College Work Health & Safety Committee
The College of Science and Engineering's Area Work Health & Safety Committee meets every 3 months.
Contact Person
Jim Northey
Extension: 12094 or 0457 894 559
Email: jim.northey@flinders.edu.au
Terms of reference
General Statement
- To provide advice to the College Vice-President Executive Dean on all matters relating to the work, health and safety of staff, students, volunteers and visitors in the College.
Specific functions
- provide a forum for discussing matters affecting work health and safety of workers and students;
- assist in the development, implementation, review and update of measures designed to protect the health and safety of workers and students in the College;
- assist in the development and review of the College WHS plans;
- monitor work health and safety performance in the College and recommend strategies for improvement;
- assist in resolving health and safety issues that arise in the College;
- recommend WHS training needs for staff;
- monitor rehabilitation trends for staff who suffer work related injuries;
- provide local advice on the health and safety implications of new areas of research, new equipment, facilities and building proposals;
- provide advice as requested by the University Health and Safety Committee on WHS policy matters.
Sub-Committees
- The Committee may establish sub-committees that report back to the Committee with recommendations on specific issues which may arise from time to time. Membership of any sub-committee is not restricted to members of the College Health and Safety Committee.
Work groups
The College work groups are based on geographical locations and the building occupants.
- Bedford Park West which includes the following areas Biological Sciences Building, level 5 of the Health Sciences Building, Biological Discovery Centre, Animal House and Plant House and compound.
- Bedford Park South East which includes the following areas Physical Sciences Building, SILC and Earth Sciences Building,
- Tonsley which includes the T1 and T2 buildings on the Tonsley site.
Composition of the Committee
The Committee will be comprised of:
- Vice-President Executive Dean or nominee (Chair)
- Dean (People and Resources)
- Director of College Services
- The Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) elected by staff in each of the designated work groups in the College
Executive Officer is the Senior WHS Officer (ex–officio)
Alternates may be appointed by the member that is not able to attend the meeting with the following restriction:
- an HSR may only appoint a non- management worker from their specific work group.
NOTE: the number of management members must be no more than the number of HSRs.
Vacancies
If a vacancy occurs, the former member will be replaced as follows:
- in the case of an HSR, by the person elected to replace the former representative;
- in the case of a management representative, a person appointed by the relevant Executive Dean/Portfolio senior executive.
The term of office for a replacement member will be the remainder of the former member’s term of office.
Term of Office
The term of office for all members of the Committee is three years. Members are eligible to be re-elected or re-appointed.
Any Committee member will cease to be a member of the Committee if he or she
- Resigns from the Committee
- Is no longer eligible (for example a HSR ceases to be a HSR)
- Ceases to work for the University
- Fails to attend three or more consecutive meetings of the Committee without permission of the Committee
- Improperly discloses information obtained in his/her capacity as a Committee member.
Quorum
The quorum for meetings is half the members plus one.
Voting
Each Committee member has one vote.
Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson
The Chairperson is responsible for making sure that meetings are run in an orderly fashion and that all members are given an opportunity to express their opinions and have them considered. The Deputy Chairperson acts in place of the Chairperson in his/her absence.
Procedures
All meetings will have formal agendas and minutes which will be serviced by the Executive Officer. The formal agendas and minutes will be retained until 2040 (retention subject to review at that date).
Non-members may be permitted to attend with the agreement of the Committee.
Observers (Ex-Officio)
The following people may be invited to attend meetings of the College Health and Safety Committee as participating observers, but do not have the right to vote, and do not contribute to the quorum:
- Elected Deputy Health and Safety Representatives (unless acting as proxy for their HSR)
- Associate Director WHS or delegate
- WHS Officers assigned to the College
- Safety Action Team representatives
- Emergency Warden representatives
- Laboratory and Technical Services Lead
- Dean of Research
- Dean of Education
- Radiation Safety Officers
- Sub-committee representatives invited to report to the committee
- Maritime Safety Officer
Non-members may be permitted to attend with the agreement of the Committee.
Frequency of Meetings
The Committee will meet at least every three months. Additional meetings may be called by the Chairperson as required.
In addition the Committee must meet if requested by:
- At least half of the members of the Committee
- A Health and Safety representative or
- Vice-President Executive Dean.
Reporting Relationships
Outputs
University HS Committee and associated University reporting
Inputs
Safety Action Team reports
WHS Unit reports
