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Work Health and Safety Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The purpose of this policy is to outline how the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle (the Diocese) will fulfil its commitment to work health and safety and comply with the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017.

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Section 2 - Policy Statement

(2) The Diocese is committed to the prevention of work-related injury/illness, through the provision of safe and healthy work environments, facilities, equipment and systems for our workers, volunteers, contractors, visitors, and members of the community.

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Section 3 - Scope

(3) All workers of the Diocese must comply with this policy. This policy applies to work carried out at workplaces under the control or management of the Diocese and or as part of the Diocese’s business or undertakings.

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Section 4 - Policy Principles

(4) The Diocese will demonstrate its commitment to work health and safety by:

  1. ensuring all managers, workers and visitors are aware of their responsibilities in relation to work health and safety;
  2. complying with the Work Health Act 2011 (NSW) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) and meeting applicable Standards and Codes of Practice;
  3. adopting a proactive risk management approach to Work Health and Safety as an integral part of overall business operations;
  4. consulting with and involving workers in decisions impacting on their health and safety;
  5. considering the health and safety impacts of business decisions, including purchasing equipment design and organisational change;
  6. providing and maintaining safe systems of work including safe premises, plant, structures, substances, equipment, and systems that are safe and reduce risks to the health and safety of workers;
  7. providing relevant information, instruction, training, and supervision as may be necessary to enable workers to work in a manner which will minimise risk of injury or ill health; and
  8. continuously improving the Work Health and Safety Management System.
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Section 5 - Responsibilities

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership Team
The Diocesan leadership team has overall responsibility for managing Work Health and Safety and implementing verification processes to ensure that the Diocese is meeting its obligations.
Responsibilities and accountabilities under this policy are held by the following positions:
♦ Bishop
♦ Chief Executive Officer
♦ Chief Operating Officer
♦ Diocesan Leadership Group
♦ Head of People and Culture
Site specific responsibilities in addition to those positions specified as above shall be established for relevant workers and communicated at the site by the person in charge of the site.
People and Culture Team
♦ Raising with all agencies any identified health and safety deficiencies
♦ Communicating to all agencies the Work Health and Safety management expectations
♦ Enforcing policies and procedures
Safety and Risk Team
♦ Encouraging workers to report, at the earliest opportunity, any suspected workplace hazard, risk, and/or work-related incident, injury, or illness
♦ Providing guidance and advice to assist the Diocese to meet its legislative obligations
♦ Providing direction on the development and implementation of the Work Health and Safety management system
♦ Working closely with Return-to-Work Coordinators
♦ Developing material to support the Work Health and Safety management system
♦ Coordinating the availability and application of technical and procedural Work Health and Safety information
♦ Coordinating the availability of ongoing education and support to further improve the Work Health and Safety management system
♦ Providing guidance on compliance with Work Health and Safety legislation and Standards by:
     • facilitating access to SafeWork NSW training programs where mandatory training has been identified in the Act and Regulations
     • supporting the Diocese to maintain individual Work Health and Safety records
     • providing information sessions on relevant Work Health and Safety matters.
Return to Work Coordinators
♦ Implementing the return to work program
♦ Assisting the Diocese to meet its obligations under workers compensation legislation
♦ Supporting workers as they recover at work
♦ Being a link between the employee, employer, insurer and treating health professionals to develop and implement a recovery at work plan
Workers and others
♦ Take reasonable care for their own health and safety.
♦ Take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others.
♦ Comply with any reasonable instructions given to them enable the Diocese to comply with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW).
♦ Comply with policies and procedures of the Diocese.
♦ Report all incidents, or hazards, that may cause injury or illness, and any damage or maintenance requirements affecting the safety of the workplace or plant used at work.
♦ Attend and participate in any training or in-service seminars arranged by the Diocese to support the objectives of this policy.
♦ Engage openly in any consultation on Work Health and Safety issues, share information brought to their attention and assist the Diocese to meet its obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW).
Other persons at the workplace shall
♦ Take reasonable care for their own health and safety
♦ Take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others
♦ Comply with any reasonable instructions given to enable the Diocese to comply with the Act
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Section 6 - Consequences of breaching this policy

(5) Any worker found to be in breach of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, including where a serious breach occurs, dismissal.

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Section 7 - Budget

(6) The Diocese will ensure that the resources are available, including ensuring the supply of appropriate resources and processes, to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety in the workplace.

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Section 8 - Document Review

(7) The policy shall be reviewed at least once every three (3) years, or in the event of any information, incident, injury, or illness that highlights the need for a review or when there are legislative changes or organisational changes. Review and revision must be done in consultation with relevant workers.