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Health and Safety Risk Management Procedure

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Procedure outlines the activities for the identification, assessment and control of Health and Safety (H&S) hazards and their associated risks.

Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to Macquarie University staff and students, contractors, visitors and controlled entities.

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Section 2 - Policy

(3) Refer to the Health and Safety Policy.

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Section 3 - Procedure

Responsibilities and Required Actions

(4) Risk management is a systematic process of identifying hazards, assessing the risk associated with those hazards, eliminating or controlling those risks and monitoring and reviewing risk control measures.

(5) This Procedure requires actions by the following:

  1. Contractor;
  2. Head, Workplace Health and Safety;
  3. Manager / Supervisor;
  4. Health and Safety (H&S) Coordinator;
  5. Security Manager;
  6. Staff member;
  7. Student; and
  8. Visitor.

(6) The key activities in this Procedure are:

  1. plan and communicate risk management activities;
  2. educate and train staff;
  3. report an incident or hazard;
  4. manage incidents and hazards;
  5. investigate and analyse incidents and hazards;
  6. assess and rate risks;
  7. develop and implement risk controls;
  8. document and report activities and results;
  9. monitor and review risk controls; and
  10. manage training.

Staff Member, Student, Contractor, Visitor

Report an Incident or Hazard

(7) Report an incident or hazard through Risk and safety reporting. If you are unable to do this, request that your supervisor reports the incident or hazard on your behalf.

(8) If a hazard requires immediate attention, contact your Health and Safety Advisor.

(9) If the incident or hazard is a maintenance issue, for example, a blocked toilet, refer to Macquarie University Property via their Property Service Request Form.

Escalate Issues

(10) From time to time there will be conflicting views on how a Health and Safety matter should be managed. Where this occurs, and to ensure it is resolved in an equitable and timely fashion, you may escalate the matter as follows:

  1. where an issue cannot be resolved to your satisfaction, refer it to your Faculty / Office H&S Committee for review and discussion; and
  2. if the issue remains unresolved at this stage, refer the matter to the Head, Workplace Health and Safety for review and resolution.

(11) If the issue remains un-resolved following the review with the Head, Workplace Health and Safety, it will be referred to the Central H&S Committee for review and resolution.

Head, Workplace Health and Safety

Plan and Communicate Risk Management Activities

(12) Plan and implement risk management activities in consultation with the Health and Safety Central Committee, Health and Safety representatives and Health and Safety Coordinators.

Educate and Train Staff

(13) Provide Health and Safety training and induction.

Manage Incidents and Hazards

(14) Upon receipt of a Risk and safety reporting report do the following:

  1. if the incident or hazard relates to a student, visitor or contractor, refer the incident to an Health and Safety Coordinator; or
  2. refer all other incident and hazard reports to the relevant supervisor or manager.

(15) Co-ordinate hazard identification, assessment and control activities on an on-going basis, including:

  1. if a hazard identification activity has not been done before, for example, electrical safety monitoring;
  2. when a hazard has been identified;
  3. prior to establishing and using a workplace;
  4. before changes are made to the workplace or systems of work;
  5. after an incident, accident or workplace illness;
  6. at regularly scheduled times appropriate to the workplace according to the Workplace Inspections Procedure;
  7. where activities involve the use of animals or work is undertaken in areas that house research animals;
  8. in selecting and using chemicals and hazardous materials;
  9. when a legislative requirement changes, e.g. storage of gases or chemicals;
  10. when there is a cause for concern amongst staff and students;
  11. when planning and designing work processes; and
  12. before selecting, purchasing, installing and using equipment.

(16) Address any sources of potential hazards by working with the Central Health and Safety Committee and Health and Safety Coordinators in identification, development and implementation of Health and Safety programs and strategies consistent with the University’s Health and Safety Plan.

Escalate Issues to the Central Health and Safety Committee

(17) If required, refer unresolved issues to the Central Health and Safety Committee.

(18) If a matter remains unresolved after being reviewed by the Central Health and Safety Committee, refer the matter to SafeWork NSW for assistance.

Report to SafeWork NSW

(19) Contact SafeWork NSW in cases of serious incidents, for example, where incidents:

  1. have resulted in a fatality;
  2. include a serious injury or illness, for example if a person:
    1. has a limb amputated;
    2. is placed on a life support system;
    3. loses consciousness;
    4. is trapped in machinery or a confined space; or
    5. has serious burns;
  3. pose an immediate threat to life, for example, major damage to machinery or buildings, or the collapse of an excavation.

(20) Serious incidents are listed under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW).

(21) Where a serious incident occurs outside business hours, the Duty Security Manager will contact you so that the matter can be reported to SafeWork NSW.

Health and Safety Coordinator

Investigate and Analyse Incidents and Hazards

(22) Upon receipt of a Risk and safety reporting report do the following:

  1. If the initiator is a student, visitor or contractor:
    1. contact them as soon as possible after (at least within 72 hours of) the event, to gather information related to the incident / accident / hazard;
    2. speak with the person regarding the event; and
    3. review any previous incident/hazard/inspection reports.
  2. If the initiator is a staff member, assist supervisors / managers in the investigation.
  3. If an employee injury is significant, notify the University Insurer and refer it to the Injury and Claims Management Coordinator to initiate return to work activities.

(23) If urgent or emergency repairs are required, contact Macquarie University Property directly. For other maintenance issues, use the Property Service Request Form.

Manager / Supervisor

(24) Upon receipt of a Risk and safety reporting report investigate, or appoint an investigation team to investigate, the issue and do the following:

  1. contact the staff member who submitted the report as soon as possible after (at least within 72 hours of) the event, to gather information related to the incident or hazard;
  2. speak with the person regarding the event;
  3. review any previous incident / hazard / inspection reports; and
  4. assess and rate the risk.

Assess and Rate Risks

Assess Risk

(25) Perform a risk assessment for identified hazards, including risk identification, risk analysis and risk evaluation.

(26) Once a risk has been identified, analyse the risk by doing the following:

  1. identify the factors that may be contributing to the risk; and
  2. where available, review health and safety information that is relevant to the particular hazard (such as Codes of Practice, SafeWork NSW guidelines and Material Safety Data Sheets).

(27) Next, assess and rate the risk according to three criteria:

  1. its likelihood to cause harm (Risk Likelihood Matrix);
  2. its potential consequences (Risk Consequences Matrix); and
  3. the risk level (Risk Assessment Matrix).
RISK LIKELIHOOD MATRIX
Likelihood Description
5 (Almost Certain) Expected to occur in most circumstances
4 (Likely) Probably will occur in most circumstances
3 (Possible) Might happen at some time
2 (Unlikely) Could happen, but rarely
1 (Rare) Has never occurred before
 
RISK CONSEQUENCE MATRIX
Consequence Description
5 (Catastrophic) Multiple fatalities; irreversible effects; Loss $10m to $100m; Extensive Environmental damage.
4 (Major) Fatality; Serious irreversible disabilities; Medium term Environmental damage; Loss $1m to $10m.
3 (Moderate) Moderate irreversible disability; Moderate environmental damage; Loss $100k to $1m.
2 (Minor) Minor injuries & hospitalisations; Short term Environmental damage; Loss $10k to $100k.
1 (Insignificant) No medical treatment; No Environmental damage; Loss less than $10k.

Rate Risk

(28) Use the Risk Likelihood and Risk Consequences Matrices in the Risk Assessment Matrix to determine the overall Risk Level of Very Low, Low, Medium, High or Critical.

RISK ASSESSMENT MATRIX
Consequence  Likelihood        
  Rare Unlikely Possibly Likely Almost Certain
Catastrophic medium high critical critical critical
Major low medium high critical critical
Medium low low medium high critical
Minor very low low low medium high
Insignificant very low very low low low medium

(29) Use the Risk Level Matrix to determine the time frame for remediation actions to occur.

  RISK LEVEL MATRIX
Risk Level Required Action
Critical Action required immediately.
The proposed task or process activity must not proceed. Steps must be taken to lower the risk level to as low as reasonably practicable using the Hierarchy of Control.
High Action required today.
The proposed activity can only proceed, provided that:
  1. the risk level has been reduced to as low as reasonably practicable using the hierarchy of risk controls;
  2. the risk controls include those identified in legislation, Australian Standards, Codes of Practice etc.;
  3. the risk assessment has been reviewed and approved by the Supervisor; and
  4. a Safe Working Procedure or Safe Work Method has been prepared; and
  5. the supervisor reviews and documents the effectiveness of the implemented risk controls.
Medium Action required this week.
The proposed task or process can proceed, provided that:
  1. the risk level has been reduced to as low as reasonably practicable using the hierarchy of risk controls;
  2. the risk assessment has been reviewed and approved by the Supervisor; and
  3. a Safe Working Procedure or Safe Work Method has been prepared.
Low/Very Low Action required this month.
Managed by local documented procedures which must include application of the hierarchy of controls.

Develop and Implement Risk Controls

(30) Once risks have been assessed action must be taken to eliminate or control them. Whilst the most effective action is to eliminate risks, this is not always possible, in these instances control measures are implemented according to the hierarchy of control contained in the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017.

(31) The hierarchy of control is outlined in Appendix 1 - Health and Safety Risk Management Control Measures.

(32) Following the identification of a risk control, implement the control and liaise with other relevant University departments as required.

Re-rate the Risks

(33) In order to assess if the additional risk controls will be sufficient to reduce the risk, re-assess the activity.

(34) For an activity to proceed, the final risk rating must be either a Medium or Low rating.

Document and Report Activities and Results

(35) Document outcomes relating to risk assessments undertaken and the control measures implemented on the Risk Assessment Form.

(36) Document assessments in a Risk Register Form.

(37) Coordinate with the relevant Faculty and Macquarie University Property to arrange for any emergency or urgent repairs required.

(38) Prepare a Risk and safety reporting report on an incident / accident including any identified corrective actions. Forward copies of the report to the manager or supervisor, the Health and Safety Representative and the Health and Safety Committee.

(39) Liaise with employees and managers, to review the recommendations and make any necessary alterations.

(40) Prepare a Health and Safety Incident Action Plan and forward a copy to the Head, Workplace Health and Safety. When actions are completed, send the final report to the Head, Workplace Health and Safety.

Monitor and Review Risk Controls

(41) Once risk assessments been completed, you must monitor and review them in order to maintain the validity of that assessment and to ensure that they remain effective and do not create additional risks. Changes to work practices, work environment or equipment may change the level of risk presented.

(42) Assessments and control measures will need to be re-evaluated if:

  1. there is evidence that the risk assessment or control measure is no longer valid;
  2. an injury or incident resulting from exposure to the hazard occurs; or
  3. there are changes to the work environment, equipment or work practices which may make the assessment or control measure ineffective or out-of-date.

(43) Monitoring should occur on a regular basis such as weekly, monthly or quarterly whereas a review should occur at the end of a specified time period by which point a risk assessment or a control measure would be expected to have demonstrated whether or not it was effective.

(44) Alternatively, it might be necessary to set a predetermined review date, especially for those risk assessments that describe an extremely hazardous activity. This could be bi-annual, annual or another more appropriate time frame.

Manage Training

(45) Ensure that staff complete required Health and Safety training and induction within the first four (4) weeks of employment.

(46) Where an employee manages staff, they must also complete the Health and Safety for Line Managers course.

(47) All contractors must complete the online Health and Safety induction course prior to commencement of activities at Macquarie University.

Security Manager

(48) Where a serious incident occurs outside business hours, contact the Head, Workplace Health and Safety so that the matter can be reported to SafeWork NSW.

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Section 4 - Guidelines

(49) Nil.

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Section 5 - Definitions

(50) Definitions specific to this Procedure are contained in the accompanying Health and Safety Risk Management Policy.