Welcome to the Faculty OHS Student's Representative Network

The University of New South Wales has a policy allowing for undergraduate and postgraduate representation on School OHS Committees. The Faculty of Engineering has extended this policy by forming a Student Representative Network which meets regularly with Faculty senior staff and the OHS Coordinator.

1. To represent the Faculty of Engineering student body at School and Faculty meetings.

2. To report to the student body, through appropriate means, the outcomes of reported OHS concerns.

3. To report to the student body, through representative bodies, the initiatives taken by the Faculty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of students.

Meeting #13 May 2006

At our May meeting Lindsay O'Keefe reported that the UNSW smoking policy has progressed, albeit slowly. It is likely that smoking will be banned on the university grounds except for a few designated areas. Lindsay also spoke of changes to the NSW OHS Act 2000 and the implications for UNSW. Potential OHS issues arising from students' Industrial Training were raised. These issues included the provision of personal protective equipment and proper inductions for the use of dangerous equipment. Lindsay will use this information to create a form applicable to all instances of OHS breaches affecting students undertaking training. The safety of visitors and children in the workplace was also discussed at the meeting, and appropriate material distributed to the OSRN members for further perusal.

Meeting #12 March 2006

A number of new members were welcomed to the OSRN at the first meeting for 2006. Lindsay O'Keeffe from the Risk Management Unit (RMU) explained the roles of the OSRN and spoke of the three key issues for the OSRN to focus on this year: - Faculty Risk Assessment Policy and Procedures - Student Industrial Training Policies - Student-managed Projects. A revised edition of the Draft UNSW Smoking Policy has been distributed to members for review. And on another ongoing issue, Lindsay is currently negotiating with the Level 2 OHS committee to make the RMU responsible for updating contact information on Evacuation signage.

Meeting #11 October 2005

The last meeting for 2005 saw several issues resurface. The matter of student insurance will soon be resolved by the Insurance Manager at the Risk Management Unit. In contrast, the Draft UNSW smoking policy is not likely to be approved in the near future and has been removed from our agenda. The School of Safety Science has declared that it is not viable to incorporate first aid or green certificate training into the general education courses it offers, as suggested by the OSRN. Student-led projects were again discussed; Lindsay O'Keeffe is currently assessing these projects and advising participants to attend relevant OH&S Training sessions. The issue of outdated evacuation signage was again raised with calls from OSRN members for larger, simplified signs. The final point raised was the supply and maintenance of first aid kits in student common rooms, prompted by a recent incident in which a first aid kit was found to be empty. It was stated that First aid officers are responsible for the register of supplies and for conducting regular checks.

Meeting #10 August 2005

Three new members were welcomed to the network, Olafuyi Olalekan (PG Petroleum Engineering), Ari Shammay (UG CEIC) and on a temporary basis, Tom Barker (UG Surveying and SIS). The issue of student insurance is soon to be resolved, as Lindsay O'Keeffe and the RMU team continue to work on the complete package. As always we are looking to improve student awareness of OH&S. Ari Shammay is involved in organising a faculty-wide BBQ to celebrate Engineering Week, with 500 undergraduates expected to attend. Meredith Lowe and Lindsay are designing some pamphlets for distribution at the BBQ. The OH&S Student Consultation email has been revised to include links to the faculty's safety website, an ergonomics website and the Technical OH&S Solutions (TOHSS) site. The Network agreed that these inclusions would provide undergraduates immediate references without overloading them with information. Olafuyi questioned the degree of incentives being provided to OH&S Student Representatives, suggesting that the faculty should also provide personal protective clothing. He expressed his opinion that the majority of students saw OH&S as something onerous. Lindsay responded by acknowledging the difficulty of making students aware of OH&S. However, he reported that the feedback from various Safety Awareness Courses across campus has been positive. The meeting was reminded as they shared a lunch provided by the faculty, that the faculty does indeed offer incentives to students. OSRN members' first aid training is paid for by the faculty, as well as any other campus-offered courses (subject to approval).

Meeting #9 May 2005

In ongoing matters, Lindsay O'Keeffe is taking up the issue of insurance for postgraduate students with the newly appointed Insurance Manager for the Risk Management Unit. Lindsay O'Keeffe has also been liaising with the School of Safety Science, who sound keen to incorporate First Aid and Green Certificate (a construction site requirement) training in their courses. Any changes must be passed by the academic board, a process that can take up to 6 months. Nanda Altavilla has submitted her paper on the use of ergonomic furniture by postgraduate students to the Faculty Level 2 OH&S Committee. It is likely, thanks to Nanda making a good fist of the issue, that training in the use of such furniture will form part of the postgraduate induction in future. All members of the OSRN are currently reviewing the Draft UNSW Smoking Policy. It was noted by various members that smoking near ventilation ducts was of particular concern. Although signs addressing this issue are in place near some buildings more are needed, and this will be a focal point of the OSRN feedback. Lindsay O'Keeffe reported that UNSW Security are unable to take a heavy-handed approach in enforcing non-smoking rules. The OSRN therefore also needs to think about the implementation of the Draft Smoking Policy and any rules it imposes. A forum designed to raise student awareness and interest in OH&S matters is currently on the drawing board. Matt Jones is developing a proposal for the forum that will be of a more social nature and feature hands-on activities. From the meeting it emerged that out-dated emergency evacuation signage is about as common as the name Jones. The main concern now is that signs do not allow for the construction project on lower campus. Members were assured that it was a campus-wide problem and would be addressed at the next Faculty Level 2 meeting.

Meeting #8 March 2005

The Engineering Faculty's OH&S Coordinator, Lindsay O'Keefe, is currently arranging for the Student Guild and Postgraduate Board to follow up the issue of student insurance with the UNSW Council. He is also in discussion with the head of the School of Safety Science, with a view to that school providing first aid and green certificate training as general education courses. The OSRN members agreed that this would be most beneficial to students and even help the promotion of the OSRN and its activities.

Postgraduate Representative Nanda, in collaboration with Lindsay, had almost completed an issues paper on ergonomic furniture for postgraduate students, which was to be raised at the next Level 2 Faculty OH&S meeting. Also to be raised at that meeting was a document compiled by another postgraduate representative, Jason Middleberg, outlining the OH&S problems encountered in student-led projects. These include supervision, sign-off for use of equipment and after hours work.

Lindsay O'Keefe has made a reference kit available for OSRN members online. OSRN members are presently reviewing ergonomics education in their respective schools.

Meeting #7 November 2004

Two new members joined us for our November meeting, Allan Zhong (Computer Science and Engineering) and Nirenjen St. George (Petroleum Engineering), and were quickly encouraged to undertake the 4 day OH&S Committee Training Course, which is available to all members of the OSRN. A 2 hour OH&S Induction Course has been made available for all first year engineers for 2005. Also, a 1 day lab safety course aimed at post graduates will be made available to third and fourth year undergraduates.

Lindsay O'Keefe reported that the issue of student insurance had been taken as far as possible by himself and now needed the assistance of post graduate representatives on the Academic Board and the University Council. The possibility of running First Aid and Green Certificate courses as general education will be taken up with the Level 2 committee.

In matters of OH&S communication, it was found that OSRN members had had little or no contact from the students in 2004, despite the universally distributed email directing students to the OH&S website for help. A revised version of this email will be distributed by week 4. Lindsay O'Keefe also pledged to design a brochure for student distribution. The 2005 OH&S Training Calender will also be distributed by the OSRN members who are keen to be more proactive.

Meeting #6 August 2004

Topics discussed included:

Lindsay O'Keeffe was pleased to advise that improvements have been made to the OHS systems in several schools within the Faculty of Engineering as a direct result of input by OHS Student Representatives at OSRN meetings. To begin the August meeting, three new members were welcomed from the School of Mining Engineering; Boyd, Karen and Matt. During the meeting, Andrew Pratley was appointed to the Faculty Level 2 OHS Committee as the OSRN representative.

Corresponding with the new safety website www.eng.unsw.edu.au/safety/index.html, all engineering students will be sent a student consultation safety email each session, providing general information on OHS. It also lists contact details for the relevant safety authorities in each school, including an email address for students to send queries to their school's OSRN member: student_safety_[school]@unsw.edu.au

OSRN members are given the opportunity to undertake a wide range of faculty-endorsed and often sponsored training sessions. The students can currently enroll in Macromedia and Senior First aid workshops. There is also a four-day WorkCover-related OHS Committee Training program, though a shorter alternative is being sought due to the difficulty of setting aside four days. Early next year the OSRN members will be able to participate in the short courses 'Risk Management and Assessment', and 'OHS Awareness'. OSRN staff members Meredith Lowe and Lindsay O'Keeffe have encouraged members to research other courses on campus and are themselves investigating the possibility of including safety courses in the general education system.

Complaints arose at the meeting regarding the inadequate insurance cover afforded to post graduate students. Currently, the policy is to provide compensation for accident-related injuries, whilst fatigue-related and over-time injuries are not covered. The current UNSW policy is to refer postgraduates with such injuries to Medicare or private health care funds, whilst UNSW staff receive worker's compensation. Lindsay and Meredith are actively reviewing this situation.

Members Nanda Altavilla and Tim Walsh are presently preparing a report on the provision of ergonomic furniture for postgraduates.

OSRN members were encouraged to continue to report any OHS issues at OSRN meetings or directly to Lindsay O'Keeffe (Faculty OHS Coordinator).

Meeting #5 May 2004

Topics discussed included:

• Insurance cover of postgraduate students
• Appointment of Faculty OHS Student representatives
• Email to all Engineering Students
• OHS standards perceptions

Meeting #4 February 2004

Topics discussed included:

• Risk assessments
• Frequency of School OHS meetings
• Fire doors
• MSDS availability

Meeting #3 November 2003

Topics discussed included:

• Postgraduate student insurance
• First Year student OHS Induction Course
• OHS Reference Kit
• OSRN Training Program

Meeting #2 October 2003

Topics discussed included:

• OHS student representatives role description
• Information email re student consultation structure
• Student_safety email addresses
• Safety suggestion box in each School

Meeting #1 August 2003

Topics discussed included:

• Welcome to the initial OSRN meeting
• Luncheon to meet the Dean
• Certificate of Appreciation
• Meeting Structure
• Role of student representatives
• OHS Consultative Training
• Professional Development Courses
• Communication of OHS issues to students
• WebCT
• UniGym safety
• Taxation of scholarships