The University of Western Australia - Safety Awards 2005

Summary of past UWA Safety Awards made

General Introduction to Awards 

The selection panel this year consisted of :

• Allan McKinley, Chair, University Safety Committee 

• Bob Farrelly, Director, Human Resources 

• Mike Rafferty, Manager, Safety and Health 

• Averil Riley, Senior Occupational Therapist, Safety and Health

In considering the nominations the different circumstances of the nominated areas and the extent and significance of the systems approach and safety achievements made were taken into account.

Presentation of the Group Safety Award

Nominations were required to address the following (WorkSafe Plan criteria)

• Management Commitment

  – where there is commitment to achieving high standards of occupational safety and health performance through effective safety management

• Planning

  – where planning is used to establish and maintain a safety management system that is set up to continuously improve occupational safety and health

• Consultation

  – where there is a mechanism for consulting with employees has been developed and is working effectively

• Hazard Management

  – where there is an effective system to identify hazards and assess and control risks

• Training

  – where training is organised to reduce the risk of work-related injury and disease and is evaluated to ensure its effectiveness

The two finalists for the 2005 Group Award were: School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering and the University Library.

School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering

Background on the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (EECE) includes:

• Employs 47 full and approximately 25-30 part time and casual staff

• The School’s objective is to involve all staff in adopting a quality approach, integrating the principles of continuous improvement. Since 1998 this approach is defined by the quality management system which complies with ISO9001:2000.

Noteworthy aspects of the School of EECE submission include:

• Historically safety issues were raised and actioned through the weekly Sections Managers meetings

• Has an active and comprehensive induction program which includes a section on Safety and Health

• Active hazard management program with a current focus on first aid, emergency procedures, dangerous goods and chemicals, radiation (laser) safety and manual handling

• Has been successful in its recent minor works application to fund separate corrosive and flammable liquid stores to replace the current situation in which acids, bases and flammable organics are stored in one room, representing a potential fire and safety risk

• Undertook a UWA internal safety and health management audit in June 2005

• Recently established a School Safety Committee, set up a OSH website (intranet), produced a draft Safety Handbook (open for discussion and feedback), made an OSH presentation to all staff in August 2005, preparing a safety inspection schedule and has prepared a draft Safety and Health Management Plan

University Library

Background on the Library includes:

• Employs 155 full and part time staff and around 60 casuals across 12 sections and 9 separate sites

• Open for seven days and 78 hours each week

• In 2004 there were nearly 2 million entrances to the Library and nearly 500,000 items borrowed

Noteworthy aspects of the Library submission include:

• Provision of job related physical abilities and personal attributes for all potential job applications to ensure they understand and can manage the inherent job requirements

• Active Safety and Health Committee and budget commitment for safety and security

• Monthly reporting to Library executive management

• Regular reviews of all safety and health policies and procedures

• An active safety induction program for all new staff

• Monthly workplace inspections and follow ups actioned

• Program of regular replacement of ergonomic chairs

• Provision of RSI Guard (stretch break software) and encouragement of staff to use it

• Ensuring that two staff are rostered for each after hours and weekend shift in every library (for improved personal safety)

• Implementation of safety related programs: Manual handling risk management plan, testing and tagging of portable electrical equipment, addressing of safety issues in the 2004 Risk Treatment Plans for the Library

• Upgrade of facilities including the refurbishment and fire safety upgrade of the Reid Library building which also includes a new book return area

• Thorough investigation of incidents with follow ups and sharing of information to reduce risks of reoccurrence

• High level of consultation with staff through meetings, briefings, email and discussion sites used to advise staff of developments and activities and seek feedback as necessary

• Extensive safety related training including attendance at UWA Safety Seminars, Safety and Health Representatives training (3 person in 2005), emergency procedures, manual handling, defensive driving, identifying and dealing with workplace bullying, assertiveness training and personal safety

• Health promotion to all Library staff through assistance to give up smoking and provision of better health web sites

• Mental Health First Aid (three dedicated programmes were run for Library staff in 2005)

It has been decided to present the UWA Group Safety Award 2005 to the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering. The School received a framed certificate and gift voucher sponsored by the University Co-operative Bookshop

Presentation of the Individual Safety Award

The Individual Safety Award is to acknowledge outstanding contributions by individual University employees in establishing and maintaining high standards of occupational safety and health activities and achievements within the University.

The contributions to workplace safety may be at a University, Faculty, School or Section level and have occurred or were maintained since 2004. Evaluation took into account the different circumstances of the work areas. Five nominations were received for: Jay Jay Jegatheva Jegathesan, Robin Ford, Dr Suzanna Lindsey-Temple, John Moore and Michael Smirk

Jay Jay Jegatheva Jegathesan

• Substantive Post: Administrative Officer, Australian International Gravitational Research Centre (AIGO), School of Physics

• Acting School Manager, School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (EECE) for 3 months from June to September 2005

• Actively involved in the UWA internal safety and health management audit of the EECE School, which occurred during this time

• Facilitated the completion of the EECE Staff Induction manual (which has a separate OSH section). The induction manual was produced in hard copy and presented to all staff at a special meeting on 18 August 2005

• Facilitated a special safety and health induction session on 19 August 2005 to induct ‘en masse’ EECE staff. JJ was actively involved in developing the PowerPoint which was used for this session. This PowerPoint was made available to supervisors to be tailored for their own inductions

• Used a consultative approach in developing safety related information and training and managed to achieve a great deal in a short time

Robin Ford

• Co-ordinator, Operational Support Services, Oral Health Centre (OHCWA)

• OHCWA School Safety Officer and very active member of OHCWA Safety Committee. Is generally responsible for following up decisions and actions arising from these meetings

• Work responsibilities include overseeing maintenance and servicing of equipment and is constantly available to address safety related concerns

• Investigates hazards, conducts workplace inspections and promptly reports findings to School management

• Main contact for the recent UWA internal safety and health management audit of OHCWA

• Active contributor to OHCWA Emergency Plan and Procedures manual, manual handling training, incident and injury investigations and follow ups (including sharps and needle stick injuries), purchase of safety equipment, maintenance and testing of safety equipment, development of safety performance indicators, safety section within OHCWA staff newsletter and statutory compliance requirements

• Required to develop many of the procedures and systems since the commencement of OHCWA in early 2002

Dr Suzanna Lindsey-Temple

• Research Fellow, RPH Unit, School of Medicine and Pharmacology

• Safety and Health Representative for the RPH Unit since September 2003

• Instrumental in enormously improving the safety standards within the RPH Unit

• Chair of the RPH Unit Safety Committee

• Chair of the School Safety and Risk Management Committee

• Encouraged and recruited staff to take on safety related roles

• Facilitated safety related training (e.g. wardens, laboratory safety)

• Initiated and coordinated the first safety induction process for the RPH Unit

• Has greatly improved processes and systems for chemical management, biological safety (including immunizations), personal security and emergency procedures

• Promoted and organized the annual clean-up, which resulted in the finding of a very hazardous chemical, which has since been disposed of

• Prime responsibility for the upcoming School Safety Audit at all sites

• Provided great leadership and vigour in improving safety within the School

John Moore

• Senior Technician, School of Physics

• Has been the School Safety and Health Representative for a number of years

• Demonstrated strong commitment to safely, and has made a significant impact not only on physical aspects of safety in the School, but also on the culture of safety

• Maintains a prominent safety and health notice-board for staff and students in the vicinity of the workshop which is always kept up-to-date

• Very active member of the School Safety Committee, and is vigilant on a daily basis in relation to safety and health issues

• Addresses recent manual handling issues which resulted in installation of an electric winch and the purchase of a motorized pallet mover

• Initiated a clean out of the Schools acid and oil stores which has substantially reduced hazards in the event of a fire

• Undertaken ChemAlert training and is implementing a register of chemicals held in the research and teaching laboratories in the School and has initiated a process of transfer of responsibility for maintenance of this register to individual laboratory managers

• Influential in transferring the infrequent use of hydrofluoric acid to a dedicated facility for this purpose within Geology, thus removing a significant hazard from the School of Physics

• Lobbied strongly on safety issues at the AIGO Gin Gin facility, which has resulted in the development of a safety and health plan, including a separate Safety and Health Representative, First Aid Officer and Laser Safety Officer

• Played a major role in the training programmes for PhD and Honours students, particularly in relation to the safety aspects of working with machinery in the workshop

• Assisted with the preparation and conduct of the recent UWA internal safety management system audit which involved substantial preparation of documentation by the Safety Committee

Michael Smirk

• Senior Research Officer within the Soil Science discipline of the School of Earth and Geographical Science (SEGS)

• Soil Science is a large, complex, field and laboratory based research intensive area, with a number of potentially hazardous chemicals and materials

• Considered a leader within the discipline and school in the field of occupational safety and health, is a mentor to staff and students alike on safety issues and has a strong commitment to ensuring that the School maintains safety standards of the highest order

• Chairperson of the Soil Science Safety Committee, now the SEGS South Safety Working Party since 2001.  The Working Party meets every quarter and coordinates laboratory inspections, end of year clean up days and organises regular seminars for staff on aspects of safety such as manual handling, fire extinguisher training and chemical handling. The Working Party currently has an active membership of 10 staff and students across a broad range of areas encompassing all research groups within the building

• Active member of the SEGS Safety Committee since its inception in 2002

• Member of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) Safety Committee

• School’s Radiation Safety Officer and as such is responsible for the safe management of x-ray analysis equipment

• ChemAlert System Administrator for Soil Sciences

• Actively implements University safety initiatives, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures, including electrical equipment testing and tagging, field work procedures and conducting risk assessments on more hazardous tasks such as acid digestions

• Trains staff and students in safe laboratory practices and instrument usage

• Conducts safety inductions for Honours and Postgraduate students

• Undertaken safety inspections both within his own work area and in the Geology/Geography discipline on a regular basis

• Undertakes bi-annual seminars on safety issues for staff

• As a result of measures implemented and the discipline’s overall commitment to safety, Soil Science has had a very low incidence of lost time injury since 2000

• Deals with safety issues in a prompt, diligent and efficient manner and has the support and respect of his colleagues

• His leadership has resulted in staff and students taking a more active role in safety issues and led to a safer work environment in a potentially hazardous area

It has been decided to present UWA Individual Safety Award 2005 to Dr Suzanna Lindsey-Temple. Suzanna received a framed certificate and gift voucher sponsored by the University Co-operative Bookshop

Presentation of the Group Rehabilitation Award

The Rehabilitation Award is to acknowledge work-areas who have demonstrated remarkable support and assistance in aiding employees with their return to work following an injury or onset of a medical condition. It seeks to acknowledge general support, assistance and accommodation only made to fellow employees, whether on a temporary or ongoing basis.

The two finalists for the 2005 Group Rehabilitation Award were: Facilities Management Workshops and the University Library.

Facilities Management Workshops

The trade’s areas are usually prone to a high frequency of musculo-skeletal injuries due to the physical nature of their jobs – plumbers, electricians, painters, maintenance personnel. At UWA there is a comparatively low level of injury from the facilities management workshops, but when a staff member is injured at work there is usually a high level of motivation in returning to work.

Since 2004 the workshops have supported several staff that have had quite severe injuries, some requiring surgery. These injuries could potentially have left these employees off work for several months. However management, Simon Stanton-Cook and the workshop supervisors understand the principles of injury management and early return to work and readily provide alternative and/or modified duties.

Sometimes it is not possible to get the injured worker back to full pre-injury duties. The workshops provide accommodations for the longer term for as long as it is practical to do so. Whilst the management aspect is important, their staff are also highly motivated to return to work and regain productivity. In a very busy and competitive trade’s environment, the Workshops provide an excellent role model for other areas of the University on how rehabilitation of injured workers should be approached.

The University Library

The library as a total entity including all of its five libraries excels in all aspects of providing assistance and support to staff who are experiencing work related or non-work related injuries. With work related injuries, the injuries are reported immediately to Safety and Health and the staff member is actively encouraged to seek medical treatment.

Libraries are traditionally at a higher risk than a lot of other occupations in respect to occupational overuse injuries and manual handling injuries. The library through induction training, and support from managers, actively takes a proactive stance in avoiding such injuries. However when strain types of injuries occur, supervisors across the library are adept at quickly providing modified and alternative duties. There have been no lost time injuries for this type of injury in the past two years despite there being a couple of workers’ compensation claims. This indicates that the claim is being well managed “in house”.

In 2005 the library initiated providing Mental Health First Aid training, for most of its staff to attend. Managers, supervisors and library officers attended the 12 hour course. The aim of providing this training was to increase the mental health literacy and ability of staff to recognise and know how to provide assistance to people who suffer from mental illness. This is just another example of how management have implemented a proactive strategy to debunk common myths surrounding mental illness and upskill staff in order to deal more effectively with customers, mental health in the workplace and educating on personal mental health. The library overall promotes a true culture of support for its staff.

It has been decided to present the Facilities Management Workshop with the UWA Group Rehabilitation Award 2005.They received a framed certificate and gift voucher sponsored by the University Co-operative Bookshop

Summary

The awards are an opportunity to demonstrate high achievements in safety and health by both groups and individuals and to share these achievements with others.

Congratulations to all finalists for either submitting or being nominated for their efforts and achievements.