1. Purpose
1.1 These procedures support the operationalisation of the University’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) objectives by outlining the University’s approach to HSW hazard and risk management and to assist those individuals with specific responsibilities to comply with the duties prescribed in relevant Acts or Regulations.
1.2 These procedures must be read in conjunction with the linked Health, Safety and Wellbeing - Governing Policy.
2. Scope and application
2.1 These procedures apply to all workers, students, and visitors undertaking University activities both on and off University premises.
3. Definitions
3.1 Refer to the University’s Glossary of Terms for definitions as they specifically relate to policy documents.
Officer – An officer under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) is generally someone who makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the University.
Student – A person enrolled in a formal program of learning in an educational institution. (Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) definition 2011)
Visitor – Any person who visits the University and is not classified as a Worker or Student of the University.
Worker – In accordance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), a worker includes employees, contractors, subcontractors, students gaining work experience, and volunteers in the workplace.
4. Key responsibility requirements
4.1 Health, safety and wellbeing is a shared responsibility for all members of the University community; to support this there are actions required by various roles and groups across the University.
4.2 Officers
4.2.1 Officers need to comply with Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) due diligence obligations which include:
(a) supporting effective and genuine consultative mechanisms;
(b) understanding and appreciating the nature of the operations of the University and the hazards and risks associated with those operations;
(c) allocating responsibility and authority and integrating HSW responsibilities into role requirements;
(d) ensuring that any relevant area of responsibility has:
(i) the capacity to manage health and safety risks,
(ii) sufficient resources are allocated in their area of responsibility;
(e) ensuring the implementation of effective risk management through the risk assessment process in accordance with University Risk and Compliance Management – Governing Policy;
(f) ensuring that health and safety compliance and performance is monitored; and
(g) ensuring processes are maintained to provide for the appropriate and timely consideration of, and response to, incidents and hazards in accordance with Near-Miss, Hazard and Incident Reporting - Guidelines.
4.3 Cost Centre Managers
4.3.1 Cost Centre Managers are responsible for ensuring effective health and safety measures are in place within their area that comply with legislative as well as work area requirements. These requirements include, but are not limited to:
(a) setting the standard for HSW in their area of responsibility and actively demonstrating proactive safety leadership and risk aware culture;
(b) ensuring that suitable health and safety induction, information, training and supervision is resourced, provided and recorded;
(c) allocating sufficient resources to ensure the capacity for managing health and safety within the work area, implementing and reviewing appropriate risk control measures, including assisting and ensuring that risk assessments are completed; and
(d) establishing and maintaining consultative processes regarding HSW issues between management and workers.
4.4 Supervisors and managers
4.4.1 Supervisors and managers are responsible for ensuring that effective health and safety measures are in place within their work area that comply with legislative and work area requirements. These requirements include, but are not limited to:
4.4.2 Provide health and safety induction, information, training and supervision
4.4.2.1 Disseminate HSW information to workers relevant to the specific work hazards of their work area.
4.4.2.2 Provide induction and refresher training to ensure University Workers have the ability to discharge HSW responsibilities including:
(a) identifying hazards;
(b) abiding by safe operating procedures and emergency response procedures;
(c) use and maintenance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety equipment.
4.4.2.3 Supervise the health and safety aspects of work undertaken by workers within the work area.
4.4.2.4 Facilitate consultative processes regarding health and safety issues between management and workers.
4.4.3 Undertake risk assessments
4.4.3.1 Participate in, or directly supervise, the undertaking of hazard identification, evaluation of risks, and the design and implementation of hazard control measures that are applicable to work, research projects, teaching, and field work.
4.4.3.2 Ensure risk assessments are completed and have been approved in accordance with University Risk and Compliance Management – Governing Policy and supported by Health and Safety - Risk Management (login required).
4.4.3.3 Incorporate HSW considerations into the design specification, purchase, hire, lease and supply of new plant including equipment, materials, products and substances used in the workplace.
4.4.3.4 Monitor the performance and effectiveness of the risk management program within the work area in accordance with University Risk and Compliance Management – Governing Policy and Health and Safety - Risk Management (login required).
4.4.4 Ensure application of appropriate risk control measures
4.4.4.1 For the work area, supervisors and managers ensure application of appropriate risk control measures by:
(a) supporting the implementation hazard specific HSW policy documents, develop and periodically update HSW supporting documents for the management of risks;
(b) ensuring the provision of plant, safety systems and personal protective equipment (PPE) required to control the risk of hazards; and
(c) ensuring the maintenance of plant, safety systems and PPE required to control the risk of hazards.
4.4.5 Ensure incidents, hazards and near misses are followed up
4.4.5.1 Ensure all workplace hazards are managed, reported and followed up in a timely manner in accordance with Near-Miss, Hazard and Incident Reporting - Guidelines.
4.4.5.2 Support workers’ return to work plans in accordance with Workplace Rehabilitation - Operational Policy.
4.5 Health, Safety and Wellbeing (People and Culture)
4.5.1 The Health, Safety and Wellbeing (People and Culture) department provides overall direction, co-ordination and advice to the University on HSW matters.
4.5.2 The Health, Safety and Wellbeing (People and Culture) department is responsible for:
(a) facilitating HSW communication and consultation across the University to promote the highest practicable standards;
(b) supporting a positive HSW and risk aware culture and undertaking assurance activity to assess compliance with legislation; and
(c) assisting cost centres to meet their obligations for health and safety requirements, including but not limited to:
(i) providing advice and guidance; and
(ii) developing relevant supporting documentation.
4.6 Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) or employee representative
4.6.1 The primary role of a Health and Safety Representative (HSR) or employee representative is to represent the health and safety interests for the work group they are elected to represent and to raise any issues with their management, and in accordance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld).
4.7 All University workers
4.7.1 All workers have a responsibility to actively participate in promoting a positive HSW and risk aware culture across the University. This can be achieved through engaging in consultation, providing feedback that aids in reporting about, and improving, HSW practices, and participating in and contributing to Health and Safety Committees.
4.7.2 All University workers have obligations under the legislation to:
(a) take reasonable care for their own health and safety, and ensuring that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others;
(b) comply with all reasonable safe work procedures and instructions;
(c) cooperate with all policy documents relating to health and safety;
(d) assist with the preparation of risk assessments in accordance with Risk Management – Governing Policy; and
(e) report all incident, hazards and near misses in accordance with Near-Miss, Hazard and Incident Reporting - Guidelines.
4.8 Students and visitors
4.8.1 Students and visitors have a responsibility to:
(a) follow all reasonable instructions given by the workplace in relation to health and safety;
(b) be responsible for their own health and safety; and
(c) not adversely affect the health and safety of others.
5. Hazard and risk management
5.1 The University manages HSW hazards and risks in according with the following policy documents:
(a) Catering - Operational Policy
(b) Children on Campus - Operational Policy
(c) Contractor Management - Guidelines
(d) Excavation Work - Guidelines
(e) Flexible Working Arrangements - Guidelines
(f) Health Safety and Wellbeing Auditing: Workplace Health and Safety Audit - Guidelines
(g) Hire of University Facilities - Operational Policy
(h) Incident Investigation - Guidelines
(i) Near-Miss, Hazard and Incident Reporting - Guidelines
(j) Hearing Conservation Program - Guidelines
(k) Smoking - Operational Policy
(l) Vehicle Usage - Operational Policy
(m) Work Travel Between University of the Sunshine Coast Sites - Guidelines
(n) Working with Vulnerable People (including Child Protection) - Academic Policy
(o) Working in Confined Spaces - Guidelines
(p) Work Involving a Risk of Falling - Guidelines
(q) Working from Home - Guidelines
(r) Workplace Rehabilitation - Operational Policy
6. Authorities and responsibilities
6.1 As the Approval Authority, the Vice-Chancellor and President approves these procedures to operationalise the Health, Safety and Wellbeing - Governing Policy.
6.2 As the Responsible Executive Member the Director, People and Culture can approve guidelines to further support the operationalisation of these procedures. All procedures and guidelines must be compatible with the provisions of the policy they operationalise.
6.3 As the Designated Officer the Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing can approve associated documents to support the application of these procedures.
6.4 These procedures operate from the last amended date, with all previous iterations of procedures on health, safety and wellbeing are replaced and no longer operating from this date.
6.5 All records relating to the health, safety and wellbeing must be stored and managed in accordance with the Records Management - Procedures.
6.6 These procedures must be maintained in accordance with the University Policy Documents – Procedures and reviewed on a standard 3-year policy review cycle.
6.7 Any exception to these procedures to enable a more appropriate result must be approved in accordance with the University Policy Documents – Procedures prior to any deviation from these procedures.
6.8 Refer to University Delegations – Governing Policy in relation to the approved delegations detailed within these procedures.
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