Preparing for winter

Whilst the University expects staff to make every reasonable effort to be on campus to fulfil their duties, in hazardous conditions staff are not expected to take unreasonable risks which may compromise their health or safety or that of others.

In the unlikely event of a University closure due to severe weather, this will be communicated to all staff via email.

Line Managers should provide clear instructions to staff on reporting arrangements for occurrences of late or non-arrival due to severe weather conditions.

Should you be unable to attend work due to weather conditions, you must contact your Line Manager at the earliest opportunity via phone, email, Teams or other appropriate and agreed means to inform them of your decision. If your Line Manager is unavailable you should contact their nominated deputy.

For those individuals whose roles enable them to work from home in accordance with the flexible work policy, they should inform their Line Managers if they propose to work from home on a day that falls outside their normal schedule of home working agreement. Further guidance on remote working is available from the Directorate of Digital & Information Services.

You are required to make every reasonable effort to be present at work if your role does not allow for flexible working. In severe weather conditions, you should consider the viability of alternative forms of transport or alternative routes to that which you normally use.

Arrangements for home working should be agreed with your Line Manager. Should the severe weather persist, you should agree ongoing arrangements with your Line Manager until it is possible to return to the workplace or to your normal pattern of working.

In situations where it is not practical for staff to work from home and/or where the period of weather-related absence lasts for more than two working days due to ongoing severe weather conditions, staff should agree alternative arrangements with their Line Manager to cover any period of extended absence. For example:- (a) the possibility of redistribution of tasks, where feasible, to allow staff to work remotely; (b) by making up the hours lost within an agreed timescale; (c) by using accrued “flexi-time” (applies to professional staff only); (d) by using annual leave; (e) by opting to take unpaid leave.

When there is no improvement in weather conditions resulting in a continued absence of more than one working day, you are expected to keep in regular contact with your Line Manager.

In circumstances where you are unable to attend work due to an unexpected disruption of arrangements for dependant family members, e.g. school closures, the University’s Arrangements for Special Leave - Urgent Domestic Distress will apply.

All staff with any underlying medical condition will be expected to liaise closely with their Line Manager should there be specific support required and further flexibility in their working arrangements during periods of severe weather.

The University recognises that severe weather may result in power outages. Staff are reminded there are facilities that may be useful to you if you are impacted:

• Shower facilities at both our Old Aberdeen and Foresterhill campuses are available to you and your families if you have been impacted by bad weather
• Our catering facilities can be used
• Where a member of the community requires emergency, short term accommodation there are a limited number of rooms available on a temporary basis in shared flats at Hillhead - for more information please contact hillheadstudentvillage@abdn.ac.uk, or telephone 01224 274000.

Please don’t hesitate to use our facilities if you need them - if you have any queries over what is available and where, please contact estates@abdn.ac.uk, or outwith office hours, contact Security Control on 01224 273939, or securitycontrol@abdn.ac.uk