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Geoscience Work environment newsletter

No. 3/2022 - July 2022

Newsletter
in Danish

	Newsletter about Work environment


	These newsletters are sent to staff and students regarding work environment, safety and health issues. The newsletter is published approximately 4 times a year, usually after LAMU meetings. Information from LAMU and the department rules and regulations can always be found at the website for Work environment. (Requires AU-network, use the VPN client from external locations). Agendas and minutes from LAMU meetings are located on the O-drive: O:\Nat-Tech_Geo-Faelles\Udvalg GEO\LAMU

	Brief news from LAMU


	Name, date and contact information on things you use: Storage areas: Remember to write name, date and contact information when setting things aside, e.g. pallets, samples or trolleys. In particular, our basement storage areas are filled with things we do not know who is working on. In addition, empty drawers, pallets, etc. are often placed inconveniently and block access to cold rooms, shelves, emergency equipment etc. Laboratories: If you leave samples in fume hoods, in heating cabinets or just store them on a work bench for the next day, you should always place a note with relevant information (even if only you work in the area). We constantly experience errors with power, water supply and ventilation and if they occur when you are not there, we need to know if hazardous chemicals are involved and whom to contact to save the sample material. Energy reduction: Remember to turn off the lights when leaving a room. Most rooms in our buildings have lights that are operated manually.

	Exterior doors


	If you leave campus when the doors are locked, use the white pushbuttons marked "Ud" (Out). The green twisters are for emergencies only. If doors, pushbuttons, alarms or anything else does not work, please contact NT-Byg Øst as soon as possible.

	Smoking policy


	Aarhus University has a new smoking policy that applies to staff, students and visitors. The smoking policy became effective on 1 January 2022 and is being implemented.

	Workshop about workplace culture


	*Thank you to all participants for ensuring an active and engaging day on June 8.* The workgroup (Per, Thomas U, Thomas L, Ole, Trine, Jan & Charlotte) will continue the work after the summer break using the provided input. We hope to be able to organize a similar event annually with a relevant subject. The same workgroup will handle the results from the psychological workplace assessment 2022 - keep in mind that this part was anonymous. Please contact us if you have any ideas: We always like to receive suggestions and comments to improve our workplace.

Excerpt of staff introduction (by Trine)

During the last couple of years we have all been affected by a pandemic, we have moved in together, some people have left, new have been added – and in the committees for the local liaison and work environment (LSU and LAMU) we believe that these changes call for taking the temperature of the workplace culture at our department: How do we want to communicate and work together? Colleagues, co-workers, teammates, helpers, companions, partners, friends or workmates – all different words to describe a colleague. Not all of us have to be best friends, or know eachothers kids, pets and favourite drink. However, we are all dependent on eachother, in one way or another, to fulfil the mission of the department. We are spending a lot of time together - so we might as well get the best out of it. A great workplace culture can make us feel safe and respected among our colleagues. It would also enable us to talk to someone before a disagreement turns into a conflict and thereby prevent sleepless nights, headaches, sick leave and ultimately a long recovering period. Stress affects the individual, but must be solved together. We are all responsible for creating an environment where you are able to say stop before you are worn down. We won’t change everything in a day, but together we can take steps towards creating an even better workplace.

	Courses in safety and work environment


	The Department of Geoscience has the following work environment-related courses planned in 2022: First aid and defibrillator will take place Wednesday 21 September 8.15-12.15. This course is held in Danish by Østjyllands Brandvæsen in room 1671-241. The course is for staff and students. We still have available slots: Contact Charlotte, if you would like to participate. We expect to have a course for Ergonomy ambassadeurs aimed at members of the work environment organization and the secretariat in October 2022. This will enable us to better guide you as well as buy useful tools. This course is held by Crecea, locally at Geoscience. The date is not set yet, likely it will be either October 11 or 27. More information and sign-up to come. We currently explore the options of having a course in first aid focussing on field work.

	Office rounds, fall 2022


	Members of the work environment and IT committees will again visit all offices in September-October. Our focus will be ergonomy and IT security, simultanously: Ergonomy (links to designing an office space and appropriate workout) Remember to fasten cables using binders to ensure that the cleaning staff can access effortlessly Information security at AU Protection of personal data (GDPR) Phishing Since some staff members are moving offices, we will have a mini-workplace assessment when the process is completed (likely early 2023?). If there are matters that can/must be resolved right away, you are (as always) welcome to contact the secretariat or the work environment group for research/offices (Thomas Ulrich and Thomas Lund Hansen).

	Links


	Geoscience work environment portal (including newsletters) Geoscience work environment organisation (contact information) Work environment at Geoscience (flyer for new staff) Emergencies and evacuation at Aarhus University AU HR work environment YouTube (department safety instruction videos)

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