WHS system, roles and responsibilities

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.

Health and Safety Committees

Flinders University has a University Health and Safety Committee consisting of management and staff representatives and reporting to the Vice-Chancellor.

The University Health and Safety Committee is the principle forum for management to consult with staff on broad health and safety and policy issues across the University.

The Committee is responsible for:

assisting in the development, monitoring and review of health and safety policies and procedures;
considering proposals for, or changes to, the workplace, policies, work practices or procedures which may affect the health and safety of workers;
monitoring the University’s work health and safety performance, including the development and implementation of WHS strategic and operational plans;
reviewing and monitoring any issues associated with injury management of injured staff;
assisting in the resolution of health and safety issues; and
providing advice to the Vice-Chancellor on health and safety matters.

College/Portfolios Health and Safety Committees

Each College and the Portfolios have a Committee consisting of management and staff representatives to monitor and provide advice to the relevant College Vice-President and Executive Dean / Portfolio Senior Executives on all matters relating to work health and safety of workers and students in the College/Portfolio.

Members

The University Health and Safety Committee meets four times per year, as do the Colleges & Portfolio Committees. Meeting dates can be obtained below. Meeting minutes can be obtained by contacting the WHS Unit or your relevant College/ Portfolio elected Health and Safety Representative (HSR).

Health and safety committee members

Health and safety committee dates