• Section 1 - Governing Policy
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Background
• Section 4 - Responsibilities
• All Staff
• Line to Senior Management
• Executive and Senior Executive Leadership
• Section 5 - University-wide Training Provided
• Section 6 - WHS Inductions Delivered to Staff, Students, Visitors, Volunteers and Contractors
• Section 7 - Records Management
• Section 8 - Revisions made to this Procedure
• Section 9 - Further Assistance
• Section 10 -  Associated Information

Section 1 - Governing Policy

(1) This Procedure is governed by the Work, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to all staff, staff representatives, students, visitors, volunteers and contractors.

Section 3 - Background

(3) This Procedure is informed by the Capability Development Framework and is a critical component of the University’s Work Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS or framework).

(4) This Procedure and the associated WHSMS Roles and Responsibilities Procedure have been developed to support staff members to increase their capabilities and understanding of how they contribute to the framework and confidently apply WHSMS processes and systems, including performing specialist WHS roles such as Floor Warden and Health and Safety Representative (HSR).

Section 4 - Responsibilities

(5) Staff members collaborate with their Nominated Supervisors and Managers to identify WHS development opportunities. They also participate in face to face and online WHS inductions that strengthen their capabilities to contribute to the WHSMS and the management of WHS risks.

(6) Staff also collaborate and share WHS information with other staff, students, visitors, volunteers and contractors to maintain ACU’s safe working and learning spaces.

All Staff

(7) All staff members identify opportunities for learning and self-improvement, including developing and maintaining current WHS competences, to strengthen their capabilities to confidently apply WHSMS processes and systems and participate in improvement opportunities.

(8) These development opportunities, including refreshers and courses listed within WHSMS Training & Competency Procedure Appendix A University-wide WHS Training for Staff, are either specified within Position Descriptions or identified in collaboration with their Nominated Supervisors or Managers and should be formally documented within a staff member’s annual Performance Review and Plan.

(9) A higher priority should be placed on developing relevant WHSMS competencies whenever high-risk work and activities are being performed, such as performing chemical mixing processes and moving heavy and awkward items.

(10) Staff also develop an understanding of how they contribute to the WHSMS by:

1. participating in WHS inductions that are delivered online and ‘face to face’;
2. engaging with the WHS induction that is facilitated by their Nominated Supervisor (refer to WHS Staff Induction Refresher Guideline for Supervisors for more information);
3. collaborating with others to raise awareness of the treatments (controls) that have been developed to manage risk; and
4. ensuring they have current training qualifications that are associated with higher-risk roles, such as Laboratory Technician positions, and specialist roles such as WHS Committee Member, HSR and First Aid Officer.

(11) Staff should also familiarise themselves with emergency procedures and upload copies of their relevant training qualifications to Service Central, so these records are attached to their employee/staff record.

(12) They should also engage their Nominated Supervisor or Manager if they are interested in nominating for a specialist WHS role, such as Floor Warden or Health and Safety Representative.

Line to Senior Management

(13) These Nominated Supervisors and Managers understand the purpose of WHSMS processes and systems and how their team members contribute to the framework. They also champion the WHSMS and identify their own professional development opportunities, in collaboration with their Nominated Supervisor, so they are actively engaging and supporting staff and others to contribute to framework, the management of WHS risks and participate in improvement opportunities.

Assessing Professional Development Opportunities

(14) Nominated Supervisors and managers engage their staff members throughout the year and during the Performance Review and Planning process, to assess and develop the WHS competencies which will enable staff to develop an understanding of how they contribute to the WHSMS and confidently apply the processes and systems which are associated with this framework.

(15) These professional development opportunities should be informed by position descriptions and:

1. an assessment of the competencies that will support staff to collaboratively perform tasks in a way that minimise risks and supports them to confidently apply safety systems of work and the WHSMS;
2. the WHS requirements of specific roles, including those which have been documented within Position Descriptions;
3. performing a Job Safety Analysis to identify hazards and WHS risks that are associated with specific activities;
4. the level of responsibility of supervisor positions, including Capability Development Framework (CDF) level;
5. staff nominating to perform specialist WHS roles, such as First Aid Officer and HSR, and the University’s requirements which are associated with filling these specialist WHSMS roles;
6. the working and learning environment, including associated risks and opportunities for improving the WHSMS; and
7. specific tasks and activities, including the competencies required to perform these tasks.

Engaging Staff about the WHSMS and Managing WHS Risk

(16) Nominated Supervisors and Managers should also provide staff and students with appropriate information and guidance to identify hazards and confidently apply treatments (risk controls) to resolve these issues. Staff and others should also be engaged and contribute to the formal assessment of WHS risk to facilitate information sharing about hazards and associated WHS risks and a shared commitment to applying treatments

(17) Staff should also be engaged about participating in WHSMS improvement opportunities e.g. participating in WHS inspections, performing a Job Safety Analysis and completing a Workstation Ergonomics Checklist.

WHSMS Inductions

(18) Nominated Supervisors and Managers brief new staff during their work area induction about how they contribute to the WHSMS and emergency response processes. Refer to WHS Staff Induction Refresher Guideline for Supervisors for a listing of recommended WHSMS induction topics.

(19) They should also engage their staff about participating in ACU inductions, delivered online and face to face. These Nominated Supervisors and Managers may also induct other relevant staff, students, visitors, volunteers and contractors. Refer to clause (23) for more information.

Executive and Senior Executive Leadership

(20) Senior Executive and Executive staff, including Officers, demonstrate leadership and commitment to the WHSMS in the following ways:

1. develop, lead and promote a culture that supports the University to implement and continuously improve the WHSMS. They are also aware of the significant WHS risks and should allocate sufficient resources, including training, to manage these WHS and governance risks;
2. ensure the framework is applied within the work areas they influence and support other managers to demonstrate safety leadership and develop the WHS competencies of their teams; and
3. ensure that gaps in competencies are identified and only qualified staff members and contractors perform ‘higher risk’ working and learning activities and specialist WHS roles.

Section 5 - University-wide Training Provided

(21) The relevant functional unit within People and Capability will coordinate the delivery of a range of organisation-wide training courses that will contribute to the development of WHSMS competencies. Many of these courses are listed on Staff Connect and a comprehensive listing of these centrally funded courses is published in WHSMS Training & Competency Procedure Appendix A University-wide WHS Training for Staff.

(22) These staff members will also:

1. help ensure that training records are placed on staff members’ files;
2. ensure that online training courses are relevant and cater for the needs of staff;
3. prioritise the delivery of courses which support ACU to manage its most significant WHS risks, contribute to the WHSMS and perform specialist roles, such as HRS;
4. communicate the benefits to staff of participating in these development opportunities;
5. develop awareness materials and training opportunities that are targeted at the Senior Executive and those members of the Executive that are Officers. These initiatives will raise awareness of their leadership role that is associated with ensuring that the WHSMS is effectively implemented across the University and continuously improved; and
6. influence organisational units to identify gaps in competencies and ensure that only qualified staff, researchers and contractors perform higher risk activities.

Section 6 - WHS Inductions Delivered to Staff, Students, Visitors, Volunteers and Contractors

(23) The following WHS inductions are delivered to students, staff representatives, volunteers, visitors and contractors, including Security:

Section 7 - Records Management

(24) Records of instruction, education and training should be maintained for potential future reference e.g. audits, investigations. These records will include, but are not limited to:

1. extracts of Senior Management Meeting agendas and minutes;
2. extracts of Organisational Unit meeting agendas and minutes;
3. reports – consultant, risk assessment, audits etc;
4. email correspondence;
5. induction records;
6. WHS Committee meeting agenda and minutes (published on WHS SharePoint site); and
7. training records (submit a Service Central request to uploaded onto staff member’s record).

(25) Refer to the WHSMS Records and Document Management Procedure for more guidance about relevant records to maintain and how records and documents should be named, created, updated and maintained.

Section 8 - Revisions made to this Procedure

(26) The University may make changes to this Procedure from time to time to improve its effectiveness. If any staff member wishes to make any comments about this Procedure, they should forward their suggestions to People and Capability.

Section 9 - Further Assistance

(27) Any staff member who requires assistance in understanding this Procedure should first consult their Nominated Supervisor or Manager who is responsible for applying the University’s WHSMS within their work area. Should further information or advice be required staff should visit Service Central.

Section 10 -  Associated Information

(28) For related legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines and any supporting resources, please refer to the Associated Information tab.