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Newsletter - 2007 August
Introducing ... Christy Kistner
Farewell Geoff AtkinsGeoff Atkins, Safety and Health Advisor, has left UWA and is heading back to England. We would like to thank Geoff for his contribution to the UWA safety audit program. Warden Training – Monday 24 September 2007Essential for all wardens. Both the introductory (3 hours) course and the refresher course (1 hour) are on Monday 24 September 2007. Practice building evacuations will occur in selected buildings during this week. For further information and enrol please go to:
The warden structures in University buildings are listed at: http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/people/wardens Please review and forward any amendments to to Belinda Ireland Updated UWA Safety Induction ChecklistThe general UWA Safety Induction checklist has recently been amended to include reference to the new Emergency Procedures booklet and also the new Electrical Safety pamphlet (A user guide to the safe use of electrical equipment on UWA premise). http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/forms/safety_induction_checklist UWA Safety Awards 2007Nomination for the UWA Safety Awardss close on 21 September 2007. The awards will be presented on 23 October 2007. The winners in each category will receive a certificate and a $100 book voucher from the Co-op Bookshop. Further details of the awards can be obtained from: http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/whats_new/annual_safety_awards_information Laser Printer Pollution ConcernsA recent QUT study of 62 home and office laser printers found that 17 were ‘high particle emitters’ by releasing fine toner like particles. The risk is greatest when the toner cartridge was new or when the printer was being used to print images, as these require greater amounts of toner. The study showed that the average particle number concentration inside the test office is five times higher during working hours than non working hours. At its highest levels the indoor particle concentration was about three times higher than the outdoor rate. The main recommendations are that printers should be placed somewhere other than on the desk directly beside the user and preferably in a well ventilated space to help reduce any potential ultra fine particles or organic compound exposures. http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2007/aug/science/nl_printers.html Recommendations for Lightning ProtectionUWA activities which potentially expose personnel to the risk of being struck by lightning need to develop a proactive approach that includes monitoring the local weather, establishing a chain of command, identifying safe structures and locations and defining the criteria for both suspension and resumption of activity. The "30/30" rule should be used which states: A flash-to-bang count of 30 seconds indicates that lightning is 10 km away. This is associated with significant risk that the next strike could be at the observer's location. Thus activities should be suspended and people moved to designated safe shelters. Wait 30 minutes after the last lightning or thunder before recommencing outdoor activities. http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_01_010702/mak10009_fm.html Machinery and Equipment Safety Guide – WorkSafe VictoriaWorkSafe Victoria has published ‘Machinery and Equipment Safety - An introduction, a guide for employers to identify machinery and equipment hazards, and managing the risks associated with its use in the workplace’. A useful reference on important safety principles for UWA work areas in which machinery is used (workshops). http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/resources/file/eb150c0cdcbcda2/vwa_mach_and_equip_safety.pdf Temporary Confined SpacesThe US Centre for Chemical Process Safety has issued a safety alert on the hazards of temporary confined spaces, after two workers used a sheet of black plastic to block sunlight from the end of the open pipe they were working in. One of the workers was killed by nitrogen asphyxiation and the other was severely injured. http://www1.worksafe.vic.gov.au/vwa/vwa095-001.nsf/Admin/Attachments/0DE30230F548B2EDCA25732B001C069B/$FILE/2007-08-Beacon.pdf University Safety CommitteeThe USC last met on 14th August and next meets on 9th October 2007. Approved minutes from previous meetings are available from the Safety and Health website. Previous Safety & Health NewslettersFor those who have missed out on our earlier editions, copies of previous newsletters can be obtained from the ‘following web site: http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/newsletter. All are encouraged to share relevant safety information in each edition to the rest in your respective workplaces.
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