physics safety seminar

School of Physics: 

School of Physics Safety Seminar for Honours Students

Overview: 

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

Why is Occupational Health & Safety Important to the University?: 

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

Roles and responsibilities : 

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: complying with occupational health and safety instructions taking action to avoid, eliminate or minimise hazards reporting hazards to the relevant supervisor 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

Roles and responsibilities (2): 

Roles and responsibilities (2) All staff /student responsibilities (continued): 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 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 co-operating with directions from emergency wardens.

Resolving OHS Issues: 

Resolving OHS Issues Fix minor issues if safe and authorised to do so. 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: the Departmental Safety Officer; or the Head of School; or the OHS & Injury Management Unit (OHSIM)

OHS Risk Management (ohsrm): 

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

Step 1. Identify hazards: 

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

Identifying some common hazards: 

Identifying some common hazards

Step 2. Assigning Priority to identified hazards: 

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

How hazardous is it?: 

How hazardous is it?

Step 3. Assess the risk - what makes it hazardous?: 

Step 3. Assess the risk - what makes it hazardous?

Step 4. Control the risk or fix the problem: 

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

Control Measures: 

Control Measures

Step 5. Evaluate how successfully each OHS risk is being managed: 

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

Emergency Procedures: 

Emergency Procedures If you see an emergency Warn anyone in immediate danger If safe and if trained, fight the fire or control the emergency Evacuate if in danger or when instructed Call the Emergency services 0-000 Call USYD Security 1-3333 If you hear the fire alarm - EVACUATE 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, secure valuables Leave by your closest safe exit – assist visitors 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.

Accident reporting - what happens when something goes wrong?: 

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

OHS Resource Information: 

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