Occupational Health & Safety (OHS)

In an on-campus emergency
Dial 333

Monash University has an Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHSE) structure that provides support to Faculties and Schools so that our obligations under The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (and many other regulations in the area) can be met.

All new staff and postgraduate students (including honours) are required to attend a local OHS induction session (Induction Checklist) as well as completing a general on-line induction before commencing activities within the School. The General Office will direct all personnel to the Safety Officer to ensure this is carried out. No keys will be issued to offices and laboratories until these have been completed.

As individuals, we all have responsibility for our own safety, to ensure we have been adequately inducted, trained and supervised in areas that are relevant to our work and that we continue to be willing to learn.
Within the school, the focus for OHSE matters is with the individual, the supervisor and the School of Physics OHS&E Committee.

• Monash University Occupational Health and Safety
• Health and safety in the Faculty of Science

The School of Physics OHS Committee and their roles

The membership of the School OHS Committee broadly represents areas of activity within the School. It generally rotates on a two to three year cycle.
The first line of communication on OHS matters is between you and your Supervisor. However, the Safety Officer (Mr John Golja), or the Health and Safety Representative (Mr Antonio Benci) are always available to listen to your concerns and may be consulted at any time.
Minutes from the last School OHS Committee meeting are posted on the safety notice board.

Faculty OHSE Manager

The role of the Science Faculty OHSE Manager is to ensure that a uniformly high standard of occupational health and safety is achieved across all schools in the Faculty.
The address of the Science Faculty's safety page is http://www.sci.monash.edu.au/safety/

School of Physics safety notice board

The Official School of Physics Safety Notice Boards is located on the first floor between buildings 19 and 27. Minutes of the School OHS Committee meetings, news items, recent University Hazard Alerts and other safety information are placed on this Notice Board. Other notice boards with relevant information are located outside the mechanical workshop (ground floor building 27), first year physics undergraduate laboratories (ground floor building 26) and second/third year undergraduate laboratories (second floor building 27)

Emergency procedures

You should familiarise yourself with the EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BOOKLET (latest issue was January 2009) that is located besides each telephone. This booklet includes instructions for Emergency Evacuation.

Red Phones are located at strategic points throughout the School. You should familiarise yourself with the location of the one nearest to your office or laboratory. Where it is impractical to use the Red Phone system, call the emergency internal number 333.

In case of fire, you may also use the Fire Alarms located in various places throughout the School. Break the glass and press the alarm button.
In the case of serious personal injury, First Aiders should assist with emergency treatment until medical personnel arrive.

Assembly points

• Buildings 19 and 26 - the courtyard between buildings 19, 25 & 26
• Building 27 - the grass area between buildings 27 & 53

Do not leave the assembly point without informing the Building Warden, Mr Steven Scroggie (building 19), Ms Genevieve McCabe (building 26) or Mr Alan Holland (Building 27).
Wait until the Building Warden, their delegate or Emergency Services personnel give the "all clear" before re-entering the building.

Floor wardens

Floor Wardens will assist in ensuring that the building or floor of the building is evacuated when necessary. The current list for each building is posted on the emergency evacuation posters located near the Red Phones.

First Aiders

First Aiders are individuals who have been trained to treat relatively minor injuries. These would range from such things as paper cuts through to more significant injuries from broken glass which does not need stitching.
They can also provide emergency first aid before medical or ambulance personnel arrive or before the victim can be safely moved to the University Health Service.
The current list for each building is posted on the emergency evacuation posters located near the Red Phones. To assist first aiders, OHSE has developed an information sheet "Emergency Response Information for First Aiders" (Information Sheet No. 15). The Policy and Information Sheet are available at the OHSE website on: http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/ohse/Document/Docum.htm

First Aid cabinets

First Aid Cabinets are strategically located throughout the School in accordance with the University policy. They are for use by trained First Aiders ONLY.

• Building 19, room 145A - photocopy room
• Building 26, room G04 - corridor, first year physicsu ndergraduate laboratories
• Building 26, room 111 - MCSS
• Building 27, room G02 - mechanical workshop
• Building 27, room G17 - corridor, physics research labs
• Building 27, room G52 - corridor, physics research labs
• Building 27, room 111 - corridor
• Building 27, room 204 - corridor, 2nd/3rd physics undergraduate laboratories

Reporting hazards and incidents

All hazards and incidents are to reported to either your supervisor or the Safety Officer within 24 hours using the "HAZARD AND INCIDENT REPORT FORM". Failure to report an incident or hazard may result in a more serious situation in the future. All hazards and incidents are then investigated and a report with recommendations and/or actions needed to rectify the problem are put in place. Any hazard that poses an immediate risk of injury is to be reported straight away so that any work in the affected area is suspended until the issue is resolved.

Risk assessments

There are two types of Risk Assessment carried out within the School and the University. One is concerned with an overall assessment of a project, the other with day to day operations. Overall assessment of projects
A general Risk Assessment is required for all Student Research Projects. It is the responsibility of each Project Supervisor to ensure that this is carried out with their students prior to commencement of experimental work. The purpose of this assessment is to get students thinking about the potential hazards they are likely to face during the year well in advance. In particular, the assessment should draw to the attention of both students and supervisors any special procedures required to safely operate equipment they will be using or materials that are used.
It is a requirement of Worksafe Victoria that all personnel in the School carry out a risk assessment before commencing any experiment involving Hazardous Substances.
Assessment of day to day operations.
A document covering safe operating procedures for all tasks involving manual handling, chemicals, equipment etc.
For any laboratory work the supervisor of the laboratory should be contacted before proceeding. All radiation workers are required to complete a special induction and a radiation test before proceeding.

Working when emergency response is limited (After Hours)

Access to the building after hours must be approved by your supervisor and then access arranged by the resources manager. A risk assesment indicating the risk category must be completed to determine the conditions for out of hours work. The Monash University procedures for out of hours work is to be followed for approval to be granted.