The University of Queensland has been awarded a certificate of commendation by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.
UQ’s Institutional Biosafety Committee in the Occupational Health and Safety Unit has won the commendation for its work in maintaining biosecurity and developing a training course for UQ staff and students.
Biological Safety Advisor Jane Easson, who runs the biological area within the Occupational Health and Safety unit, along with assistants Dr Peter Leeton and Sue Marshall, said winning the commendation reflected UQ’s commitment to consistent and safe quarantine practices.
“It is an honour to receive an award from a regulatory authority for achieving a high level of compliance because it reflects good practice over a long period of time, something which is not always that easy to achieve in the ever-changing regulatory environment,” Ms Easson said.
The Biosafety Committee monitors more than 60 quarantine-approved premises across UQ, which are used to monitor biological material used by researchers.
UQ’s nomination, which was put together by Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, said the University was commended for developing a comprehensive manual and training course and supporting the work of AQIS.
“Jane and Sue have created an exceptionally high quality training package for use in conjunction with the AQIS training module to raise the level of understanding, knowledge and compliance with AQIS requirements among the university’s staff and students who work in quarantine areas,” the nomination said.
Now in its 11th year, the awards are designed to recognise and reward individuals and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to maintaining Australia's quarantine and biosecurity integrity.
Media: Jane Easson (07 3365 1857), Tegan Taylor at UQ Communications (07 3365 2659) or Maryanne Kepui (07 3246 8703) at AQIS media.
