Other safety

Asbestos

Before it was found to be potentially harmful, asbestos was used in practically everything. It is estimated that there is still 6 million tons of it within 1.5 million buildings in the UK, including 8 out of 10 schools. You have likely been surrounded by asbestos containing materials your whole life, but not known about it.

So why do we put up with this dangerous substance all over the place? Asbestos is only harmful if microscopic threads of it are inhaled into your lungs. To achieve this, you would likely need to be drilling into asbestos containing materials and inhaling the resulting dust.

We have surveyed all of our properties for asbestos and, where we suspect it is present, ensured that only the lowest risk materials remain. We then follow a management plan to keep an eye on it and ensure it presents no danger. 

So from your perspective, you just need to make sure you do not drill into or otherwise pulverise and inhale parts of the property- something we hope you wouldn't consider doing anyway!

Carbon monoxide

If you have gas appliances at your property, you will have a carbon monoxide (CO) detector. 

Carbon monoxide is a potential bi-product of a malfunctioning appliance. It can be deadly as it is able to bond to blood cells in place of oxygen (O2) causing you to suffocate. The body has no way to detect this is happening (as far as it can tell, it is still getting oxygen) and you cannot see or small CO. This is what we have CO detectors.

If your detector starts beeping, turn off the gas supply and leave the property (note: there may also be inermittent beeps for low battery, in which case, change the battery or contact us for help).

Please make sure you test your detector at least once a month.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• headache

• dizziness

• feeling sick or being sick

• feeling weak

• confusion

• chest and muscle pain

• shortness of breath

Gas safety

If you smell gas within the property, it could indicate a leak. Familiarise yourself with where the gas shut-off valve is in advance.

If you suspect a leak and are not confident about being able to stop it, leave the property (and shout to your housemates to do the same) and call the National Grid Emergency Line- 0800 111 999.

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.

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 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 to rat-proof your property are:

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

• Rats are prey animals so will generally avoid open, clear spaces. Make sure that there are no hiding places/ cover for rats in the garden by removing any debris.

• Do not have any of standing water around the property. Rats drink a lot, so don't provide them with water. Don't allow water to collect in things like old plant pots.

• 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 generally 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.

Wasps are generally a nuisance in late summer when their food supply ends- their food source is a sugary substance produced by larvae, so when they have all grown up they are essentially suffering from starvation, craving sugar with nothing to lose. The best things you can do to minimise wasp infestations is to ensure there are no entry points- like windows- and ensure there are no sugar sources around the property, like fruit fallen from trees.

Security

Key security tips

• Lock your door when you leave.

•  Keep windows secured when you are out.

•  Ensure valuable items are not left in view.

•  Never let anyone in that you do not know.

• For more information on security, see our website https://www.brookes.ac.uk/security/

Contacting the police

If you have any immediate concerns about security, you should call the police. The emergency number is 999, but please only use this in a genuine emergency. The non-emergency number is 101. You should use this number to report crimes that are not currently in progress, or to report a suspicious incident. Reporting suspicious incidents can be helpful to local police as it allows them to build up an idea of any issues in a particular area, and it may lead them to link it to other crimes or increase patrols.