OHS Newsletter November 2000

Accidents on the Ring Road

Two students were injured in separate head-on car accidents on the Ring Road in September.

The overall number of car accidents on University roads has risen this year compared to previous years, partly due to an increase in student numbers and an increase in the number of vehicles on campus.

Speed and inattention of drivers have also been identified as contributing factors to the accidents.

Traffic consultants have been engaged to conduct a review of traffic flow and road safety and to recommend suitable corrective action for the University to consider.

Please be aware of the increase in traffic on campus this year and take care on all roads.

Diabetes

Each year Flinders Medical Centre presents a short series of free Public Lectures on common medical conditions and public health issues.

On Wednesday 15 November, 2000 they will be holding a free lecture on 'Diabetes - Living a Healthy Life'.

Participants: are :

Dr Wilton Braund, Endocrinologist
Dr Amanda Terry, Endocrinologist
Dr David Everett, Paediatrician
Nick Wray, Dietitian

For more information contact Public Relations - 8204 4949 (No charge - no bookings)

Academic Staff Members You Have Legal Responsibilities

All academic staff members are 'supervisors' under the terms of the Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Act, 1986.

This means that academic staff have particular responsibilities in relation to that Act.

The University is required to ensure that all supervisors understand their responsibilities.

You can prove compliance with this by completing the 7 topics of the on-line Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare training package.

See the summary pages at the end of each topic for an overview. When you have correctly answered 70% of the on-line questions in each topic you will be sent a Certificate. Your OH&S Committee and Faculty Head will be advised that you have completed the package.

Note: this is available to ALL staff who wish to complete the package.

Management of Chemicals

Implementation of the University's plan for managing chemicals will be checked by the internal audit team between now and the end of this year.

The audit team will check that the plans detailed in the University's Hazardous Substances Policy, the University's OH&S Action Plan and each Cost Centre's OH&S Action Plan are being carried out in practice.

You can help in this process by checking that all chemicals you use are clearly labelled and have a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The MSDSs should be readily available so that you can see the hazard and health information relating to each chemical.

The MSDS also shows what must be done for First Aid in the event of exposure to a chemical &endash; hence the MSDS should be kept near the chemical(s).

All areas using chemicals should have a folder of MSDSs readily accessible to all staff.

You should also have a folder of MSDS sheets with the chemicals in the cupboard in your tea room, for 'everyday' chemicals like the dishwashing powder and de-scaling powder used in the Dishwashers.

If you don't have a folder, please let your nominated Hazardous Substances Manager know that it is missing and ask them to provide you with one.

A list of Hazardous Substances Managers is shown below:

Area	Hazardous Substances Manager
Library	Ashton Claridge
Central Administration	Kerry Jaunutis
Central Administration	Alan Walker
EHLTh	Matt Schlitz (South)
EHLTh	Tom Benson (Sturt Science labs)
Social Sciences	Paul Douglas
Science & Engineering	Robert di Giusto
Science & Engineering	Lyn Spencer
Science & Engineering	Geoff Cottrell
Science & Engineering	Glenn Solly
Health Sciences (Sturt)	Tom Benson
Health Sciences (Medicine)	FMC systemis being used.

Please assist the internal auditors if requested to do so &endash; they are your fellow staff members and it is their duty to carry out the audit as part of the normal management of OH&S at the University.

Their work will be checked by the WorkCover auditor next year.

Employee Assistance Program (Confidential Counselling Service)

The confidential counselling service for staff continues to be well received.

Under this Employee Assistance Program each staff member is able to receive up to three sessions paid for by the University.

Help is available for both work related and non work related problems.

Three psychologists are available:

• Ms Jane Fowler
  Glen Osmond Medical Centre
  311 Glen Osmond Road
  Glenunga
  Phone 8379 4808

• Ms Helen Holmes
  Early Assist Psychology
  188 Ward Street
  North Adelaide
  Phone 8267 1957

• Mr Chris Edwards
  Bridge Consulting
  71 Angas Street
  Adelaide
  Phone 8223 2214

To make an appointment call any of the numbers listed and tell them that you are a staff member of Flinders University, making an appointment under the EAP scheme.

If the problem is urgent please make sure that you tell the receptionist that it is urgent. If the EAP provider is unable to see you within 48 hours of your phone call they will refer you to another of the 3 EAP psychologists.

Your name will not be disclosed to any member of the University at any time.

The anonymous feedback sheets which staff post to the OH&S Unit after their final session continues to indicate a high level of satisfaction with the service.

Jennie Cumming, Head, OH&S Unit, Ph 13703

OH&S Accident/Incident Summary Statistics

During the third quarter of 2000 there were 33 accidents and incidents reported to the Occupational Health and Safety Unit.

Accident/incident statistics-3rd Quarter 2000

Category	Number
Staff members	24
Students	7
Contractors	2
Total	33

Of the 24 accidents/incidents reported by staff members in this quarter, 13 resulted in workers compensation claims.

Staff accidents/incidents variance table

Major Cost Centre	3rd Qtr 1999	3rd Qtr 2000	Change
Central Admin	19	14	-5
Libraries	2	2	0
Faculty of Social Sciences	3	1	-2
Faculty of Health Sciences	2	2	0
Faculty of EHLT	1	2	+1
Faculty of Science & Engineering	10	3	-7
TOTAL	37	24	-13

Comparison of staff accidents/incidents for 3rd quarter of year over a 4 year period

Organisational Unit	1997	1998	1999	2000
Central Administration	23	12	19	14
The Library	1	3	2	2
Faculty of Social Sciences	3	2	3	1
Faculty of Health Sciences	7	6	2	2
Faculty of EHLT	3	4	1	2
Faculty of Science and Engineering	11	12	10	3
Total	48	39	37	24

Workers Compensation Costs

Cost Centre workers compensation costs for 3rd quarter

Cost Centre	Compensation Cost
Central Administration	$9,183
Library	$1,696
Science & Engineering	$68
EHLT	$3,529
Health Sciences	$464
Social Sciences	$581
Total	$15,521

Chris Euripides, Administrative Assistant