Commitment to Occupational Health and Safety

1. The University is committed to providing a workplace that:

• Is safe and healthy for staff, students, contractors and visitors;
• Is without risk to the environment; and
• Complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991, and other relevant legislation and regulations,  national standards and codes of practice.

Commitment to Continual Improvement

2. The University is committed to ensuring continued improvement of its occupational health and safety, aimed at eliminating work-related injury and illness. Using the Health and Safety Management Arrangements,the University will achieve this through the following strategies:

• All potentially hazardous research, teaching or operational work shall only be undertaken after a risk assessment of the work is completed and the College Dean, Director of a Research School, University Centre, or Administrative Unit is satisfied that the hazards associated with the work are controlled as far as is reasonably practicable.;
• Providing an adequate, responsible financial budget;
• Providing sound workplace planning, design and operation;
• Providing administrative resources for advice and support;
• Implementing effective staff consultation arrangements at the workplace including the establishment of Designated Work Groups, and Local OHS Committees;
• Clear statement and delegation of OHS responsibilities to all levels of staff;
• Providing information, instruction, training and supervision for staff, students and visitors, as applicable;
• Providing policies and OHS hazard management procedures;
• Providing an incident and hazard notification system, including follow-ups to reduce any unacceptable risk revealed by the incident;
• Providing rehabilitationand counselling where necessary;
• Providingan audit system including appropriate management action in cases of non-compliance;
• Providing and regular monitoring of OHS performance indicators contained in the University's OHS Strategic Plan, and regular reviews of policy;
• Providing positive and consistent example sat all levels of administration and supervision;
• Adhering to statutory legislation, regulations, national standards, codes of practice, and University policies and procedures

Responsibilities

3.  Each College Dean, Director or Head of a Faculty, School, Centre, or Administrative Unitis responsible for implementing research, teaching and operational work in their Budget Unit in a workplace that:

• Is safe and healthy for staff, students, contractors and visitors;
• Is without risk to the environment; and
• Complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991, and other relevant legislation and regulations, national standards and codes of practice.

4. All Supervisors are responsible for:

• Ensuring their workplace is safe and healthy for all staff, students, contractors and visitors;
• Providing documented safe work procedures and ensuring the staff, students and contractors they supervise understand and observe them; and
• Reporting any incidents, exposures, hazards or OHS concerns within their jurisdiction.

5.  Staff, students, contractors and visitorsare responsible for ensuring that their actions or omissions do not create or increase a risk to the health and safety of themselves or others. They must:

• Observe safe work procedures at all times;
• Use equipment in accordance with safe work instructions; and
• Report any incidents, exposures, hazards or OHS concerns within the workplace.

Further Information

6.  Further information regarding the University's OHS management system and its operation can be found in the University's Health and Safety Management Arrangements.