• Section 1 - Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Policy
• Section 3 - Procedure
• Part A - Emergency management planning and governance
• Emergency planning committee
• Roles and responsibilities
• Part B - Authority in emergencies
• Authority of ECO personnel
• Failure to comply
• Part C -  Information, instruction and training
• Induction
• Emergency planning committee (EPC) members
• Emergency control organisation (ECO) members
• First aiders
• Record retention
• Section 4 - Guidelines
• Appendix A – Roles and responsibilities
• Section 5 - Glossary

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure outlines the structures and processes in place at Charles Sturt University (the University) for the management of emergencies where an immediate internal or external emergency services response is required. This procedure supports compliance with:

1. AS 3745-2010 Planning for emergencies in facilities
2. Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and equivalent Acts in jurisdictions where the University operates.

Scope

(2) This procedure is applicable to all University premises and is based on Australian legislation. As such, amendments to meet local country legislative requirements to accommodate offshore sites will be allowed for.

(3) Where an emergency occurs on University premises, this procedure is the first process under the Resilience framework that should be enacted:

1. For immediate emergency response, see Emergency Management Procedure (this document).
2. For escalation of emergencies, crises, critical incidents, disruptions or other significant incidents, see Crisis Management Procedure.
3. For operational management of critical incidents, see Critical Incident Management Guidelines.
4. The Student Critical Incident plan may also apply for on or off-campus emergencies.

Section 2 - Policy

(4) This procedure supports the Resilience Policy.

Section 3 - Procedure

Part A - Emergency management planning and governance

(5) An emergency planning committee (EPC) provides the forum for consultation, hazard identification and review of emergency planning arrangements and procedures. The Work Health and Safety Committee currently operates as the EPC.

(6) In accordance with Delegation Schedule D - Facilities and Information Technology, the Chief Operating Officer has been granted authority by the University Council to:

1. establish a method and implement a response to emergencies, and
2. approve, respond and implement emergency preparedness and responsiveness plans.

(7) The EPC and the Chief Wardens, on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer, will establish emergency control organisations (ECO) to direct and control the implementation of a facility’s emergency response procedures and monitor the efficient functioning of these bodies and the oversight of emergency management within the University.

(8) Managers and supervisors will ensure that all staff and others under their control are covered by a current and practised site emergency plan and that all staff cooperate and support the EPC and ECOs. This may include, but is not limited to:

1. confirming with their staff working on University premises that they know how to access site emergency plans for their building via FM Central or by other means
2. ensuring staff participate in trial evacuations and other emergency planning events
3. committing staff to fulfil ECO roles and providing those staff with time to engage in training, emergency planning and other necessary activities.  

(9) The ECO is responsible for managing the initial response to an emergency, particularly evacuations if required or administration of first aid, until other support arrives. This includes the University security personnel and external emergency services.

(10) The Manager, Health Safety and Wellbeing shall provide the EPC with ECO status reports on a regular basis.

Emergency planning committee

(11) The emergency planning committee (EPC) is responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring emergency preparedness for the University.

(12) Responsibilities include:

1. Develop, implement and maintain emergency procedures and plans.
2. Ensure that personnel are appointed to all positions in the emergency control organisation (ECO).
3. Arrange for training of ECO personnel.
4. Arrange for the conduct of evacuation and exercises.
5. Review the effectiveness of evacuation and exercises.
6. Develop and implement improvements to procedures where necessary.
7. Review and endorsement of this procedure.
8. Meeting at least annually as an EPC.

Roles and responsibilities

(13) See Section 4 of this procedure.

Part B - Authority in emergencies

Authority of ECO personnel

(14) During an emergency or emergency exercise, emergency control organisations (ECO) personnel have absolute authority to issue instructions to evacuate and direct all persons.

(15) The University will indemnify emergency control personnel for their reasonable actions, taken in good faith and in accordance with their training.

Failure to comply

(16) Refusal to comply with the reasonable directions of ECO personnel in the conduct of their duties, during emergencies or emergency exercises, may be considered misconduct and deemed to be in breach of the Code of Conduct (for staff) and/or the Student Charter and Student Misconduct Rule 2020 (for students).

Part C -  Information, instruction and training

(17) All managers and supervisors shall ensure that information, instruction and training is provided as below (based on the requirements of AS3745-2010 Planning for emergencies in facilities).

Induction

(18) Emergency procedures and the actions required by all staff, contractors and visitors shall be included in induction training.

(19) Staff knowledge will be refreshed at least annually through participation in emergency trials.

Emergency planning committee (EPC) members

(20) Work Health and Safety Committee members will be provided information and instruction in relation to their responsibilities as the EPC.

Emergency control organisation (ECO) members

(21) ECO personnel (including wardens and security personnel) will be trained to develop and maintain the skills and knowledge necessary to undertake the duties set out in the site emergency response procedures.

(22) Refresher training for ECO personnel will be completed every two years.

First aiders

(23) All first aiders will be trained as per the nationally recognised unit of competency. 

(24) First aid training will be refreshed every three years, with CPR training refreshed annually.

Record retention

(25) Records related to emergency management must be retained in accordance with the NSW State Records general disposal authorities (GA 28 Administrative records) unless longer retention is required under other regulatory requirements. This includes:

1. potential emergency events and scenarios assessment – retain until superseded
2. site emergency plan and procedures – retain 5 years after superseded
3. EPC meetings – retain in accordance with WHS committee meeting retention requirements (10 years)
4. emergency trial reports – retain 7 years.

(26) Records management will be in accordance with the Records Management Procedure.

Section 4 - Guidelines

Appendix A – Roles and responsibilities

(27) All sites/business areas must identify persons with roles and responsibilities regarding this procedure and communicate requirements. Persons may hold more than one role.

Section 5 - Glossary

(28) For the purpose of this procedure:

1. Chief Warden – means the role that is responsible for the overall management of the incident until the arrival of the appropriate emergency service(s).
2. Emergency - means a sudden, unexpected event that requires an immediate response from internal and external emergency services. See also the Emergency Management Schedule – Example emergency events.
3. Emergency control organisation (ECO) - means the person(s) appointed by the University to direct and control the implementation of emergency response procedures. The ECO includes, but is not limited to, emergency wardens and security personnel. 
4. Emergency management – means the development of effective incident response systems focused on controlling the emergency event.
5. Emergency plan – means the written documentation of emergency arrangement that applies to any place where work is carried out for the University (a business or undertaking) and includes any place where a worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work. This may include offices, factories, shops, construction sites, vehicles, ships, aircraft or other mobile structures on land or water.
6. Emergency planning committee (EPC) - means the committee is responsible for the documentation and maintenance of emergency plans and procedures. This is a function of the Work Health and Safety Committee.
7. Health and safety representative (HSR) – means the person(s) elected to represent workers on health and safety matters and have responsibilities under WHS legislation.
8. Site emergency plan - means a plan developed from the site emergency procedures identifying the ECO personnel and actions to implement in the event of an emergency situation for a specific building or place.
9. Site emergency procedures - mean the established University procedures for the appointment and the roles of ECO personnel, training, reporting structure and the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.
10. University premises - means any land which is owned, controlled, managed or occupied by the University together with any building, construction or facility of any kind (whether permanent or temporary) on that land and also includes any other building, construction or facility which is under the control or management of, or which is occupied by the University.
11. Warden – means the role(s) that support the Chief Warden in ensuring all persons are safely evacuated to the assembly point, or alternative safe place.
12. Worker – means a person who carries out work in any capacity for a business or employer or 'person conducting a business undertaking'. They can be an employee, a trainee, apprentice or work experience student, or a volunteer.