# Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work
**Source**: https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/
**Parent**: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/
Everyone has an important role to play in maintaining a safe and healthy community at York.
Taking a top-down approach to health and safety is vital to creating a safety-conscious culture and keeping workplaces safe for staff, students and visitors. At the University, the Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work Office (SHWO) aims to encourage this culture where everyone is aware of their individual health and safety responsibilities.
The SHWO provides an impartial and independent institutional-wide advisory and assurance service on all aspects of workplace health and safety within the University. Our function:
- to set the policy and standards.
- to provide competent subject-matter advice to the Vice Chancellor’s office and all the stakeholders.
- to provide assurance, by monitoring health and safety performance across the organisation and reporting to the University’s Executive Board members.
- to assess the need for intervention including escalation through management.
The SHWO at the University comprises highly skilled individuals with a wide-ranging area of expertise in the field of health and safety including specialist risks such as biological safety, chemical safety, fire safety, and radiation and laser safety.
On our webpages you’ll find University’s health and safety policy, and information, support and guidance on a range of health and safety topics.
### [Accident reporting](https://www.york.ac.uk/univ/mis/cfm/accidents/)
Fill out our online form to report an accident, incident or near miss.
### [Safety topics](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/policies-procedures-guidance/)
Find information, guidance, forms and policies on a range health and safety topics.
### [Fire safety](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/fire-safety/)
Learn what action to take in the event of a fire, and how to minimise risk.
### [First aid](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/first-aid/)
Guidance on how to access first aid on campus and information for first aiders.
### [Risk assessments](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/risk-assessments/)
Find out how to complete a risk assessment, and when it's necessary.
### [Training](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/health-and-safety-training/)
Discover how to complete mandatory health and safety training for all staff at York.
## About health and safety at York
The Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work Office (SHWO) provides staff with the tools to manage risk well. We offer independent, impartial expertise and dedicated support to faculties and professional services.
The [Workplace Health and Safety Committee](https://www.york.ac.uk/about/organisation/subcommittees/health-safety-committee/) (WHSC) focuses on University-wide workplace health and safety issues and promotes its continuous development and improvement. The committee reports to the University's Executive Board.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I2CDGEd5iI>
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charlie Jeffery, talks to staff about health and safety at the University.
## Key documents
- [Workplace Health and Safety Policy Statement and Arrangement (PDF](https://www.york.ac.uk/media/staffhome/working/healthandsafety/documents/Health Safety and Welfare Policy Statement (VS2.7 - Jan 24)_VC signed.pdf " (opens in a new window)")
- [Health & Safety Governance](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/policies-procedures-guidance/h-s-governance/)
## News and announcements
### [H&S Round Up March 2026](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/news/2026/march26-h-s-updates/)
18 March 2026
Latest updates from the Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work Office
### [Safety Alert - Fire Doors](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/news/2026/fire-doors/)
18 February 2026
There have recently been a number of fire doors that have been tampered with or damaged.
### [H&S Round Up February 2026](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/news/2026/february26-h-s-updates/)
12 February 2026
Latest updates from the Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work Office
[More news](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/news/)
## Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
The [Health and Safety Executive (HSE)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. They are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
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Team
The Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work Office is a team of impartial health and safety professionals.
[Meet the team](https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/essentials/health-and-safety/team/)
Committee
The Workplace Health and Safety Committee reports to the University Executive Board.
[Meet the Committee](https://www.york.ac.uk/about/organisation/subcommittees/health-safety-committee/)
## Contact us
**Safety, Health, and Wellbeing at Work Office (SHWO)**
- [shwo-enquiries@york.ac.uk](mailto:shwo-enquiries@york.ac.uk)
- Call 999 for all emergencies
- Call +44 (0)1904 32 3333 if it's urgent but not dangerous
- Call +44 (0)1904 32 4444 for general security and safety questions