Health & Safety Resources
Queensland Museum’s Health & Safety Resources website provides practical, high-quality, and engaging resources to provide benefits to both museum industry and the community.
Overview
In early 2019, two Queensland Museum workers contracted Q Fever. Queensland Museum entered into an Enforceable Undertaking with the Office of Industrial Relations and agreed to resolve the risks within Queensland Museum and in addition to this, provide benefits to workers, industry and the community. Queensland Museum has improved how we manage WHS and intend to share what we have learned with the Museum and Taxidermy Industry and the Queensland community with the Toolkits and educational resources provided.
These Toolkits and educational resources have been developed in consultation with industry stakeholders, Work Health and Safety (WHS) specialists and representatives from the Queensland Museum to provide a source of information for Taxidermists and Museums that prepare vertebrate specimens for collection. These packages contain a series of information sheets, methods and resources that can be used to safely prepare biological specimens. These resources aim to:
- demonstrate Queensland Museum’s commitment to systematic management of WHS and Risk,
- raise awareness of zoonotic diseases and health component of WHS,
- provide information and advice about how to manage WHS and Risk,
- provide tools that support WHS processes to deliver improved outcomes.
Resources
Museum Biological Specimen Preparation (BSP) Toolkit
In the Enforceable Undertaking (EU), Queensland Museum committed to engaging with stakeholders to develop a Museum BSP Toolkit. This will continue to be done by engaging with museum staff, industry, government agencies, potential beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders.
Small Museums WHS & Risk Toolkit
In the Enforceable Undertaking (EU), Queensland Museum committed to the development of a Small Museum WHS & Risk Toolkit. Queensland Museum’s Risk and Compliance Team will collaborate with the Office of Industrial Relations, Museums and Galleries Queensland and collecting institutions nationally to develop this practical Toolkit for small museums and collecting institutions.
The anticipated release date for this Toolkit is 12 December 2024.
Educational resources
In the Enforceable Undertaking (EU), Queensland Museum committed to the development of an educational resource profiling zoonotic disease found in domestic and non-domestic animals. Queensland Museum has developed an educational resource with information packs about Q fever that are available to download. Queensland Museum will promote and disseminate the educational resource to schools, community groups through Queensland Museum's Educational Loans program and teacher databases.
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