Information for new staff

The University is dedicated to ensuring a safe working environment. Find out more about the purpose of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Service and what we set out to achieve.

Learn more: The meaning of health, safety and wellbeing.

There are different types of emergencies. Our comprehensive Emergency Information section gives advice on these different types, and what to do if you are a first responder.

• Emergency information
  • In our main section, you can learn about what to do in the event of:
    • A natural emergency (e.g. an earthquake) or a fire emergency
    • Gas leak or hazardous spill 
    • Power failure situations, trapped persons and more.
• First response
  • This includes guidance on:
    • Evacuation
    • Medical and first aid emergencies
    • First aiders and defibrillator locations
    • Warden duties (if you become a warden).
• Personal security
  • This includes advice on what to do in a suspicious or dangerous situation:
    • Threats to personal safety
    • Bomb threats and suspicious mail
    • Active armed offender.

If there is an accident and you are one of the first on the scene, follow our guidance on first response. This includes first aid and medical advice, and what to do if there are casualties.

All accidents must be reported as soon as possible.

More information: Report concerns, incidents and hazards.

Find out how to manage your work or non-work related: Injury Management

If you have a concern about something (or somewhere) being potentially hazardous, or if you have been involved or witnessed an incident or accident, then you need to fill out a report form. This is essential information for the University and helps keep everyone safe. 

Find out more: Report concerns, incidents and hazards

You can manage and control hazards in the office and the general work environment, so they don't become a problem.

Find out more:

• Office and work environment safety
  • This web page includes a computer workstation set up guide, a health and safety checklist and more.
• Moving & handling
  • This page includes a stretching poster and gives advice on how to minimise manual handling injuries caused by carrying, lifting, twisting etc.
• Eye testing
  • Protect your eyes. You may be entitled to a free eye exam and a significant contribution towards the cost of glasses frames. 

We have a range of workshops available to help staff gain greater knowledge of key health, safety and wellbeing issues.

These include topics such as first aid and risk assessments, SciTrack, family violence, and workshops focusing on electrical, fire and chemical safety.

Check out our workshops: Health, safety and wellbeing training and competency.

This is an online course on creating health and safety awareness and how to lodge health and safety injuries, incidents (no injury) and observations at the University of Auckland.

• Creating Health and Safety Awareness

This is an online course for Triage Co-ordinators on how to triage notifications, co-ordinate a local investigation, co-ordination for the recommendation of corrective actions and have a good understanding of the Health and Safety Incident Management process.

• Health and Safety Awareness for Triage Co-ordinators

If you need more information about a health and safety topic, browse through our wide-ranging and dedicated topics section. You may find exactly what you need to find there.

Explore now: Health and safety topics

You can also read our guidelines.

Document Control
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: June 2025
Next Review: June 2028
Owner: hsw@auckland.ac.nz
Approver: Associate Director, Health Safety & Wellbeing