School of Physics Safety Seminar for Honours Students

Overview The importance of OHS The importance of OHS Roles and responsibilities Roles and responsibilities Resolving OHS Problems Resolving OHS Problems OHS Risk Management (OHSRM) OHS Risk Management (OHSRM) Emergency Procedures Emergency Procedures Accident & Incident Reporting Accident & Incident Reporting Safety Resources Safety Resources

Why is Occupational Health & Safety Important to the University? Legal obligation to keep staff, students and visitors free from injury or disease Legal obligation to keep staff, students and visitors free from injury or disease Accidents have a variety of adverse effects on the University including: Accidents have a variety of adverse effects on the University including: Pain and suffering Pain and suffering Financial cost Financial cost Disruption to operations Disruption to operations Psychological impact Psychological impact Negative publicity Negative publicity

Roles and responsibilities Each member of staff and each student is responsible for ensuring that his or her own work environment is conducive to good occupational health and safety by: Each member of staff and each student is responsible for ensuring that his or her own work environment is conducive to good occupational health and safety by: complying with occupational health and safety instructions complying with occupational health and safety instructions taking action to avoid, eliminate or minimise hazards taking action to avoid, eliminate or minimise hazards reporting hazards to the relevant supervisor reporting hazards to the relevant supervisor making proper use of safety devices and personal protective equipment making proper use of safety devices and personal protective equipment not wilfully placing at risk the health, safety or well-being of others at the workplace not wilfully placing at risk the health, safety or well-being of others at the workplace

Roles and responsibilities (2) All staff /student responsibilities (continued): All staff /student responsibilities (continued): seeking information or advice where necessary, particularly before carrying out new or unfamiliar work seeking information or advice where necessary, particularly before carrying out new or unfamiliar work wearing appropriate clothing and protective equipment for the work being done, including protective clothing and footwear whilst on duty, where this is required wearing appropriate clothing and protective equipment for the work being done, including protective clothing and footwear whilst on duty, where this is required consuming or storing food and drink only in those areas designated for this purpose by the Head of the Department consuming or storing food and drink only in those areas designated for this purpose by the Head of the Department being familiar with emergency and evacuation procedures and the location of and, if appropriately trained, the use of emergency equipment being familiar with emergency and evacuation procedures and the location of and, if appropriately trained, the use of emergency equipment co-operating with directions from emergency wardens. co-operating with directions from emergency wardens.

Resolving OHS Issues Fix minor issues if safe and authorised to do so. Fix minor issues if safe and authorised to do so. Raise the issue with your immediate supervisor or the supervisor of the area. Raise the issue with your immediate supervisor or the supervisor of the area. If it is not possible to raise the matter with your immediate supervisor or the supervisor fails to resolve the issue you can contact: If it is not possible to raise the matter with your immediate supervisor or the supervisor fails to resolve the issue you can contact: the Departmental Safety Officer; or the Departmental Safety Officer; or the Head of School; or the Head of School; or the OHS & Injury Management Unit (OHSIM) the OHS & Injury Management Unit (OHSIM)

OHS Risk Management (ohsrm) There are five steps in the ohsrm process There are five steps in the ohsrm process Step 1. Identify hazards and hazardous jobs Step 1. Identify hazards and hazardous jobs Step 2. Assign priority for each hazard and hazardous job Step 2. Assign priority for each hazard and hazardous job Step 3. Assess the risk to find out exactly what makes it hazardous Step 3. Assess the risk to find out exactly what makes it hazardous Step 4. Control the risks Step 4. Control the risks Step 5. Monitor, review and improve controls Step 5. Monitor, review and improve controls

Step 1. Identify hazards How can you identify hazards or hazardous jobs? How can you identify hazards or hazardous jobs? Direct experience Direct experience From colleagues and supervisors From colleagues and supervisors From information sources such as warning signs, labels, MSDS, instruction manuals etc. From information sources such as warning signs, labels, MSDS, instruction manuals etc. Previous incidents Previous incidents

Identifying some common hazards Ref. #List & describe the hazards and hazardous jobs Priority Identify hazards by: - Consulting with workers - Observing work practices - Reading labels and literature - Reviewing incident and injury reports Examples - Carrying heavy materials - Trip hazard in walkway - Using a hazardous substance - Driving a long distance - Repetitive action without break - Noise from machinery

Step 2. Assigning Priority to identified hazards How hazardous is the task? How hazardous is the task? What could happen if someone was exposed to this hazard? What could happen if someone was exposed to this hazard? How often or how many people are exposed? How often or how many people are exposed? Deal with each hazard in priority order Deal with each hazard in priority order

How hazardous is it? Found a hazard? Think about: How severely could it hurt someone?  How likely is it to hurt someone?  !!! kill or disable!! several days off work ! first aid very likely ++ could happen regularly likely + could happen occasionally unlikely - could happen, but only rarely very unlikely -- could happen, but probably never will The numbers show how important it is to do something: 1 do something immediately 6 do something when possible.

Step 3. Assess the risk - what makes it hazardous? The physical activity required Involves repetitive action, physical exertion, awkward posture etc. The work environment Lighting, work layout, temperature, egress routes, isolation, traffic etc. The nature of the hazard itself Hazardous substances, sharps or blades, radiation, potentially violent clients etc. The individual(s) involved Level of training or experience, physical capacity, health status, age etc. Other risk factors or comments

Step 4. Control the risk or fix the problem Hierarchy of Controls Hierarchy of Controls Eliminate the hazard Eliminate the hazard Substitute the hazard with something less hazardous Substitute the hazard with something less hazardous Isolate the hazard Isolate the hazard Minimise the size or the hazard or duration of exposure Minimise the size or the hazard or duration of exposure Rearrange the work area and work flow Rearrange the work area and work flow Establish safe work practices Establish safe work practices Training and supervision Training and supervision Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment Engineering solutions are preferred to work organisation solutions - why? Engineering solutions are preferred to work organisation solutions - why?

Control Measures Describe the risk control(s)Who is responsible for implementationDue by date

Step 5. Evaluate how successfully each OHS risk is being managed Monitor controls to check effectiveness Monitor controls to check effectiveness Review and improve controls Review and improve controls Aim for continuous improvement. Aim for continuous improvement.

Emergency Procedures If you see an emergency If you see an emergency Warn anyone in immediate danger Warn anyone in immediate danger If safe and if trained, fight the fire or control the emergency If safe and if trained, fight the fire or control the emergency Evacuate if in danger or when instructed Evacuate if in danger or when instructed Call the Emergency services Call the Emergency services Call USYD Security Call USYD Security If you hear the fire alarm - EVACUATE If you hear the fire alarm - EVACUATE Check for any sign of danger (fire, smoke, chemical fumes etc.) Check for any sign of danger (fire, smoke, chemical fumes etc.) If safe, shut down any processes/equipment that cannot be left unattended If safe, shut down any processes/equipment that cannot be left unattended If safe, secure valuables If safe, secure valuables Leave by your closest safe exit – assist visitors Leave by your closest safe exit – assist visitors Proceed to the Assembly Area (Sports Union SQUARE) Proceed to the Assembly Area (Sports Union SQUARE) Report to your supervisor at the Assembly area and stay there untill the emergency has been declared over. Report to your supervisor at the Assembly area and stay there untill the emergency has been declared over.

Accident reporting - what happens when something goes wrong? Injury Injury Illness Illness Near miss incident Near miss incident Notify your supervisor immediately Notify your supervisor immediately Complete an OHS Incident Report form Complete an OHS Incident Report form Work with your supervisor and Departmental Safety officer to investigate the incident and implement preventative action/s. Work with your supervisor and Departmental Safety officer to investigate the incident and implement preventative action/s.

OHS Resource Information Specific guidance on a variety of safety issues is available on the OHSIM Website ( including: Specific guidance on a variety of safety issues is available on the OHSIM Website ( including: Emergency Procedures Emergency Procedures Working with hazardous substances Working with hazardous substances Manual Handling (Risk Assessment Format) Manual Handling (Risk Assessment Format) Ergonomics (Checklist) Ergonomics (Checklist) Fieldwork Fieldwork Links to legislation and other sources of OHS information. Links to legislation and other sources of OHS information.