Safety and Health Newsletter - July 2006

UWA Safety Awards 2006

Nominations are invited for the following safety awards Group (Faculty, School, Section), Individual and Group Rehabilitation. All staff are encouraged to promote these awards within their work areas and to seek suitable nominations. Nomination to Safety and Health close on 22 September 2006 and the awards will be presented in October 2006. Further details can be obtained from: http://safety.uwa.edu.au/whatsnew (July 2006)

Medical Emergency Assistance 

Assistance with medical emergencies is available on campus by calling Security and Parking on 2222, who can also assist in calling and coordinating the entry onto campus of an ambulance.

Safety and Health Representatives (SHR) – Update 

A number of SHRs will undertake the 1 day Provisional Improvement Notice (PIN) training on 27 July 2006. This will mean that about one half of the UWA SHRs will soon have been trained and able to issue PIN notices. UWA specific procedures for the issue of these are still being developed. 

Warden Training – Monday 25 September 2006

Essential for those who nominate or are appointed wardens within their workplaces. Both the introductory (3 hours) course and the refresher course (1 hour) are on Monday 25 September 2006. Practice building evacuations will occur in selected buildings during this week. For information and to download the course notes see:

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/courses/warden

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/courses/warden_refresher

To view the warden structures in University buildings refer: http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/people/wardens

Building Alarms and Evacuations

All occupants (staff, students, contractors, visitors) are required to leave buildings promptly upon activation of an evacuation alarm sounding or when instructed to do so by authorised personnel. Re-entry can only be authorised by emergency services personnel. This applies at all times. Failure to comply with directions to leave the building, failure to comply with any other directions or abuse of wardens or other emergency personnel whilst performing their duties may result in disciplinary action. 

Specific mention of this is made in Statute 17 as an example of Student Misconduct – refer item 13 under ‘Action likely to cause injury or impair safety on University premises’ at: http://www.uwa.edu.au/students/current/assistance/student_discipline/regulations/examples 

Chemical Procedures

A revision of procedures related to the possession, use and disposal of chemicals has been undertaken. Current updates and their direct links are provided: 

1. Chemical Waste - Disposal to Sewer

Outlines processes applicable to the disposal of chemical wastes to sewer with links to information on the types and quantities of aqueous and water miscible wastes which are permitted to be disposed of in this manner.

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/chemical_wastesewer

2. Chemical Waste - Offsite Disposal

Procedures for disposing of chemical waste that cannot be or are not disposed of to sewer. This must be sent off-site to an appropriately licensed external contractor.

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/chemical_wasteoffsite

3. Concessional Spirits

Requirements for the purchase and recording of use of concessional ethanol at UWA.

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/concessional_spirits

4. Cytostatic/Cytotoxic Waste Disposal

Procedures for the disposal of cytotoxic laboratory wastes. http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/chemical_wastecytotoxic

5. Illicit Drug Precursors

Requirements under legislation for the use of chemical drug precursors and laboratory equipment used in illicit drug manufacture. 

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/illicit_drug_precursors

6. Poison Permits

Requirements for users of scheduled poisons under the Poisons Act and Regulations.

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/poisons_permits

7. Chemical Risk Assessment Process and Form

http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/about_chemical_safety/chemical_risk_assessment

Electrical Equipment Testing and Tagging

A review of electrical equipment testing and tagging is underway, particularly in providing further guidance on testing frequencies. The Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences is undertaking this in house and recently had 21 persons complete a one day TAFE course on this. 

OASCC

The Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (Australian Government), which replaced the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission web site and list of current publications are available at:

http://www.ascc.gov.au/default.asp

http://www.ascc.gov.au/OHSInformation/NOHSCPublications/ 

Principles of Safe Design

The Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) have released a National Guideline on the Principles of Safe Design. The Guideline aims to raise awareness of the importance of safe design and how it can be achieved and is targeted towards those involved with the design or modification of products, buildings, structures and processes used for work.

http://www.ascc.gov.au/PDF/Standards/10605DesignIssues_fa.pdf 

EAP Newsletter

Our external Employee Assistance Program (EAP ) provider, Davidson Trahaire Corpsych produces a regular newsletter. The latest contains articles on Alcohol and the Workplace and Managing Mental Health Issues in the Workplace. The newsletter can be accessed at: http://www.davcorp.com.au/content.asp?newsID=93872 

University Safety Committee

The USC next meets on Tuesday 8th August. Approved minutes from previous meetings are available from the Safety and Health website.

Safety and Health – Move

Safety and Health is being relocated and in the week beginning Monday 31 July will be temporarily located in the Basement of the North West wing of the Central Administration building. Refer: http://maps.uwa.edu.au/crawley/display/6 

We are timetabled to return to the First Floor, Motorola Building late in 2006, after it has been fitted out to accommodate all of Human Resources, apart from Organisational and Staff Development Services (OSDS) which will remain at 28 Broadway (corner of Cooper St), Nedlands. 

Copies of previous newsletters can be obtained from the ‘following web site: http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/newsletter

The University of Western Australia

Safety and Health M450

Bus. 08 6488 3938

Fax. 08 6488 1179

Web: www.safety.uwa.edu.au

Email: safety@uwa.edu.au

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