web viewedith cowan university. human resources services centre. meeting minutes – 22 june...

Edith Cowan UniversityHuman Resources Services Centre Meeting Minutes – 22 June 2015 Human Resources Services Centre

Edith Cowan University Meeting Minutes – 12 June 2017

Safety and Employment Relations Telephone: 08 6304 2302 Email: [email protected] Safety and Employment Relations Telephone: 08 6304 2302 Email: [email protected]

University Health and Safety Committee

Minutes of the second meeting (2017) of the University Health and Safety Committee

which was held at 10.00am on Monday 12 June 2017 in Room 1.447 on the Joondalup Campus and via videoconference to 1.107 SW Campus

and 10.308 Mount Lawley

AttendeesGeneral Members Apologies

Jenny Robertson Chair, Director HRSCProfessor Arshad Omari Senior Deputy Vice-ChancellorProfessor Lynne Cohen(via videoconference)

Representative of University Executive

Phillip Draber Manager and Chief Risk and Assurance Officer

Lesley Roza HRSC Safety and Employment Relations

Ben Knox

Adrienne Seery HRSC Safety and Employment Relations

Leanne Norbury

Belinda Owen HRSC Safety and Employment Relations

Martha Cavanagh

Fiona Peters HRSC Strategic HRSchool / Centre / Committee Management

RepresentativeHealth and Safety Representative

Apologies

School of Education Professor Lynne Cohen(via videoconference)

Gill TreichelSchool of Arts and Humanities Paul Godfrey (via

videoconference)WAAPAKurongkurl KatitjinSchool of Business and Law Sue Stenmark Penny Holmes-

BrownECU South West Campus Annemarie Pankhurst

(Deputy) (via videoconference)

Karen Knowles Professor Lyn Farrell

School of Engineering Adrian Styles Xiaoli ZhaoSchool of Medical and Health Sciences

Danielle Brown Kitya Dufall (Proxy for Doreen Mackie)

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Kelly Dillon Chris McCafferty

School of Science Clay Millar (Deputy) Phyll MahonStudent Services Centre Dr Glenda JacksonFacilities and Services Centre Lorna Viljoen (Deputy) Phil Pearson Maxine PlantLocal HS Committee - Strategic Governance Services, HRSC

Amanda Mulligan Janet Bartolomei

Local HS Committee – FBSC, MCSC, ODAR, GRS, IO, ORI

Michael Pearson

Local HS Committee – ITSC, LSC, CLT

Joyce Odchigue Tania Behr

GuestsMatt Higgins, Workshop Manager, WAAPA




P R E L I M I N A R Y M A T T E R S

1. Welcome and Apologies

The Chair, Jenny Robertson, performed an acknowledgement of country and welcomed members to the second meeting of the University Health and Safety Committee for 2017.Apologies were noted.

2. Minutes of University Health and Safety Committee Meeting held on 14 March 2017

The Committee received and noted the minutes of the first meeting of the University Health and Safety Committee for 2017 held on 14 March 2017. The minutes were confirmed.

3. Outstanding Actions

There were three outstanding actions from the previous meeting. All three remain open and the status of each is outlined below.

Meeting #

Action Outcome Status

1, 2017 SER to work with Risk, FBSC and AthenaSwan regarding developing broadertravel safety information and advice forthe University

Discussions have been held with key stakeholders to establish the work group. Phillip Draber re-quested that the project be escal-ated given recent events over-seas.

Open

1, 2017 Review apportioning processes and budget allocation timing with FBSC once the 2017 apportioning amounts are available.

In progress. Options to provide funding split into two payments under consideration by FBSC.

Open

1, 2017 Ergonomic assessment and equipment pur-chase processes, including sit‐stand desk procedures, to be finalised. Presentation to be provided at the next meeting of the Com-mittee.

Presentation on improvements to date to be provided as part of agenda for Q3 UHSC meeting.

Open

P A R T A – I T E M S F O R D I S C U S S I O N

4. WAAPA Presentation – Workshop health and safety Improvements

Matt Higgins, Workshop Manager, WAAPA presented to the committee the improvements that have been made to the WAAPA workshop that saw his team become the 2016 recipients of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution in Health and Safety Practice.

Significant areas of work include:• The delineation of floor areas to identify safety zones, providing safe access pathways for traffic

through workshop areas.• Storage units have been sourced and installed to meet compliance regulations for the safe storage of

tools and equipment including the installation of chemical cabinets.• Shelving racks and shelving units have been installed to meet compliance requirements for the safe

storage of materials, tools and equipment ensuring safe overhead access and legislative require-ments for weight ratings.

• Spill kits and eye baths have been brought up to Australian Standards compliance requirements.• Review of fire-fighting equipment and first aid kits in the workshop to ensure compliance with Aus-

tralian Standards.




A copy of the photos included as part of the nomination, some of which were shown as part of Matt’s present-ation, are provided below.

Matt commented that there is still significant work to be done. The Committee acknowledged the achieve-ments to date and requested that a tour be arranged to see the improvements first hand.

Action 4.1: SER to arrange an appropriate time with Matt Higgins for the UHSC members to visit the workshop.

5. Vice-Chancellor’s Awards 2017 – Outstanding Contribution in Health and Safety Practice

Fiona Peters provided an update on the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for 2017. Nominations are now open and close on August 11. The Committee were encouraged to nominate staff and promote in their respective areas.

The nomination form and guidelines for the Award are available from: http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/staff/centres/human-resources-service/our-services/performance-recognition-and-career-development/vice-chancellors-staff-excellence-awards

Belinda Owen sought tentative volunteers for the Selection Committee subject to confirmation of the nominees. Phillip Draber agreed to sit on the committee for the second year.

Action 5.1: Members of the Committee to contact SER team should they wish to volunteer as a mem-ber of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award Selection Committee

6. Radiation BioSafety and Hazardous Substances Project update

Adrienne Seery provided an update in Martha Cavanagh’s absence. A draft process has been circulated to the RBHSC for feedback that aims to streamline the application and approval process. The process also aim to ensure that:

• Applicants, intending to use Risk Materials, have the necessary qualifications and experience to en-sure good practice is maintained and those inexperienced in the procedures, are well supervised

• Foreseeable risks are appropriately managed• Facilities intended to be used are appropriate for the purpose• Safe working practices and procedures are implemented • All legislative and regulatory requirements are met

In the four years prior to the RBHS project a total of 16 applications were made to the Committee of which:• 3 were declined, • 2 withdrawn and• 11 approved.

Since the project commenced in April 2016 awareness has significantly increased resulting in 24 applications, of which:

• 1 was withdrawn, • 3 referred back to the School/Centre, • 6 in progress awaiting submission,• 4 under review and • 10 approved

The increase in applications and guidance provided to the applications by the Committee Executive give assurance to the University. Phillip Draber referred to the current review of the Ethics process sponsored by ORI and the opportunity to streamline this work into the ethics process where relevant.

http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/staff/centres/human-resources-service/our-services/performance-recognition-and-career-development/vice-chancellors-staff-excellence-awards

http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/staff/centres/human-resources-service/our-services/performance-recognition-and-career-development/vice-chancellors-staff-excellence-awards




7. Ergonomic improvements

This item was carried over to the next meeting in September.Belinda Owen provided a brief overview of current work being undertaken in the team in relation to

Ergonomics with reference to:

• Up skilling health and safety representatives on ergonomic workstation setup• Review and update of the current ergonomic self-assessment checklist• Review of preferred equipment supplies• Trial of a workplace ergonomic adjustment form for general practitioners

Further details of the project will be provided at the next meeting.

8. Health and Safety Update

Adrienne Seery provided an update on the following:

Significant incidentsThere has been 1 significant incident for the year that occurred on the 11 January 2017. A Staff member was leaning forward starting to lift a toolbox from back of buggy when they strained their back. This incident is considered a significant incident as the staff member was unfit for work for 6 days due to the injury which res-ults in an actual consequence of Serious using the ECU risk matrix consequence descriptors. Following in-vestigation, several actions were identified including refresher manual handling training for Grounds staff and removing tools from the toolbox rather than manual handling the toolbox from the buggy.

AHEIA Benchmarking outcomesECU has once again participated in the Universities HR Benchmarking Program which is a collaboration between a number of Australian universities who wanted to be able to compare and contrast human resource data with like institutions. The program consists of 35 members from Australia and New Zealand. Members collate and submit information about their university, which is analysed and reported across a number of measures, drawing comparisons to the university sector as a whole or a defined sub-group of universities. Adrienne presented on the health and safety related measures detailed in the presentation provided below.

A range of injury type measures were included in the benchmarking. The presentation referred to musculoskeletal claim rate as this is the measure that is most relevant to ECU. It is important to note that psychological claims are also captured however ECU did not have any psychological injury claims during the reporting period which is reflective of the low instances of psychological claims across the University sector.

9. Workers’ Compensation Insurance Premium Apportioning

Belinda Owen provided an overview of the University’s Workers Compensation premium renewal from RiskCover for 2017/18. The contribution for the upcoming financial year has been set at $262,226 which is a $100,761 (27.8%) reduction on the previous year. This represents 0.15% of our wageroll and is significantly below the industry average (gazette premium) of 0.26%. This reduction is largely a result of reduced total claims costs.

The University has also been provided a refund of $279,225 as a result of the workers’ compensation premium adjustment for the 2013/2014 period. This refund is predominantly due to actual claims costs for the 2013/2014 period being lower than projected at the time of the deposit premium contribution, a reduction of 56.2%. This is a significant saving for the University with the final premium paid representing 0.16% of ECU’s wageroll in 2013/14 which remains well below the industry average (gazette) rate of 0.35%.




This means that the University is able to provide significant returns to Schools and Centres as part of the Workers’ Compensation Apportioning program. At the time of the committee meeting HRSC were in negoti-ation with FBSC as to whether the returns could be split into two payments returned to Schools and Centre in mid-2017 and again in January 2018 as a result of previous feedback from the committee.

Since the meeting it has been decided that only one payment is possible and this has now been made to Schools and Centres to fund health and safety initiatives aimed at reducing health and safety risks.

10. Legal updates

Adrienne Seery confirmed that there have been no further developments with the WHS legislation in Western Australia.

Adrienne advised the committee of a recent prosecution involving a Northern Territory Education provider who was charged over a student fatality. The details are provided below. The incident highlighted the import-ance of the risk assessment process being more than a “tick and flick” exercise.

Further discussion was held in relation to prosecutions of Universities as a result of student injuries. Belinda Owen referred to a case at the University of Queensland in which a student was seriously injured and the University was able to accept an enforceable undertaking from the Regulator which involved significant health and safety expenditure and public advertising of their failings. A copy of the UQ Annual Report and presenta-tion at the Australian University Safety Association are attached for more detailed information on what oc-curred and the resulting penalties.

11. Due Diligence Reporting workshop outcome

A group consisting largely of Local Health and Safety Committee chairs participated in a workshop facilitated by the Safety and Employment Relations team in May to review the current due diligence checklist for Of-ficers of the University.

The main theme of the feedback was related to improvements that encouraged safety leadership.

The SER team are currently reviewing the feedback and developing documentation that they will circulate to the participants and other Local Committee chairs in due course.

P A R T B – I t e m s f o r N o t i n g

12. QARC report - Q1 2017

Noted

P A R T C – O T H E R B U S I N E S S

13. EAP and Mental Health




Dani Brown queried the Employee Assistance Program usage rates detailed in the previous minutes and whether increased usage was seen as a negative or positive outcome for the University. Lesley Roza con-firmed that we anticipated an increase in the usage as a result of promotion around the new provider and that the team monitored the statistics around the reasons for usage to determine whether there were any work re-lated trends that required further action. At this stage the majority of usage was for non-work related purposes and as such no specific targeted response measures are planned.

Meeting Close: 10:54am

Signed: Date:29 June 2017 Jenny Robertson, Chair

web viewedith cowan university. human resources services centre. meeting minutes – 22 june...

Documents