Rouages: “Prevention assistants: the sentinels of the university”
Frédéric Vincent is a prevention assistant. At the Richter site, he contributes daily to improving safety and well-being at work for staff. As part of the video series "Rouages"(Cogs), produced by the University of Montpellier, he introduces us to this role, which is more essential than ever in this period of health crisis.
They are responsible for providing hand sanitizer in all university buildings. They are also responsible for traffic plans, harmonizing signage, and organizing offices when activities resume. In the shadow of the health crisis we are currently experiencing, they work discreetly to ensure the safety of UM staff. They are the prevention assistants.
At Richter, the "prevention officer" is Frédéric Vincent. He chose to take on this role in addition to his position as head of Richter's Shared Services Department (SMR). "Prevention assistant is not a job, it's a role that anyone who is interested can take on at their workplace in addition to their regular job," he explains. At the university, each structure, department, and division has its own prevention representative. In total, there are more than 200 assistants attached to their respective unit directors.
A role open to everyone
On a voluntary basis, the recruitment of prevention assistants is accompanied by a five-day training course. This is the minimum amount of time needed to cover all the relevant areas, "whether it's issues relating to job adaptation or anything to do with research laboratories, because they have the most complex tasks. They handle toxic chemicals and specific product storage procedures. Our colleagues at Triolet and in the pharmacy are directly affected by this issue,"explains Frédéric Vincent.
The duties of a prevention assistant are varied and depend greatly on the activities of the organizations in which they work. These can range from the storage of hazardous products in laboratories, as mentioned above, to workplace layout issues and recurring elevator malfunctions. "Our role is to anticipate potential hazards and engage in dialogue with staff to identify problematic situations and obstacles, and to provide solutions either by resolving the problem or finding a workaround," continues the assistant. They also contribute to ensuring that staff are fully aware of health and safety rules.
Identify and solve problems
Another important aspect of the role is to make proposals to improve working conditions. At the Richter site, Frédéric Vincent wants to launch a major project on the issue of blue light emitted by computers, which can cause visual discomfort and headaches. Finally, the prevention assistant must ensure that the health and safety register for the unit in which they work is kept up to date.
Whatever the issue, it is important not to hesitate to meet with them, because although prevention assistants do not have all the answers, they will be able to support staff and liaise with the relevant departments. "We may need specific expertise, and the General Services Department can guide us and advise us on equipment and solutions for staff."
Essential in the crisis
Indispensable in everyday life, prevention assistants have been even more so during the period we have just been through. Faced with an unprecedented situation, there are of course many questions and the answers are not always available, as Richter's prevention assistant points out: " At the beginning of the epidemic, we didn't really know what we were dealing with or how it would evolve, so we took the utmost precautions."
Cleaning and disinfecting buildings, closing elevators to prevent crowding and button handling, locking all building access doors, "we did everything we could to ensure that employees only had to touch their office door and their personal equipment. " Centralization of all access points to control comings and goings, explanation of instructions, provision of hygiene kits supplied by the Presidency... The prevention assistants played a real sentinel role during this crisis, even if, for Frédéric Vincent, "everything went very well because people really played along and followed the procedures. They were truly aware of the dangers they were facing."