Health & Safety

The UWA Student Guild endorses the UWA Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) policy to provide and maintain a safe and healthy working environment, equipment and systems of work for all its staff, students, contractors and visitors.

The Guild is committed to:

• Providing and maintaining safe workplaces
• Providing information, instruction, training and supervision where required to ensure safe systems of work
• Ensuring that nominated safety personnel are always adequately trained and supported
• Consulting and cooperating with health and safety representatives, employees and others
• Continuously reviewing and improving its safety performance

Maintaining a high standard of Workplace Health & Safety is everyone’s responsibility - please take the time to browse through the Manual and the WHS website to ensure you are aware of the Guild’s processes and procedures with regard to WHS.

Further information can be found in the Guild’s WHS Manual and Annual WHS Report, both available in the Z: (Shared) drive under WHS.

WHS Representatives & Committee

Learn more about the WHS Committee here.

Further information on the election process of WHS Representatives can be found on the UWA Health & Safety website.

First Aid

First Aid boxes are located in the Cafes and main Guild Kitchen, as well as the Staff & Student Representative break room (kitchen) on the First Floor of the Guild (South Wing).

If the first aid required is more than a band-aid can fix, the Guild has two trained First Aiders who should be contacted to assist; Renee Nguyen (ext 7838) and Leigh Chalmers (ext 3762). If you are assisting an injured person, please remain calm and stay with the injured person until assistance arrives.

In more serious cases, please call Security on 2222, and 000 if required.

Emergency Procedures

From time to time there may be a need to evacuate the premises due to fire, gas leakage or other causes. The UWA Health & Safety website provides some useful advice on the best way to conduct an emergency procedure, which includes:

DON’T PANIC! At all times during an emergency, remain calm and follow the instructions of the Building and Area Wardens.

1. On hearing the evacuation alarm, immediately prepare to leave the building – secure confidential materials and valuables, collect personal belongings, shut down experiments, switch off computers, electrical appliances, equipment and machinery.
2. If the evacuation alarm sounds, or if instructed to do so by a Warden, leave the building by the nearest and safest exit route. All doors should be closed (but not locked) on leaving.
3. If possible, take hand-held personal belongings (such as handbags and briefcases) with you when you leave. Do not return to collect your belongings once you have exited.
4. Assist any person with a disability to leave the building, or to the nearest fire isolated or fire safe haven for multi-storey buildings. Do not attempt to carry people down stairs.
5. Walk quickly and calmly to the designated assembly area for your building or as advised by a Warden or Fire and Emergency Services personnel. DO NOT USE THE LIFTS.
6. Remain at the assembly area (in groups) until instructed to leave by a Warden or Fire and Emergency Services personnel.
7. Do not re-enter the building until informed that it is safe to do so by a Warden or Fire and Emergency Services personnel. Do not enter a building if the alarm is sounding.

The Guild has trained and capable Fire Wardens who rely on your cooperation to ensure a smooth evacuation from the buildings.

A current list of the Fire Wardens can be located under Z:\WHS\Fire Wardens

Incident, hazard, or near miss reporting

If you are involved in or have witnessed an incident, hazard or near miss within the workplace or on Campus, it is your duty to report it to your Manager and your WHS Representative (Fernanda Leme for Commercial, or Kelvin Lee for Non-Commercial). Your Manager and the WHS Representative will discuss the incident, hazard or near miss with you and complete the required follow up (medical, facilities management, ergonomics etc), and lodge the relevant form with Guild HR/ WHS and UWA Safety.

Reporting of incidents should be immediate, to ensure any injuries sustained are attended to quickly and appropriately.

It is also important to report any potential hazards or near misses to your WHS Representative as soon as possible so they can be removed or minimised before any injury is sustained.

For further information on reporting incidents and hazards, please refer to the UWA Safety website.

New Guild Employees

Once you have familiarised yourself with this WHS webpage as a new Guild employee, please complete the WHS Website Compliance Form and submit it to WHS Administrator Lauren Mocke (in the Engagement & Administration office on the first floor of Guild Village) for review and record purposes.

NOTE: Hard copies of the form can be collected from the WHS Administrator if required.