OHS REPORT

November 2016 - February 2017

SUMMARY

Incidents

This report presents incident data from 29 November 2016 -22 February 2017.

Key points

  • No incidents were reported in December 2016 (Figure 1), but the Jan-Feb period has seen a significant increase in reports. Again, it's gratifying to see that non injuries (near-misses) are also being reported (Figure 2) so we can act to try and put our systems in place to prevent these sorts of events culminating in an injury.
  • The staff/student ratio of injuries (Figure 3) would appear to be reasonably consistent with the general absence of students from the campuses during the Christmas period. It should be noted that one incident report was submitted to record the unauthorised entry to a research facility of two elderly members of the public who became disorientated during a visit to the nearby hospital. The site's security systems have been reviewed and new procedures implemented, but this incident may also be attributed to the 'visitor' category.
  • Cuts, wounds or abrasion injuries to the extremities continue to be the most common types of injuries(Figure 4,5). Please raise local awareness of safe disposal of needles and blades (non-recapping, single use needles, using correct scalpel handles and ClikSmart blade removal systems) and consider substitution of beveled needles with non-beveled needles where possible. Vaccinations are a mandatory protective measure if dealing with human or animal body fluids and tissues, and post -incident serology is available for work-related contaminated sharps injuries.
  • One lost time injury was recorded during this period (injury to knee meniscus upon standing).

TRAINING

Overall compliance rates with lab-based training modules have improved significantly in many areas (Figure 6). The completion rates of these modules and others, including fire and general workplace safety (Figures 7,8) must meet minimum standards for each org unit and are being monitored by senior UQ management; please ensure your local personnel are completing and renewing these training modules as required (e.g. Fire - Annually, General workplace - 5 yearly, Biosafety - 2 yearly). We are working on setting up an option on Aurion to record compliances with local fire safety training in off-campus locations where the UQ online fire safety training module may not be appropriate or applicable to local systems.

Risk assessments

There's been a significant increase in the number of risk assessments being completed and approved by the Rural Clinical Schools (classed under SOM) and the School of Public Health (Figure 9, 10). This is a great development and indicates a growing awareness of the requirements for risk management at UQ. We hope to maintain the trend as we transition to the new UQSafeRisk management system.

UQ CCR has begun the transition process by setting up a good number of assessments on this system and we expect that other areas of the faculty will now begin the process too.

The Faculty OHS team will focus on auditing assessments throughout 2017 and helping users select the best ones for transition to the new system.

Figures - INCIDENTS

Figure 1: Number of reported incidentsper month (29.11.16 - 22.2.17)

Figure 2: Incidents by type

Figure 3 Injury by Person Type

Figure 4: Nature of Injury

Figure 5: Bodily Locations of Injuries

Figures –TRAINING

Figure 6: Research professional/academic compliance with lab-based online modules (percent complete/current -(August/November)). SPH data not presented.

UQCCR / SBMS / UQ-MRI / UQ-DI# / TETRAQ /CIPDD / CHRC
Lab Safety / 58/58 / 95/95 / 78/78 / 72/72 / 100/100 / 37/37
Chemical Safety / 51/51 / 88/88 / 56/56 / 56/56 / 63/63 / 18/18
Biosafety / 61/55 / 92/78 / 78/56 / 75/36 / 100/75 / 32/16

# data is stored locally at DI, Reportal data may not be current

Figure 7: Training by Org Unit and Employment Type – General Workplace Safety Induction

Figure 8: Training by Org Unit and Employment Type – Annual Fire Safety

Figures - RISK ASSESSMENTS

Figure 9:Number of Risk Assessments per Org Unit

Figure 10: Risk Assessment Compliance by Org Units