Estates & Infrastructure - Occupational Health and Safety

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OHS

Tonga Campus

OHS Consultation

NUKUALOFA CAMPUS

The Nukualofa Main Campus currently occupies a property located adjacent to the Taufa'ahau road approximately 10km from central Nukualofa on the island of Tongatapu.

The USP Institute of Education is based in this campus

There are USP centers on Ha'apai and Va'vau

The Workplace OHS Representative and Committee

The USP OHS Policy states that the university as the employer will consult with staff and student representatives on the development and promotion of an effective health and safety program for their workplaces.

The Nukualofa campus will be electing its first campus OHS committee soon.

The supervisors of the workplaces within the campus are responsible for maintaining and ensuring their areas of responsibility and staff operate safely and without risk to health of students and other workers.

Tonga does not have a national legislation on occupational health and safety.

So in this regard the USP campuses in Tonga regarding OHS matters will adhere to the USP OHS policy , procedures and guidelines

USP OHS Committee Guidelines

Resolving Health and Safety Issues in the Workplace

In the first instance all health and safety issues within USP campuses and centers in Tonga must be addressed by the worker and the supervisor responsible for the workplace

USP Staff or students within a workplace under the guidance of the USP OHS Consultation Procedure may immediately raise issues of health and safety concern to the most senior staff in charge of the workplace.

USP Workplace Health and Safety Issue Resolution Flow Chart

The USP hazard incident report form is to be used by the worker to officially document this and forward this report to his /her supervisor.

It is the responsibility of the supervisor / manager of that workplace to ensure that these workplace hazards or issues are rectified as soon as possible.

A copy of this report is to be sent by worker to the Tonga campus OHS committee chairperson and the campus director Dr Ana Koloto .

A copy of this report is to be sent to USP OHS Unit ohs(at)usp.ac.fj

ohs(at)usp.ac.fj

Emergency Management

Nukualofa Campus Emergency Contact Numbers & Information

The first response for dealing with any potential emergency is to CALL FOR HELP .It is important for campus staff and students to know and access phone numbers to key people and responders within the campus and community who can rapidly respond to and deal with the emergency.

Nukualofa Campus Fire Emergency Response Procedure

Fire

When you see smoke or fire in your building or vicinity knowing what to do in those intial minutes may save your life and those around you.

BUILDING FIRE WARDENS

Building Fire Wardens are USP staff and designated students who have received training from their National Fire Authority to conduct basic building fire safety preparedness and response activities, including using firefighting equipment and conducting building evacuations.

There are 2 types of Building fire wardens in USP

Chief Building Fire wardens is in charge of a group of floor wardens and coordinate building fire safety activities and the evacuation of persons to the designated assembly area

They are distinguished by the white hard hats that they wear in addition to their bright yellow reflector vest. The chief building warden has a designated assistant chief building fire warden, and they report to the Campus Chief Security Officer and OHS officers in their duties.

Floor Fire wardens are responsible for basic fire safety activities and evacuation of persons in their area of responsibility within the building to designated emergency assembly areas

Their uniform is a red hard hat and bright yellow reflector vest. They report to the Chief Building fire warden and the assistant chief building warden.

USP Building Fire Warden Roles & Responsibilities

There are designated floor wardens and chief building wardens for Tonga campuses building. It is important to recognize them and assist them in their duties.

EMERGENCY ASSEMBLY AREAS

An Emergency Assembly Area is a designated safe area or location specific for a hazardous event e.g. emergency assembly area for fire and evacuation site for tsunami, flooding or cyclones.

Emergency Assembly Area for Fire for Tonga Nukualofa Campus is Yellow 1 located at ground adjacent to the main campus entrance gate .

Tonga National Emergency Management Office

The Tonga National Emergency Management office based with the Ministry of Works provides excellent reference materials for natural disasters and hazards affecting the Kingdom of Tonga

tonganemo.wordpress.com

VOLCANISM & EARTHQUAKES

The Tonga island group is located within the Pacific Ocean Ring of Fire, and as such is susceptible to volcanism and earthquakes.

The Tonga Meteorological Services has a rich source of updated information on the status of Tonga's weather conditions .

www.met.gov.to

Earthquakes may range from slight earth tremors to violent ground upheavals resulting in a lot of destruction and deaths.

In 2009 a large under sea earthquake in the Pacific ocean between Samoa and the Tongan northern group of islands Niuatoputapu generated a 17 meter high tsunami that killed 9 people and destroyed houses on the island.

It is important for all persons to be aware of what to do during and after an earthquake has occurred.

Earthquake Advisory Brochure

TSUNAMI

The Tonga National Tsunami Plan provides updated guidelines on tsunami risk and emergency procedures for residents on the islands.

Tsunami Brochure 1( Tongan )

Tsunami Brochure 2 ( Tongan )

There are many Tsunami Evacuation Maps located along main roads in Nukualofa, it is important to know the tsunami evacuation routes and evacuation sites for your locality .

TSUNAMI HAZARD ZONE

The buildings located in the front of the campus closer to Taufa'ahau road would be vulnerable as the elevation in that area is 15 meters above sea level.

These buildings include the MBA & CVCE buildings,Computer labs , Campus Guest Lodge,library and tutorial classrooms and cafeteria building.

In the event of a large earthquake or a tsunami warning , occupants of these buildings must immediately move to tsunami evacuation sites located in the inland areas of the campus

TSUNAMI EVACUATION SITES

The Tsunami Evacuation Sites within the Tonga Nukualofa Campus include the level 2 of the Nukualofa Campus Administration Building and the farthest end of the campus boundary.

This building can be used only in the case where an earthquake has not affected the building structure.

Rain Storms & Cyclone

All USP campuses in the Cyclone belt of the South Pacific Region are susceptible to cyclones during the months between November to April.

Cyclone Brochure ( Tongan )

It’s important to be well prepared for these cyclones before they happen, and take all precautions during and after cyclones have occurred.

The Tonga Meteorological services site www.met.gov.to provides up to date weather forecasting and monitoring of adverse weather conditions like cyclones rain storms and marine weather forecasts for the Tonga archipelago.

Injury Management

WORK ACCIDENT PREVENTION

It is the duty for all USP workers and students to report any hazard or unsafe work act or unsafe workplace condition to their immediate supervisor by filling and sending USP Hazard Injury Incident Form

It is the duty of supervisors within Nukualofa campus and its 2 centers to ensure that campus management eliminates the risk posed by these hazards or reduces it to negligible levels.

It is the duty of the workplace OHS representative to ensure that these processes are documented and that this process is not impeded.

Workplace Accident Video

It is the responsibility of the campus director to ensure that all health and safety issues and incidents are fully investigated and relevant actions taken to address these so as to prevent recurrence .

Management of the Injured Worker

Responsibility of the Injured Worker

Whenever an injury occurs in the workplace it is the responsibility of the worker to report it immediately to his/her immediate supervisor and seek First Aid and definitive medical attention, see FIRST AID in the Workplace.

National and Local Emergency Phone Numbers to contact local hospitals must be available to all staff and students .

Role of Supervisor

It is the responsibility of the supervisor of the injured worker to arrange and facilitate immediate first aid and transfer the injured staff or student to the Vaiola Hospital .

Serious Injuries

Serious Injuries must be notified by the supervisor of the worker to campus director and USP OHS Unit

Workers Covered under QBE Scheme

If the worker is covered under the QBE medical insurance scheme,the QBE workman compensation form must be filled and submitted to the closest QBE insurance office within 7days of the injury occurring.

Recovery & Return to Work

For Injured Worker you must read this advisory

Injury and Accident Investigation

It is essential that all serious injuries be formally investigated immediately as is possible.

The injured worker, fellow workers witnessing the injury must fill in accident statement form for worker and witnesses.

The supervisor must fill in Supervisor Statement Form

The campus director is to conduct an accident inquiry hearing where all persons will be given opportunity to account for the events and causes leading to the accident and injuries occurring.

Copy of the Minutes of inquiry and related reports must be submitted to USP OHS Unit as soon as reasonably possible .

First Aid

First Aid in the Workplace

First Aid is the provision of basic emergency resuscitation & treatment to victims of injuries and illnesses at the time and location of these events occurring until/on route to definitive secondary medical treatment being provided to these victims.

These emergency situations in the workplace may include treating cuts and bruises, sprains from falls, near drowning and someone falling unconscious or suffering an epileptic fit.

First Aid Skills and equipment is a lifesaving intervention that is vital for preserving the health and safety of workers and students in the University of the South Pacific. It is critical that any lecturer taking students on field trips to isolated locations is a trained first aider and carries a first aid kit on these field trips at all times.

ABCDE is a basic First Aid technique which everyone within the university can master.

First Aid Guidelines in the Workplace

First Aid Primary Assessment

USP Staff and students undertake First Aid training with local accredited First Aid Training provider eg. ST John ambulance and Red Cross Societies to attain First Aider certification within the university.

First Aid Training is usually done during semester breaks in April, June and September every year .If interested fill out the USP OHS Training Application form for First Aid training and submit it to USP OHS unit email ohs(at)usp.ac.fj

At the Nukualofa Campus, it is important to know who your local first aiders are and the locations of first aid stations. These first aiders and first aid kits are identified by signage’s placed close to their locations.

USP First Aider Signage example

It is the responsibility of the department where the first aid station is located to replenish the first aid kit of its contents at 3 monthly intervals .The first Aider responsible for the kit is responsible for keeping first aid register for it and informing the local workplace OHS committee and head of department.

Basic First Aid Kit Contents

First Aid Register Form to be filled by First Aider

It is important to call for help whenever an event requires first aid to be administered.

At the Nukualofa Campus this will require calling immediate workplace supervisor (staff), lecturer (student in class or field trip)

The Vaiola Hospital is located a few km away and will be the hospital to which injury and medical cases from campus will be transfered to for definitive medical care.