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School [Workplace] Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

Governance Information

Content:

1. Guideline: Conducting a School/Workplace Health Safety and Wellbeing Committee Meeting

2. Terms of Reference

3. Agenda Template

4. Minutes Template

Reviewed March 2018 V2.Uncontrolled when printed Organisational Safety and Wellbeing

Guideline

Conducting a School [Workplace] HSW Committee MeetingGeneral Meeting Conduct

Role of the Chair The Chair is to be the Officer-in-Charge of the workplace e.g. the Principal for a school, the Senior Manager for other departmental workplaces to enable decisions to be made during the meeting. The Chair is responsible for analysing the Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) issues across the workplace (school, regional office location or other Department workplace) to ensure that a coordinated and integrated approach to issues is presented, discussed and conducted. As Chair of the Committee the Principal/ Manager can demonstrate their active leadership to develop and maintain awareness of HSW matters that affect the school/workplace.

Membership The composition of the committee is to reflect the scale, scope and risk profile of the school or workplace and include people such as: Principal/Manager, Deputy Principal, Health and Safety Advisor(s), Health and Safety Representative(s), Business Services Manager/HR Role(s), Head of Department(s), Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator, staff representatives. Additional members may be invited based on issues raised through the committee – e.g. Management, Administration, Finance, Facilities (Infrastructure Services) Teaching Staff, Ancillary Staff.

Terms of ReferenceIt is important that committee members and others at the workplace know the committee’s aims and objectives. This is described in the committee’s Terms of Reference. The Terms of Reference can be amended for the specific workplace.

Every member should know the expectations of their role: in preparation for meetings, during meetings and when undertaking actions out of session. The Terms of Reference should be reviewed and discussed during the first meeting, made readily available and reviewed annually to ensure that the committee is best supporting the HSW requirements.

The committee is to be registered within MyHR WHS (Committee Meeting Management > Committee). Attachments such as the Terms of Reference can be recorded at this location within MyHR WHS.

Specific Agenda Items

1: Meeting Opening

1.1 Welcome and opening: The Chair will open the meeting, welcome new members, note proxies, make necessary introductions and ensure there are enough members present for the meeting to be meaningful and for decisions to be made.

1.2 Confirmation of Previous Minutes: The Chair ensures minutes are taken and recorded into the School/Workplace HSW Committee Minutes Template. Minutes are to be endorsed and communicated. Endorsement may occur out of session but is to be officially recorded during the next meeting. Details of a meeting including the endorsed minutes can be recorded within MyHR WHS (Committee Meeting Management > Meeting). Once endorsed, minutes are to be communicated across the School/Workplace. How this occurs may be determined locally, however it is recommended that at a minimum a copy is:

distributed to committee members; posted on the HSW noticeboard(s); and


provided to any persons who holds responsibilities for actioning items external to the committee.

2: Information from the Regional HSW Committee

The Regional HSW Committee also meets each term and is required to publish their minutes. Through these minutes, or other instructions/advice HSW communications may be forwarded to schools/workplaces. This incoming information is to be addressed by the school/workplace HSW Committee and noted within minutes.

3: Performance review

Aim: Discuss factors contributing to HSW performance, investigate contributing factors and identify opportunities for improvement.

Mechanism: Review and setting of the school/workplace HSW performance indicators e.g.3.1 Annual Safety Assessment and progress through Action Plan3.2 Injury Management Cases/Data (the Chair and RRTW are to determine sharing of any data to ensure confidentiality of data)3.3 WorkCover Data (the Chair and RRTW are to determine sharing of any data to ensure confidentiality of information)

4: Incident Review

Review of incidents and actions taken

Aim: Identify any trends in incidents and escalate any issues for noting/action by the Regional HSW Committee. This may include an individual serious incident or, analysis of issues that may present a higher cumulative risk. Determine if the school/workplace is appropriately addressing incident causation and identify any need for further investigations.

All incidents discussed must be documented (MyHR WHS) to allow preventive activities to be captured.

Mechanism: 4.1 MyHR WHS data (incidents and injuries)4.2 Serious incidents and actions taken

Members should have a summary of incidents that have occurred in the past term to determine: hazards that have been identified, the potential for similar incidents to occur , the controls that were/need to be implemented and the effectiveness of controls.

Note: The Regional HSW Committee will discuss at least one serious incident in detail at each meeting. This is to include the management process followed – reporting, recording, investigation; improvement opportunities in this process; corrective actions recommended and implemented; potential risks and actions to be recommended for wider implementation.

Progression of incident examples from school/workplace Committees will inform this discussion at the Regional HSW Committee.

4.3 WHSQ Enforcement actions / key issues

Aim: Highlight and discuss hazards identified as a result of any enforcement actions (improvement notices, prohibition notices legal procedures etc.) to determine if there is potential for similar interventions to occur again or in other workplaces.


Review progress of any improvement notices to completion/closure (i.e. is Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) satisfied that the hazard has been addressed?).

Mechanism: Ensure the committee has copies of any notices issued to the school/workplace and that the Regional HSW Committee is advised of any hazards/risks relevant to the region or state. Progress/finalisation status should be addressed.

After consideration by the committee, the Chair is responsible for determining the items to be escalated i.e.:

- a serious incident that can be reviewed to determine improvement opportunities and shared learnings- items that may be relevant to other locations; e.g. in region or state- Items that require further support/advice- Enforcement notices-5: Hazard and Risk Review

Aim: Take the opportunity to identify hazards and risks within schools that may have region wide and/or state-wide impact.

Mechanism:

Review hazards and risks identified at the workplace: by staff, students, visitors, volunteers, Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinators, Health and Safety Advisors and others, Senior Health and Safety Consultants, Senior Injury Management, Internal Auditors, Infrastructure Services Officers, etc. The school/workplace HSW Committee is to advertise their meeting dates and encourage/call for school/workplace based issues for consideration, noting and/or escalation.

Aim: Review risks that have been highlighted for early identification of hazards and to determine a coordinated school/workplace response and escalation where necessary. Collate these risks in light of the 10 risk areas identified for schools.

Mechanism:

5.1 Annual Safety Assessment (ASA): review outcome of ASA and report on progression through action items identified in the ASA Action Plan.

5.2 Inspection Outcomes: review any inspections that have occurred.

5.3 Review internal and external audit findings: Determine where there are any HSW issues arising within the school/workplace and how these may be addressed. Use this information as another avenue to identify HSW hazards, risks and behaviours and inform/improve the Annual Safety Assessment and Action Plan.

5.4 Infrastructure projects: Discuss planning and design for new facilities, plant and equipment, large scale projects, construction, refurbishment projects with a view to ensuring health, safety and wellbeing risks are addressed before commencement and during the project.5.5 Procurement: high volume or high cost procurement programs are to be raised to determine if health and safety has been considered. (e.g. purchase of age/size appropriate classroom furniture, use of Standard Offer Arrangements).

5.6 Hazards / Risk Register – review and update

6: Regulatory / Legal issues

Aim: Identify hazards, establish risk, recommend and implement controls identified through legal issues such as common law claims and information provided by the regulator (WHSQ/QComp).


Mechanism: 6.1 Review any school/workplace legal claims to determine underlying hazards and implement recommended controls. Some data/scenarios may also be provided from the Regional HSW Committee.

7: HSW Improvement Strategies Update

Aim: Drive and demonstrate continuous HSW improvement across the school/workplace.

Mechanism: 7.1 Wellbeing, Health and Safety, Injury management Review and document updates on project work being undertaken by the school/workplace (e.g. relating to the 10 identified risk areas for schools) as well as other proactive programs in schools - e.g. Wellbeing Programs.

Wellness/Wellbeing program updates

8: Issues raised by School / Workplace HSW Committees

Review issues and risks raised by staff and others in the workplace

Aim: Provide support to staff and others that they have not been able to manage locally.

Mechanism: The School/ Workplace HSW Committee is to advertise their meeting dates and call for submit issues for consideration, decision/advice or noting.

Where a school or other regional workplace (e.g. outdoor education centre) has HSW issues that cannot be managed at their local level and through normal management channels, the workplace is encouraged to raise the issue with the Region, formally through their committee minutes – Item 10: Items for Escalation. Any decisions made by the Regional HSW Committee should be documented and timely advice provided to the school/workplace in question. Risks can be collated into the 10 risk areas.

9: General BusinessWhere items do not fall into any of the agenda topics already listed, these can be raised as general business – e.g. updates, sharing of positive strategies or questions.

10: Issues to be escalated to the Department HSW CommitteeAgenda Item 10: Issues to be escalated to the Regional HSW Committee Where a school or other workplace (e.g. outdoor education centre) has HSW issues that they cannot manage at their local level, issues that may have wider workplace implications or have significant innovations or success to celebrate, they are encouraged to raise the issue with the Region, formally through their committee minutes.

Aim: To ensure hazards and risks and/or innovations that have regional/state-wide implications are communicated to the regional and/or DoE HSW Committee which provides oversight for such issues.

Mechanism: The committee is to consider any of the current agenda items as well as emerging issues to be escalated to the Regional HSW Committee for their noting, consideration and action where appropriate.

School/workplace HSW Committees are required to provide escalation information formally through the School/Workplace Minutes – Section 10 – Items for Escalation. Once approved by the Chair, as part of the Minutes, the information for escalation (section 10) is to be provided to the Secretariat of the Regional HSW Committee.

Section 10 is to include:

All Enforcement Notices, Items from the School/Workplace Committee that either:

(a) cannot be managed at the school/workplace level; or


(b) have a state wide implications; or (c) learnings that should be shared across the region/state. (d) significant successes arising from HSW programs, initiatives, innovations and celebrations

Sufficient background information and documentation is required to inform these escalations.

The requested action that is sought from the Regional HSW Committee e.g. decision, advice, investigation.

11: Meeting Finalisation

11.1 Review of actions to be takenThis is to summarise the meeting and ensure that all members are aware of any tasks they have been given.

11.2 Next Meeting: Meetings are to be held once per school term, consideration is to be given to the scheduling of the “parent committee” – the Regional HSW Safety Committee - when setting School/Workplace HSW Committee dates. This will allow sufficient time to escalate/report on pertinent issues.


Terms of Reference (ToR) <Template>

School/Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee <for year xxxx>PurposeTo provide a forum for improving health, safety and wellbeing (HSW) performance within the school/workplace and support the requirement for consultation under Work Health and Safety legislation.

ScopeThe School/workplace HSW Committee will: track and progress HSW actions at the location e.g. Annual Safety Assessment - Action Plan oversee the application of HSW risk management to ensure that hazards and risks are identified,

assessed, controlled and monitored; oversee and ensure the effectiveness of HSW (and associated risk) reporting oversee and ensure the effective management of HSW risks and incidents through review of incidents

and trends; review school/workplace HSW performance, identify the factors contributing to performance and direct

reinforcing or corrective actions/plans escalate HSW information and issues to the Regional HSW Committee for information and / or decisions

as required.Strategic alignmentStrategic Plan objectives: Providing safe, healthy and inclusive workplaces Delivering good governance and accountable decision making.Operational Plan priorities: Monitor and maintain compliance with the requirements of the HSWMS; Monitor HSW performance as well as develop and apply improvement strategies; Apply processes to identify, assess and control HSW hazards and risks; Facilitate communication on hazards, risks and associated controls with employees; Conduct activities to provide assurance of compliance; and Facilitate referral of hazard, risk or other relevant information to other parts of the Department.

MembershipThe composition of the Committee will reflect the scale, scope and risk profile of department operations and includes incumbents in the following positions:

Role Position Area of the School / WorkplaceChair Principal / Manager All of School / Workplace

Members: Health and Safety Advisor School / workplace

Business Services Manager/ HR Consultant School Administration

Head(s) of Department(s) Teachers

Staff representatives from departments / business units/work groups

As specified

Health and Safety Representative All employees of the school/workplace

Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator

School / workplace


Department Level

Regional Level

Workplace Level

Secretariat To be determined by the Chair

GovernanceStatus of terms of reference

Draft Final

Date approved: Approver:

Committee type Committee termDecision making Advisory

Authority Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Parent entity Regional HSW Committee

Subordinate groupsNil.

Committee relationships and pathways for escalation and decisions are illustrated through the diagram below.

Reporting and referral relationshipsThe committee, through the Chair, prepares the following reports for the parent entity: Regional HSW Committee Minutes of meetings Items for escalation Progress against regional HSW priorities

Regular reports to this committee include: Items raised by individuals, MyHR WHS School/Workplace Incidents (generated at the location).


Attachment 1: Annual Forward Work Plan: 2017-18This work plan is directed by the committee’s purpose and scope and takes into account all responsibilities outlined in the Terms of Reference. It guides the committee’s focus and outcome for each meeting, assists with scheduling and supports performance assessment in annual reviews.

Meeting date Key area of focus Outcome committee is seeking

Sponsoring member/s

Standing agenda itemsWelcome and opening Welcome and openingPrevious minutes

- Confirmation- Business arising

Confirmation that previous minutes were a true and accurate record.

Information from Regional HSW committee

Communication from the parentcommittee

Performance review- Annual Safety Assessment

(Action Plan Status Update)- Injury Management data (new

incidents/injuries and trends)- WorkCover Claims information

Identify items for consideration

Incident Review- MyHR WHS data (incidents)- Serious incidents / actions taken- WHSQ Enforcement Notices

Ensure incidents are being appropriately managed.

Hazard and Risk Review- Annual Safety Assessment

(ASA)- Inspection outcomes- Internal Audit Reports- Infrastructure projects- Procurement- Hazards / risk register – review

and update

Identification and control of hazards

Regulatory / Legal issues- Common Law Claims- Workplace Health and Safety

Queensland Issues

Administration

HSW Improvement Strategies update- Wellbeing program, Health and

Safety, Injury Management updates

Proactive programs

Issues raised by individualsGeneral businessItems to be escalated to Regional HSW CommitteeMeeting finalisation

- Review actions- Next meeting date- Meeting close

January – JuneEnsure committee details are correct on MyHR WHS.

Improved performance measures


Meeting date Key area of focus Outcome committee is seeking

Sponsoring member/s

Standing agenda itemsEnsure committee minutes are uploaded to MyHR WHS

Improved performance measures

Implementing Annual Safety Assessment Action Plan from previous year

Finalisation of last year’s Action Plan

Determination of HSW Priorities for this year

Focus areas for the year

Planning for Annual Safety Assessment Preparedness for actionJuly - December

Undertaking Annual Safety Assessment

Implementing Annual Safety Action Plan Endorsement of activities

Safe Work Month Activities (October) Identify key messages

Implementation of HSW related policy and procedures

Preparedness and endorsement

Determination of HSW Priorities for next year

Focus areas for the following year

Review Regional Terms of Reference Review and update of ToR

Attachment 2: Meeting operations

Roles and responsibilitiesChair Ensure that the Committee is registered in MyHR(WHS) approve the agenda not less than 3 days before the meeting date; ensure the committee operates effectively and according to agreed protocols; facilitate the flow of information during meetings; approve draft minutes no more than two weeks after each meeting for circulation to members; ensure that issues and risks are considered by the committee and communicated to the Regional HSW

Committee as required; provide HSW performance reports for consideration by the Regional Committee as required; and delegate the above responsibilities to the next most senior executive present as required. Approve draft minutes no more than 3 weeks after each meeting for circulation to members; Escalate issues and risks and report on achievements to the Regional HSW Committee as appropriate no

later than four weeks after each meeting; and Delegate the above responsibilities to the next most senior member present as required.

Members acquire and maintain knowledge of:

• WHS duties and obligations that affect the school/workplace; and

• safety hazards and risks inherent in the school/workplace;

represent the interests and make decisions on behalf of staff, students and others (e.g. volunteers) prepare and present sponsored items for the agenda; and endorse minutes of each meeting.


Secretariat compile and distribute the agenda and any supporting papers at least three working days prior to each

meeting; circulate minutes (approved by Chair) to members for endorsement within five business days of draft

approval; once endorsed, ensure all staff can access the minutes; record keeping in accordance with the Department’s policies and practices (i.e. minutes); monitor and track actions; maintain distribution lists and terms of reference; review committee registration in MyHR WHS quarterly to ensure currency of membership.

MeetingsFrequency

The Committee will meet quarterly as a minimum and the dates of each meeting shall be determined by the Chair. Meetings will be scheduled with regard to the conduct of Regional Committee meetings.

OperationsAgenda• Committee members may sponsor items for the agenda.• Agenda items should be forwarded to the secretariat at least one week before the scheduled meeting.• The Chair will approve agendas not less than 3 working days before the meeting date.

Record keeping• Minutes of meetings will be taken by the secretariat using the Department HSW Committee Meeting Minutes

Template.• Once endorsed, the minutes will be distributed to members, and will be available for administrative release

under the Right to Information legislation.• The minutes of meetings and the status of associated actions must be reviewed at the next Committee

meeting.

Reporting As required, the Committee shall escalate issues to Regional HSW Committee for endorsement or a

decision. Escalation of issues to Region HSW Committee shall be through the Chair or other invited member as

appropriate. Addressing compliance issues and performance of the HSW Management System. Communication of meeting outcomes will be through the distribution of Committee minutes to members.

Members are responsible for the communication of issues within their areas as appropriate.

Resolution of issues ‘out-of-session’• The Chair may schedule out of session meetings of the Committee or part thereof as deemed necessary.• The Chair may issue papers to committee members for consultation and decision outside scheduled

committee meetings. This may include papers or issues unable to be included in scheduled meetings due to time constraints.

Review arrangements

The Committee shall undertake a review of these Terms of Reference, membership and operations annually through a self-assessment process, with a focus on continuous improvement.


AgendaSchool [Workplace] Health, Safety and Wellbeing CommitteeDate/time: Location:

Chair: Secretariat:

Members/Attendees:

Apologies:

Agenda item Sponsoring member

Action Paper circulated

Time (mins)

1. Meeting opening1.1. Welcome and apologies1.2. Previous minutes

1.2.1.Confirmation1.2.2.Business arising

Chair Noting and approval

2. Information from Region HSW Committee Chair3. Performance review

3.1 Annual Safety Assessment (Action Plan Status Update)3.2 Injury Management data (new incidents/injuries and trends)3.3 WorkCover Claims information

4. Incident Review4.1 MyHR WHS data (incidents)4.2 Serious incidents and actions taken4.3. WHSQ Enforcement Notices

5. Hazard and Risk Review5.1 Annual Safety Assessment (ASA)5.2 Inspection outcomes5.3 Internal Audit Reports5.4 Infrastructure projects5.5 Procurement5.6 Hazards / risk register – review and update

Chair Discussion

6. Regulatory / Legal issues6.1 Common Law Claims / WHSQ issues

7. HSW programs or initiatives update7.1 Wellbeing program, Health and Safety, Injury Management updates.

8. Issues raised by staff, students, community9. General Business

10. Items to be escalated to Region HSW Committee (see next page)

Chair

11.Meeting finalisation11.1 Review of actions to be taken11.2 Next meeting:11.3 Meeting close

Chair Noting


From item 10. – Issues that can be escalated to Region HSW Committee

1. Serious Incidents Details of incidents

Relevance to other regions/state

Actions taken to date – including corrective actions

Recommended solutions/further actions

Request to Region HSW Committee – decision / advice / further investigation

2. Hazard / risk / issues Details of incidents





3. Regulatory Actions Details and response (closed or current)

o Prohibition, Improvement or Infringement Notices; WHSQ actions.

Potential relevance to other regions/state


MinutesSchool [Workplace] Health Safety and Wellbeing CommitteeDate/time: Location:Chair: Secretariat:Attendees:

Apologies/proxies:

Agenda item Discussion/outcomes Lead action officer

Due date

2. Meeting opening2.1. Welcome and Apologies2.2. Previous Minutes

2.2.1. Confirmation2.2.2. Business arising

2. Information from Regional HSW Committee3. Performance review

3.1 Annual Safety Assessment (Action Plan Status Update)3.2 Injury Management data3.3 WorkCover Claims

information4. Incident Review

4.1 MyHR WHS data (incidents)4.2 Serious incidents and actions taken4.3. WHSQ Enforcement Notices

5. Regional Risk Review – HSW Committees

5.1 Annual Safety Assessment (ASA)5.2 Inspection outcomes5.3 Internal Audit Reports5.4 Infrastructure projects5.5 Procurement5.6 Hazards / risk register – review and update

6. Regulatory / Legal issues6.1 Common Law Claims / WHSQ issues

7. HSW programs or initiatives update

7.1 Wellbeing, Health and Safety, Injury Management update

8. Issues raised by staff, students, community

9. General Business10. Items to be escalated to Region HSW Committee (see next page)11.Meeting finalisation

11.1 Review of actions to be taken11.2 Next meeting:11.3 Meeting close


From item 10 - Items to be escalated to Region HSW Committee 4. Serious Incidents

Details of incidents





5. Hazard / risk / issues Details of incidents





6. Regulatory Actions Details and response (closed or current)

o Prohibition, Improvement or Infringement Notices; WHSQ actions.

Potential relevance to other regions/state

A summary of decisions and actions is provided below:Agenda item number

Decisions and actions Lead action officer

Due date

These minutes are a public record. However the Department of Education (DoE) may redact information from the publicly released version of these minutes if DoE intends to claim an exemption from disclosure under the Right to Information Act 2009. If such a claim is made by DoE, it will be noted at the relevant part of these minutes.


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