Dave Hay
Technical Operations Manager and Safety Adviser

Profile

Biography

Dave is responsible for the following:

• All aspects of health and safety compliance across laboratories and applied fieldwork environments as well as for the general health and safety management and compliance of the department.
• The provision of Health and Safety training and raising the profile of safe working practices.
• Convene and chair the departmental safety committee
• Manage compliance in CoSHH, risk assessment, DSE assessment, manual handling, first aid, RIDDOR, ionising radiation, noise at work, PPE, provision and use of work equipment, artificial optical radiation, CDM issues with infrastructure works, waste disposal
• Training records for staff and students
• Ensure written policies and procedures are in place in the departmental handbook, laboratory handbook, induction processes
• Safety inspections and audits
• Return of annual information to the Home Office regarding chemical weapons precursors
• Liaise with the estates department to ensure fume cupboards and other LEV is maintained and inspected
• Inspection and maintenance of high pressure gas distribution systems as well as cryogenic liquids, including liquid nitrogen, argon and helium
• Deliver relevant training to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as postdoctoral and academic staff where required
• Work with the HoD and Dean of Faculty to ensure compliance and to work closely with the University’s Health and Safety Department
• To be trained to be the departmental radiation protection officer
• Offer advice on risk management and reduction
• Troubleshoot ongoing issues and resolve emergencies and operational issues
• Be conversant with relevant Health and Safety legislation and law in a laboratory environment
• More recently he is the Covid secure manager for my building of over 800 staff and students, covering teaching and research laboratories, offices, communal areas and lecture theatres. I have been responsible for creating a covid-secure environment and risk assessment for all of our activities and now provide daily advice and updates to the departmental community. 

Laboratory Manager

Dave is responsible for the day to day management of a suite of modern science laboratories, supervising a team of seven technical staff. Covering analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, ecology and field work. Also responsible for troubleshooting issues as they arise and providing technial advice to the technical team. Responsible also for the personal and professional development of team members and has recently completed a year long strategic leadership in action course to assist in that. 

Facilities Management

Dave was heavily involved in the design and build of the new £12 million Environment Building five years ago to house the Department through a period of sustained growth. He worked closely with the Space Planning, Estates Development and Estates Operations and Health and Safety teams along with the principal architect to plan and design the new facility. He also supervised from a client perspective day to day developments in construction as well as working closely with the M&E contractors to ensure the technical aspects of the building were specified correctly and that milestones were delivered to strict deadlines. He is now involved with the continuous programme of innovation and improvements within the facility and the application of new technologies in the building, laboratories and field activities. He is also responsible for contingency planning and business continuity.

Career

Departmental roles

Departmental Computing Officer   

• Specification, purchase and installation of new hardware and software
• Level 1/2 support to all departmental users, passing on level 2/3 support to IT Services
• Maintenance of departmental back-up systems, Ethernet and wireless network
• Maintenance of departmental file server and network attached storage
• Provision of training to all departmental users in new hardware and software
• Formation and implementation of departmental IT policy
• Representation of the department on University information committees
• To ensure new management information systems are applied appropriately and to provide training for staff where necessary

Departmental Web Officer

• To manage and implement updates to the departmental website
• Departmental site 
• To plan and implement web strategy
• To ensure legal compliance of content

Departmental Purchasing Officer

• To represent the department on University purchasing committee
• To act as the central point for all departmental purchasing
• To ensure timely payment of invoices for goods and services from research funding and HEFCE funds
• To ensure best practice and adherence to local and national framework agreements for purchasing
• To ensure the smooth running of the Agresso purchasing system in the department
• To provide financial reports for and to control expenditure against HEFCE funds
• To maintain an equipment inventory and insurance cover for departmental equipment.
• To maintain external maintenance contracts for departmental equipment

Departmental Safety Adviser

• To represent the department at Faculty Health, Safety and Wellbeing committee meetings
• To write and update the departmental safety policy and safety handbook
• To advise on laboratory and hazardous materials risk
• To advise on domestic and overseas travel and fieldwork risk assessment
• To ensure legal compliance with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and all subsequent legislation and regulations
• To act as the departmental display screen assessor
• To check and maintain CoSHH assessments
• To check and maintain risk assessments
• To formulate the fire risk assessment for the department
• To monitor performance against set standards and to report back to the head of department
• To provide advice on all aspects of safety management and risk assessment to all members of the department
• To perform and maintain departmental Portable Appliance Testing records

Radiation Protection Supervisor

• Ensure that adequate risk assessments are undertaken, in consultation with the RPO as necessary, for each project involving ionising radiation.
• Ensure that risk assessments remain valid and up-to-date.
• Ensure that adequate Local Rules are drawn up, in consultation with the RPO as necessary, for each area.
• Ensure Local Rules are adhered to and updated at regular intervals.
• Ensure that routine monitoring surveys are undertaken and records kept.
• Investigate and report incidents and accidents, in consultation with the RPO.
• Ensure that arrangements are in place for the distribution and return of quarterly issue personal dosimeters (where relevant).
• Ensure that local training is provided and a record kept.
• Attendance at Ionising Radiation Sub Group Committee meetings.
• Ensure that all records are available to allow the RPO to carry out an annual audit.
• Ensure that the name of the RPS, RPO and other safety contact details are displayed.
• Ensure that the purchase of all open source materials is in accordance with the conditions of the University's Open Source registration.
• Ensure that the disposal of all radioactive waste is in accordance with the University's Authorisation. Consulting the RPO as necessary.
• Maintain records for the disposal of all waste.
• Provide relevant information to enable the RPO to submit the annual return to the EA.
• Arrange for formal specific training for the use of open sources.
• Any concern or issue regarding radiation can be referred to the RPO.

Laboratory Manager

• To ensure the smooth operation of departmental science laboratories in both teaching and research
• To manage the departmental technical support team
• To be conversant with the operation of all laboratory analytical equipment and to train others in its use when required
• To write and maintain standard operating procedures for laboratory equipment and processes
• To liaise with Estates and external contractors to ensure the fabric of the department remains fit for its purpose of teaching and research provision
• To liaise with the Security Service in matters relating to departmental security provision
• To control access systems to the department (provision of keys and electronic swipe cards)

University roles

Member of the Faculty Technical Support Group (Sciences)

Member of the Departmental Safety Advisors' Group

Member of Ionising Radiation Sub Group Committee

Member of the Faculty Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

Member of the Departmental Computing Officers forum

Member of the Departmental Management Team

Chair of the Environment and Geography Safety Committee

Research

Overview

• Organic synthesis of large macrocycles
• Inorganic synthesis and speciation of corrosion products of reaction of stainless steel and IRFNA (NASA)
• Synthesis of MOED dyes
• Synthesis of spiropyran colour formers and thioxanthone sensitisers
• Formulation of non-silver gamma ray dosimeter film (60 Co)
• Formulation of non-silver x-ray imaging film (100keV)
• Carcinogenicity of rh-DNAse, a therapeutic agent for cystic fibrosis
• Tracer compounds in investigation of sewage contamination of groundwater

External activities

Memberships

Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)

Member of the Institute of Science and Technology (MIScT)

Member of the Association of University Administrators (MAUA)

Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)

Member of Technical Managers in Universities