University news
Call for nominations for Safety and Health representatives – closing 25 March 2011
The annual call for nominations for Safety and Health representatives in work areas whose SHRs' two-year term expires or who do not currently have a SHR will be made through an all-staff email soon. The closing date for nominations is 25 March 2011.
For further workplace information see our pages on Safety and Health representatives and the call for nominations.
To download a nomination form: http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/people/nomination_form [Comment: Where is this form, or what page should we be linking to? - Hugh]
Safety-related training 2011
- Warden Training Course (three hours) on Monday 14 March.
- Warden Refresher Training Course (one hour) on Monday 14 March.
- Standard Mental Health First Aid (four sessions of three hours) from Wednesday 23 March. Enrol via OSDS.
- Occupational Safety and Health training for Managers and Supervisors on Thursday 31 March and Friday 1 April (two half-days days, 9.30am – 1pm each day). Enrol via OSDS.
- Basic Resuscitation First Aid (3.5 hours) on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 April. Enrol via OSDS.
- Youth Mental Health First Aid (four sessions of 3.5 hours ) from Wednesday 27 April. Enrol via OSDS.
Ceiling-mounted gas heaters – please report
The ceiling mounted gas heaters pictured here are most likely to be located in large open areas (such as workshops) in older University buildings. If areas have these gas heaters you are requested to please contact Peter Carlyon in Safety and Health on (+61 8) 6488 7934.
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Picture 1 Gas Heater |
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Picture 2 Gas Heater |
Other news
AUSA 2011 OHS Conference
The 2011 Australasian University Safety Association (AUSA) OHS Conference will be held in Brisbane at the University of Queensland from 4–6 July 2011. This is the premier conference for tertiary sector OHS professionals and is held every two years.
The theme for the conference is "Towards Excellence in Professional Safety Management". The deadline for submission of abstracts has been amended to Friday 4 March 2011.
New regulations – hazardous substances
New regulations introduced in December 2010 provide importers and manufacturers of 'hazardous substances' with the option of classifying and labelling these according to the international system, the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals 3rd revised edition, also known as 'the GHS'.
For end-users of hazardous substances at the workplace and suppliers, the changes mean that there may be different types of labels on the containers and different risks and safety phrases in the MSDS. The State Government has more information on the changes and general information on the obligations at the workplace for hazardous substances.
Queensland WHS nanotechnology webpage
Queensland Workplace Health and Safety has developed a nanotechnology website which provides specific instructions and risk assessment tools, including a control banding worksheet.
New ISO nanotechnology standard
International Standards Organisation (ISO) has published an International Standard to support the inhalation toxicity testing of nanoparticles. The new standard, ISO 10808:2010, ‘Nanotechnologies - Characterisation of nanoparticles in inhalation exposure chambers for inhalation toxicity testing’, helps ensure that the results of such tests are reliable and harmonised worldwide.
The new standard is available for purchase from SAI Global .
Global Corporate Challenge 2011 – from Thursday 19 May
The Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) is a corporate health and wellbeing initiative that combines exercise, fun and ‘virtual’ interactive experiences. The event was created to address the emerging health crisis resulting from the triple threat of longer workdays, sedentary occupations and little or no exercise.
The GCC seeks to increase staff fitness, promote teamwork and workplace morale, foster positive competitive spirit, and support the workforce to be active, healthy, and more productive.
The GCC 2011 program runs for 16 weeks from Thursday 19 May until Tuesday 6 September. In 2010 UWA had 25 teams (175 people) participate and we were awarded the ‘most active University in Australasia’ with a daily step average per participant of 12,839.
Persons interested in nominating or joining teams are welcomed to contact Safety and Health on (+61 8) 6488 3938. More information will be provided in due course.
Briefs
Safety and Health staffing news
Gwenda Hogg (occupational therapist) started on 22 February and works Tuesdays and Thursdays.
University Safety Committee
The University Safety Committee last met on 15th February 2011. The next meeting is on Tuesday 12th April 2011. Approved minutes from previous meetings are available.
Previous Safety and Health newsletters
For those who have missed out on our earlier editions, copies of previous newsletters are available. All are encouraged to share relevant safety information in each edition to the rest in your respective workplaces.
The University of Western Australia
Safety and Health M350
Phone (+61 8) 6488 3938
Fax (+61 8) 6488 1179
Web
Email
F1139
