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Category Health and Safety
Type Policy
Approved byVice-Chancellor, thereafter by Council, 12 December 2024
Date Policy Took Effect 12 December 2024
Last approved revision 12 December 2024
Sponsor Vice-Chancellor
Responsible officer Chief Operating Officer

Purpose

The health, safety and wellbeing of workers and students is of prime importance at the University of Otago. It is the University's intention to meet the legislative requirements, to strive for excellence in health, safety and wellbeing management, and to be a national leader within the tertiary sector.

Organisational scope

All University of Otago workplaces, workers, students, visitors, and members of the public lawfully on University sites and any other locations where activities are undertaken by University of Otago representatives on behalf of the University.

Content

  1. It is the policy of the University to act in compliance with all of its obligations in relation to health, safety and wellbeing – including legislative requirements, applicable New Zealand standards and codes of practice, and any additional requirements to which it subscribes. By adhering to this policy, the University will, so far as is reasonably practicable, protect the health, safety and welfare of all workers, students, and others for whom it has responsibility.
  2. This policy also reflects that health, safety and wellbeing is the responsibility of everyone, and that all staff, students, visitors and contractors play an important role in contributing to a health and safe workplace.
  3. Within this policy, the University aims to effectively manage the risk of hazards arising from its facilities or activities. In particular the University will:
    1. Provide and maintain high standards of health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace.
    2. Promote an organisational culture that adopts health and safety as an integral component of management philosophy.
    3. Ensure we uphold University values and a culture that promotes workplace respect, where we believe that health, safety and wellbeing are paramount, and where bullying, harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated.
    4. Continue to evolve the University’s Health and Safety Management System through a process of continuous improvement with a focus on managing health, safety and wellbeing risks. This will be achieved in consultation with workers and health and safety representatives with the objective to prevent workplace injury and illness.
    5. Provide appropriate health, safety and wellbeing training for all staff, and disseminate health and safety information and instruction to all personnel in the workplace.
    6. Ensure staff complete mandatory health and safety training applicable to their role.
    7. Ensure we identify hazards and risks, and manage those risks by:
      1. eliminating known and foreseeable hazards if it is reasonably practicable to do so; and
      2. minimising risks to as low as reasonably practicable using the hierarchy of risk control.
    8. Require accurate reporting, notification and investigation of all injuries and incidents.
    9. Provide prompt and effective work-based rehabilitation for all work-related injuries, and non-work injuries where appropriate and possible.
    10. Provide the training and information necessary to ensure an appropriate level of competency in health and safety related matters.
    11. Foster and encourage education in safe working practices for students who in turn will become workers when they leave the University.
    12. Provide effective consultation processes for health and safety matters, and actively encourage participation of students, workers and their representatives, including union representation.
    13. Provide emergency procedures and resources to respond to and recover from credible emergency situations.
  4. All University of Otago workers have responsibilities under the legislation requiring that no action, or inaction, by the worker causes harm to themselves or any others in the workplace. In particular, the University of Otago requires all workers to:
    1. Promptly report all incidents and injuries as soon as practicable after the event.
    2. Participate in the health and safety management systems in operation within the University.
    3. Promptly report to relevant health and safety staff any identified risks to health and safety of staff, students or visitors.
    4. Actively participate in the rehabilitation for work related injuries/illnesses.
    5. Complete, as required, any health and safety inductions, training, and education as deemed mandatory by the Vice-Chancellor and the Senior Leadership Team.
  5. The University's health and safety performance will be monitored and reviewed by:
    1. University Council monthly reports and through Council's Health and Safety Committee.
    2. The Vice-Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor's Senior Leadership Team.
    3. Operational Health and Safety Committees.
    4. Annual review and continuous monitoring.
    5. External and internal audits.

Related policies, procedures and forms

Legislation

University

Additional

Contact for further information

If you have any queries regarding the content of this policy or need further clarification, contact:

Director, Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Email andrea.mcmillan@otago.ac.nz

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