These newsletters are sent to staff and students regarding work environment, safety and health issues. The newsletter is published approximately 4 times a year, 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

Please remember to turn off the light, when you leave a room. We currently have many locations where the light is left on after use.

The annual evacuation drill was held in September:

• Everyone exited the buildings within 6.5 minutes, which is satisfying.
• Approximately 50% of the yellow and orange vests were in use, here we can improve: Please stay informed about AU's evacuation procedure, everyone must be ready to take responsibility as evacuation manager (yellow vest) or assembly site manager (orange vest).
• There were problems with the alarm system that affected the sound level in different locations inside the buildings. We therefore expect to hold a sound test soon.

We have submitted the "Annual work environment discussion" to the faculty, which describes how we have handled the work environment in 2021 and how we will collaborate on this subject in 2022.

On 26 January 2022, a workshop will be held for VIP, TAP, paid PhD students and postdocs at Hotel Comwell (Værkmestergade 2, Aarhus C) at 9.00-15.30. The workshop will take place in English and participation is mandatory for those who have received an invitation by email.

The topic is "Workplace culture at the Department of Geocsience" and the workshop is facilitated by two consultants, Camilla and Eva.

The deadline for registration in Conference Manager is no later than 10 December 2020. In relation to group formation, we ask (in connection with the online registration) some clarifying questions which is related to your employment.

A working group has been set up which, among other things, will contribute to the cases we will work with. The working group consists of people from LSU and LAMU, who broadly represent management and staff:

• Trine Ravn-Jonsen (LSU)
• Ole Rønø Clausen (LSU)
• Thomas Lund Hansen (LSU)
• Charlotte Rasmussen (LAMU)
• Thomas Ulrich (LAMU)
• Per Trinhammer (LAMU)
• Jan Piotrowski (head of department)

The working group will hold a meeting in December and again in early January. If you have suggestions or comments related to the workshop, please feel free to contact one of the people on the list before December 15, 2021 with your input.

We also refer to the university's website on Workplace culture at AU.

When to go into self-isolation and when to go to work, if you have been in close contact with an infected person?

Aarhus University follows the Danish Health Authority's recommendations.

In short:

If you have been vaccinated, or have been infected with Corona within 12 months:

• Have you been in close contact with an infected person: You should not self-isolate yourself but should test on the 4th and 6th day after the contact (preferably PCR test).
• If your test is positive for COVID-19 immediately self-isolate and notify all those you have been in close contact with.
• Remember to inform your immediate manager and the secretariate.

If you have not been vaccinated and have not been infected with Corona in the last 12 months:

• Have you been in close contact with an infected person: You must self-isolate and test on the 4th and 6th day after the contact (preferably PCR test).
• You must notify all those you have been in close contact with.
• Remember to inform your immediate manager and the secretariate.
• If your 6th day test is negative for COVID-19, discontinue your self-isolation and return to work.

What if there is infection in your children's school, kindergarten, nursery, etc.?

• Get tested and follow the rules above.
• If you are worried about infecting your colleagues until test results are available you can make an agreement to work from home with your immediate manager.

At the Department of Geoscience, a guide has been prepared (in English) for what you as a teacher need to know and do when conducting laboratory courses:

• Planning the laboratory work
• Your role regarding supervision and emergencies
• What to tell the participants in the course
• Waste handling, clean-up, etc.

The guide can be downloaded from the department's website.

If you (as responsible for a lab course) involve teaching assistants or external teachers, they must have access to this material too.

Contact Charlotte to coordinate lab use or if you have any questions.

The Department of Geoscience is part of the section NAT BYG ØST (Danish only), where Christian Sejerø is inspector of operations.

NAT BYG ØST is usually open to contact weekdays at 8-14.

For a while after Willy Christensen has left, we do not have a permanent person from building operations designated for Geoscience.

Always use the general e-mail address for all inquiries:

NT-BygOest.Bygningsservice@au.dk

It is important to be precise in your communication, ie. be specific in describing the extent of the problem:

• Which location (building and room number)
• How many (who) is affected
• Describe the problem
• Additional information, if necessary (your phone number, another contact name, etc.)

This helps to ensure that the tasks can be prioritized and fixed as soon as possible, by the right person.

The Department of Geoscience plans the following courses for staff in 2022:

• A course in "Elemental fire fighting" has been booked at Østjyllands Brandvæsen. The course will be held locally at the department on 1 June 2022 at 12-15. There is room for 16 participants. Online registration is expected to be released in the spring.
• A course in "First Aid" (focusing on the use of defibrillators). The course has not yet been ordered but is expected to be held locally at the department during the second half of 2022.

Both courses are held in Danish.

Any available seats are offered to students.

We currently have a person at the Department of Geoscience who has very severe allergies.

We can all show consideration in everyday life:

• Do not leave doors and windows open, which draw pollen into the buildings
• Avoid using candles, perfumes or other "fragrance diffusers" that can spread to common areas
• Please do not use spruce for Christmas decorations

The mandatory workplace assessment (in Danish: APV) for the period 2022-2024 at Aarhus University is underway and is expected to be released in February 2022.

A workplace assessment is a process in which employees' conditions are systematically assessed via a questionnaire on a large number of points within the physical and mental work environment, including job satisfaction, health and safety risks.

Once any problems have been identified, action plans are made on which measures must or can be taken, and these are prioritized. This happens at department level.

Remember that the psychological part of the workplace assessment is anonymous: It is therefore important to reply in a way that our work environment organisation and department management have the opportunity to respond appropriately. We often find it difficult to intervene or take action if the problem is not adequately described.

Information will be sent out (from the department and the university) when the material is ready.

There are legal requirements on how to work with chemicals, here are 6 mandatory duties listed:

1. You must have safety data sheets on all your hazardous labelled products
2. The safety data sheets must be updated to the latest version
3. You must perform a chemical risk assessment
4. All staff must have access to the information and users must be instructed in safe handling
5. You must keep the information for 10 years after use
6. You must evaluate, if specifically dangerous materials can be substituted

Note to no. 4: You can find an updated list of chemicals at the department under “Chemicals” on our website. 

Note to no. 6: All attempts on substitution must be documented and a copy sent to Charlotte.

If you need help with any of this, let Charlotte or our technical staff assist you.

Geoscience work environment portal (including newsletters)

Geoscience work enrvironment 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)