University of Tasmania, Australia

Governance Level Principle - No. GLP6

 1. Statement of Context

The achievement of the University's mission and vision requires that all reasonable steps are taken to protect the health and safety of its workers (employees, students, contractors and volunteers) and other persons including visitors.

The University is committed to continuously improving the management and standards of work health and safety. As far as is reasonably practicable, the University:

• provides and maintains a health and safe work environment within University workplaces
• establishes and maintains safe systems of work when prescribed activities are undertaken away from the University.

The University recognises, encourages and supports each individual’s contribution to the improvement of work health and safety through appropriate consultation, information, instruction, training and supervision.

2. Objectives

The objective of this principle is to improve work health and safety by:

• establishing high level priorities that ensure that work health and safety is an integral part of the management of the University
• describing roles, responsibilities and accountabilities.

3. Priorities

The University will:

• provide the leadership necessary to strengthen the organisation-wide safety culture
• comply with all applicable legislation, regulations and statutory requirements relating to work health and safety. Specifically, it will meet its responsibilities under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012
• encourage members of the University community to act towards each other in a safe manner and to report or rectify any unsafe conditions or acts that come to their attention.

In addition to these priorities, there are a number of other priorities that are common to most individual Principles. These additional priorities are specified in the University Governance Principle and are not repeated in detail here.

4. Implementation

The Vice-Chancellor has responsibility for the implementation of the Work Health and Safety Principle and the development and implementation of supporting policies, plans and procedures.

All employees, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors are to undertake their University activities in ways that support this principle and related policies, plans and procedures. They are required to do all that is reasonably practical to ensure that their acts (or failures to act) do not create or increase a risk to the health and safety of themselves or others.

Council is responsible for over-viewing the performance of work health and safety.

5. Versioning