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OHS Unit

Purchasing Materials and Substances

OHS Purchasing

To ensure that the university is not 'buying in' new hazards which may pose risk to staff, students and visitors, there maybe special OHS considerations to take into account when buying new equipment or substances.

The OHS Purchasing Guidelines [pdf-133kb] includes:

• using a risk assessment approach
• purchasing procedures
• examples of OHS specifications and control measures

Australian Standards Online

Some of the commonly used Australian Standards are listed below, however if you do not find the Standard you are looking for Australian Standards online has a comprehensive database of all the current Australian Standards. 

Examples of OHS Specifications

OHS specifications have been categorised into the following three areas;

• Personal Protective Equipment
• Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods
• Plant and Equipment

Note: The following list is compiled to provide examples of specifications to be considered when purchase goods and materials. This is not a comprehensive list, therefore efforts should be made to determine those specifications required for the items being purchased and forwarded to the supplier prior to purchase.

 Personal Protective Equipment

• Eye Protection
  AS1337 - Eye protectors for industrial applications
  AS1067 - Sunglasses and fashion spectacles
  AS1609 - Eye protectors for motor cyclists and racing car drivers
  AS4066 - Eye protectors for racquet sports

• Footwear
  AS2210 - Occupational protective footwear – Specification, use and maintenance
  
  
• Gloves
  AS2161 - Occupational protective gloves - Selection, use and maintenance
  AS2225 - Insulating gloves for electrical purposes
  AS4179 - Single-use sterile surgical rubber gloves – Specification
  AS4011 - Single-use examination gloves – Specification
  AS2161 - Occupational protective gloves - Protection against thermal risks (heat and fire)
  AS2161 - Occupational protective gloves - Protection against cold
  AS2161 - Occupational protective gloves - Protection against ionizing radiation and radioactive contamination
  
  
• Headwear
  AS1800 - Occupational protective helmets - Selection, care and use
  AS1698 - Protective helmets for vehicle users
  AS1801 - Occupational protective helmets
  AS2063 - Pedal cycle helmets
  AS4499 - Protective headgear for cricket – Helmets
  AS3838 - Helmets for horse riding and horse-related activities
  
  
• Hearing Protection
  AS1270 - Acoustics - Hearing protectors
  AS1269.3 Occupational noise management - Hearing protector program
  
  
• Respirators
  AS1716 - Respiratory protective devices
  AS1715 - Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective devices

 Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods

• Carcinogenic Substance
  Workcover Carcinogenic Substances Notification Form
  As per Hazardous Substances
  
  
• Miscellaneous Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods
  
  First time use: Receipt of Material Safety Data Sheet if supplier’s MSDS not on Chem Alert. The relevant MSDS should be sourced by the user and an electronic copy sent to the OHS Unit for addition to the hazardous substances register on Chem Alert;
• Hazardous substance risk assessment for the use of the substance outlining storage, training, and control measures required as directed by the MSDS.

Repeated use for same application: Storage, training, and control measures as documented by previous risk assessment.

More information:

• Working With Hazardous Substances Guidelines
• Dangerous Goods Guidelines

• Radioactive Sources
  License to use. MSDS and risk assessment as per Radiation Guidelines.
  
  
• Sharps Containers
  AS4261 - Reusable containers for the collection of sharp items used in human and animal medical applications
  AS4031 - Non-reusable containers for the collection of sharp items used in human and animal medical applications

 Plant and Equipment

• Audio/Visual Equipment
  AS60065 - Audio, visual and similar electronic apparatus – Safety requirements
  
  
• Backflow Prevention Devices
  AS2845 - Water supply - Backflow prevention devices - Materials, design and performance requirements
  
  
• Biosafety Cabinets
  AS2647 - Biological Safety Cabinets - Installation and use
  AS2252 - Biological safety cabinets - Biological safety cabinets (Class I) for personnel and environment protection
  AS2252 - Biological safety cabinets - Laminar flow biological safety cabinets (Class II) for personnel, environment and product protection
  
  
• Chainsaws, Brush Cutters and Grass Trimmers
  AS3575 - Chainsaws, brush cutters and grass trimmers – Safety requirements
  
  
• Electrical Protection Devices
  AS3190 - Approval and test specification - Residual current devices (current-operated earth-leakage devices)
  
  
• Fall Protection
  AS1891 - Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Safety belts and harnesses
  AS1891 - Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Selection, use and maintenance
  AS4488 - Industrial rope access systems – Selection, use and maintenance
  
  
• Fire Equipment
  AS1841 - Portable fire extinguishers - Specific requirements for carbon dioxide type extinguishers
  AS1221 - Fire hose reels
  AS12239 - Fire detection and alarm systems - Smoke alarms
  AS1603 - Automatic fire detection and alarm systems - Heat detectors
  AS1670 - Fire detection, warning, control and intercom systems - System design, installation and commissioning
  AS1851 - Maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment
  AS2118 - Automatic fire sprinkler systems - General systems
  AS2941 - Fixed fire protection installations - Pumpset systems
  AS2419 - Fire hydrant installations - System design, installation and commissioning
  AS2293 - Emergency escape lighting and exit signs for buildings - System design, installation and operation
  AS3504 - Fire blankets
  AS2444 - Portable fire extinguishers and fire blankets - Selection and location
  
  
• Fixed Platforms, Walkways, Stairways and Ladders
  AS1657 - Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders – Design, construction and installation
  
  
• Fume Cupboards
  AS2243 - Safety in Laboratories – Fume cupboards
  
  
• Hand Held Tools
  AS60745 - Hand-held motor-operated electric tools - Safety - General requirements
  
  
• Ladders
  AS1892 - Portable ladders – Selection, safe use and care
  
  
• Lasers
  AS2211 - Laser safety
  
  
• Lifts
  AS1735 - Lifts, escalators and moving walks - General requirements
  
  
• Machinery
  AS4024 - safeguarding of machinery – general principals
  
  
• Medical Equipment
  AS3200 - Medical electrical equipment – General requirements for safety – Parent Standard
  AS3551 - Technical Management Programs for Medical Devices
• 
  
• Office Furniture and Workstations
  AS3813 - Plastic monobloc chairs
  AS4438 - height adjustable swivel chairs
  AS4688.1- Furniture – Fixed height swivel chairs – Ergonomic and general requirements
  AS3590 - Screen based workstations
  AS4442 - Office desks
  AS4443 - Office panel systems – Workstations
  
  
• Pressure Gauges and Regulators
  AS4267 - Pressure regulators for use with industrial compressed gas cylinders
  AS4706 - Pressure gauges for regulators used with compressed gas cylinders
  
  
• Pressure Vessels
  AS1210 - Pressure vessels
  AS2030 - The verification, filling, inspection, testing and maintenance of cylinders for storage and transport of compressed gases - Cylinders for compressed gases other than acetylene
• 
  
• Radioactive Apparatus
  Radiation Control Regulation 2003; License to use
  Code of practice for protection against ionizing radiation emitted from X-ray analysis equipment
  AS2243 - Safety in laboratories - Ionizing radiations
  
  
• Slings
  AS1353 - Flat synthetic-webbing slings - Product specification
  AS1380 - Fibre-rope slings - Product specification

 Need more information? Please call the OH&S Unit on extension 3931.