The students’ health, and welfare are our top priority. Students can refer to the below sections for more useful information:

Emergencies

At KU, we want your time at campus to be a rewarding and safe educational experience. We want to make sure everyone on campus is secure and safe at all times.

Emergencies can occur at any time and can arise from a number of causes including fire, chemical spills, gas leaks, medical emergencies and physical threats. The University has in place a number of procedures to respond to emergency situations that might arise. The Emergency Response plan​ will provide you with the knowledge you need to stay safe.

Responses are managed from the Security Services Control Room/ command room and overseen by the Emergency Response team (ERT). 

Emergency Notification System

An emergency or crisis situation can arise with very little warning and could seriously impact on your safety on campus. With this in mind KU provides an emergency notification system that operates via mobile phone SMS/text. 

Staff and students are automatically registered to receive an SMS alert when emergency situations arise. Please note there will be an annual test of the system for quality assurance purposes.

Being KU student, you are required to report any hazard, accident, near miss and dangerous occurrence to EHS department using the below forms:

Hazardous Chemicals

The local area (e.g. laboratory, workshop, store, etc.) must maintain a chemical register / Chemical Inventory List (CIL) which lists each chemical being used and/or stored in that area.

The Safety Data Sheet (SDS – MSDS before the implementation of Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)) provides all information with respect to the handling, storing, transporting, packing and disposing of the chemical.

The SDS for each hazardous material must be readily accessible and available in the immediate vicinity at all times. An electronic system can be used provided the above condition can be met. A back- up plan must be available in the event of a computer or server failure.

The SDS must be from the supplier and required to be reviewed and updated every five years.

 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

KU Materials and Storage Management provides the common PPE (that selected in coordination with KU EHS) to be used by to all students, faculty and staff who undertake any activity on behalf of KU where PPE has been chosen as a risk control measure. It applies to all KU laboratories (except designated computer laboratories) as well as in workshops and when on field trips.

To order PPE, kindly use the Guideline to Request PPE.

The minimum PPE requirements of the KU EHS MS must be taken into account, for example:

  • Laboratory clothing
  • Protective eyewear
  • Gloves
  • Closed shoes
  • Hearing protection, where applicable
  • Additional or specialized PPE, e.g. respirators.

All possible routes of entry of the hazard into the body must be taken into account when considering the PPE to be used.

All staff who are designated as supervisors, area managers or laboratory managers are responsible to ensure staff, students and visitors:

  • are supplied with the appropriate PPE for their work activities;
  • has the required PPE in the area of their responsibility and is worn properly;
  • follow the relevant requirements, such as lab coats only in the lab and must be removed before leaving the lab to prevent possible spreading of contamination to public areas.
Student Accommodations

It is important to us that you feel safe at all times during your stay with us. Please take time to read this section!

Whist using College premises, you must take reasonable care for your own and others’ safety by adopting safe working practices and making proper use of the safety facilities provided.

You are required to comply with College Health and Safety Policies, codes of practice (such as the Student Accommodation code) which will cover Health and Safety standards and procedures in halls of residence, and local Hall Rules.

  • Electrical Safety

We take electrical safety very seriously. The University owned portable appliances are tested annually and all wiring is tested every five years. You must not interfere with any electrical installation equipment or fitting provided by the University.

The electricity supply in the UAE is 230 volts AC at a frequency of 50Hz. Electrical sockets (G Type) in the UAE are the 13-amp rectangular pin type and the plugs fitted to portable appliances are generally supplied with a 13-amp fuse. The fuse should be selected to suit the load of the equipment being used. All personal electrical equipment including plugs and adaptors must conform to the appropriate UAE standard with the UAE (EQM) mark of conformity CE mark.

If you are in any doubt regarding your electrical equipment, you should speak to your Hostel Supervisor.

The number of sockets in your room/kitchen should be adequate. Do not overload your electrical sockets as this can be very dangerous and result in a fire. Multi-plug adaptors must not be used. If an extension socket is used, it must be safe (preferably with ‘surge protection’) and it must not cause a trip hazard to you or any member of staff entering your room.

You may bring some electrical equipment in to halls but you must ensure that it is working correctly so that it does not present a hazard or a risk.  If you have any items that are not compatible with UAE voltage (230V) you must buy a voltage adaptor or a converter. All items (including adaptors/converters) must conform to the appropriate UAE standard, display theUAE (EQM) mark of conformity and CE mark and be fitted with a correctly wired and fused plug. Failing to do this can trip the fuses serving your room/kitchen, resulting in the loss of power supply to you and your neighbors.

Electrical equipment should be switched off after use and unplugged whenever you leave the room.

The University reserves the right to remove, destroy or disable any equipment which it deems unsafe. Where practical this will be discussed with you before any action is taken.

  • Fire Precautions

All student accommodation offered by Khalifa University has robust fire safety measures in place.

Fire is the main hazard in residential accommodation. It can cause death or severe injury and damage to property, but sensible precautions will reduce the likelihood of fires

Starting and will protect against its consequences. Most people underestimate the speed at which a fire or smoke spreads in a building. For your own safety please always follow the rules.

  • Read important fire safety notices
  • Do not tamper with, obstruct or remove any notice or equipment provided for fire safety
  • Make yourself familiar with the emergency escape routes from your room, floor, common room etc.
  • Do not obstruct fire routes or doors
  • Keep fire doors closed
  • If you think you may have any difficulties in hearing the alarm or evacuating a building unaided in the event of an emergency due to a mobility or sensory impairment, a temporary injury (e.g. you may be on crutches) or have difficulty coping in crowds, you will require a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) and this can be arranged via your Warden.

Please remember that, however inconvenient self-closing fire doors and all other fire precautions may appear, these are measures that ensure your escape route is protected from flames, heat and smoke in the event of a fire.

  • Living with fire alarms

If you burn food in a kitchen open the window. Do not open the door as this will let smoke into the corridor and set off a fire alarm

  • Deep fat frying is banned in halls
  • Do not cook in your room (not even with an electric sandwich toaster)
  • Smoking is prohibited in all halls of residence. It is illegal and will set off a fire alarm
  • The burning of any substance and/or use of a naked flame represents a fire hazard and is not permitted. The use of barbecues, candles, incense, oil burners, and hookah pipes is strictly forbidden.
  • Avoid using deodorants immediately beneath a detector
  • If you have an ensuite bathroom, please close the door when showering
  • Do not burn Oud or Bakhoor (wood chips, soaked in fragrant oils) or deodorant in your room
  • Do not try to disconnect smoke detectors from their bases
  • Do not cover smoke detectors and do not spray water near, or into, smoke detectors
  • When electric heaters are used for the first time after a long break, the dust on the element ionizes and will set off a fire alarm. Please open a window for about 10 minutes while the dust burns away

Remember: if your practical joke sets off a fire alarm, it means that everyone has to vacate the building – you will not be popular.

 

  • Kitchen safety

 

  • Never leave cooking pans, toasters, kettles etc. unattended as this is one of the major causes of fire alarms – Cookers, stoves and appliances should be switched off when you have finished cooking. Chip pans and other deep-frying utensils must not be used.
  • Follow the appliance instructions which are available in your kitchen or Hall
  • Clean up any spillages at the time to prevent any slip hazards
  • Help to reduce the risk of unwanted pests – clean up after yourself and use the bins provided for any waste

 

  • Personal Safety

Although you are living in a hall of residence, for your own safety and protection, please let someone know when you are going away overnight or for a longer period. This can be your hall warden, staff or a friend. Should you become concerned about the absence of a neighbor, please let the Student Hub and the hall warden know as soon as possible.

  • Window restrictors
  • In order to comply with Health and Safety regulations and to improve security, all windows have been fitted with window restrictors. Please close windows when you’re not occupying your room, particularly if you live in a ground floor room.

Regular inspections will be conducted and if any window restrictors are found to have been damaged or tampered with, repair charges will be brought against the individual (or individuals) involved.

Lab Access

To raise the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) awareness among KU’s community, an online EHS training program has been developed through Moodle containing nineteen training modules. Staff and students can self-enroll in the required modules using this link “Enroll in the EHS Training” in order to comply with EHS requirements and accordingly grant the access to KU’s including labs. EHS department is working closely with KU IT to issue an electronic certificate for the participants upon successful completion of their courses, which will benefit the professional career. The following modules are the basic requirements to all students:

–  EHS General Induction
–  Work Place Ergonomics 

 

Other training courses are required to access and work in the labs based on the below matrix: Course

Title Description
• Lab Safety Induction Mandatory to grant access to laboratories

• Basic Fire Safety

• EHS Risk Assessment

• Electrical Safety

• Personal Protective Equipment

• Emergency Response and Preparedness

• LabWaste Management

KU EHS recommends all lab users to complete these modules

• Safety Shower and Eyewash Station

• Lab Ventilation/Chemical Fume Hood

• Chemical Safety and Industrial Hygiene

• Handling of Flammables and Combustible

• Handling of Cryogenic Substances

• H2S Safety Awareness

• Compressed Gas Safety

• Radiation Safety

• Laser Safety

• Biosafety

• Explosive Peroxide Forming Chemicals

To be decided by the lab in- charge or supervisor based on lab’s working activities

     

    After-hours access: access to restricted areas/doors will only be granted after the requester has completed an access request form which has been approved by the lab in charge and immediate supervisor.