University of Tasmania, Australia

The Work Health & Safety (WHS) Committee is a University committee established in line with the requirements of the Tasmanian Work Health and Safety Act 2012.

A key objective of the Committee is to ensure that the University recognises the need for continuous improvement of its  work health and safety performance for the workforce and the student community.

The Committee supports the University by using approved risk management strategies, being informed of WHS best practice and by engaging with the University stakeholders to promote excellence in WHS work practices throughout the University.

The Committee also aims to assist the University to be distinctive among its peers by identifying, developing and implementing strategic solutions that foster positive safety culture growth within the many workplaces of the University.

The UTAS WHS Committee is the overarching UTAS work health and safety committee.  It generates UTAS wide WHS policies, procedures and guidance in order to provide direction and support for UTAS management, staff, students, volunteers and contractors working at UTAS workplaces and carrying out UTAS approved offsite work including UTAS collaborative arrangements with other parties.

The Committee is not responsible or accountable for the WHS management at the Budget Centre level.  This duty of care responsibility remains with the respective UTAS Officers.

Unresolved Budget Centre WHS issues can be addressed by the UTAS WHS Committee.

1. To promote excellence in WHS management.
2. To ensure that the University’s WHS framework is consistent and aligned with the University's broader strategic planning processes.
3. To ensure a proactive approach to work health and safety management across the University.
4. To provide a strategic framework that will allow for Budget Centre’s to fully achieve WHS statutory compliance based on best practice and continuous improvement.
5. To review each Budget Centre’s work health and safety performance.
6. To review the University’s work health and safety policy and procedural framework at least every three years to determine whether it continues to meet the University’s current and emerging needs and to identify the requirement for new policies and procedures.
7. To promote work health and safety awareness throughout the University.
8. To promote opportunities that increase the University’s WHS capability to excel in WHS practice.
9. To review serious accidents and incidents and make recommendations to the Vice Chancellor to eliminate or minimise the likelihood of a recurrence. Where appropriate, advise the UTAS critical response team.
10. To receive and take appropriate action arising from reports received from WHS Sub-Committees, Faculty WHS Committees, Health and Safety Representatives and student representatives.

The committee recognises that the Manager WHS has , in addition to any other internal reporting lines for that position, a direct reporting line to the Chair of the UTAS WHS Committee as and when required, in the course of carrying out the functions of that position.

The UTAS WHS Committee has an ongoing lifecycle.

On an annual basis if not more frequently, the UTAS WHS Committee will review its performance against its Terms of Reference and report its findings to the UTAS Vice Chancellor.

The 2013 meeting dates for the Committee are:

Monday, 18 March  2013  -  11.00pm  - 12.30pm

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 - 10.30 am - 12.00pm

Tuesday, 27 August 2013 - 10.30am - 12.00pm

Tuesday, 26 November 2013 - 10.30am - 12.00pm

All meetings to be held in the Executive Meeting Rooms, Hobart and Launceston via videoconference

The WHS Committee also has three subcommittees -

• Radiation Safety Committee (RSC)
• Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
• Diving and Boating Committee.