Procedure overview
1 Purpose
To define the purpose context approval pathway and exception authority, for the Work Health and Safety Policy, Procedures, guidelines, and guidance material.
2 Scope
This Procedure is applicable to all University Members, Students, Researchers and other persons at a University Workplace and must be read in conjunction with the Work Health and Safety Policy.
3 Procedure Overview
This Procedure details the documents that support and implement the Work Health and Safety Policy through the provision of mandatory minimum requirements to ensure health and safety risks are systematically managed.
The Work Health and Safety Policy, approved by the University Council, is the primary safety document that provides high level direction from the Council on the University's safety principles and individual and group responsibilities.
4 Procedures
4.1 Work Health and Safety Procedures
The Work Health and Safety (WHS) Procedures are developed as provided by the University's Policy Framework and are approved by the Vice-Chancellor.
The WHS Procedures are based on legislative requirements and relevant Codes of Practice to assist those people with specific responsibilities to comply with the duties prescribed by the relevant Act or Regulations. These procedures are documents that define the mandatory minimum requirements to be followed to ensure health and safety risks are systematically managed.
These procedures provide a clear set of WHS expectations to enable a consistent and efficient approach across the University.
Compliance with the WHS Procedures is mandatory unless a Risk Management Plan detailing the requested exception is approved by the Vice-Chancellor.
4.2 Work Health and Safety Guidelines
The Work Health and Safety (WHS) Guidelines form part of the UniSQ Work Health and Safety Management System (UniSQ Safety Framework) and are based on legislative requirements and relevant Codes of Practice to assist those people with specific responsibilities to comply with the duties prescribed by the relevant Act and/or Regulations.
The WHS Guidelines are subordinate to the WHS Procedures and define the minimum mandatory requirements to be followed to ensure health and safety risks are systematically managed.
The WHS Guidelines are additionally responsive to regulatory changes that impact on the Work Health and Safety Management System (UniSQ Safety Framework). The WHS Guidelines are approved through the University Safety Committee, ensuring Framework functionality can be readily maintained.
Compliance with the WHS Guidelines is mandatory unless a Risk Management Plan detailing the requested exceptions is approved by the Delegate for the specific Guideline.
4.3 Work Health and Safety guidance material
In circumstances where it is not appropriate to develop and publish WHS Procedures or WHS Guidelines, the University may publish direction and instruction in the form of WHS guidance material on the University Website or UConnect.
Compliance with the WHS guidance material may be achieved by following another method which aligns with WHS Risk Management principles, if it provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety than the guidance material.
5 References
Nil.
6 Schedules
This procedure must be read in conjunction with its subordinate schedules as provided in the table below.
7 Procedure Information
| Accountable Officer | Chief People Officer |
| Responsible Officer | Director (Health, Safety and Wellbeing) |
| Policy Type | University Procedure |
| Policy Suite | |
| Subordinate Schedules | |
| Approved Date | 31/1/2024 |
| Effective Date | 31/1/2024 |
| Review Date | 29/8/2029 |
| Relevant Legislation | |
| Policy Exceptions | |
| Related Policies | |
| Related Procedures | Employee Family and Domestic Violence Support Procedure Incident and Hazard Reporting and Investigation Procedure Motor Vehicles and Travel Fatigue Procedure Visitors on University Sites Procedure |
| Related forms, publications and websites | |
| Definitions | Terms defined in the Definitions Dictionary |
| Council means the governing body, the University of Southern Queensland Council....moreCouncil means the governing body, the University of Southern Queensland Council. Delegate (noun) means the officer, Employee or committee of the University to whom, or to which, a delegation of authority has been made under this Policy....moreDelegate (noun) means the officer, Employee or committee of the University to whom, or to which, a delegation of authority has been made under this Policy. A person employed by the University and whose conditions of employment are covered by the Enterprise Agreement and includes persons employed on a continuing, fixed term or casual basis. Employees also include senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University....moreA person employed by the University and whose conditions of employment are covered by the Enterprise Agreement and includes persons employed on a continuing, fixed term or casual basis. Employees also include senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University. A high level strategic directive that establishes a principle based approach on a subject. Policy is operationalised through Procedures that give instructions and set out processes to implement a Policy....moreA high level strategic directive that establishes a principle based approach on a subject. Policy is operationalised through Procedures that give instructions and set out processes to implement a Policy. An operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy....moreAn operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy. A person who is enrolled in a UniSQ Upskill Course or who is admitted to an Award Program or Non-Award Program offered by the University and is: currently enrolled in one or more Courses or study units; or not currently enrolled but is on an approved Leave of Absence or whose admission has not been cancelled....moreA person who is enrolled in a UniSQ Upskill Course or who is admitted to an Award Program or Non-Award Program offered by the University and is: currently enrolled in one or more Courses or study units; or not currently enrolled but is on an approved Leave of Absence or whose admission has not been cancelled. The term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland....moreThe term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland. Persons who include: Employees of the University whose conditions of employment are covered by the UniSQ Enterprise Agreement whether full time or fractional, continuing, fixed-term or casual, including senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University; members of the University Council and University Committees; visiti...morePersons who include: Employees of the University whose conditions of employment are covered by the UniSQ Enterprise Agreement whether full time or fractional, continuing, fixed-term or casual, including senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University; members of the University Council and University Committees; visiting, honorary and adjunct appointees; volunteers who contribute to University activities or who act on behalf of the University; and individuals who are granted access to University facilities or who are engaged in providing services to the University, such as contractors or consultants, where applicable. | |
| Definitions that relate to this procedure only | |
| Workplace A place where work is carried out for the University and includes any place where a Worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work. Worker A person who carries out work in any capacity for the University, including work as:
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| Keywords | Safety Procedures, WHS, OHS, Safety guidelines |
| Record No | 13/575PL |