ABESS - Wellbeing, Health and Safety Division

Anna Vecchi

Head of Administrative Division

Mission

The division’s mission is to promote and implement all measures aimed at improving the mental and physical wellbeing of individuals and occupational health and safety conditions from a broad safety and security perspective, including activities related to forecasting and managing emergency events related to climate and the environment, also in support of the employer. The division also manages activities aimed at waste prevention and management, while ensuring the planning and coordination of all activities for the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes, as well as for teaching purposes, by the University’s organisational entities, pursuant to and for the purposes of the provisions of the relevant legislation.

Main activities

The division, whilst respecting the autonomy of the persons appointed pursuant to legislation and the role of the employer, ensures the technological, financial and human resources required to guarantee the proper functioning of services and compliance with legal obligations. In particular, it ensures the following activities:

• Promoting and contributing to the continuous improvement of occupational health and safety conditions in the various organisational entities of Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, in accordance with the values that inspire the University, whilst contributing to reducing the environmental impact of the activities carried out by the University's various operational units.
• Performing, on behalf of Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, the functions attributed by regulations to the Prevention and Protection Service, the Competent Doctor and Authorised Doctor, the Radiation Protection Expert, the Laser Safety Officer, the Asbestos Risk Manager, and the Authorised Doctor for radiation protection surveillance and the Medical Physics Expert for the management of medical exposures, managing and updating the related archives for associated information.
• Promoting compulsory training in the field of health and safety for University staff, with reference to the requirements of current legislation for specific areas, roles and professional positions.
• Establishing agreements with companies and bodies hosting University workers and equivalent personnel to ensure that they are afforded the same protection measures implemented by the University.
• Promoting initiatives aimed at developing the themes of protection, safety, wellbeing and health protection within the programmes approved by the University's governing bodies.
• Developing strategic actions related to waste prevention and management, overseeing their management through coordination with all the persons involved, whilst promoting awareness-raising and information initiatives.
• Managing the University's psychological support services for both staff and the student community.
• Ensuring the planning and coordination of all activities related to the safety of internal and external users using the University premises, in order to prevent, address and overcome events that may occur as a result of predominantly unlawful actions and that expose individuals to potentially harmful and/or damaging effects.
• Managing the emergency response process for floods, earthquakes and environmental disasters in light of the current context, acting as a liaison point between the various organisational entities of the University and the decision-makers who will be responsible for promptly alerting the entire University community and managing the related subsequent actions in the event of an emergency.
• Promoting innovative projects also related to the management of services in the field of food-related wellbeing and combating waste whilst ensuring the management of contractual arrangements relating to services in the field of food-related wellbeing and combating food waste (e.g. bar concessions, food and beverage distribution).
• Overseeing and managing the service for activating and managing University signage, both traditional (signboards, plaques, etc.) and interactive.
• Performing on behalf of the University the activities required by current legislation (Legislative Decree 26/2014) relating to the protection of animals used for scientific and educational purposes, in collaboration with the designated professionals, such as the Designated Veterinarian, the Welfare Officer and the members of the Animal Welfare Committee. Supporting researchers in ensuring the health and welfare of animals used in scientific, educational and teaching contexts; promoting continuous training for staff; verifying compliance with authorised experimental procedures and supervising every action necessary to prevent or mitigate negative impacts on animal welfare and on the integrity of animal housing facilities.