HSW Noticeboard

Healthy Staff Clinic 2013 Bookings Now Open

Human Resources is pleased to support the School of Nursing’s Healthy Staff Clinic.
If your area is interested in hosting this clinic please take a look at the information.

Information Sheet – FAQs for the new WHS Legislation (2012)

As you are aware, the new WHS Legislation came into effect as of 1 January 2013.

Please click on the HSW Information sheet which will provide you with answers to commonly asked questions including:

• What WHS legislation now applies
• Where Schools/Branches can access copies of the new legislation
• The amendments which were made to the proposed bill before it was passed by Parliament in November 2012
• What changes apply to Schools/Branches and what action is required by Schools/Branches now
• The transitional arrangements provided by Parliament
• Links to the Fact Sheets on the SafeWork SA website
• WHS Training for staff (2013)
• Impact on HSR roles and training, Committees and current authorisations.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you have any further questions about the new laws at this point in time, please contact the HSW Team.

WHS Legislation - Changes to Notifiable Incident reporting to SafeWork SA

Under the new WHS Act (2012) there is now a requirement for the immediate notification of SafeWork SA on becoming aware of a notifiable incident arising out of the University’s activities or infra-structure. (Previously the University had 24hrs to notify.)

The formal notification to SafeWork is managed by the Manager, Health Safety and Wellbeing.

Your assistance in the prompt notification of the Manager HSW assists the team to:

• provide you with assistance/resources asap (if required);
• identify if staff exposed to the incident require any additional support (e.g. medical treatment, counselling); 
• meet with staff involved and identify the contributing factors; 
• co-ordinate an investigation in consultation with the relevant staff; 
• ensure that the incident site is preserved; 
• prevent a recurrence; and 
• meet WHS legislative requirements.

Please note that the following incidents now require immediate notification to the Manager HSW, who will notify SafeWork:

• the death of a person;
• a serious injury or illness of a person (i.e. immediate treatment as an in-patient in hospital; immediate treatment for the amputation of any part of his/her body; a serious head injury; a serious eye injury; a serious burn; or separation of his/her skin from an underlying tissue (such as degloving or scalping); a spinal injury; loss of a bodily function; serious laceration; medical treatment within 48hrs of exposure to a substance.) 
• an uncontrolled escape, spillage or leakage of a substance; 
• an uncontrolled implosion, explosion or fire; 
• an uncontrolled escape of gas or steam; 
• an uncontrolled escape of a pressurised substance; 
• an electric shock; 
• fall or release from a height of any plant, substance or thing; 
• the collapse, overturning, failure or malfunction of, or damage to, any plant that is required to be authorised for use in according with the regulations; 
• the collapse or partial collapse of a structure; 
• the collapse or failure of an excavation or of any shoring supporting an excavation 
• the inrush of water, mud or gas in workings, in an underground excavation or tunnel; 
• the interruption of the main system of ventilation in an underground excavation or tunnel; or 
• any other event prescribed by the regulations.

Should you require any further information, please contact the HSW Team.

Annual Hazard Review Process

The Annual Hazard Review Process supports senior managers and governance officers to undertake due diligence regarding the organisations hazard profile (a requirement under the new Work Health and Safety Act) the Annual Hazard Review process has been developed.  Consultation regarding this process has occurred through the University Health and Safety Committee (UHSC) in both June and September this year.  The consolidated data from this review process will provide an overview of the location and highest residual risk rating of various hazard types.

The process is to be undertaken only once per year and has been made as simple as possible whilst still achieving the desired outcome.  The UHSC requests that the completed Annual Hazard Review be forwarded by Schools/Branches through to the Faculty/Divisional HSW Committee for the first meeting of the year along with the normal quarterly reports and Traffic Light Report.  The Faculty/Divisional HSW Committees should forward all of the completed School/Branch Annual Hazard Reviews to the Executive Dean/Divisional Head as part of the Faculty/Divisional Report to the UHSC.  These will then be received by the UHSC Secretary as part of the  Faculty/Division UHSC Report.

The Annual Hazard Review should be relatively quick and easy for a School/Branch HSO to complete.  If there are any concerns about how to undertake the process the Faculty/Divisional HSW Manager will provide assistance.

SA department fined heavily after student falls 4.5m

South Australian TAFE have been fined $120,000 for being guilty of a serious offence for not addressing obvious risks to a student  who was injured while  involved in a practical.
The case highlights the need to provide a duty of care and the importance of hazard management coupled with risk assessment and safe operating procedures in student practicals.

For further information go to: Russell v SA Dept of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology [2012]

Safety Culture Survey

What is a Safety Culture?
Your safety culture reflects the values, attitudes and behaviours of your organisation with regards to health and safety. It’s not just what safety systems you have in place.
In a positive safety culture:
• everyone in the organisation believes they have a right to work in a safe and healthy environment
• everyone accepts personal responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of themselves and of others
• supervisors and managers see safety as important
• management behaviours and actions demonstrate a commitment to health and safety.

 The results of the culture survey are available on the HSW Website within the papers of the September 2012 UHSC.

Fire Safety message from the Vice Chancellor

The University is committed to ensuring that the it achieves the highest possible levels of safety for our students and staff. Two fires occurred recently in our laboratories involving flammable liquids. The fires caused no injuries and only minimal damage, however, it is important that we are all mindful of the hazards related to our activities and the impact that an incident could have on the students and staff of our University.

Staff and research students who use flammable liquids are encouraged to view this short PowerPoint presentation on flammable liquid fire safety which includes a short YouTube video showing what can occur when a fire is dealt with incorrectly.

Confined Spaces - Information Sheet

The Information Sheet has Frequently Asked Questions that provide details which will:

• assist areas to identify if a workspace falls within the definition of a confined space;
• assist you to determine basic entry and training requirements; and
• give Schools/Branches guidance and examples on how to manage the hazards (including risk assessment) which are specific to entering a confined space.

 Click to view the Frequently Asked Questions for information on Confined Spaces.

Hazard Alert - Hydrofluoric Acid (HF)

An incident occurred when a lab worker was dispensing hydrofluoric acid using a safety dispenser  in a fume cupboard. 

As a result the lab worker was admitted to hospital.  The HSW Team have identified a number of contributing factors and provide recommendations to Schools to mitigate the risk of a recurrence.

Please refer to the hazard alert dated 24 April 2012.

RAH Burns Unit booklet is available at: http://www.rah.sa.gov.au/burns/downloads/First-aid-book2011for-Web.pdf

 Incident reports in RMSS and incident reporting timeline

It has been identified by the HSW Team that some Schools/Branches are not entering incidents into RMSS in a timely manner (i.e. sometimes more than one month following the incident). 

As a result, the incident notifications to key staff (e.g. Heads of School, Branch Directors) are delayed and the reports presented to the various HSW and other committees (e.g. UHSC, Audit, Compliance and Risk) are inaccurate.

At the UHSC meeting held 27 March 2012, the committee members considered the problem and the agreed outcome was that all incidents must be entered into RMSS within 5 working days from the date of the incident.
(A working day being simply the normal working days Monday through Friday – for example if an incident occurred on Wednesday 2nd May it must be entered into RMSS by c.o.b on Wednesday the 9th May)

NOTE: Where an incident occurs in relation to a field trip or off campus activity the incident must be entered no later than 5 working days of return to the University.
This new requirement will be audited.

The UHSC also discussed and confirmed the importance of an immediate phone call to the HSW Team  for any incident or injury that is potentially notifiable (see below) or that may involve an injury that is likely to result in a Workers Compensation Claim.

It would be appreciated if you could on-forward this email to the relevant staff in your School/Branch (those who enter incidents within your area).
Should you require any further information or clarification please contact the HSW Team  or contact me direct on ext 35904.

Louise Dunn
Secretary
University Health and Safety Committee

3.29  INCIDENT, NEAR MISS REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION

3.29.5 Definitions

Notifiable Occurrence (Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (1995) Division 6.6)

• Notifiable work-related injury

 Work-related injury that causes death;
 Work-related injury that has acute symptoms associated with exposure to a substance at work; or
 Work-related injury that requires treatment as an in-patient in a hospital immediately after the injury.

• Notifiable dangerous occurrence 

 • The collapse, overturning or failure of the load-bearing part of a scaffolding, lift, crane, hoist or mine-winding equipment;
 • Damage to, or malfunction of, other major plant;
 • The unintended collapse or failure of an excavation that is more than 1.5m deep, or of any shoring;
 • The unintended collapse or partial collapse;
             of a building or structure under construction; reconstruction, alteration, repair or demolition; or
             the floor, wall or ceiling of a building being used as a workplace;
 • An uncontrolled explosion, fire or escape of any gas, hazardous substance or steam;
 • The unintended ignition or explosion of an explosive;
 • An electrical short circuit, malfunction or explosion;
 • An unintended event involving a flood of water, rockburst, rock fall, or any collapse of ground;
 • An incident where breathing apparatus intended to permit the user to breathe independently of the surrounding atmosphere malfunctions in such a way that the wearer is deprived of breathing air or exposed to an atmospheric contaminant to an extend that may endanger health;
 • Any other unintended or uncontrolled incident or event arising from operations carried on at a workplace.

HSW Induction and Training Records (secure website)

For HSW induction records, the current selection is,  2004 to current (updated each month)
For HSW training records, the current selection is, 2009 to current (updated each month)

In the future the records will be extended to make electronically available as many records we have.

These records are in PDF format, to search these files you will need to select “edit” then “find”, enter the name or number then press enter.

Internet Explorer 8 and RMSS

ASPx Error in RMSS
If you are getting an ASPx error in RMSS (ie some of the buttons are not displaying correctly (see example of incorrect display below)) please click on the Compatibility View button   (you should find this button at the end of the address box at the top of the screen). You will only need to click this button once and the site will display correctly while you continue to use your current browser. If you continue to have any problems please contact the HR Service Centre on 31111

Incorrect display on the risk assessment ‘Identify’ page: