboratories and workshops, maintenance personnel or company representatives should be accompanied to meet a specific Departmental contact by whoever they first meet, e.g. a reception or other staff member. Visitors will NOT know what to do in an emergency, so warn them verbally if there is any likelihood of this occurring.
Open days can be especially hazardous as the visitors are often young people.
We must ensure that their visit to the University is safe. This is especially true where visits have been arranged to Departments and laboratory displays have been set up. Ensure that visitors know they are only allowed to handle equipment set up with that in mind and that they must not touch anything else. Any equipment or process which is overtly hazardous should not be approachable by the visitors but should be confined though remaining visible.