Angela Binns Barbara Kupke Safety & Facilities Unit Faculty Medicine Nursing & Health Sciences Are Research Higher Degree Candidates Work Health and Safety savvy and appropriately prepared?

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Background - Faculty Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Strong research profile Industry, hospital and health service linkages Rural and remote research, including indigenous health Sites in SA, NT, Victoria 200 Research Higher Degree (RHD) candidates

Faculty Background Diverse range of hazards

Mandatory WHS requirements Legislation University policy Supervisor responsibilities – WHS Induction – Training – Hazard management – Documentation

An on-line survey!

On-line Survey AIM: – to assess the level of WHS knowledge and compliance amongst Honours and Post- Graduate students of the Faculty

On-line Survey WHS induction status Developed questions to: – Determine knowledge of emergency procedures – Clarify WHS compliance status – Discover WHS perceptions – Ascertain WHS culture in areas – Invite WHS queries

On-line Survey Is ethics approval needed? Obtained list of all Honours and Post- Graduate students Consulted with IT experts to design survey Distributed survey Analyzed responses

Results of Survey 133 respondents

Results of Survey Received inductions Amount of WHS information and training received About right Not enough Too much

Results of Survey How would you rate the WHS culture in your area? (%) Received Induction Did not receive Induction

Results of Survey Emergency procedure awareness

Results of Survey Emergency procedure awareness

Questions raised Why………….. was there variation between schools? did some students say they didn’t get enough WHS information or training? was the WHS culture rated so highly in School B? weren’t emergency procedures always known? didn’t everyone receive a WHS induction?

It appears INDUCTIONS are the key!!!

We need a strategy to ensure mandatory WHS inductions are completed for all RHD candidates

What happened next? Raised awareness at Faculty level Consulted across schools and Faculty Aimed to increase ownership of WHS responsibilities by – Supervisors – RHD candidates Strategy drafted, approved and implemented

Strategy Framework Inform new candidates Require proof documentation Enforce mandatory WHS induction requirement in Annual Review of Progress Collaborate with RHD Committee Target communication Report induction compliance to Faculty Health & Safety Committee

Impact of Strategy People are asking more questions Increased communication with WHS coordinators Supervisors are taking WHS on board more Greater awareness of WHS in varied environments Improved WHS training opportunities But have we increased the % of RHD candidates receiving WHS inductions?

Conclusion Are Research Higher Degree candidates Work Health and Safety savvy and appropriately prepared? Has there been an effect of this induction strategy? Follow up survey 2016