Version Information
Fri, 31 Mar 2023
Approved by: Governance Board
Current Version: V1.0
Replaces Version: V0.0
Next Review: Thu, 31 Dec 2020
Domain:
Institute
Workplace Health and Safety Policy
Purpose
The management and employees of Metavision Institute are committed to the health, safety and welfare of employees, contractors, governance committee members, visitors and students, and anyone else who may be affected by its operations, in accordance with workplace health and safety legislation by defining, documenting and communicating workplace health and safety responsibilities and reporting requirements.
As a person conducting a business or undertaking (“PCBU”) in NSW, Metavision Institute operates to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees and students, contractors, visitors and other stakeholders, by providing and maintaining a work environment without risks to health and safety.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees, contractors, students, governance committee members, volunteers, visitors and stakeholders of Metavision Institute. This policy is aligned with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) No 101 and the NSW Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2017.
Definitions
Hazard: a source or a situation (including dangerous occurrences and systems failures) with potential for harm that may result in injury, illness, impairment of mental health, damage to property or the environment, or a combination of these.
Incident: an unplanned event (including dangerous occurrences and systems failures) resulting in, or having a potential for, injury, illness, impairment of mental health, damage to property or the environment, other loss, or a combination of these.
Manual handling: any activity requiring the use of force to lift, push, pull, or carry.
Near miss: an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness or damage to property or the environment but had the potential to do so, but by an opportune break in the chain of events such injury, illness or damage was avoided.
Relevant TEQSA Threshold Standards
This policy aligns with the requirements of Sections 2.3 Wellbeing and Safety and 6 Governance and Accountability in the Higher Education Standards Framework 2015.
Policy
1. Principles
1.1 This policy reflects Metavision Institute’s commitment to staff, contractors, governance committee members, volunteers, alumni and students to take all reasonable steps, consistent with the nature and scale of its operations, to systematically ensure safe working and learning environments and to comply with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and other applicable standards.
1.2 Metavision Institute is committed to systematic health and safety management that identifies, eliminates and minimises the risk of hazards and incidents likely to cause injury or illness to people associated with its operations.
1.3 Metavision Institute maintains workplace compensation to ensure payments to employees for any lost wages if they are unable to work due to an injury or ill health, as well as medical costs and rehabilitation expenses to help them return to work as soon as possible.
2. Promoting and ensuring workplace health and safety
2.1 Metavision Institute actively and systematically identifies, manages and controls risks and hazards.
2.2 Metavision Institute engages and consults with members of its community to promote safe working and learning practices by disseminating health and safety information and encouraging all members to actively manage risks to health and safety.
2.3 All members of Metavision Institute are expected and encouraged to take practical steps to ensure a safe and healthy working and learning environment for themselves and others.
2.4 Staff workplace health and safety representatives are appointed and provide advice to the Executive Committee on risks and controls of incidents and hazards.
2.5 Information on safety and emergency procedures is clearly displayed in Metavision Institute’s head office and campus, including alarms, evacuation procedures and assembly points. Emergency procedures are tested regularly through emergency drills and reported to the Governance Board.
2.6 Metavision Institute provides information to staff and students on safety and wellbeing in campus and online environments, including campus security numbers. All staff and students are encouraged to take personal security measures such as walking in well-lit areas at night, ensuring they have access to their mobile phones, and informing others of their expected arrival time at destinations.
2.7 Manual handling
Staff, contractors and students are to assess any manual handling tasks and take into account their capacity and any past injuries. This includes moving furniture and equipment. Metavision Institute encourages and facilitates the use of professional movers and assistance where appropriate. SafeWork NSW provides practical guidance for manual handling.
2.8 Smoking
The Metavision Institute is a smoke free environment. Smoking includes the use of all forms of vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes. Smoking is not permitted in or directly outside buildings. Staff, contractors, governance committee members, volunteers, visitors and students are advised to move well beyond the head office, campus or off-site meeting location to smoke.
2.9 Alcohol and drugs
Staff, contractors, governance committee members, volunteers, visitors are not to be impaired by alcohol and/or other drugs when working or in attendance at Metavision Institute’s activities.
Students are not to use, distribute, sell, be in possession of, or be impaired by alcohol and/or other drugs when attending timetabled learning activities and placements.
The use, sale or possession of alcohol may be permitted by Metavision Institute for specific events, by exception.
2.10 Physical workplace environment
Metavision Institute’s workplace and study areas are to be maintained in a safe, clean and tidy state. Metavision Institute provides workplace health and safety information on workstations and will facilitate ergonomic assessments and equipment where requested.
3. Reporting workplace health and safety hazards and incidents
3.1 All members of Metavision Institute’s higher education community are to promptly report hazards, incidents and injuries and also near misses on the incident report form. Reporting near misses provides a valuable opportunity to improve our procedures to avoid potentially harmful situations and occurrences.
3.2 The Executive Committee reviews and investigates incident reports and implements controls to eliminate or minimise the risk of recurrence. The committee monitors and evaluates its performance in relation to health and safety and regularly reports to the Governance Board on health and safety.
3.3 First Aid kits are available and maintained in Metavision Institute’s head office and the Moss Vale campus as required by the WorkSafe NSW Code of Practice for First Aid in the workplace. Students attending on-campus workshop intensives are informed of the names of staff with first aid qualifications. Staff and contractors do not provide painkillers or any other form of medication to students.
The Executive Committee periodically inspects, reviews and monitors potential hazards in the workplace and learning environment, and assesses the general condition of buildings and maintenance needs. Staff and contractors may also make requests for maintenance and repairs to the office environment, when required. Staff, contractors and students are not to attempt repairs themselves.
3.4 Metavision Institute will immediately report to SafeWork Australia by phone on 131510:
- The death of a person, whether an employee, contractor or member of the public,
- A serious injury or illness, and/or
- A dangerous incident that exposes any person to a serious risk, even if no one is injured.
Responsibilities
The Governance Board has responsibility for monitoring workplace health and safety at Metavision Institute.
The Executive Committee is responsible for monitoring hazards and risks in the workplace and learning environment and regularly reviewing incident reports.
The Executive Officer is responsible for leading and monitoring the effective implementation of this policy by:
- Disseminating information, training and monitoring and reporting on hazards and incidents to ensure that all members of Metavision Institute’s community are safe from injury and risks to health,
- Consulting with members of Metavision Institute’s community on all matters impacting health and safety in the workplace and on campus, and
- Continually improving health and safety practices and environmental practices.
All staff, contractors, governance committee members, volunteers and students have a duty to care for their own health and safety, and that of others affected by their actions or failure to act at workplace.
They are to:
- Comply with safe workplace safe practices, and take reasonable care for self and others, with the intent of avoiding injury to themselves and others or damage to Metavision Institute’s equipment,
- Comply with any direction given by senior management for health and safety reasons,
- Not misuse or interfere with equipment provided for health and safety,
- Report all incidents at the earliest opportunity,
- Report all known or observed hazards, dangers or near accidents to their line manager or the Executive Officer, and
- Contribute suggestions for creating and maintaining safe working environments.
Related Documents
- Risk Management Framework
- Risk Register
- Emergency Drill Schedule and Reporting
- Critical Incident Report Form