The school of Public Health recognises the importance of health and safety for all staff, students, visitors and others and adopts a risk management approach to health and safety. The School of Public Health Workplace Health and Safety Officer is Lynette Duplock, email: l.duplock@qut.edu.au
Health and Safety Obligations
Under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, all persons at a workplace have obligations to ensure the safety of themselves and others at the workplace. It is the policy of the School of Public Health to recognise the importance of, and its responsibilities for, the health and safety for all staff, students, visitors and others. In turn, staff, students and visitors are responsible for performing their work and study in as safe a manner as practicable and adhering to health and safety practices, so as not to endanger themselves or others.
Laboratory Health & Safety Manuals
All undergraduate students participating in practical and clinic sessions within the School, will be provided with an appropriate laboratory health & safety manual at the first practical session. Each class will also be given an introductory health & safety induction. All students will then be required to sign a form indicating that they have received appropriate health & safety training for their practical class or clinic.
Health & Safety Assessment of Research Projects and other School Activities
All undergraduate and postgraduate students must complete a health & safety assessment form for any research, projects or other School activities, not covered under standard QUT infrastructure (standard QUT infrastructure includes placements, use of library and computing facilities etc). Your supervisor/lecturer or the Workplace Health & Safety Officer can provide advice on whether this assessment is required. These health & safety assessment forms are available from the research centre administration staff, through your supervisor or lecturer, or from the School Health & Safety Officer.
Reporting of Accidents, Incidents and Potentially Dangerous Situations
All students are required to report these situations to their supervisor and
to the School's Workplace Health and Safety Officer. These events are to be
reported using the Safety Problem Report and Investigation forms provided by the QUT Health and Safety
section. A copy of this form can be obtained from the School's Workplace Health
and Safety Officer or from the School's Student Centre (O-D611).
All accidents resulting in serious bodily injury or death must be reported immediately
to the School Workplace Health and Safety Officer and to the QUT Health and
Safety Section, as both of these type of events must be reported to the Division
of Workplace Health and Safety within 24 hours.
Evacuation Procedure
In the event of an emergency such as fire, sirens will sound in O Block. You
are to leave the building immediately using the fire exits identified from the
signage of each wing of O Block and on the student noticeboards of the School
of Public Health. All students are to familiarise themselves with these routes
of evacuation. Make your way directly to the relevant evacuation area as directed.
Do not congregate on the roadway or on the access ramp as this will impede the
access of emergency personnel and emergency vehicles. Obey instructions from
the fire wardens (who will be wearing a white or red helmet and the fire warden ID badge), security officers
and emergency personnel.
Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so. Drill evacuations are
held at least once a semester for each building on campus.
Head of School of Public Health Occupational Health and Safety Policy Statement
Associate Professor
Dr MaryLou Fleming
Head of School
School of Public Health
As the Head of School I fully endorse the Occupational Health and Safety Policy
of the University.
On a School level I am committed to a quality driven approach for Workplace
Health and Safety as a means of achieving best practice standards.
In meeting this commitment, management will:
- Provide a safe workplace, proper materials and safe equipment
- Establish and insist on the use of safe methods, systems and practices
- Comply with all legislative requirements
- Communicate with all staff on Health and Safety matters
I expect all staff and students to adopt a consultative approach to help foster
a collective ownership of Workplace Health and Safety. I also expect all staff
and students to discharge their obligations fully by exercising responsibilty
for their own and their fellow worker's health and safety.