- Safety Related Training 2014
- UWA Safety Awards
- UWA Health and Safety Traffic Light Reporting (Submissions due by 29th August)
- Fire Involving Electrical Bicycle Battery
- Potentially Explosive Picric Acid Discovered
- Office Relocation Procedure and Responsibility Chart
- In Case of Emergency (ICE)
- University Safety Committee
- Previous Safety and Health Newsletters
Safety Related Training 2014
- Mental Health Awareness Training: www.hr.uwa.edu.au/development/workshops/health/mental-health
• Workshop 3: Friday 22 August
• Workshop 4: Friday 26 September
• Workshop 5: Wednesday 19 November - Warden Training Course (3 hours) on Monday 15th September https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/courses/warden
- Warden Refresher Training Course (1 hour) on Monday 15th September https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/courses/warden_refresher
- Work, Health and Safety for Managers and Supervisors training on Monday 24th November and Tuesday 25th November (2 x ½ days, 9.00 am – 1 pm each day). Location: Jennifer Arnold Lecture Theatre. Enrol via OSDS https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/induction-and-training/courses/managers
UWA Safety Awards 2014
Nominations are invited for the following four UWA Safety Awards - Group (Faculty, School, Section), Individual, Safety Leadership (Individual) and Safety Recognition. All staff and safety committees are encouraged to promote these awards within their work areas and to seek suitable nominations. Nominations to Safety and Health close on Friday 26th September 2014. The awards will be presented in October during Safe Work Australia Month, which has a theme of ‘Safety is a frame of mind’.
For further information: https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/news/annual-safety-awards
UWA Health and Safety Traffic Light Reporting (Submissions due by 29th August)
The next UWA Traffic Light Report for the 6 month period January to June 2014 is required to be submitted to Safety and Health by Friday 29th August 2014. Whilst line management and health and safety personnel should be consulted in helping determine the scores, it is the senior manager (Head of School and higher) who should endorse and sign off on the submission from their work area. Safety and Health is available to meet to advise and assist work areas in achieving good practice (and ideally best practice) work health and safety standards.
The collated responses and summary for the previous reporting period in 2012 is available via the Traffic Light program webpage at: https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/management/monitoring/traffic-light or directly (Pheme log in required) at: https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/management/monitoring/monitoring-process-results
Fire Involving Electrical Bicycle Battery
Recently there was a fire involving the battery of an electric bicycle which was being charged on campus. Fortunately only the bicycle was damaged with no damage to the building itself. The fire triggered an alarm and the wardens and the Fire and Emergency Services extinguished the smouldering remains. The incident highlights the potential for fire and the importance of following the manufacturer’s instructions when charging batteries. This Australian electric bicycle supplier has information commonly provided with electric bicycles and includes:
- Danger of overcharging and impact damage to batteries
- Using quality chargers and storing batteries in a steel box
- Batteries should be stored outside
Where individuals are sourcing equipment and assembling their own bicycles they have the same duty as designers and importers not to place themselves or others at risk. This would include analysing individual component safety information and having or gaining sufficient competent assessment of the integration of the components. These bicycles should not be charged inside University buildings or near hazardous environments.
Electric bicycles can be charged and stored in the University’s solar-powered electric bike shed, located at the northern end of the campus next to the tennis courts. Access to the secure facility, using a campus card, can be granted through UWA Security.
Potentially Explosive Picric Acid Discovered
Recently, during a chemical audit, a researcher came across an old container of picric acid. Dried picric acid is potentially explosive and may be detonated by shock or friction. Wherever possible eliminate the need to have solid, wetted picric acid in your chemical holdings, buy a picric solution for making up stains or buy the stains themselves. The following hazard alert includes information when this is not possible and what you should do if you find an old container of picric acid. The container discovered by the researcher was removed by Emergency Services. This incident highlights the need for a thorough annual chemical audit. It was fortunate that the researcher concerned was both diligent and aware of the potential problems of this product.
https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/news/hazard-alerts#21
Office Relocation Procedure and Responsibility Chart
For those moving offices thes procedures and responsibility chart are now available
https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/topics/physical/manual-handling#office
In Case of Emergency (ICE)
Telstra is encouraging Australian mobile phone users to store the name and number of a family member or friend in their handsets to be contacted In Case of Emergency (ICE). While Telstra recommend people should not ever rely solely on a mobile during an emergency, including ICE in your mobile is an easy step that could help you when you need it most - in times of an accident or an emergency.
University Safety Committee
The University Safety Committee last met on Tuesday the 10th June 2014. The next meeting is on Tuesday 12th August 2014. Approved minutes from previous meetings are available from the Safety, Health and Wellbeing website. https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/people/committees/safety
Previous Safety and Health Newsletters
For those who have missed out on our earlier editions, copies of previous newsletters can be obtained from the following web site: https://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/newsletter . All are encouraged to distribute relevant safety information in your workplaces.
