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Policy Number: 2.10.3
Contact Officer: Associate Director, Occupational Health and Safety
Date Approved by Senate: 17/9/2009
Date last Amended: 5/4/2009
Date for Next Review: 17/9/2012
Related Policies: 2.10.1 and 2.10.4
1. Overview
2. Description
Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)
2.1 The University is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for staff, students, contractors, visitors and neighbours in accordance with the requirements of the Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Act (1995) (“the Act”).
- 2.2 The University aims to ensure that OH&S is integrated into all its management systems and operations so that prevention of occupational injury, illness and incidents becomes an integral part of our organisational zero harm culture.
2.3 The University of Queensland Senate and its senior management are committed to ensuring a safe, supportive, protective and healthy work environment.
2.It is the responsibility of managers and supervisors to provide a safe and healthy work environment and are accountable for health and safety performance and ensuring the safety management system is working effectively within their work areas.
2.5 The University will strive to achieve the highest attainable level of OH&S for its employees, students and other persons throughout all areas of its activities by:
· implementing and maintaining a framework that ensures the systematic management of health and safety throughout all campuses, sites and centres controlled by the University, and that compliance with statutory requirements are met;
· clearly stating and delegating OH&S responsibilities for all persons and levels at the University;
· providing an adequate, responsible financial budget for OH&S;
· providing a risk management process which is consistent with the nature of workplace activities and scale of health and safety risks;
· establishing measurable objectives and targets aimed at controlling higher risk activities and increasing awareness of health and safety;
· providing appropriate health and safety and task related training to all persons;
· implementing a consultation process to ensure all employees and students are included in the decision making processes impacting on workplace health and safety; and
· communicating the relevant health and safety information to all employees, contractors, students and visitors.
- 2.6 The University’s Occupational Health and Safety Unit oversee the implementation of the health and safety program at the University and reports to the OH&S Council, a sub-committee of the University Senate.
3. Occupational Health and Safety Council
4. Duties and Responsibilities, Associate Director Occupational Health and Safety
4.1 The Associate Director of Occupational Health and Safety is appointed with direct line responsibility and shall, within the terms of the Senate policy on OH&S, be responsible for:
- Management of the OH&S Unit;
- Development of OH&S policies, guidelines and procedures for the University to support the effective implementation of OH&S practices;
- Oversight and audit of the performance of departments and sections with respect to OH&S legislation and national standards to ensure compliance;
- Identification, monitoring and evaluate significant OH&S problems and development of strategies to eliminate or minimise these risks;
- Planning and submission of recommendations for OH&S minor works and maintenance to enable a programmed improvement in the safety of facilities;
- Provision of expert and administrative support to the OH&S Council of Senate and workplace safety committees to ensure their maximum effectiveness;
- Implementation and maintenance of an accident and injury reporting system and a management system for workers compensation and rehabilitation as required by law;
- Implement effective OH&S training programs for managers, supervisors, new employees and those involved in particular hazard areas to ensure the adoption of safe working practices;
- Representation of the University on OH&S matters in professional forums, on government bodies and to the media in order to ensure presentation of the University's viewpoint on Occupational Health and Safety, to maintain a high level of awareness of current issues and to project a high profile of the University's Occupational Health and Safety standards;
- Ensure that the University maintains its license to self insure for Workers Compensation;
- Manage the Work Injury Management Team and ensure a ‘best practice’ approach is taken to workers compensation claims processes;
- Promotion of appropriate OH&S content in the curriculum of courses at the University of Queensland in order to meet the community and professional expectations of our graduates;
- Provision of OH&S teaching services in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education courses;
- Extensive liaison with senior officers within the University to establish acceptance of responsibility and accountability for OH&S;
- Provision of authoritative and specialist advice and guidance to senior officers within the University on all OH&S matters in order to support the development of a healthy and safe work environment for all people within the University
- Provision of advice and direction to staff to support them in the conduct of their duties ;
- Ensure the University has an operational Crisis Management Response Plan (CMRP) in place that is current including conducting regular exercises and tests of the CMRP.
- Preparation of reports for the Director of Human Resources Division, the Executive Director – Operations, the University Secretary and General Counsel, Faculty Councils, Faculty Occupational Health and Safety Committees, Occupational Health and Safety Council and Senate on a regular and ad-hoc basis in order to inform these areas of Occupational Health and Safety issues of concern, compliance with legislation and submission of cases for the introduction of new procedures for the protection of the University community from particular hazards.
5. Occupational Health and Safety Consultative Structures
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