URL: http://cs.anu.edu.au/ohs/

The CSIT Occupational Health & Safety Page

This page covers Occupational Health and Safety Issues for the CSIT Building [108] at the Australian National University.

This page reflects CSIT OH&S as at the end of 2008. It is anticipated that, in early 2009, the OH&S comittees in the College of Engineering and Computer Scinece may be restuctured. In particular, the roles of people mentioned below might not be valid for 2009. However this page will remain useful for archival purposes.

Safety Personnel

The CSIT Safety Coordinator is currently Peter Strazdins, CSIT N219, x55140 email ohs-chair@cs. The role of the CSIT Safety Coordinator is to co-ordinate safety matters within the Department of Computer Science.

The CSIT Safety Officer is James Fellows, CSIT 203, x55144. The role of the Safety Officer is to undertake day-to-day management of safety matters within the Department of Computer Science.

The CSIT Occupational Strains Liaison Officer (OSLO) is Julie Arnold, x54043, CSIT N340.

The CSIT Occupational Health & Safety Committee

The Committee meets every 3 months to resolve OHS issues as raised by the ANU OHS Unit, CECS OHS Committee (formerly FEIT OHS Committee), DCS/CECS Management and CSIT Occupants.

• Members: Julie Arnold, Clem Baker-Finch, Karen Barndt / Mandy Yialeloglou (liaison for CSIRO), Deanne Drummond, James Fellows, Lynette Johns-Boast, Tom Gedeon, James Sheridan, Peter Strazdins (Chair).

  The CSIT Chief Fire Warden and a representative of the ANU OHS Unit are also invited to meetings. The Committee can be collectively contacted by email at ohs@cs (.anu.edu.au).

• Minutes from recent meetings:

  • 2008 Nov, Aug, Feb; 2007 :Dec Sep, Jun, Mar; 2006: Sep, Jun, Apr
  • 2005: Dec, Sep, Jun; 2004: Dec Sep Jun Apr; 2003: Dec, Sep, Jun, Mar
  • 2002: Dec, Sep, Jun, Mar; 2001: Dec, Sep, Jun, Mar; 2000: Dec, Sep, Jun, Apr

  These are posted to CSIT Occupants (North Wing), together with the announcement of the next meeting. This generally occurs one week ahead of the next meeting.

• Occasional Bulletins may also be posted, to cover OHS-related announcements between these times. Note that these Bulletins, while related to the Minutes, have not necessarily been considered by the OHS Committee beforehand.

  Recent Bulletins: 2007: Jan; 2006: Apr; 2005: Sep; 2004: May; 2003: Dec; 2002: Oct, Aug, Jan; 2001: Aug.

• The CSIT OHS Induction manual can be dowloaded from here.

OHS Policies, Procedures and Training

The ANU OHS Unit keeps a comprehensive list of Hazard Management Procedures. The following ANU policies should in particular be noted by CSIT occupants:

• The Policy for Control of Access to Hazardous and Restricted Locations (includes machine rooms).

• The Occupational Health and Safety Policy, especially Sections 3-5 (Responsibilities of Individuals, Manager and Units).

• The ANU Health and Safety Management Arrangements.

• The Code of Practice for Electrical Safety. All staff should read the Electrical Safety brochure.

• (for those who purchase equipement, including office) Plant (Equipment) Risk Assessment Guideline, including the Risk Assessment and Management Summary

• The Policy for Emergency Procedures in Buildings.

• The Occupational Strains Hazard Procedures

• The Policy for the Provision of First Aid Services.

• The Policy for Children Within the Workplace, for which DCS has a local policy.

The following procedures in particular should be noted by CSIT Occupants:

• Raising of Safety Issues:

  Safety issues of general concern should be raised with either the CSIT Safety Coordinator or Officer (whichever seems to most appropriate and/or available). If the issue is related to a particular incident, see the item immediately below also.

• Hazard and Near Misses:

  Hazards that can and were easily resolved by the individual (e.g. moving a box obstructing a stairway to a safer place) need not be reported. Issues which can be classified as `discomforts' rather than `hazards', e.g. air conditioning temperature needing adjustment, can be reported directly to DCS Office. For more serious and difficult to resolve hazards, follow the ANU procedure for Hazard Reporting. This requires a (downloadable) form to be filled out and given to your workplace Supervisor (in our case likely to be the HoD or Head TSG), which is then passed to the OHS Unit. A copy of the report should be left with the DCS Office; however, if it is a matter of urgent attention, please contact the CSIT Safety Coordinator or Officer.

• Workplace Injuries:

  See Death, Injury, Exposure and Dangerous Occurrence Reporting at the ANU . The procedure is as follows:

  • fill the web-based OHS Incident Notification form reached from the above link. This should be done ASAP after the incident.

  • The CECS Business Office and local RACLO must be informed as soon as possible thereafter (ideally, with a copy of of the document generated from the web form).

    The current local RACLO is Deanne Drummond, x55141, CSIT N337.

  • If the RACLO is not available, contact the OHS Unit.

  • Finally, a notification (ideally a copy of the form) should be left at the DCS Office.

• Occupational Strains:

  Request from the DCS OSLO a copy of the brochure Don't let your posture cost you if you do not already have one. The OSLO can also provide advice and point you to other useful information on prevention. Also, the Comcare Officewise document provides a comprehensive guide to managing occupational strains and other office-related hazards.

  See also the OHS Unit's Occupational Strains Hazard Procedures, and voice-activated word processing policy. DCS currently has a licence to such a package; contact the Safety Coordinator for details.

The OHS Unit also provides various training courses, including First Aid, Health and Safety Representatives, electrical safety, manual handling skills, occupational strains prevention and keyboarding skills.

First Aid in CSIT

A First Aid Kit is located in the Resources Room (N308), maintained by the DCS Office. If you need to use the Kit, please see the Office first, or if that is not possible, notify them on any major items used afterwards. Please note any items used on the record sheet next to the Kit.

The CSIT First Aid Officer is Deanne Drummond, x55141, CSIT N337.

Backup First Aid Officers are available in CSIT South Wing (CSIRO, Acton Campus), Gavin Walker and Duncan Stevenson (ask for them via the DIT reception, 2nd floor). First Aid can also be sought in the ANU Sports Union.

Note: CSIT is not a designated First Aid Domain, and hence is not strictly bound to adhere to the ANU Policy.

CSIT Fire Wardens and Evacuation Procedures

• The Chief Fire Warden is Doug Palmer (CSIRO), and the Deputy Chief Warden is Hugh Fisher.

  The Wardens on the North Wing (DCS) are

  Ben Swift (Level 1), Arrin Daley, Level 1), Warren Armstrong (level 1) 1 vacancy (Level 2), Alexander Krumpholz (Level 2), Peter Strazdins (Level 2), Shayne Flint (Level 3), Lynette Johns-Boast (Level 3), and Eric McCreath (Level 3).

• Here is a link to the CSIT Procedure in Case of an Alarm. Evacuation routes for the North Wing are posted at various points in the Building (e.g. outside N329, on door of N202, near N223, and on door of N102) and in various student labs).