1 Principles

If an individual sees any item of plant, any procedure or any incident which has caused or has the potential to cause injury to people or damage to property, and it cannot be immediately rectified, they must inform their Supervisor as soon as possible.

2 Procedures

2.1 Individual obligations

Individuals have an obligation to eliminate, guard against or protect others from any hazards as soon as they are recognised.  If the hazards cannot be rectified immediately, the person must report the hazards to their Supervisor, and to USQSafe on the Hazard Report and Investigation form or to report via the University Hazard and Incident Reporting and Tracking System (UniHIRTS) on the University’s website. 

If there is imminent danger, the person recognising the danger must:

• take steps to isolate the danger by closing doors, evacuating the area, etc;

• restrict entry;

• contact the Switchboard on ext 2222; and

• advise the Building Warden or appropriate Category 4 Delegate or above.

2.2 "Near miss" incidents

If a person is involved in a ‘near miss' incident, this should be recorded on a Hazard Report and Investigation form or to report via the University Hazard and Incident Reporting and Tracking System (UniHIRTS) on the University’s website.  A ‘near miss' is an incident that although it did not result in an injury or disease, it had the potential to do so.  Reporting of minor and near miss incidents can lead to prevention of more serious accidents.

2.3 Report form

A Hazard Report and Investigation form is also available from faculty or department administration sections, the Student Services Medical Clinic or USQSafe.

The individual recognising the hazard must complete the relevant sections of the University Hazard and Incident Reporting and Tracking System (UniHIRTS) and pass it to their Supervisor or Category 4 Delegate or above who will forward it to USQSafe.

2.4 Hazard investigation

The Supervisor must carry out an investigation and make recommendations as to corrective action to the appropriate Category 4 Delegate or above of the area where the hazard was recognised.  The relevant Delegate must ensure that action has been taken to eliminate the cause. 

The relevant Delegate must advise the person who reported the hazard of the follow-up actions taken.

2.5 USQSafe action

USQSafe will keep copies of all Hazard Reports and use a tracking system to ensure all actions are completed.  If the investigation is beyond the scope of the originator's supervisor or faculty, USQSafe will assign an investigator.

The Manager, USQSafe will review all Hazard Reports and make recommendations to the Executive Workplace Health and Safety Committee.

2.6 Executive workplace health and safety committee action

The Hazard and Incident reporting system is a "closed loop" system and as such all safety reports may only be closed by consensus of the Executive Workplace Health and Safety Committee.

3 Other Policy Information