Physics Department Roof Access Rules

Your safety on the roof area is of paramount importance. The rules given below must be adhered to at all times. These rules are designed to prevent you endangering the health and safety of yourself and other members of the University. Any contravention of these rules may result in the withdrawal of authorisation to use particular departmental facilities and may result in the matter being referred to the University's Discipline Committee.

The rules given below are in addition to those given in the Department's Safety Policy and for use of the teaching laboratories. In the interests of personal safety and the security of the building and equipment, students using the Roof Area must observe the following rules.

Authorised Users. Access to the Roof Area is restricted to authorised users. Undergraduates undertaking approved project work, after training, can be designated as authorised users by the AstroLab Supervisor. Special arrangements need to be made with the AstroLab Supervisor for any non-authorised users (visitors). For such visits a member of staff must be present at all times.

No Lone Working. When visiting the Roof Area there must be at least two authorised users present at all times.

Signing-in. Outside normal working hours (after 7pm) entering and leaving the Physics Building shall be through the front door. All people entering and leaving outside normal working hours MUST sign the book in the foyer. Other exits are to be used for emergencies only.

Access to the Roof Area. There are two doors onto the Roof Area; the middle door that directly faces towards the Cathedral for access to the two front domes (West (left) and East (right)) and the door near Room 310 which is used to access the Far-East Dome and DRACO2. For the middle door there is a step up to the Roof Area. Also note there is step in the corridor outside Room 310. If required there is outside lighting for the Roof Area.

Wind Speed Limits. In windy conditions being on the Roof Area is a risk. An anemometer is located on the wall at the top of the stairs outside Room 302. The wind speed is also reported on the AstroLab Weather Monitor web page. If the web value disagrees with the anemometer, then the anemometer value must be assumed to be correct.

• The safety wind speed limit for observing with the telescopes is 20 mph (60-sec average value on the Web). (In practice above this speed the wind buffeting of the telescopes prevents any worthwhile observations being made.)

• When the wind speed is above 30 mph no-one is to go out onto the Roof Area except in an emergency. If the indicated speed is near 20 mph or above the readings should be watched for a few minutes to ensure that the wind is not gusting over the 30 mph limit.

Secure Footings. Suitable footwear must be worn at all times and special care must be taken on the Roof Area in wet and/or freezing weather.

Additional Equipment. No equipment should be set up on the Roof Area or outside the building without prior consultation with the Departmental Superintendent or Laboratory Supervisors.

After Use. The doors to the Roof Area must be securely closed after use.

Back to the AstroLab Home Page

jrl

2020-Jun-17 12:47:28 UTC