1. Safety Related Training 2011
2. Safe Work Australia Releases 12 Harmonisation Fact Sheets
3. Revised Safe System of Work (compliance with harmonised H&S legislation)
4. University Safety Committee
5. Previous Safety and Health Newsletters

Safety Related Training 2011

• Unsealed Radioisotope Handling Courses (3 days) from Monday 18th July - DATE AND VENUE CHANGED
• Laboratory Safety Course (1 day) on Friday 29th July
• X Ray Safety Course (half day) Wednesday 24th August - DATE CHANGED
• Laser Safety Course (half day) Friday 26th August - DATE CHANGED

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Safe Work Australia Releases 12 Harmonisation Fact Sheets

Safe Work Australia has published legislative fact sheets on 12 key areas of the harmonised work health and safety laws, which are expected to take effect in just over six months' time. Specifically tailored for a legal audience, but containing concise, accessible information, the fact sheets are:

• Role of inspectors in compliance and enforcement
• Health and safety committees
• Right of entry
• Codes of Practice
• Incident notification
• Protection from discrimination, coercion and misrepresentation
• Consultation obligations
• Issue resolution
• Work health and safety duties
• Role of the regulator in compliance and enforcement
• Review of decisions
• Health and safety representatives.

Refer to safeworkaustralia.gov.au

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Revised Safe System of Work (compliance with harmonised Health and Safety legislation)

UWA Safety and Health has produced a pro-forma Generic Health and Safety Manual. It includes information which applies across the University and which also provides guidance to assist in adapting it for use in specific work areas.

The University is required to be compliant with the new harmonised “Work Health and Safety Act” by 1 January 2012. The structured approach promoted by this manual includes the creation or updating of existing systems of work to assist in meeting legislative compliance.

As a minimum, areas should use this manual as a guide and compare their local documentation and processes with a view to achieving equivalence with the described safe system of work. Future revisions of documents should adopt the document titles and types described in this manual to achieve consistency across the University. The revised system of work can only become fully operational in an area upon completion of a table of sequential objectives which also involves the establishment or endorsement of a local Health and Safety Committee. The finished manual and related system of working is ratified and then the local policy document is signed to link it to the University Occupational Safety and Health Policy (this is likely to be revised and titled “Work Health and Safety Policy”).

There has been a number of training sessions on the application of the manual and use as part of a revised safe system of work. It is currently being trialled in Facilities Management. The manual can be found online

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University Safety Committee

The University Safety Committee last met on Tuesday 14th June 2011. The next meeting is on Tuesday 9th August 2011. Approved minutes from previous meetings are available from the Safety and Health website.

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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 distribute relevant safety information in your workplaces.

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