Safety, Health and Injury Management and Wellbeing

Biological safety

Our role is to develop and assist in the implementation of the UWA safety, health and wellbeing programs in order to minimise the risk of injury, illness and property damage.

We provide consultancy and other services to promote best practice and legislative compliance in all University and related activities.

Biological agents are used or encountered in many applications including microbiological laboratories, gene technology, handling animals, when dealing with human procedures and when handling human biological specimens.

Hazards posed by these include the potential risk of contracting infectious diseases. When working with biological agents knowledge of appropriate safety protocols and procedures is essential.

UWA Research Services - Biological safety (including gene technology)
Researchers who use genetically modified organisms or biological hazards need to work safely and comply with government guidelines.
Animal handling
These procedures are designed to provide people who handle animals at the University with guidance to minimise the likelihood of injury or disease.
Biological hazards
There are minimum requirements for the handling of human biological specimens, particularly blood, and no guarantee can be given that the guidelines will ensure 100 per cent protection. Adherence by staff to both these particular policies and general guidelines for safe practices in microbiological laboratories will minimise the risks, however.
Immunisation guidelines
This policy provides details and outlines responsibilities related to immunisation requirements at the University of Western Australia. The University recognises its responsibility to make available appropriate immunisation to employees potentially at risk of exposure to vaccine preventable diseases.
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the 'flu', is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses).
Needlestick/sharps injury and disposal of sharps
Sharps can potentially be contaminated with many different types of micro-organisms and whilst the risk from blood borne viruses such as Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), and Hepatitis B and C is generally well known, there are many other micro-organisms that are found in contaminants such as blood, faeces, sewerage, human or animal secretions.
Training
We provide a number of training courses related to biological safety and gene technology, and online courses to those who require them for work purposes.
Workplace inspection
Anybody can do a workplace inspection, but it is ideal that inspections involve an experienced person from the area, a Safety and Health Representative or Safety Officer and the supervisor of the area.

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