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Safety and Health Newsletter – May
2008
SHR Refresher – Monday 30th June 2008
A one day Safety and Health Representatives Refresher Training
course has been arranged for Monday 30th June 2008. This is
available to Safety and Health Representatives, Safety Officers,
Managers and Supervisors. The course will review and
provide updates on the OS&H Legislation; safety risk
management; consultation and cooperation; and the issue of
Provisional Improvement Notices (PINS). For more
information contact Peter Carlyon on 6488 7934 and to enroll call
(6488 3938) or email Helen McManus at: safety@uwa.edu.au
Safety Related Training
• Unsealed Radioisotope Handling Courses from Monday
30th June http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/courses/radioisotope
• Laboratory Safety Course (1 day) on Tuesday 8th July
http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/courses/lab
• Laser Safety in Research Course (1/2 day) on Monday
2nd June, 9.00 - 12.30
http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/courses/laser_safety
• UV talk (1 hour) on Monday 9th June, 10-11am (see
below)
A number of departments in the university use UV
transilluminators and other UV emitting devices. UV poses a risk
as ionising radiation, so it is important that users understand
these risks and safe working practices. When using
transilluminators the maximum permissible exposure per day for
uncovered skin at the surface of the source is less than 0.3
seconds.
A one hour lecture will be held in Seminar Room 1, Love house on
the 9th of June from 10-11am. Interested staff/students please
advise Megan McManus on 6488 7933.
Safety Videos Available for Viewing
Safety and Health have a high quality video library with a large range of
safety related topics. These are excellent Australian productions
showing practical information. The SafetyCare series has 76 such
safety related videos. These can be viewed on our laptop and a
representative can show them to any interested groups. For more
information and to arrange a viewing contact either Eddie
Stoelwinder on 6488 2035 or Helen McManus on 6488 3938.
Free on line First Aid training course
The majority of road accident deaths occur in the first minutes after
the crash, before the arrival of the emergency services.
Road accident fatalities are most commonly caused by a blocked
airway whereby the unconscious person's head has slumped forward
blocking the windpipe. On average it takes less than four minutes
for a blocked airway to cause death. In Western Australia alone
up to 8% of road deaths occur due to a blocked airway.
Did you know that by gently tilting the victim's head back and
lifting their jaw forward you can often prevent a needless
tragedy? It's simple techniques like these that you will learn in
the FREE online Crash Course. It will only take 30 minutes
of your life to learn how to save another.
The St John Ambulance Crash Course is free for a limited time
so don't miss out and log on today (free offer ends 30 June
2008). Don't forget to forward this email onto your
friends, family and work colleagues so they too can learn how to
save a life today.
https://www.ambulance.net.au/onlinecourse/login.asp
WorkSafe WA
Live electrical work banned in WA
under new Code of Practice
Electrical contractors and electricians in Western Australia will
effectively be banned from working on live electrical circuits
and equipment operating at normal mains voltage under a new Code
of Practice.
The Safe Low Voltage Work Practices by Electricians Code of
Practice, issued by EnergySafety, applies to electrical
contractors and all electricians working in general industry.
http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/EnergySafety/PDF/Publications/CoPSafeLowVoltageWor.pdf
The Code places obligations on contractors' clients and all
employers of electricians who request that live work be performed
and provides for routine activities that generally need to be
conducted while circuits are alive, including testing,
commissioning and location of faults.
Under the Code, live work will be justified only if there will
be a greater risk of danger to lives of people using or affected
by an electrical installation, than would be incurred by
electrical workers asked to perform live work. Live work is never
allowed in residential-type installations.
Loss of production, increased cost and operational convenience
would not be regarded as justifying live work.
To justify live work, a formal risk assessment must be
conducted and made out by the licensed electrical contractor's
client, requesting that live work be carried out.
If an electrical employer is satisfied that live work is
justified and it can be carried out safely, a strict safety plan
must be followed. This provides that:
• the contractor must prepare a detailed work plan and
set of procedures to cover the work so it complies with the Code
;
• all electrical workers involved in performing the
work must agree it can be done safely;
• a competent and independent safety assessor must
approve plans and procedures if the prospective fault current
exceeds 10,000 amperes at the site in question; and
• an experienced safety observer must be present at all
times while the live work is under way. The observer must have no
other duties while carrying out the observer role.
International Labour Office Safety Report
The ILO has also published a new report for the day. My life, my
work, my safe work: Managing risk in the work environment lists
risk management techniques that identify, anticipate and assess
hazards and risks.
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/genericdocument/wcms_091613.pdf
Radiation Safety
Could all School Laser Safety
Officers and School Radiation Safety Officers please keep in mind
Safety and Health need to be advised of any new equipment and the
movement of registered equipment or sources with the school. This
includes XRA, Lasers, UV or registration changes of radioisotope
laboratories. This allows the University to keep our
registrations up to date.
University Safety Committee
The University Safety Committee last met on 8th April. The
next meeting is on Tuesday 10th June 2008. Approved
minutes from previous meetings are available from the Safety and
Health website.
Previous Safety & Health Newsletters
For 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.
The University of Western Australia
Safety and Health
Bus. 08 6488 3938
Fax. 08 6488 1179
Web: www.safety.uwa.edu.au
Email: safety@uwa.edu.au
F1139
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