Property & Campus Services Environment, Health & Safety

Occupational Health and Safety Committee

Terms of Reference

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The Occupational Health and Safety Committee is a representative consultative committee reporting to Planning and Budget Committee through the Risk Management Committee.

  1. MEMBERSHIP

    Management Representatives

    Vice-Principal nominated by the Vice-Chancellor (Chair)
    Vice-Principal, Human Resources or nominee
    Vice-Principal, Property & Campus Services or nominee
    Vice-Principal and Academic Registrar or nominee
    Dean of a laboratory-based Faculty or Graduate School
    General Manager, Environment Health and Safety

    Employee Health and Safety Representatives

    Six employee Health and Safety Representatives, elected by the University’s employee Health and Safety Representatives in accordance with the Terms of Reference of this Committee.

    The term of office for other than ex-officio members is two years.

    Gender balance observers

    Nominated by the Chair, if required.

    Student Observers

    One undergraduate student nominated by the UMSU Incorporated Student Representatives Committee.
    One postgraduate student nominated by the University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association.

    Occasional Observers

    Other observers as determined by the Committee and invited by the Chair.

    Quorum

    The Quorum for the Committee is six (6) members, at least three (3) of whom must be employee Health and Safety Representatives.

  2. TERMS OF REFERENCE
    1. The Committee provides the peak OHS consultative mechanism of the University for management, staff and students to:
      • facilitate cooperation between Management, staff and/or students in instigating, developing and carrying out measures designed to ensure the health and safety of staff and/or students throughout the University.
      • formulate review and disseminate standards, rules and procedures relating to health and safety that are to be carried out or complied with throughout the University.
    2. The Committee receives reports from University Officers, Health and Safety Representatives, Health and Safety Committees and specialist sub-committees of the Committee.
    3. The Committee may appoint such specialist sub-committees as it may from time to time determine to perform specific tasks on behalf of the Committee, the membership of which include at least one member of the Committee.
    4. The Committee shall appoint an Executive Committee to act on behalf of the OHSC between meetings of the Committee. The members of the Executive Committee shall comprise the Chair of the Committee as Chair of the Executive Committee, the General Manager, Environment Health and Safety, and two (2) of the six (6) employee Health and Safety Representative members of the OHSC.
    5. The OHSC shall determine the nomination and election procedures for the election of the six (6) employee Health and Safety Representative members of the Committee.
    6. The Committee must meet at least quarterly.
  3. STANDING AGENDA ITEMS
    1. Attendance/apologies
    2. Minutes of the previous meeting
    3. Matters arising/outstanding action items from previous minutes
    4. Minutes and reports received from other Committees
    5. Reports and correspondence received by the Committee, including a report from the Executive Committee detailing business conducted by the Executive Committee.
    6. Review of serious Incident Reports and Investigations
    7. Review of Health and Safety Policies and Procedures
  4. DELEGATIONS

    The Committee may make recommendations to the Risk Management Committee in relation to University health and safety policies, procedures, work instructions and guidelines.

  5. LEGISLATION

    Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004

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