Summary
There are three levels of access, each identified by a colour coded sign - Red, Amber and Yellow. The highest risk areas (red and amber) require a licensing process to achieve this status to ensure that all necessary procedures are approved and in place. Yellow areas do not require licensing.
These are standard laboratory spaces, which represent the typical hazard level of general labs. This will include most wet chemistry labs and biology labs where there is not an increased level of hazard present based on the substances in use. Yellow area can be added to the Hazardous Area Emergency Contacts App by contacting your departmental superuser for the system and requesting the space is added. This will generate a QR code for the door with the details of the emergency contacts for the space. Once this has been done, please email safetydept@imperial.ac.uk to request some yellow stickers for the doors to the space.
Red (highly restricted) and amber (restricted) areas can only be demarcated as such upon specific authority provided by the Safety Department. This is to ensure that adequate emergency procedures are in place. To apply for a licence for such an area, the Application and ERP form can be downloaded and once completed and checked by your local safety advisors, sent to safetydept@imperial.ac.uk for review, along with any code of practice for the space and risk assessment references. Once the ERP has been approved, the safety dept will upload the information to the Hazardous Area Emergency Contacts App and send you the QR code with the contact info and ERP on it, plus the Amber or Red stickers for the space. Security, Maintenance and Contractors will not have default access to theses spaces.
More information on how the spaces are defined and the application processes can be found in the Access Control Policy Arrangements document.
The Emergency Contacts app allows you to search for contact names and phone numbers for labs throughout Imperial College, as well as view lab emergency procedures and notes.
The Emergency Contacts app can be used on desktop, mobile or tablet. Outside each listed lab, you can find a QR code displayed which can be scanned from the app, enabling you to find the correct information immediately. To download the Hazardous Area Emergency Contacts App on your tablet or smart phone follow the instructions in the Hazardous Area Emergency Contacts App User Guide.
Link for the desktop version of the app.
Emergency Contacts App Privacy Notice 2025.
Policy and its Arrangements
1. Purpose
To ensure that access to Imperial College London’s physical assets is granted appropriately, securely, and in accordance with Imperial’s safety protocols.
Access to certain areas within Imperial must be controlled to prevent unauthorised access, and personnel becoming inadvertently exposed to hazardous substances and procedures.
2. Scope
This policy applies to:
- All staff, students, contractors and visitors.
- All University owned or managed spaces.
3. Roles and Responsibilities
Imperial Safety Department: approves the access category designation for Amber and Red areas following the review of the Emergency Response Plan, risk assessment and associated documentation.
Responsible Person: someone managing sensitive or hazardous areas, who is responsible for ensuring that this policy and its arrangements are implemented within their areas of responsibility.
All staff, students and contractors: responsible for adhering to this policy.
4. Good Practice
4.1 Good Practice
- Ensure doors are closed and locked after having passed through- don’t allow tailgating.
- Politely challenge people that you do not recognise as authorised for that area. Never put yourself at risk and if you feel threatened call security at 0207 589 1000 or dial 4444 (42444 for Silwood Park) from an internal phone/Teams.
- Report defective security measures through the Estates Facilities Customer Services Centre (x48000 or call 020 7594 8000).
- Review security measures as part of routine safety inspections.
4.2 Access Categories
All areas within the University’s buildings will be categorised into one of the following four groups, according to the levels of access control required:
- Highly restricted access (Red), such as containment level 3 laboratories, holding rooms, high pressure flammable/toxic/corrosive gas installations, radiation-controlled areas, etc.
- Restricted access (Amber), such as some containment level 2 labs, flammable/toxic/corrosive gas systems, high-power laser labs, plant rooms, etc.
- Limited access (Yellow), such as some containment level 2 labs, general laboratory and workshop spaces.
1. Introduction
These arrangements outline the procedures for managing access to sensitive or hazardous areas within Imperial. The document is intended for staff and students, including laboratory managers, campus and building managers, maintenance teams, contractors working on University premises and those responsible for sensitive or hazardous areas.
Access control is not just about restricting entry. Effective access control ensures that only authorised individuals can enter, while allowing necessary access for routine tasks or emergencies, without compromising safety or security. This document focuses on the management of access permissions during routine operations and emergency situations. It does not cover technical security measures such as locks, card readers, cameras or alarms.
2. Definitions
Authorised personnel
These are staff and students, such as researchers and other laboratory users, who have been specifically authorised by the Responsible Person for the area (e.g. Principal Investigator or Facility/Suite/Lab Manager) to access and conduct their work in that space. This area is considered their usual place of work.
Routine cleaners and support staff (e.g. maintenance) may also be considered authorised in amber areas, provided they have completed the necessary induction and follow an agreed written protocol. All authorisations must be formally recorded.
Non-authorised personnel
These include University staff, such as maintenance, security, visitors, or contractors who have not been specifically authorised to enter the area. Their access is occasional or one-off and they need to be supervised while accessing restricted space.
Responsible Person
The person managing a sensitive or hazardous area is responsible for requesting access control designation for the space and ensuring that access is properly managed. The management of contractors, or other personnel requiring access to the space rests with the individual requesting access to the area. For example, a lab manager may authorise access to their lab to a contractor, however, if the contractor is brought in by the maintenance team, the maintenance team will be responsible for: reviewing and approving the permit to work, RAMS and related documentation providing supervision when this is required.
3. Identification of restricted areas
Access to certain areas must be controlled for several key reasons:
- Safety– to protect people from hazardous substances and procedures as well as to safeguard those working in sensitive areas
- Security– to prevent theft of equipment, materials, or sensitive information
- Environmental Protection– to ensure proper handling and disposal of waste
- Research Continuity– to avoid damage or disruption to valuable equipment or data
- Legal Compliance– to meet legal requirements, such as those under:
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations
- Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act.
If the space you manage falls under one of the categories above, you must restrict or limit the access to that area.
All areas within the University’s buildings are categorised into one of the following four groups, according to the levels of access control required:
- Highly restricted access (Red), such as containment level 3 laboratories, holding rooms, high pressure flammable/toxic/corrosive gas installations, radiation-controlled areas, etc.
- Restricted access (Amber), such as some containment level 2 labs, flammable/toxic/corrosive gas systems, high-power laser labs, plant rooms, etc.
- Limited access (Yellow), such as some containment level 2 labs, general laboratory and workshop spaces.
- Non-designated areas (no colour); all other general areas where the above classification does not apply.
Areas classified as restricted or limited access are labelled using the appropriate red, amber or yellow sticker placed above the door handle. Note that the lowest risk areas (i.e. normal access) are not colour- coded.
Red (highly restricted) and amber (restricted) areas can only be demarcated as such upon approval provided by the Safety Department. This is to prevent misuse of this “traffic light” system and to ensure that adequate emergency response plans are in place.
The access control classification, colour coding and access requirements are summarised in Appendix A.
When designating areas, it is the Responsible Person’s responsibility to train all authorised users on the processes to follow and the emergency response plan in place, and to ensure that training is recorded. Specialist local training for maintenance, security and cleaning staff must also be delivered when there is a need for these staff to have access to the space.
4. Requesting access control designation
The application form to request a red or amber area designation can be downloaded here: Application and ERP form. Once completed, it must be sent to safetydept@imperial.ac.uk, along with the emergency response plan, the area code(s) of practice where applicable, and reference numbers of risk assessments for activities conducted within the area, or for the area itself.
5. Managing access control to restricted areas
The University uses a Proximity Card and Reader System as its main method of physical access control. Each staff member or student has a proximity card that contains their access permissions. When the card is presented to a reader, it will unlock the door if access is granted. High-risk areas may also require a PIN code for added security.
The allocation of access permissions to all staff, students, and visitors, is managed by the Security team. To ensure that only authorised individuals can enter ‘Red’ and ‘Amber’ areas (higher security zones), the following procedures must be followed:
- Once an area is approved as Amber or Red, the Safety Department will notify the Security ID card Services, including the card reader details in the notification, so the area can be marked with the corresponding access designation in the system. Generic access for security, maintenance and contractor passes will be removed. The Responsible Person for the designated area will provide the Security ID Card team with the list of authorised users.
- Ensure your department has procedures in place to confirm that staff or students are trained, vaccinated (if applicable) and security checked (if relevant). Records of these checks must be kept for security compliance purposes.
- Access changes must be requested by the designated area Responsible Person via email to card@imperial.ac.uk. Records of all relevant email exchanges must be kept by the Responsible Person and the Security ID card Services.
- When an authorised staff member leaves, the Responsible Person, e.g. the Facility/Suite/Lab Manager or PI, must request the access removal by emailing card@imperial.ac.uk.
- The ERP must be kept up to date with all relevant contact details.
- A QR code will be issued by the Safety Department, and the relevant information will be transferred to the Hazardous Area Emergency Contact App.
For limited (yellow) or non-designated areas, access permissions can be requested following induction by the PI, Lab Manager or the Building Manager. Again, these permissions are administered by Security at ID.card@imperial.ac.uk. These spaces can be added to the Hazardous Area Emergency Contacts App by your nominated departmental administrator, who can then send you the QR code for the space.
Reviewing list of authorised personnel
Those responsible for managing Red or Amber access areas will periodically request a list of individuals with access to the areas they manage by emailing the Security ID Card office at ID.card@imperial.ac.uk and copying in the data protection team (data-protection@imperial.ac.uk). This is necessary to demonstrate compliance with safety and security arrangements agreed with different regulators.
There may be instances where the Responsible Person for a red or amber area requests all current access to be removed, and then submits a new list of authorised individuals, including their CID numbers, to the Security ID Card Office.
Access to additional area access data will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.
6. General access for planned works and maintenance
Where maintenance or contractors require access to Amber and/or Red areas for more than one day, access can be granted to specific access cards, and for a particular period of time, by the Responsible Person for the space by submitting this Form requesting temporary access to red and amber spaces to ID.card@imperial.ac.uk.
7. Emergency access general requirements
For Amber and Red areas, the Emergency Response Plan must be:
- available in hard copy format immediately outside the facility or,
- accessible via the Hazardous Area Emergency Contact App using the QR code system on PowerApps.
For Maintenance, Security, or any Contractors to enter these areas:
- they must sign out an access card with the correct permission level from the security office on any Campus,
- they must adhere to the emergency access protocols in section 8 of this document
For Yellow or non-designated areas standard entry requirements may be overridden in emergencies, e.g. to shut off a leaking water supply, to ensure safety.
Power failure
In the event of a power failure, or “power blip”, where power is lost for a very short period, the card readers will default to allow any card to be used for access in yellow and non-designated areas. Amber and Red areas will maintain restricted access.
If it is discovered that an Amber or Red area has defaulted to general access, please report this to ID.Card@imperial.ac.uk as a security incident.
8. Emergency access protocol for Maintenance, Security and contractors
1. Emergency response plan (ERP)
- Locate the ERP posted outside the space or access it via the QR code in the app.
- Identify the emergency contact number(s) listed in the ERP.
2. Request authorisation to enter
- Contact the person listed as an emergency contact and explain the issue, and why access is required.
- The Responsible Person will assess whether it is safe to enter.
3. Sign out access card
- If permission is granted, the access card can be signed out from the Security office. This will require either
- verbal confirmation from the emergency contact to the Security Officer looking after the access card, or
- written permission that can be shown to Security.
4. Follow instructions
- Comply with the instructions outlined in the Emergency Response Plan.
- Adhere to any additional information provided by the Emergency Contact.
To register or amend your Hazardous Areas Emergency Contacts or obtain QR codes please contact your Emergency Contacts App Administrator below.
- FoNS Contacts
- FoE Contacts
- FoM Contacts
- Process maps for the application processes, yellow and amber/red
Chemistry:
Life Sciences South Kensington:
Danny Peckham - SEC
Fiona Watt - SAF & RCS1
Shajna Begum - Flowers
Allison Hunter - Life Sciences
Life Sciences Silwood Park:
Physics:
Juraci Didone - Matter
Judith Baylis - Light
Paula Brown - Particle
Azra Sabadosh and Ciara Mulholland - Space, Plasma & Climate
Liz Clark - Physics Department
Aeronautics:
Bioengineering:
Chemical Engineering - tbc
Civil and Environmental Engineering - tbc
Computing:
Dyson School of Design Engineering:
Earth Science and Engineering:
Electrical and Electronic Engineering:
Materials:
Mechanical Engineering:
DoII and DoBS :
MDR:
DoID:
S&C:
NHLI:
SPH:
FEO:
Faculty Centre: