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Occupational Health and Safety

The University has a statutory obligation to provide a safe working environment. Safety in the workplace is a cooperative venture, and staff and students have obligations to contribute towards and maintain safety.

Occupational Health and Safety

Emergency and evacuation Procedures

In the event of a fire or other emergency in the faculty, the following procedure must be followed:


ALARMS

Alarm.gif

BEEP…BEEP…BEEP… PREPARE TO EVACUATE

  • Check for any sign of immediate danger
  • Shut down any equipment/processes
  • Secure valuables
alarm

WOOP…WOOP…WOOP… EVACUATE THE BUILDING

  • Follow the .EXIT. signs
  • Escort visitors and those who require assistance
  • Do not use the lifts
  • Proceed to the assembly area

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

  • Warn anyone in immediate danger
  • Fight the fire or contain the emergency IF SAFE TO DO SO

IF NECESSARY

  • Close the door
  • Activate a break glass alarm
Glass Alarm.gif
  • Evacuate via your closest safe .EXIT.
  • Report the emergency 0-000 & 1-3333

A copy of the University and faculty evacuation procedure is available here for download and printing out.

A list of the faculty building wardens & floor plans can be found here.

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Safety Responsibilities

Staff & Students of the Faculty of Pharmacy are responsible for ensuring that their work environment is conducive to good occupational health and safety by:

  • Complying with occupational health and safety instructions, including the regulations and procedures as set out in the safety handbook. Safety regulations are in place to protect all members of the Faculty and will be strictly enforced by the Dean.
  • Taking action to avoid, eliminate or minimise hazards
  • Reporting hazards to the relevant supervisor, manager or service unit
  • 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
  • Seeking information or advice where necessary, particularly before carrying out new or unfamiliar work
  • Wearing appropriate clothing and protective equipment for the work being carried out, where this is required.
  • 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 if appropriately trained, the location of and use of emergency equipment
  • Co-operating with directions from emergency wardens and other emergency personnel.

The Faculty safety manual is available here (MS Word) and should be reviewed by all staff.

Managers & Supervisors are those who are responsible for the allocation of tasks to staff, whether general or academic, and honours and post-graduate students, and for the oversight of students in all classes. Supervisors have a particular responsibility for ensuring that the work for which they are responsible is carried out in ways that safeguard the occupational health, safety and well-being of staff, students and visitors in their charge. In summary supervisors must:

  • ensure they provide leadership and set a good example for staff and students in occupational health and safety matters
  • ensure they consult with the staff and students they supervise to identify, assess and control OHS risks in accordance with the ohsrm Program
  • ensure that safe working practices are developed and maintained at all times
  • arrange for their staff and students to be instructed in safe and healthy working procedures, warned about particular hazards, and told how to avoid, eliminate or minimise them.

For further information about OHS responsibilities at the University refer to the OHS Policy and OHS Policy Guide for Staff

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Helpful Resources for Supervisors & Managers

  • The ohsrm Guidelines explain the program that has been established to assist supervisors and managers to fulfil their OHS responsibilities.

Check Lists

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Risk Assessments

Risk assessment and Standard Operating Procedures must be established for all hazardous tasks. Following are three different risk assessment formates.

Postgraduate students must conduct a risk assessment of each experiment they are intending to conduct and obtain approval from their academic supervisor prior to commencing the work. Experimental risk assessment must be kept in laboratory books for future reference (and auditing). Other risk assessment must be stored in a central OHS location for the workgroup (research, technical or administrative).

Other resources to assist with specific OH&S risks:

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Reporting Incidents and Making Claims

All accidents, injuries, illnesses and near misses are to be reported on an "Occupational Injury Illness or Incident Report Form" (pdf).


This form is also available from the Faculty Safety Officer & Zone 4 safety Representative.

All incident reports must be submitted to OHS & Injury Management within 24 hours of the incident. If full details of the incident, injury, investigation and corrective actions are not available within this timeframe, the essential details of the incident or injury as they are known should be submitted initially. The report should then be re-submitted with all required information, including details of supervisor investigation and corrective actions, as soon as possible (within one week).

Policy on Incident & Accident Reporting & Investigation

Submitting a Workers Compensation Claim

Submitting an Insurance Claim to Audit, Risk Management & Assurance - general insurance matters is not handled by OHSIM.

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First Aid

In the event of a staff member, student or visitor being injured please contact the first aid officer in your area and the faculty safety officer.

If a local first aid officer is not available, call 1-3333 to arrange for First Aid assistance.

Ms Narelle Da Costa
Room: Faculty Office, Room N311
Phone: +61 2 9036 9293 (ext 69293)
Email:

Dr Ramin Rohanizadeh
Room: Room 413, Badham
Phone: +61 2 9351 2355 (ext 12355)
Email:

Dr Andrew Wood
Room: Room N409
Phone: +61 2 9351 4437 (ext 14437)
Email:

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Medical Emergencies

If a person is seriously injured or ill, call an ambulance immediately 0-000. Be ready to provide the following details:

  • your name,
  • location,
  • number of people involved, and
  • details of the medical emergency

Call 1-3333 to alert Security, who can escort or direct the Ambulance/Medical Personnel to the site of the emergency and arrange for First Aid to be provided in the interim.

University Health Service
The University Health Service offers a general practitioner and "walk in" service for staff, students and visitors on the Camperdown/Darlington Campus. Priority is given to emergencies or those in pain or distress. The University Health Service is located at Level 3 Wentworth Building (G01) Phone 9351-3484 and Entry Level Holme Building (A09) Phone 9351-4095.

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Waste Disposal

Hazardous waste must never be disposed into the sewer of the general waste stream. Please refer to the University’s Guidelines for the disposal of Hazardous Waste (Word 25k, PDF 24k)

Check the dates for scheduled hazardous waste collection (PDF)

Request for Disposal of Hazardous Waste (PDF - only available on the University network)

Certification of Radioactive Waste (PDF - only available on the University network)

All completed hazardous waste forms are to be forwarded to the Faculty building attendant who will fax them to OH&S.

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Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Information

A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) gives details about the properties of the substance, its toxicity and reactivity, and precautions for safe use - segregation from incompatible materials, procedures for handling, transporting, spill control and first aid, suitable storage and disposal arrangements, and any facilities or personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used.

Suppliers and manufacturers are required to provide a MSDS for hazardous substances they supply. If an MSDS is not supplied this information can be obtained by using Chem Alert II.

Chem AlertII?

Chem Alert II is a web enabled chemical information database, which allows you to search for a chemical and then print a material safety data sheet (report) or label. A material safety data sheet for a substance contains information such as potential health hazards and first aid information, safe handling instructions, procedures for dealing with spills and advice on the appropriate protective equipment to be used.

To access Chem AlertII click here.

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Reaction and Chemical Labelling

Reaction Tag.

Where possible, ChemAlert II should be used to generate the labels for decanted chemicals. The labels should be attached to the receptacle (eg. bottles, flasks, drums) with clear contact. If a ChemAlert II label is not available, transfer the appropriate chemical name, and risk and safety phrases (Refer to the MSDS) to the Generic Label Format for Hazardous Substances (School of Chemistry format).

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Ergonomics

Do you do significant volume of computer or other screen based work?

If so, complete the Ergonomics Checklist and raise any concerns with your immediate supervisor.

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Emergency Information

Emergency Help information is now available from a Quick Link on the University's internet home page and the MyUni Student Portal. The linked Emergency Help page provides information on emergency response procedures for a variety of common emergencies and relevant contact numbers. All staff should be familiar with this page.
http://www.usyd.edu.au/ohs/ohs_manual/emergency/help.shtml

All lecturers, tutors and demonstrators must be familiar with the location of emergency exits, available egress paths and evacuation assembly areas relevant to the classrooms they are using.

For further guidance please refer to the Roles and Responsibilities and Emergency Procedures sections of the University's Guide for Fire and Other Emergencies:
http://www.usyd.edu.au/ohs/ohs_manual/emergency/content.shtml

List of Chief Wardens
http://www.usyd.edu.au/ohs/ohs_manual/emergency/wardens.shtml

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