Student Health Safety and Wellness

The Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Science (HMBS) has a dedicated team to work with you to protect your Health, Safety and Wellness (HSW) while you are studying at The University of Queensland. During your education, your safety and wellness is a priority, so please take note of the following information to ensure your medical education remains safe and incident free.

Please note, immunisations and Blue Card registration are requirements of entry to the MD Program. Please refer to the Program Rules and Compulsory Program Requirements pages for more information.

We support a positive, open and transparent HSW culture and help facilitate compliance with all relevant legislation and national standards. Below we've listed some of the key items you must consider when you're studying at UQ.

Your legal obligations to work safely

All workers (including students and visitors) have obligations to conduct work and study safely, as specified in:

Work Health and Safety Act 2011
Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011
Relevant Codes of Practice and Standards
University of Queensland Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines.

Students are required to:

Comply with all occupational health and safety instructions
Avoid, eliminate, or minimise hazards and report any HSW issues
Avoid placing at risk the health and safety of themselves or any other person
Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate to the task
- Check to make sure the PPE is donned and doffed correctly every time you use it.

Respiratory mask fit testing is conducted annually for the Medical School, at Herston, Dutton Park and St Lucia Campuses. All testing is conducted using a qualitive method as stipulated by the Respiratory Protection Standard AS1715, to ensure correct fitment and seal.

Students will be required to verify that they have been fit tested for respiratory masks before arrival at their placement.

Essential UQ HSW procedures and systems that everyone needs to know about (incident reporting, first aid, immunisations and risk assessment)

UQ Safe - Incident reporting system

All work-related injuries, illnesses, potential hazards, accidents, near misses and incidents must be reported on the UQ Safe incident reporting system and to your Clinical Unit coordinator (MD students) or your Course coordinator/supervisor (non MD students). Visit the Report an incident or hazard page, check the information and log into UQ Safe using the large blue ‘Report an Incident or hazard’ button’.
If your incident relates to a discrimination, bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct event we recommend you seek immediate advice and support from the Medical School Student Support Team or Student Services.

We recommend that you then lodge an incident report at the UQ Safe-Incident link above. If you wish for the report to be unseen by your supervisor, you can indicate on the form that confidentiality is required and the report will be seen only by the Director, Central HSW Division who will determine the most appropriate contact to progress the report with all due respect for privacy and confidentiality.

First Aid

If you or someone else is injured or ill, you must:

Notify your Supervisor/Tutor immediately
Seek medical aid from the nearest first aider identified on the local Emergency Procedures Card
UQ Security can also be contacted on 3365 3333 in a medical emergency (the SafeZone app (below) will be useful here)

Contaminated sharps injuries

The Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences has a post-contaminated sharps injury procedure which must be followed in the event of staff, visitors or students sustaining a contaminated sharps injury. Post exposure care from the treating doctor or nurse will include a risk assessment to determine the appropriate testing schedule.

Immunisations

Entry into the MD Program is contingent on verification of compliance with the immunisation schedule. You may require additional immunisations if you are travelling overseas for placements or other specific tasks. Please refer to the Travel section below for more information.

More information on immunisation requirements:

Australian National Guidelines on Blood Borne Viruses
Vaccination and immunisations Guidelines for immunisations requirements related to particular roles or activities.

Risk Assessment and Management

Hazard identification and risk assessment and management are core components of any safety management system.

Risk assessments document any hazards you may be exposed to when performing a task and will specify the ways in which risks of injury and illness can be minimised and managed.
Risk assessments (RA’s) have been completed for your clinical skills workshops. You must read and understand the RA’s prior to your class.
Ensure you read the risk assessments carefully and adhere to the risk control measures, including PPE.
Make sure the risk control measures are effective and practical. Notify your supervisor or tutor if you would like to suggest safety enhancements to the assessments or procedures at any time.
UQ has a central online risk assessment database.

Provision of Health, Safety and Wellness information during the program

From commencement of the program, you’ll be given Health, Safety and Wellness information at various stages of the course and you are expected to understand and comply with the requirements stipulated in the training and information sessions.

Orientation Week WHS presentation

Provides a general overview of the important safety systems and practices we have in place at the University and the Medical School Clinical Units. This is a brief introduction only and you must ensure that all relevant local HSW procedures are followed regardless of your location.

Local site building inductions

Upon arrival at clinical unit sites, you will be given brief site specific building inductions. On completion of the local building induction you will be able to locate the following:

Emergency equipment
Emergency evacuation diagrams
Designated emergency assembly areas
Emergency procedure cards containing local information e.g. First Aiders and Fire Wardens

Task-specific training

As you progress through your degree, you'll be given opportunities to study in a wide range of environments. It's important that you complete all appropriate task specific training for the work you'll do.

For example, students intending to attend classes in the Gross Anatomy Facility (GAF) must complete the online training for the "SBMS Code of Conduct for use of Donated Human Tissues" and the "GAF Student Pre-Entry Induction" at the UQ Blackboard training website (Biomedical Sciences Student Training) 72 hours prior to attending their first GAF session and at least once in each calendar year.

It's also essential that you read and adhere to associated risk assessments and safe operating procedures carefully and wear the appropriate Personal Protective equipment for the work you need to do.

More information about risk management, vaccinations, post-needlestick injury procedures and incident reporting is available in the ‘Essential UQ OHS procedures and systems that everyone needs to know about’ section above.

Your safety while travelling

Driving to placements is a requirement for many students within the Medical School. Distances travelled can often be significant. The HMBS Fatigue Management and Road Safety Guideline is intended to raise awareness of the issues and highlight strategies which could help reduce the risk of a serious accident while travelling. General fatigue management information and guidance is available via Safe Work Australia.

We strongly encourage all travellers to review the UQ policy on off campus work and complete the appropriate work off campus and fieldwork approvals if relevant to the program.

If you are planning to undertake an elective or placement overseas, you must contact the Medical School Placements team. They will provide assistance for access to the following resources and the formal approval and placement arrangement processes. There is a considerable body of detailed information, including information about working off campus requirements on the UQ Travel website.

Consult a travel medical expert

This is particularly important if travelling to a developing country with immunisation requirements. Visit the UQ Health Service or your preferred private practice.

Be aware that immunisation protection may require your first injection up to 2 months prior to leaving Australia.

Visit the Australian Government's Smart Traveller website

The Smart Traveller website will ensure you understand the risks associated with travel in the country of your choice. Some parts of Central Africa, Papua New Guinea, and the Middle East are currently dangerous for travel and for work. Our students have been victims of assaults and murders in countries around the world. Road trauma and interpersonal violence also pose significant risks to travellers. The need for prudent behaviour, personal safety and security is crucially important.

Register your next of kin

Please ensure you have registered your current address, and at least one telephone contact number, on mySI-net. This is also essential for any next of kin contacts which the Medical School may require in an emergency situation whilst you are undertaking your elective program.

Embassy contacts

Please research and print the details of the nearest Australian Consulate/Embassy before you leave.

Travel insurance

Once approval is given for you to undertake an elective outside Queensland, UQ will cover you with conditional personal and professional indemnity insurance

The University will not be responsible for your personal private health insurance or failed travel arrangements of any type. The Medical School recommends you seek coverage for your personal or private health insurance and for travel insurance for travel outside of the elective dates.

The University of Queensland carries a Travel Insurance policy which covers students of the University who are on approved placements. This covers any approved trip exceeding 50 kms from the traveler's normal place of residence. Coverage shall apply only while the student is engaged in a trip taken for academic purposes (subject to terms, conditions, exclusions, and limitations as specified in the policy).

Important contacts while travelling

Local emergency numbers

Make note of the local emergency number of the country in which you will be undertaking your elective.

112 is the international emergency number and will work from most mobile phones in more than 90 countries.

ISOS Travel provides global emergency assistance and contact details must be carried with you when travelling. In an emergency, advise ISOS that you are covered under The University of Queensland Student Travel Insurance Policy.

University of Queensland Security Emergency

Phone: +61 7 3365 3333

Non-Emergency: 3365 1234

Australian Embassy

Please research and print the details of the nearest Australian Consulate/Embassy before you leave.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

Australia (local call cost): 1300 555 135

Overseas: +61 2 6261 3305

Lifeline 24 Hour Counselling

Phone: 13 11 14

Some useful apps and websites

UQ SafeZone

UQ SafeZone is a free smartphone app that connects staff and students with Security and emergency services during a first-aid or emergency situation on UQ campuses and sites.

UQnav

UQnav is a free mobile application that contains searchable Maps of UQ’s campuses. Students can use UQnav to help find lecture theatres, laboratories, school and faculty offices.

UQ Safety Bus

The UQ Safety Bus is a bus that operates on the St Lucia campus for limited periods after hours. It is recommended as a safe and secure way to move around the campus outside normal hours. More details, including the timetable, are listed on the After-hours safety bus page.