Safety instructions
The university finds it important that students and staff are offered a safe environment. Read here about the safety measures in place and what you should do in case of emergencies or other incidents.
Safety measures
If you are following a programme that involves practical sessions, laboratory work, working with people or spending time outdoors, additional precautionary measures might be required. If your faculty or programme has an additional tab on this page, make sure to read it carefully.
Emergencies and incidents
Find out what to do in cases of emergencies or other incidents.
International students: beware of telephone scams
Police are warning international students, particularly those from China, about phone calls from scammers posing as employees of banks or governement agencies.
The scammer will claim you need to move your money to another bank account, or that you are being criminally investigated and must break all contact with others by e.g. switching off your phone and not going home or to class. They will then tell your parents or family members that you have disappeared and demand a ransom. As your family are unable to reach you, they might believe the scammer.
Hang up and call 112
- If this happens to you, hang up immediately and call the police via 112.
- Need help contacting the police? Call the university's emergency number: +31 32 033 1343 (available 24/7). Please note that this number can currently only be reached from a mobile phone
Safety during Labwork
See the health and safety policy for faculty laboratories.
Safety during fieldwork or internship
For your own safety during fieldwork or intership, please see the information on emergencies and incidents. Please note that excavation leaders are required to send a list of the participants and other details on the fieldwork through this form. If you are doing fieldwork individually, you should also fill in this form.
Students are obliged to arrange their own liability and travel insurance.
Before the start of the excavation, make sure that you have had a tetanus injection.
Health, safety & environmental legislation requires that everyone at an excavation:
- wears a brightly coloured jacket
- wears shoes with steel toes
- helmets are compulsory when you are in the radius of a crane.
The following must be hung on the wall in the cabin:
- the telephone number of a GP
- the telephone number of the ambulance service (in the Netherlands 112)
- the directions to a hospital.
At least one person present must have a First Aid diploma.
All incidents must be reported immediately to the Health and Safety Inspectorate (Arbodienst)!
The central health and safety coordinator for Archaeology is Ms Petra Slabber, 071 527 2275.
When a student or member of staff drives his/her own car or rented minibus, it is advisable that the driver arranges good third party insurance in advance. Insurance covering damage to the rented minibus or car is usually bought at the same time as arranging the rental. Injury to a fellow passenger is a separate matter. For a private car, the same rules apply as when a friend is a passenger in your car. For more information about third party insurance, contact Katrien van Dijk, Administration and Central Services department, Leiden University.
There is also an international emergency number that you can call day and night:
+31 (0)71 527 6666.
Anyone planning a trip - students, student societies and excavation leaders – is strongly advised to keep up to date with the travel advice on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If you are planning to go abroad soon, you are expressly requested to regularly refer to the university brochure Risks of working abroad and the faculty’s health and safety plan.