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Health, Safety and Wellbeing Procedure - Induction and Training

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure identifies the work health and safety (WHS) induction and training requirements to ensure worker health and safety at work.

Scope

(2) See the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy.

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Section 2 - Policy

(3) See the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy.

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Section 3 - Procedures

Induction

(4) Work health and safety (WHS) induction must occur at both University and local levels: 

  1. At a local level, induction details the specific hazards of the workplace and the controls in place to eliminate or reduce the risk associated with these hazards.
  2. At the University level, induction information is provided on organisational WHS processes and systems.

(5) Supervisors must provide workers with information necessary for them to perform their role in a safe and healthy manner. This includes:

  1. information on specific hazards related to their work activities and the implemented controls
  2. University-level WHS information relevant to their role, and
  3. emergency procedures, numbers and contacts.

Training

Local-level training

(6) There are three levels of WHS training that supervisors and heads of organisational units must provide for workers in their organisational unit and/or workspace, subject to risk assessments and legal obligations, set out in the following table:

WHS Training Level
Description
Supervisor responsibilities
Level 1: Provision of information
Typically induction level information and can also include information relating to compliance with legislation, policy or procedures.
 
Provision of information can be verbal, written, electronic or given in a presentation.
Provide:
  1. information on hazards and the implemented controls to any worker who is exposed to a new hazard as a result of new or changed activities
  2. information appropriate to WHS duties and leadership responsibilities
  3. University-level WHS information as required.
Level 2: Proficiency training
Training in safe work procedures (SWP) and working under supervision until deemed proficient by the supervisor.
This level of training is required if identified as a control measure in a risk assessment.
Ensure that:
  1. where a risk assessment identifies a proficiency is required, an SWP is written and used as the basis of proficiency training.
  2. workers are supervised during proficiency training and do not work unsupervised until the supervisor is satisfied that the worker can demonstrate proficiency
  3. workers are provided refresher training to ensure ongoing proficiency.
Level 3: Competency based training
Assessed against knowledge and skills-based competencies, resulting in attainment of a certificate or licence (e.g. a forklift or other high risk work licence).
This level of training is required if it is a legal requirement or identified as a control measure in a risk assessment.
Ensure that:
  1. where required by legislation or a risk assessment, all workers undertake competency training before commencing tasks
  2. licence and certificate requirements are complied with.

University-level training

(7) Health, Safety and Wellbeing provide WHS training programs and information on the elements of the WHS management system. This is supported by:

  1. mandatory ELMO modules
  2. recording and reporting on training completion rates, and
  3. the Health, Safety and Wellbeing website.

(8) Training is also available for:

  1. WHS due diligence for officers
  2. health and safety committees
  3. health and safety representatives (HSRs), and
  4. first aid officers.

Training needs assessment and review

(9) Managers and supervisors must ensure any required WHS competencies for workers are identified and documented in position descriptions. This process must be undertaken in consultation with workers.

(10) Supervisors must assess training needs during induction and again on completion of the probationary period. Training needs should form part of a staff member’s development and review and be recorded as part of the Employee Development and Review Scheme (EDRS) or performance management processes. 

(11) Supervisors must regularly review worker WHS training needs. For staff members, this should be done for staff as part of the EDRS process.

(12) In addition, managers must review WHS training needs:

  1. following an incident or when a safety risk is identified
  2. after a change to legislative requirements
  3. when a worker’s licence expires, and
  4. when a worker requests a review of training needs.

Records management

(13) Supervisors must maintain WHS induction and training records through:

  1. retaining evidence of induction, induction checklists, related risk assessments and safe work procedures (SWPs)
  2. sighting original or verified copies of qualifications, certificates and licences, and filing a copy  electronically
  3. verifying the currency of WHS qualifications and licences and recording expiry dates
  4. recording proficiency against SWPs, and
  5. making records accessible to those required and authorised to verify WHS competencies.

(14) Anyone providing face-to-face training must maintain attendance registers.

(15) Training providers must provide recognition of attendance certificates as required.

(16) Details of competency training, certificates and licences are to be entered into the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) with copies of documents filed in the University’s records management system.

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Section 4 - Guidelines

(17) Nil.

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Section 5 - Glossary

(18) This procedure uses terms defined in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy.