WHS responsibilities

Within the University, everyone has a responsibility for health and safety. This page provides a guide of the responsibilities of the University, and officers, workers, and visitors within the University.

The University's responsibilities

Western Sydney University is considered a person conducting business or undertaking (PCBU) under WHS legislation, and as such has a primary duty of care to, so far as is reasonably practical:

• Ensure the health and safety of workers engaged, or caused to be engaged by the University, and
• Ensure the health and safety of workers whose activities in carrying out work are influenced or directed by the University.

Senior management

Senior managers have a number of responsibilities for WHS within areas under their control may be considered Officers under WHS legislation.

Specifically, senior managers are responsible for:

• Maintaining current knowledge of the hazards and risks associated with business operations.
• Ensuring adequate and effective resources are provided to identify and control hazards and risks.
• Providing a process for receiving and considering information regarding incidents, hazards and risks.
• Ensuring health and safety systems are in place and implemented.
• Verifying, monitoring and reviewing health and safety processes.

The Officers Fact Sheet provides more information on responsibilities of senior managers.

Supervisors and managers

Supervisors and managers have a range of WHS responsibilities for areas under their control.

Specifically, supervisors and managers are responsible for:

• Being a health and safety leader and encouraging workers to take a proactive approach to WHS.
• Implementing the health and safety management system for their areas of responsibility.
• Identifying and controlling hazards and risks associated with activities  under their direction.
• Investigating health and safety incidents and hazards.
• Providing adequate training, information, instruction and supervision.
• Consulting with workers issues that directly affect their health and safety.

Workers

Workers are responsible for:

• Taking reasonable care for their own health and safety.
• Taking reasonable care for the health and safety of others.
• Complying with reasonable instructions from the University.
• Cooperating with any reasonable University policy or procedure.

The Workers Fact Sheet provides more informatio on responsibilities of workers.

Visitors

Visitors, and other in the workplace, are responsible for:

• Taking reasonable care for their own health and safety.
• Taking reasonable care for the health and safety of others.
• Complying with reasonable instructions from the University.