• Section 1 - Key Information
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Key Decisions
• Section 5 - Policy Statement
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Part A - Health and Safety Governance Structure
• Portfolio Health & Safety Consultative Committees
• Part B - Leadership Accountabilities and Responsibilities
• Managers and Leaders
• Staff, Students, Contractors and Visitors
• Section 7 - Defninitions
• Section 8 - Authority and Associated Information

Section 1 - Key Information

Section 2 - Purpose

(1) This Procedure sets out the governance structure and the leadership accountabilities and responsibilities for managing Health and Safety across the University. 

Section 3 - Scope

(2) This procedure forms part of the Health and Safety Policy suite which governs its application.

Section 4 - Key Decisions

Section 5 - Policy Statement

(3) Refer to the Health and Safety Policy. 

Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - Health and Safety Governance Structure

Health & Safety Consultative Committee 

(4) The Health and Safety Consultative Committee is a subcommittee of the Senior Executive Group (SEG). This Committee provides stewardship for the planning and resource allocation to enable the health and safety principles as articulated in this Policy statement. 

(5) The Consultative Committee is Chaired by a member of the Senior Executive Group, who nominates nominated by the Vice-Chancellor and members of the Committee into position are nominated by the Senior Executive Group to provide breadth, diversity and operational insight to guide matters of health and safety. 

(6) The Consultative Committee includes three nominated Heath and Safety Representatives that represent breadth, diversity and operational insight from an employee perspective and an employee representative from the Nataional

(7) Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). 

(8) Meetings are held quarterly and this Committee reports to the Senior Executive Group.

Office of Provost (OPV) Health & Safety Consultative Committee 

(9) The OPV Consultative Committee provides operational implementation, reporting feedback and broader initiatives undertaken by the University to manage health and safety.

1. Chaired by a nominee of the Provost
2. Management representatives are nominated into position to best represent the operational breadth and diversity across the schools and the wider OPV community.
3. Employee representatives (including Health and Safety Representatives) are nominated to best represent the operational breadth and diversity of the Schools and wider OPV community.
4. Meetings are held quarterly
5. Reports are provided to the Health and Safety Consultative Committee

Portfolio Health & Safety Consultative Committees

(10) These are non-mandatory portfolio committees and their purpose is to provide visibility, operational support and reporting feedback on health and safety issues that are pertinent to the portfolio. Libraries and Facilities are good examples of portfolios that choose to manage health & safety consultative committees.

1. Chaired by a nominee of the portfolio
2. Management representatives are nominated into position locally to provide operational breadth.
3. Employee representatives (including Health and Safety Representatives) are nominated locally to provide operational insight.
4. Meetings are held quarterly
5. Reports are provided to the Health and Safety Consultative Committee.

Part B - Leadership Accountabilities and Responsibilities

Senior Executive Group (SEG)

(11) The Senior Executive Group will engage and lead a contemporary understanding of health and safety for the University. SEG members will broadly understand the hazards and risks across the University. They will provide overarching leadership and stewardship for the planning and resource allocation to manage the hazards and risks.

(12) Consistent leadership and active stewardship will drive the University’s health and safety principles:

1. Compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, licensing, industry standards and recognised codes of practice
2. Preventative risk management practices
3. A framework of systematic management of Health and Safety
4. Measurable objectives and targets to drive improvement
5. Engagement through consultation and communication
6. Encouragement of innovation and continuous improvement
7. Positive role modelling and knowledge building that spans beyond University life

Pro and Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Senior Executives

(13) Pro and Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Senior Executives will engage and lead a contemporary understanding of Health and Safety for the University.

(14) Pro and Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Senior Executives will understand the hazards and risks within their portfolios. They will provide leadership and stewardship for the planning and resource allocation to manage these hazards and risks within their positional scope of authority, responsibility and accountability:

1. Identify the hazards and risks of the operational activity for the portfolio
2. Describe the controls and identify gaps or weaknesses
3. Develop objectives to strengthen controls or create improvement

Deans and Executive Directors

(15) Deans and Executive Directors will develop, enable and monitor Safety Management Plans to actively manage the hazards and risks within their portfolios. The Safety Management plans will address and operationalise:

1. Leadership and commitment
2. Targets and goals
3. Emergency response
4. Communication and consultation
5. Competence and training
6. Licensing
7. Health monitoring
8. Operational controls
9. Improvement projects
10. Inspections and reviews

Managers and Leaders

(16) Managers and leaders will understand the hazards and risks within their sphere of control. Leaders and managers will familiarise themselves with the Safety Management Plan for their area and will work actively to:

1. Promptly notify of hazards and incidents
2. Manage the hazards and risk and ensure control measures are implemented and monitored
3. Provide relevant information, instruction, training and supervision to all persons in their sphere of management control: staff, students, contractors and visitors.
4. Lead and/or participate in hazard management and incident investigation
5. Lead and/or manage inspections

Staff, Students, Contractors and Visitors

(17) Staff, students, contractors and visitors to the University will:

1. Follow safe practices and procedures
2. Engage co-operatively to support health and safety practices
3. Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for those around them
4. Contribute actively to the continuous improvement of Health and Safety processes

Section 7 - Defninitions

(18) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. Accountability: An aspect of governance where there is an expectation of answerability.
2. Governance: The process of establishing, implementing and monitoring a range of policies and procedures by members of the governing body of an organisation
3. Leadership: The actions of leading a group of people or organisation in a direction or the ability to do so.
4. Responsibility: The duty to deal with something within defined management control.
5. Safety Management Plans: Management plans that address operational hazards and risks thereby providing managers with an active method of direction and oversight.

Section 8 - Authority and Associated Information

(19) This Policy is made under the La Trobe University Act 2009.