The Occupational Health & Safety Council was established by the University Senate in 1984 to ensure that the University's policy on occupational health and safety is implemented throughout all areas of the University's activities.

Terms of reference:

• The promotion of safe working practices and environments throughout the University.

• To recommend to Senate, guidelines for safe working practices in the University and to review OH&S policy in specific areas as required.

• To review OH&S initiatives arising from the Faculty OH&S committees and extant committees such as the Biosafety Committee, and report to Senate regarding these.

• The review of OH&S policy proposals and presentation to Senate for consideration and endorsement.

• The consideration of unresolved occupational health and safety matters referred to it by the Associate Director, Occupational Health and Safety, by the unions, by Faculty Occupational Health and Safety Committees, by individual employees and students and by the administration, and by any other individual, and to make recommendations on such matters to the Vice-Chancellor.

• To review the activities of the Executive Manager, OH&S Unit.

• To report annually to the Senate on the state of OH&S within the University.

• To encourage the formation and maintenance of OH&S Committees throughout the University. Such Committees are at faculty/school/organisational unit level, (Faculty level committees are required to meet at least once every three months.

• To establish and maintain communication and linkages with Faculty, School or Organisational Unit Occupational Health & Safety Committees.

Membership:

The revised membership for the Occupational Health and Safety Council is:

• Senator (Chairperson)

• One member of Senate (Deputy Chairperson)

• Associate Director, Occupational Health and Safety Unit (Executive Officer to Council)

• Seven Executive Deans or nominees (one from each Faculty Occupational Health & Safety committee)

• Director or nomine of the following Institutes:-

  • Australian Instituee for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology

  • Institute for Molecular Bioscience

  • Queensland Brain Institute

  • UQ Diamantina Institue for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine 

• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or nominee

• Deputy-Vice-Chancellor (International & Development) or nominee from the International & Development Occupational Health & Safety Committee

• Secretary & Registrar or nominee from the Central Administration Occupational Health & Safety Committee

• University Librarian or nominee from the Central Administration Occupational Health & Safety Committee

• Workplace health and safety representatives nominated by each Occupational Health & Safety committee:

  • one member from each Faculty Occupational Health & Safety Committee

  • one member from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Ocupational Health & Safety Committee

  • one member from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience Occupational Health & Safety Committee

  • one member from the Queensland Brain Institute Occupation Health & Safety Committee

  • one member from the UQ Diamantina Institue for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine Occupational Health & Safety Committee

  • one member from the International & Development Occupational Health & Safety Committee

  • two members from the Central Administration Occupational Health & Safety Committee

• One postgraduate student representative (nominated by the Postgraduate Students Area Committee)

• One undergraduate student representative (nominated by the University of Queensland Union)

• One member of the academic staff nominated by the Academic Staff consultative Committee

• One member of the general staff nominated by the General Staff Consultative Committee

• Specialist advisers to attend Council meetings in an advisory non-voting capacity:

  • The Director, University Health Service

  • The Occupational Health & Safety Advisers from the Occupational Health & Safety Unit

  • The Director, Property & Facilities Division, or nominee

  • The Manager, Security Section

  • Other specialist staff as required from time to time

The Occupational Health & Safety Council should meet four times per year in order to carry out its functions.