Everyone should be aware of, identify and report hazards at work.
What is a hazard?
A hazard is:
- anything with the potential to cause injury or illness to people, or
- cause damage to the environment, property, plant or equipment.
Supervisors and managers have a responsibility to manage risks arising from hazards to help prevent accidents and incidents. This must be done in consultation with staff.
Identifying hazards
Hazards that present a health and safety risk can be found through scheduled workplace inspections or noticed as part of your work or study.
Hazards can also be identified through scheduled workplace inspections. Inspection checklists are available for supervisors to help proactively identify hazards in the following work/study environments:
- Office spaces
- Laboratories, workshops and plant rooms
- General teaching spaces
- Common areas
- UTS Housing
- Home-based working
Hazard Types
- Alcohol
- Asbestos
- Chemicals (Hazardous Chemicals)
- Chemical Waste
- Clinical and biological waste
- Computer comfort
- Drones (remote piloted aircraft)
- Electrical
- Expecting and new mothers
- Genetically Modified Organisms
- Lighting and air quality
- Manual handling
- Microbiological
- Noise
- Plant and equipment
- Psychosocial hazards
- Radiation
- Sharps and needlestick
- Slips, trips and falls
- Smoking