A/9.1 Health, safety and environment
Policy Owner | Director, Health, Safety and Environment |
Approval Date | 26/10/2020 |
Approval Authority | Vice-Chancellor and President |
Date of Next Review | 31/10/2023 |
9.1.1 Purpose
9.1.2 Application
9.1.3 Roles and responsibilities
9.1.4 Health, safety and environment at QUT
9.1.5 Managing health, safety and eivironment risk
9.1.6 Chemical management, radiation and biological safety
9.1.7 Monitoring and review
9.1.8 Records management
9.1.9 Failure to comply
9.1.10 Definitions
9.1.11 Delegations
Related Documents
Modification History
9.1.1 Purpose
Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) risk at QUT is managed in accordance with overarching principles that inform all health, safety and environment decisions, operations, initiatives, and activities. The principles are based on responsibilities and accountabilities in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld), the Radiation Safety Act 1999 (Qld), and associated legislation.
9.1.2 Application
This policy applies to all QUT community members and all activities conducted by or on behalf of the University, including work integrated learning activities. It applies to places managed or controlled by the University including QUT campuses and distributed sites. It also applies to off-campus locations (such as field work and research sites) where the University conducts its operations.
9.1.3 Roles and responsibilities
Position |
Responsibility |
---|---|
Vice-Chancellor and President |
|
Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar |
|
University Officers (defined in Delegations A/1.2) |
|
Director, Health, Safety and Environment |
|
University Health, Safety and Environment Committee (UHSEC) (A/9.9) |
|
Local area Health Safety and Environment Committees |
|
Director, Facilities Management | For activities within Facilities Management operations:
|
Managers and supervisors (defined in A/9.1.10) |
For activities within their area/s of responsibility, as required:
|
Health, Safety and Environment Advisors (HSEA) | Provide advice and support to managers and supervisors (as required) in their local area on:
|
First Aid Officers |
|
Wellness Ambassadors |
|
QUT community |
|
9.1.4 Health, safety and environment at QUT
The health, safety and wellbeing of people and protection of the environments in which it operates is integral to all QUT operations and activities and is supported through:
- recognising health, safety and environment as core University business and providing resources to successfully deliver this
- a risk management approach that accepts the requirements outlined in legislation and standards as the minimum, while establishing and enforcing more stringent standards where appropriate
- promoting a culture among all QUT community members to take personal responsibility for minimising the risk of injury to people and damage to property or infrastructure
- supporting staff and student health and wellbeing through a range of programs, activities and health initiatives
- protecting the environments in which we operate by preventing or mitigating environmental harm from our activities
- continuous improvement in the prevention and management of incidents and improvement of environmental performance through a risk-based health, safety and environment (HSE) approach and by actively supporting a proactive health, safety and wellness culture.
Operational health, safety and environment policy, standards and processes approved under this policy are binding upon all members of the QUT community.
QUT will meet its responsibilities through a robust, overarching health, safety and environment framework that:
- is comprised of people, systems, programs, documentation, training, communication and processes
- aligns with BS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems and the AS/NZS ISO 14001:2016 - Environmental management systems
- guides activities and developments in health, safety and environmental protection within the University, based on best practice risk management principles
- is appropriate to the University's activities, operations and people, and ensures a culture of continuous improvement through regular monitoring and review
- is consistent with, and supports, the University's vision, values, Blueprint and strategic goals.
9.1.5 Managing health, safety and environment risk
All members of the QUT community have a role in managing health, safety and environment risks.
QUT’s health, safety and environment risk management approach aligns with:
- the QUT Risk management policy (A/2.5) and Enterprise Risk Management (QUT staff access only) to ensure a consistent approach across the University
- the health, safety and environment risk register (QUT staff and student access only), which provides guidance on legislative obligations and appropriate controls for known HSE hazards/risks and is considered the minimum standard for managing health, safety and environment related risk at QUT.
9.1.6 Chemical management, radiation and biological safety
Approved procedures govern the acquisition, transportation, storage, use and disposal of high-risk items such as radiation sources, dangerous goods, biologicals and hazardous substances such as chemicals. To assist in the management of these risks, all radiation, biological and chemical users must adhere to established processes. For example:
- The QUT procurement process for chemicals is managed by Health, Safety and Environment through the ChemStore (QUT staff access only). All QUT chemicals must be purchased via the chemical catalogue.
- All radiation activities are governed by the QUT Radiation Safety and Protection Plan approved by Queensland Health.
- All biological users must work with biological material within appropriate facilities for work with biologicals and have appropriate approvals from the University Biosafety Committee for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and high risk biologicals (QUT staff access only).
9.1.7 Monitoring and review
The University will monitor and assess any updates or changes to health, safety and environmental legislation, standards, codes of practice or guidelines and will communicate any changes.
9.1.8 Records management
All University records must be retained and disposed of in accordance with the QUT Records governance (F/6.1), Information privacy (F/6.2) and Access to information (F/6.3) policies.
The Department of Health, Safety and Environment has developed a retention and disposal schedule for all health, safety and environment-related records to assist QUT community members to meet their legislative obligations.
9.1.9 Failure to comply
Failure to follow safe systems of work, misuse of health and safety equipment, tampering with health, safety and environment signage, damaging or bypassing risk control measures, or taking action that may put themselves or others at risk, can lead to severe fines or prosecution under legislation. Breaches of this policy may be considered a breach of the QUT Staff Code of Conduct (B/8.1), Enterprise Agreements, the QUT Student Code of Conduct (E/2.1) and/or the Grievance resolution procedures for student related grievances (E/9.2) policies.
9.1.10 Definitions
Authorised visitors means visitors that the University may provide with access to facilities to enhance their ability to complete tasks for the University or to liaise with the University. Such visitors may include, but are not limited, to alumni, external auditors, regulators or consultants, potential clients or business partners, contractors or vendors, volunteers, conference delegates, and students and staff of other universities.
Due diligence means continually and comprehensively ensuring that all members of the QUT community are kept safe and involves taking reasonable steps to secure compliance with legislation.
Environmental protection means the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, organisations and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural environment and, where possible, to repair damage and reverse trends.
Incidents means all injuries, accidents, near misses, dangerous events and environmental harm.
Local area means within a faculty, institute, division, school or department (i.e. not university-wide).
Manager and supervisor means any person who is responsible for supervision, direction, or oversight of the QUT community, QUT facilities, or QUT operations and activities whether on or off campus.
QUT community means all staff, students and authorised visitors.
Reasonably practicable means that which is, or was at a particular time, reasonably able to be done in relation to ensuring health and safety, taking into account all relevant matters, including, with respect to the hazard or risk: the likelihood, the degree of harm which might result, what the person knows, or should reasonably know, and the availability, suitability and cost of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk.
Standards means Australian Standards (AS) and other International Standards (ISO, IEC etc.).
9.1.11 Delegations
Refer to Register of Authorities and Delegations (VC002) (QUT staff access only).
Related Documents
MOPP A/1.2 Delegations
MOPP A/2.5 Risk management
MOPP A/9.9 University Health, Safety and Environment Committee charter
MOPP B/7.6 Workplace health and rehabilitation
MOPP H/2.2 Emergency management
HSE Hub (HSE Incident Management System) (QUT staff access only)
Health, safety and environment A-Z topics (QUT staff access only)
Health, safety and environment policies, procedures and forms (QUT staff access only)
Health, safety and environment (HSE) Framework (QUT staff and student access only)
Health, safety and environment (HSE) Risk Register (QUT staff and student access only)
QUT Radiation Safety and Protection Plan (QUT staff and student access only)
Research health, safety and environment (QUT staff and student access only)
Biosafety guidelines and resources (QUT staff and student access only)
AS/NZS 2243.3:2010 Safety in laboratories Microbiological safety and containment (available through the QUT library)
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld)
Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 (Qld)
Gene Technology Act 2000 (Cth)
Gene Technology Regulations 2001 (Cth)
Radiation Safety Act 1999 (Qld)
Radiation Safety Regulation 2010 (Qld)
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)
Modification History
Date | Sections | Source | Details |
26.10.20 | All | Vice-Chancellor and President | New policy (incorporates former policies A/9.1 Health, safety and environment framework, A/9.2 Environmental protection, A/9.5 Radiation protection, and A/9.8 Chemical management) |
24.05.17 | All | Vice-Chancellor | Revised and simplified policy to reflect external audit recommendations |
01.09.15 | All | Vice-Chancellor | Revised policy |
12.03.14 | A/9.1.4, A/9.1.6, A/9.1.7 |
Council | Revised policy to reflect approved new department titled Health, Safety and Environment and new appointment of Director, Health, Safety and Environment |
28.08.12 | All | Registrar | New policy (Replaces former policies A/9.1 Health and safety policy and A/9.2 Health and safety management) |