risk assessment

[ellice]

Hi all,
I attended an OHS Management Training day run by AIS last week, and I have a query about RA's. The presenter provided us with a protype of an RA form, and I have picked up a few others from different schools, and we are hoping to get a system in progress next year. Our staff are feeling daunted by the whole thing, and our HOD was wondering if we could use a generic form for a process, say, a dissection, addition of acid, using flammables, instead of an RA for each individual experiment. Then I could just grab the RA that applies to that procedure.
Does anyone know the exact requirement regarding RA's?
Any help here would be appreciated.
Ellice.

[ri]

G'day all,
this must be the most visited topic (except the Astronomy thread) ever.
It shows how concerned we are for ourselves and our teachers when it comes to fulfilling the requirements by law.
It concerns me how we are expected to carry the teachers work when it comes to these requirements.........
I did learn recently at an OH&S course run by the AIS (NSW) that we are expected to do Risk Assessments for our own use of the prep room as we are working with concentrated solutions. Also for sodium & lithium as we dispense the safe amounts of these substances for teachers to carry out this demonstration. So, now I am looking to do Risk Assessments for the use of Lab Technicians for any substance or piece of equipment that we use - including sterilisers, waterbaths, etc. This is for the safety of my co-workers and myself to be re-read before working with the substances/equipment.
FOR ALL CLASSROOM WORK carried out by the teachers, surely they are expected to at least read the Risk Assessment for that experiment, even if they did not write it.
We have a brilliant form, A4 size, devised by a Head of Science, that encompasses a
Laboratory Request Form and Risk Assessment. It has sections for Equipment/hardware; Biological; and Chemicals requested.
It is signed and dated by the teacher (they also have their own colour coding) and this is filed in our Archive department as a legal document as the teachers responsibility and competancy for that class.
It took a little while for the teachers to get this responsiblity right but I cannot imagine any prac going out of the prep room now without this form attached to the prac and filed once the prac comes back to the prep room.
Cheers,
~Robyn

[J]

That sounds awesome Robyn!
I would appreciate a copy of this form if you wouldn't mind.
My fax number is 66572281 (attention Julie).

Thanks
Julie

[Ian]

G'day all,

We have a brilliant form, A4 size, devised by a Head of Science, that encompasses a
Laboratory Request Form and Risk Assessment. It has sections for Equipment/hardware; Biological; and Chemicals requested.
It is signed and dated by the teacher (they also have their own colour coding) and this is filed in our Archive department as a legal document as the teachers responsibility and competancy for that class.
It took a little while for the teachers to get this responsiblity right but I cannot imagine any prac going out of the prep room now without this form attached to the prac and filed once the prac comes back to the prep room.
Cheers,
~Robyn

Hi Robyn,
Do I take it that you end up with MULTIPLE RI's for each experiment, one for each teacher, each time the experiment is done?
I'm not sure that my teachers would come at that. It is hard enough to get them to write ONE and then to site it each time!.

Still, I would love a copy of your form to add to my collection. I am digesting RI forms at the moment with the aim of comming up with something that is mutually acceptable to my teachers, our OH&S comittee and our "compliance officer", and hopefully also meeting all the legal requirements. (although hopefully there is at least some overlap between the demands of these four parties!!)

My fax number is 02 4629 6291

Thanks

Ian

[Ocean Breeze]

Robyn.. your system sounds great for RI.
Could you send me a copy when you have time please?

My fax is 02 4967 6658
Thanks B

[rae]

Hi Robyn,

I would appreciate a copy of your RA too when you have time.
Fax No: 48613328 Attention: Lorrae

Thanks a lot
Lorrae

[me]

Hi Robyn,
I would also like a copy.
Fax:02 98082642
Thanks Tracey

[JudyM]

Could I trouble you for a copy as well please.

My Fax # is 02 6772 5697
Attn Judy- science

Thanks Robyn

[J]

Thank You Robyn

I just received my fax.
Much appreciated

Julie

[labman]

Hi Robyn,
If you're still faxing your R.I. to other labbies, I,too, would love a copy. My fax no. here is (08)81392138, Att Lisa.
Much appreciated,
Cheers,
Lisa

[Kathryn]

Hi Robyn
I would also appreciate a copy of your RI when you have time

Thanks Kathryn
Fax 0242717245

[rae]

Hi Robyn,

Got the fax. Looks interesting. Thanks a lot.

Lorrae

[Ocean Breeze]

just noticed Robb.. you are Dr Robb.
When did that happen? Are congrats in order, or have I been missing something all these months?

[Robb]

Hi Rainbow-Sky,

I have received my Doctorate in Chemistry now, and I am filling in time at Uni to satisfy my requirements for the teaching scheme of things..

Thanks,

Robb.....

[Kathy K]

Hello Robb,
Thank you for the risk assessment form that you so kindly faxed out to me last week.
Now it is trying to get the teachers to use it.Love reading your posts.

I am off to the Loretto conference tomorrow and cant wait!!!!!
Have a good weekend and thanks once again.


Cheers

Kathy K

[Ocean Breeze]

Thank You Robb... very helpful!

[Robb]

Hi All,

Glad to see it has been helpful, The problem being is trying to have it implemented in the science faculty since there is/can be some resistance from other staff members.

Cheers,

Robb.....

[Ian]

Having collected a few RA forms, I had hoped to put them all together to make a "Super RA Form" for Science pracs, incorperating HAZPAC ratings, equipment lists, text book references, PPE requirements, disposal of waste recomendations, etc, etc.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately???) the "Powers that Be" have decided that the school has enough forms already, and as we already have a RA form that teachers use for organised excursions that uses HAZPAC ratings, the Science teachers should use THAT form for their pracs. So, now every time a teacher has to do a prac, they must answer questions like Work Area? Number of students attending activity? Number of Staff attending? Ratio of Staff to Students? (as if you could not work that out from the previous two questions!!!!)

At leasty we still get a HAZPAC rating.... and it is one less job for me!

Thanks for all your help guys!

Ian

[rae]

What is a HAZPAC rating??

[Ian]

Hi Rae,
Hazpak is the Work Cover system for assessing the seriousness of a risk. It uses a scale of 1 to 6 looking at two criteria, namely "How likely is the risk to happen?" and "How serious is it if it does happen?" So, if the activity is jumping out of a high plane without a parachute, then the risk is death. It is very likely to happen and very serious if it does. The Hazpak rating would be 1. If the activity was stamp collecting, the risk might be getting a "paper cut" from a stamp. The likelihood of it happening would be small and the seriousness if it did would be small. Its Hazpak rating would be 6.

1's should be banned! 2's, 3's and 4's should be modified to make them safer and reduce them to 5's or 6's!

Check out the following

http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/NR/rdon ... r_0228.pdf

All the best
Ian