• Section 1 - Title of Committee
• Section 2 - Establishment
• Section 3 - Functions and Responsibilities
• Health and Safety Committee (HSC)
• Local area Health and Safety Committees (LHSCs)
• Section 4 - Membership
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Health and Safety Committee
• Local area Health and Safety Committee
• Section 5 - Chair
• Health and Safety Committee
• Section 6 - Secretary
• Health and Safety Committee
• Local area Health and Safety Committee
• Section 7 - Term of Office
• Section 8 - Quorum
• Section 9 - Meetings
• Section 10 - Resolutions
• Section 11 - Agenda
• Standing Agenda Items
• Section 12 - Reporting
• Health and Safety Committee
• Local area Health and Safety Committees
• Section 13 - Conflicts of Interest
• Section 14 - Non-compliance

Section 1 - Title of Committee

(1) The Health and Safety Committee (HSC) and Local Area Health and Safety Committees (LHSCs).

Section 2 - Establishment

(2) The Health and Safety Committees are established by the Council under Section 19 (1) of the Charles Darwin University Act 2003 and Part 5 - Consultation, representation and participation of the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011 NT.

Section 3 - Functions and Responsibilities

Health and Safety Committee (HSC)

(3) The Health and Safety Committee (HSC) is a consultative committee that advises the Senior Executive Team (SET) on important health and safety matters for the University. The HSC addresses broad aspects of work health and safety, that affect the whole University, or which lie outside the responsibility or resources of Local area Health and Safety Committees or the Senior Manager Work Health and Safety. The HSC will:

1. facilitate co-operation between the University’s management and workers by instigating and developing measures designed to ensure the health and safety of the University community.
2. monitor compliance with Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation, safety management policy and procedures.
3. discuss health and safety issues or concerns raised by the LHSCs, Senior Executives or the Senior Manager Work Health and Safety.
4. make recommendations to SET via VCAC on WHS programs, objectives and governing documents, and issue resolutions aimed at improving health and safety at the University.
5. review the WHS key performance indicators provided by the Senior Manager Work Health and Safety.
6. recommend and assist in the development and implementation of initiatives aimed at improving health and safety throughout the University.
7. assist management in the development and implementation of an effective WHS management system and a proactive approach to WHS management across the University and all its operations.
8. assist management with ensuring that a uniform approach, based on best practice and continuous improvement, is adopted by the University and all its operations, to improve University compliance in all matters of WHS.
9. establish, at its discretion, sub-groups and ad hoc working parties to make recommendations to the HSC on specific risk processes or topics.
10. perform any other functions prescribed by WHS legislation and as agreed between the University and the members of the HSC.

Local area Health and Safety Committees (LHSCs)

(4) The University has also established Local area Health and Safety Committees (LHSC). These local areas are as follows:

1. Campus or location;
2. College;
3. Operational area;
4. Research group.

(5) LHSCs are consultative committees, that advise the Senior Executive Team (SET) via the HSC on important health and safety matters for each local area. The LHSCs address aspects of work health and safety that affect that local area.

(6) The LHSCs will:

1. facilitate co-operation between the local area management and workers by instigating and developing measures designed to ensure the health and safety of the University community.
2. monitor compliance with WHS legislation, safety management policy and procedures within their respective local area.
3. assist management with ensuring that a uniform WHS approach, based on best practice and continuous improvement is adopted by the University and all its operations, to improve compliance.
4. discuss health and safety issues or concerns raised by the workers, Senior Executives or the Senior Manager Work Health and Safety.
5. make recommendations to HSC on WHS programs, objectives, and governing documents.
6. review the WHS key performance indicators for the local area provided by the Senior Manager Work Health and Safety.
7. recommend and assist in the development and implementation of local initiatives aimed at improving health and safety throughout the University, and particularly in their local area.
8. assist management in the development and implementation of an effective WHS management system and a proactive approach to WHS management across the University and all its operations.
9. establish, at its discretion, sub-groups and ad hoc working parties to make recommendations to the HSC on specific risk processes or topics.
10. perform any other functions prescribed by WHS legislation and as agreed between HSC and the members of the LHSC.

Section 4 - Membership

(7) The committee must comprise representatives drawn from the various area units of the University where at least half of the members are workers not nominated by management.

Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)

(8) The University is not required, by legislation, to have Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) unless a request is made by a worker. However, they can be involved with the specific health and safety issues relevant to the work group they represent. Health and safety representatives may choose to be members of the Health and Safety committee (but are not obliged to do so).

(9) HSRs and deputy HSRs must be elected by members of the work group they will represent. The election process may be informal, for example with a show of hands. Alternatively, it may involve a more formal process such as the use of ballots.

(10) If the number of candidates nominated for election equals the number of vacancies in the work group, the candidates are deemed to be ‘elected’ and there is no need to proceed with an election.

Health and Safety Committee

(11) The HSC shall comprise:

1. Ex Officio Membership
   1. Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President (Operations)
   2. Director, People and Capability
   3. HSRs
2. Nominated Membership
   1. Chairs of all established local area WHS Committees
   2. Senior Manager Work Health and Safety
   3. Manager, Technical Services
   4. Director Student Engagement
   5. Director Property and Facilities
3. Standing Invitation Membership
   1. Vice-Chancellor
   2. Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee (VCAC) members
   3. Vice-President Governance and University Secretary
   4. Director Risk and Assurance
   5. Consultants, Health, Safety and Environment

Local area Health and Safety Committee

(12) The LHSCs shall comprise:

1. Ex officio Membership
   1. Dean or Director of the area, or other responsible manager
   2. HSRs.
2. Nominated Membership
   1. Other members to be determined by Dean or Director or other responsible manager of the area
   2. Area Managers and/or Team Leaders

Section 5 - Chair

Health and Safety Committee

(13) The Chair will be the DVC and VP Operations. The Deputy Chair will be Director P&C who will preside over meetings in the Chair’s absence. Local area Health and Safety Committee The Chair will be the local area Dean or Director. The Deputy Chair will be the Manager who will preside over meetings in the Chair’s absence.

Section 6 - Secretary

Health and Safety Committee

(14) The Health, Safety and Environment Administration Officer will act as the Secretary to the HSC to minute the meetings.

Local area Health and Safety Committee

(15) The Dean or Director is to determine who will act as the Secretary to the LHSC to minute the meetings.

Section 7 - Term of Office

(16) The following terms of office apply to each member group:

1. Ex officio committee members may serve on the committees for the length of the term they hold the position relevant to their membership.
2. Committee Chairs may serve on the committees for the length of the term they hold the position relevant to their membership.
3. Nominated members may serve on the committees for the length of the term they hold the position relevant to their membership.
4. Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) may serve on the committees for a maximum of three years unless during that period they:
   1. resign,
   2. cease to be a worker in the work group they represent,
   3. are disqualified as an HSR, or
   4. are removed from the position by the majority decision of the work group.

Section 8 - Quorum

(17) A quorum will comprise 50 percent plus one members of the committee.

Section 9 - Meetings

(18) Each committee must meet at least every three months, and at any reasonable time when requested by at least 50 percent of members of the committee.

Section 10 - Resolutions

(19) Matters requiring resolutions of the HSC shall be determined by a majority of the members present. The Chair shall have a deliberative and casting vote should a vote be required.

Section 11 - Agenda

(20) The agenda will be distributed with supporting documentation at least three days prior to the meeting date.

Standing Agenda Items

1. Attendance/apologies.
2. Acceptance of minutes of the previous meeting.
3. Matters arising/outstanding action items from previous minutes.
4. Reports and correspondence received by the committee.
5. Hazard and incident review, including:
   1. accident, incident and injury reports (AIIR)
   2. Local risk registers, risk and hazard reports
   3. the top three risks and evaluation of in place controls
   4. health safety and environment statistics
   5. investigations
   6. corrective actions tracking table
6. Reports from committee representatives – including:
   1. new items
   2. discuss and where necessary develop work parties or nominate ‘Champions’ to address specific issues such as HAZCHEM management.
7. Reporting and review of:
   1. Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) training and requirements
   2. ovid-19 Safety Supervisor training and requirements
   3. HSE Workplace Assessment Report, corrective actions and progress to completion
   4. Staff Inductions and any actions arising from these
   5. Leadership Safety Walk Status and actions arising from these
   6. Progress towards local area health and safety objectives and targets
   7. Local health and safety procedures plans and documentation
   8. Changes to the local facilities or activities that may affect health and safety
8. Next meeting date.

Section 12 - Reporting

Health and Safety Committee

(21) The HSC will report quarterly to the Vice-Chancellor via VCAC through the Chair. The minutes of the meeting will be shared with each local area to display on their WHS notice boards and discussion at the respective LHSC meetings. Meeting minutes will be taken and distributed within three working days of the meeting. A summary of meeting minutes will be included in internal communication at least once a month.

Local area Health and Safety Committees

(22) The LHSCs will report minutes of meetings to HSC by way of the provision of a copy of minutes to the Health, Safety and Environment team for collation and reporting. LHSC meeting minutes are also to be sent out to the relevant local area and are to be displayed/accessible on their WHS notice board. HSC meeting minutes are to be tabled at the next LHSC meeting.

Section 13 - Conflicts of Interest

(23) Where a member has an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest regarding an agenda item, they must declare this to the Chair at the commencement of discussion of the item, and be prepared to excuse themselves from the discussion, or the room, if required, as per the terms of the Conflicts of Interest Policy.

Section 14 - Non-compliance

(24) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct – Staff or the Code of Conduct – Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2022 and the Code of Conduct – Students.

(25) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Code of Conduct – Staff and Code of Conduct - Students.

(26) All staff members have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.