Your health and safety
Helping you to stay healthy and secure at university.
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We offer a safe, secure and comfortable base for our students. Our security team are on campus 24/7 to provide advice and support, and our accommodation is protected by security and CCTV.
There are a few extra steps you can take to keep yourself healthy and safe at university. These practical tips will help you and the people around you to get the most out of your time at Manchester Met.
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Register with a doctor
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Register with a dentist
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Looking after your health
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Supporting your mental health and wellbeing
It is important to register with a doctor when you arrive at university, so that you can receive medical help free of charge while you are away from home. GP surgeries provide a range of services by appointment, including medical advice, examinations, sexual health screenings, vaccinations and prescriptions.
You can choose which surgery to register with, but we recommend choosing a doctor close to your accommodation in case you are ill and need to go for an appointment.
The nearest GP to Birley fields is Arch medical practise. Please click here to read how to register with this practise.
If you are ill in the evening or on a weekend, you can still contact your GP surgery, who will have a process for out of hours support. If a doctor or ambulance needs to make an emergency visit to your accommodation, reception must be informed immediately.
For immediate medical advice you can ring the NHS non-emergency advice line on 111, or alternatively you can visit the NHS Choices website. In a medical emergency you should always dial 999.
You should register with a local dentist on arriving. There are a variety of NHS dentists close to Manchester Met’s student accommodation, and you can choose which you would like to register with. You can search for a nearby dentist by entering your postcode on the NHS Services Search website.
Alongside the support which Manchester Met offers, there are steps you can take to look after your own health while living at university. There are also certain risks to be aware of.
Some illnesses are more common in young people and those living in close proximity to one another, such as mumps and meningitis.
If you are a UK student aged between 18 and 25 there’s a good chance that you’ve had only one dose of the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine. Please check with your GP and get another vaccination if you require it. Mumps is an acute viral illness that causes fever, headaches and painful swollen glands. It can also lead to more serious conditions. Visit your GP if you are displaying any of these symptoms.
Meningitis is a life-threatening disease, so familiarise yourself with the signs and symptoms just in case. Symptoms can include vomiting, a rash, headache, stiff neck, drowsiness, a fever with cold hands and feet, confusion and dislike of bright lights. Be aware of these symptoms in yourself and anyone else. Don’t take chances - go to A&E if you experience any of these symptoms.
There are lots of great services and opportunities available to help you maintain good mental health and wellbeing. If you are feeling worried, lonely or under pressure, there’s support for you. Whether that’s having a friendly chat with one of our wellbeing advisers, attending our regular wellbeing workshops or accessing our confidential counselling and mental health support.
To find out more about the support available, visit our student wellbeing page.
In addition, the Res Life team is also here to support you, find out more about what we do for students here.
Student Resident Engagement Strategy
What is a resident engagement strategy?
The Building Safety Act requires us to have a resident engagement strategy. This strategy sets out how we’ll:
- collect and use your opinions
- communicate building safety decisions to you
- measure and review participation in those decisions
This strategy is for our students living in accommodation managed by Manchester Met. If you live in one of our NOMs buildings, please contact your building management team.
Our strategy
Ensuring your safety is a top priority.
We’re committed to keeping you informed about our safety protocols and outlining how we plan to communicate any unforeseen circumstances. This covers fire safety, electrical safety, structural safety, and security measures.
We have three main goals: to engage, inform and empower.
What is the Building Safety Act?
The Building Safety Act is legislation in England and Wales, which plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of buildings – particularly residential buildings.
In line with the law, we’re required to keep comprehensive documentation of how the building is designed, built, maintained and changed.
There are additional regulations for tall buildings which include any exceeding 18 meters in height or with seven or more floors.
Keep connected
We’ll engage with you through our website and various digital platforms, including email and Instagram, and on local noticeboards so we can ensure information is readily available and easily accessible. If you want to reach out in person, please speak with the Student Living Team at Reception.
Quick, decisive actions
We’ll promptly notify you through our digital channels about any safety-related issues in your building. We’ll make sure it’s clear what it means for you and what steps we’re taking to sort things out.
Your opinions matter
We value your input and will actively seek your involvement in shaping our strategies. Expect emails, talks, and surveys. You can also reach out directly to the Student Living Team on [email protected]
We’ll keep you informed about matters concerning the safety of your home.
Throughout the year, various safety-related activities occur in our halls. Much of this involves routine maintenance, like fire door checks and emergency light testing, which won’t affect the peace and enjoyment of your home.
When undertaking planned works, we will do our best to avoid sensitive periods, such as exams, and provide a minimum period of seven days’ notice. For any urgent works, a minimum of 24 hours’ notice should be given unless the circumstances require an immediate response.
Occasionally, there may be works that could cause minor disruptions for short periods or require access to your rooms. We will email you if we need to do this.
Relevant updates
To ensure safety messages remain focused and impactful, we will only notify you about safety work that directly affects you.
Unless it is an emergency, we will notify you in a timely manner.
Request information
We are open about the safety of our halls and the works we carry out in them.
If you have questions about any measures we have in halls that we have not directly informed you about, then you can request this information from the Student Living team. We will provide it to you within a reasonable timeframe which we’ll outline depending on the request.
Our commitments
We will inform you directly:
- when works are required in your room
- if work being conducted in communal areas is likely to be disruptive while you are in your room, such as work in your kitchen or corridor or window cleaning
When larger, longer-term disruptive projects are required, we will work with you to mitigate as much of the disruption as possible. This may include:
- scheduling larger projects during holidays
- providing you with quiet alternative locations during exams
We provide you with all the necessary information to keep yourself safe in halls in your Halls Handbook and on our webpages. Additionally, the Student Living Team are available for addressing any questions or concerns you may have regarding hall safety.
Contact us
In the first instance, you should contact the Student Living Team at Reception with your questions or concerns about your building’s safety. Alternatively you can email [email protected] or call the team on +44(0)161 247 1400.
Should you be dissatisfied with the way in which your concern has been dealt with, you can make a report to the Residence Manager who will respond to you within three working days.
Contribute
We’ll review the strategy every year, taking your comments and feedback into consideration. Make sure your voice is heard by participating in our Annual Hall Survey.
Additionally, we’ll give you the chance to comment on our strategy during your pre-arrival induction, ensuring you’re informed right from the start.
Personal details
Your information will be collected and stored in line with the University’s privacy policy.
We will:
- Promptly notify you of any issues detected regarding a property’s structure, electrical components, or safety systems.
- Outline the measures taken to ensure your safety during the repair process.
- Provide you with information on fire safety and prevention.
- Conduct regular assessments of fire risk.
- Regularly test and assess our life safety systems, including smoke detectors, fire alarms, emergency lighting, fire doors, and evacuation routes.
- Mitigate risks during the maintenance of safety systems.
- Perform regular patrols to ensure escape routes are kept clear and hazardous items in communal areas are promptly removed.
- Clearly identify emergency exit routes, and explain the evacuation plan.
You should:
- Complete your hall’s induction.
- Watch the fire safety videos.
- Read safety materials about your hall, contained in the Halls Handbook and webpages.
- Attend welcome talks.
- Understand the evacuation procedures and ensure your guests know what to do.
- Keep all fire doors shut.
- Not tamper with any life safety equipment.
- Use appliances appropriately and as intended.
- Report any faults or concerns with equipment.
- Tell us about any safety concerns you have.
Additional support
Students' Union advice centre
Visit the advice centre for free and independent support on health, physical and mental wellbeing.Personal safety, Fire Safety, Electrical Safety
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Personal safety
Being aware of your personal safety is important whether you are living in University accommodation or not.
Our accommodation helps to keep you and your belongings safe by providing 24/7 security, CCTV and insurance.
You can also help keep yourself safe and secure by following these steps:
- Lock your room whenever you leave it, even if you’re just going to the kitchen. Always close your window and lock your door if you’re going out.
- When going out at night, try to travel with other people. Make sure you know how you are going to get home.
- Order a taxi to pick you up if you are travelling home alone or late. Check the times of the night buses.
- Let your flatmates know when you’re going to be out, especially if overnight.
- Keep your phone out of sight while walking along streets, roads and between sites.
- Do not walk the streets alone at night or in the early hours of the morning. If you have to walk at night, stay clear of unfamiliar areas. Keep to main roads and do not take risks.
- Do not be afraid to call the police: use 999 for emergency situations. Save the University security number in your phone: 0161 247 1334.
SafeZone
Before you get here, we recommend downloading the SafeZone app.
What is SafeZone?
We want to ensure all students are safe and our SafeZone App is a great way to have peace of mind when you’re studying or having fun on campus. It’s free to download, easy to use and has lots of really useful features:
- Check-in any time of day – tell us where you are on campus 24/7
- Quickly and discretely call for assistance – whether it’s for first aid or in an emergency
- Keep up-to-date – notifications sent directly to your phone if there is an incident on campus
How do I set it up?
Download the SafeZone App on Google Play or the App Store by searching for SafeZone.
For more safety tips and information you can download one of our campus stay safe guides.
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Fire safety
When you live in halls, you are responsible for keeping yourself and your flatmates safe.
It is important to familiarise yourself with fire procedures for your accommodation when you move in, including evacuation procedures.
All of our halls are equipped with heat detectors and smoke detectors. Some sprays, steam and aerosols may set off the alarms, and you must notify your reception if this occurs. In some cases, the alarms may trigger a call out from the local fire service, and this can be a serious issue. Try to be aware of the detectors and use any items which trigger the alarm responsibly.
The equipment provided is for your safety and must not be misused or interfered with. Misusing or interfering with equipment will result in disciplinary action.
For your safety and the safety of others, please ensure that all doors are kept closed, including any interconnecting doors. All corridors should be kept clear for fire escape routes. Any items found in corridors will be removed.
Any fire, however small, must be reported to your accommodation reception as soon as possible so that the damage can be assessed and the relevant safety appliances checked.
You can also help keep yourself safe by following these simple steps:
- Do not wedge doors open or tamper with door-retaining springs. Doors prevent smoke and fire spreading.
- Do not leave any cooking unattended.
- Do not use chip pans, deep fat fryers or woks, they are not allowed in our accommodation.
- Do not burn candles, incense, oil burners or other materials that create smoke.
- Always remember to unplug hair straighteners or curlers.
- Do not cover heat or smoke detectors.
- Do not smoke anywhere in University accommodation - this will lead to disciplinary action.
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Electrical safety
Any electrical appliances you bring with you to your accommodation must be electrically safe, working and with a good design in accordance with the Electrical Safety Policy.
Electrical items should carry an ASTA/EAB kite mark or equivalent European safety conformity marking that can usually be found on the actual body of the appliance.
The use of electrical goods is your responsibility and at your own risk.
Faulty or damaged equipment can cause electric shocks and fires, so you should not use any electrical equipment that is cracked, shows burn marks, has a worn cable, exposed copper wire, is faulty in operation or smells odd when in use.
You are responsible for the portable appliance testing of any non-rechargeable electric equipment you bring with you. If an item that is deemed to be dangerous is discovered in the accommodation, it may be removed.