Workplace health & safety

UNSW Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering adheres to and implements the aims and strategies in the UNSW Work Health and Safety Policy.

Our Health and Safety Committee enables our staff to contribute to decisions affecting their: health, safety and welfare, proposed changes to the work environment, processes, and practices.

A Workplace Health and Safety (HS) Induction is an essential part of safety at UNSW and Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering (GSBME) whether you are staff, student or visitor. There is a range of training and induction procedures depending on what you want to do.

Our laboratories reflect the cross disciplinary nature of the work of our research and requires a broad basic knowledge. You may be required to do multiple inductions depending on the lab space you need to access.

Before you begin, you will need:

1. GSBME supervisor: This person will be responsible for your health and safety while you’re here
2. z number and a z pass: This is your official UNSW identity
3. Complete the Access Request form
4. Speak to your supervisor to complete a HS006 form

If you don’t already have a UNSW ID card then talk to your GSBME supervisor. All staff and students in the School need to attend training to be aware of the risk and hazards associated with the work they are performing.  For more information, visit the Work Health and Safety website.

UNSW training must be completed by all students and staff before you can enter a specific work area, use a piece of equipment or follow an experimental protocol. Once enrolled, these courses will appear on your UNSW Moodle site.

UNSW training information can be found on the UNSW safety website.

If there any training or HSE concerns, please email the HSE advisor.

Lab access

There is a risk management form (RMF)* with an attached PowerPoint presentation and quiz for: 

• Level 4 of the Samuels building (F25) RMF-0001329
• Lower ground floor of the Samuels building (F25) RMF-0001454
• Level 1 east labs of Biosciences south building (E26) RMF-0002116
• Level 2 Biosciences north building (D26)  RMF-0006353

To be granted access to these labs, you must read and sign the RMF, complete the quiz and attend a tour.  

*you will need a valid z number to access these documents in SALUS

 To be granted permission to use specific labs, all staff and students must: 

• Discuss hazard-specific training with your supervisor when you complete the HS006 Induction Form and the HS006a Health & Safety Individual Training Plan.  This must be signed by your GSBME supervisor. Screen shots of completed training must be sent to the lab manager. 
• Complete the HS114 Workstation Checklist if you are assigned a desk in GSBME 
• Attend the school tour. Contact the lab manager for details 

Additional specific training may be required depending on what you are doing. For example, if you are staff supervising any students you will need to do HS for Supervisors. 

To get swipe access, you must complete all the required Health and Safety (HS) documents and send a screenshot of completed training to lthe HSE Advisor. Your training history summary can be found in MyUNSW under the learning and development tab.