Safety

Inspections and access

Notice of visits Unless unavoidable (e.g. an emergency) we will always try to give at least 24 hours notice, usually by email. Routine visits (like cleaners) will take place without giving notice each time.

Inspections will take place monthly or more. These will be communal checks on cleanliness and safety. We will specifically advise if we are making room inspections.

Visitors

Occupation Students should not have overnight visitors for more than three nights.

Cars cannot be brought to the hall or parked around it. This is due to Oxford's planning conditions relating to student residences.

Snow and ice

If there is snow and ice around the building, please take care and wear appropriate clothing. Oxford City Council is responsible for the clearance/ gritting of pavement area outside the building and building owner will take care of the entrance as needed to avoid slipping danger.

Using appliances safely

You should find manauls for applicance in a folderin your kitchen, but please take a look at our applicances guide for more general guidance.

Note that if you accidentally set the time on your cooker, it may appear not to be working- all you need to do is switch it back to 'manual' (the little picture of a hand).

Pests

Pests come in various shapes and sizes and are a perennial problem for student housing in general. The most important factor in avoiding infestations is usually going to be your behaviour. Report any infestations to us as soon as you see evidence, but please be warned that it is often not always something that can be dealt with quickly- it is far better to avoid the infestation to begin with.

Rats are probably the most common offenders in our properties. Oxford, with its combination of waterways, dense housing stock and green spaces, has a vibrant rat community. Being intelligent creatures, rats have an excellent memory for food sources and entry points so once a property becomes known as accessible, they will return regularly even if they nest some distance away. The best ways avoid rats coming in are:

• Keep kitchen windows closed when you are not there

• Keep kitchens clean and tidy, ensure no food/ crumbs are available. Ensure packets are not left open where possible.

• Ensure bins have closed lids, and that cupboards close firmly.

Mice are less common than rats, but no less tricky to deal with. The precautions to take are similar to those against rats, but being much smaller they can squeeze through the tiniest of gaps (the diameter of a pencil for a particularly skinny mouse).

Bedbugs are an increasing problem worldwide. They can flatten themselves to the width of paper and squeeze into suitcase seams (hence their international presence), bed-frames and skirting boards. They can lie dormant for up to six months before being enticed by the carbon monoxide contained in the breath of a victim. They can even travel between neighbouring properties in some cases. It is therefore sometimes difficult to say for sure what the original source of the infestation was for sure.

If you notice some unexplained bites and blood spots on your bedsheets, it may be a sign of bedbugs.

Near misses

A 'near miss' is an unplanned event that has the potential to cause, but does not actually result in human injury, environmental or equipment damage, or an interruption to normal operation (Wikipedia).

In the world of health and safety management, it is generally considered that on average for every few hundred near misses, there are a few dozen injuries and one fatality. The problem comes when near misses are not known about. People are less likely to report an accident that nearly happened than one that did, which makes it much harder to identify areas of risk.

So for this reason, we ask that you report to us any dangerous occurances at the property, even if nothing bad actually happened.

Water safety

What is legionella?

All water systems have the potential to pose a risk to your health when naturally occurring legionella bacteria multiply to dangerous levels. This can result in illnesses and even death https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionella

We take precautions to minimise this risk at the properties we manage, however you also have a part to play in ensuring your own safety. Legionella can multiply to dangerous levels when water rests at moderate temperatures. The key ways to minimising risk are to ensure that:

• hot water stays hot

• cold water stays cold

• water is circulated

What you need to do

1) If you are away for over a week, please let us know so that we can flush the pipework in your bathroom through. This stops water stagnating in pipes.

2) Tell us if:

• • The cold water is still running warm after you have run it for a while. It should not be above 20°C.

  • The water coming out of the hot tap is not a sufficiently high temperature (50°C) after one minute.

  • There is any debris or discolouration in the water.

  • If you or any of your regular visitors are considered at higher risk (people over 45 years old, people with chronic respiratory or kidney disease, or anyone with an otherwise impaired immune system).