Work Health & Safety & Injury Management Responsibilities
The broad University commitment to Work Health and Safety and Injury Management (WHS&IM) is detailed in the - Work Health and Safety Policy and Return to Work Policy.
The University recognises that everyone has a role to play in providing and maintaining a healthy and safe place to work and study at the University.
- Everyone has responsibility for health and safety including:
- Taking care to protect their own health and safety
- Avoiding affecting adversely the health and safety of any other person in the workplace
- Complying with relevant University policies, procedures and programs
- Carrying out their roles and responsibilities
- Obeying any reasonable safety instruction.
In addition, the University is required to identify specific responsibilities for its activities and operations to comply with relevant Work Health and Safety (WHS) and Injury Management (IM) legislation.
Broad responsibilities are outlined in the University Work Health and Safety Responsibilities Procedure.
Responsibilities are defined for the University (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking PCBU), Officers, Portfolio Heads / Vice Presidents & Executive Deans, Managers/ Supervisors, Staff (workers), students, visitors and others.
Specific Hazard procedures also further define responsibilities to ensure that there is accountability and adequate controls in place to manage risk for those that have activities that may expose staff, students or others to those hazards.
For further information on managing risks see the Work Health and Safety Risk Management Procedures and the Policy Library for hazard specific responsibilities.
Work Health & Safety and Injury Management Unit
The Unit facilitates and coordinates WHS&IM activities across the University including;
- Establish and maintain the WHS&IM Management Systems , including planning, implementation, measurement, evaluation and review.
- Conducting investigations into workplace incidents in partnership with the relevant College/Portfolio staff.
- Providing advice, guidance and leadership that enables the Officers and staff in the Colleges/Portfolios to achieve their responsibilities for work health and safety, including managing risks.
- Provide expert work health, safety and injury management resources including policies, procedures, programs, documentation, advice and assistance.
- Facilitate communication and consultation of work health and safety matters via health and safety committees and health and safety representatives (HSR’s).
- Reporting and reviewing WHS&IM activity and providing advice to the University’s Council and Senior Management including in the Colleges/ Portfolios to ensure the WHS Management System outcomes are achieved.
- Managing the University’s recovery and return to work (Injury Management) program and the workers’ compensation functions.
Please see the Consultation and Communication page for further information on consultation roles including health and safety committees and health and safety representatives.
