Safety is everyone’s responsibility and any safety issues should be reported as a matter of priority.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility and any safety issues should be reported as a matter of priority.
Staff, students, contractors and others maintain the University’s safe working and learning spaces by identifying and resolving hazards (something that could cause harm e.g. falling object or electrical cords), during their day to day activities.
Staff and students also report incidents, injuries and work-related illnesses within riskware, and assess and manage WHS and other risks in collaboration with their Nominated Supervisor.
Login to RiskwareSome of the hazards, which are identified, are also logged and resolved (entered into riskware Action Plans by Nominated Supervisors) within riskware. Whenever these WHS issues cannot be resolved, they can be escalated via the University’s resolution pathway (refer to WHS Communication and Consultation Procedure).
Staff also assess their workstation by completing an ergonomic checklist to reduce the risk of body strains and injuries.
Organisational units also maintain good housekeeping and keep their working and learning areas free of significant hazards. WHS Inspections of offices and other spaces, scheduled at least every twelve months, are also conducted as a way of identifying and resolving hazards. Inspections of higher-risk spaces, such as laboratories, are conducted at least every three to six months.
Organisational units should identify and review WHS risks, including those risks which are associated with contractors or practical demonstrations in teaching spaces, on a regular basis. These reviews consider the hazards and risks that are associated with working and learning spaces; equipment, materials and substances used; tasks performed, and work design and management.
The formal assessment of hazards and risks is undertaken whenever it is not immediately clear what the issues are and how to resolve them (the selection of effective treatments or controls).
Reviews of risks and treatments are regularly undertaken and are also triggered whenever there is a change in working or learning environments, or riskware incident reports or audits have identified gaps in treatments or their application.
The significant WHS and other risks that are managed are entered into organisational unit risk registers (updated by the end of the first quarter).
ACU’s WHS Risk Assessment Form prompt staff and others to formally assess and manage the hazards and risks that may be present in working and learning environments. The Chemwatch Risk Management Module is specifically used to identify hazards, and assess and manage health and dangerous goods risks which are associated with specific chemicals.
The ACU Incident and Hazard Reporting, and Investigation Procedure and the riskware Quick Reference Guide, 'Common control measures in Action Plans for workplace hazards (PDF, 724KB)' support Nominated Supervisors to apply incident learnings and resolve hazards.
The WHS Register of Compliance Obligations support staff and others to manage specific WHS risks and comply with legislative and other requirements.
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