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Responsibilities Responsibilities.jpg

The University Safety Management System adopts a range of programs, activities and actions that systematically contribute to effectively managing hazards and risks associated with university business and improving the wellbeing of our people. These include:

  1. A policy stating the University's commitment and intent
  2. Responsibilities outlining who is responsible for the various aspects of the system
  3. Planned activities detailing what actions we will take during a defined period
  4. Procedures, guidance, forms and checklists that provide the details of how we will undertake our work safely
  5. A framework that includes a planned and systematic approach to managing Work Health and Safety (WHS) risks in university workplaces
  6. Training programs to educate our people to implement the requirements of the system
  7. Provision of adequate resources to enable the implementation of WHS activities
  8. Mechanisms for consultation and communication between staff, students, contractors, volunteers, service providers and suppliers
  9. An electronic platform for reporting hazards and incidents and recording investigation outcomes and actions to prevent recurrence of injury
  10. An early intervention program if an injury or illness occurs
  11. Testing and monitoring items that we rely on to keep us safe
  12. Evaluating our activities to ensure they are working as intended
  13. Reviewing our practices with a view to continually improving
  14. Maintaining records of all of the above so that everyone is clear about our system.


The University identifies Council members, Audit and Risk Management Committee members and the Enterprise Leadership Team as officers under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) and accordingly, they have a duty of care to meet and monitor associated due diligence requirements.

All workers are responsible for assisting the University meet the obligations of a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) and associated primary duty of care to a reasonably practicable standard by taking reasonable care in relation to their duties.

Due diligence requirements of officers are detailed in a quarterly reporting program to Council, Audit and Risk Management and Enterprise Leadership Team.

Specific WHS responsibilities are provided below:

Council, Audit and Risk Management Committee and the Enterprise Leadership Team are responsible for:

  • Ensuring an effective Health Safety and Injury Management (HS&IM) System is in place
  • Providing adequate human and financial resources
  • Overseeing the system and monitoring its effectiveness
  • Providing direction at a strategic level

Executive Deans, Directors and General Managers are responsible for:

  • Ensuring the systems are implemented
  • Maintaining current knowledge of the activities undertaken in their area of responsibility
  • Ensuring that adequate and effective resources are provided to eliminate or mitigate risk
  • Arranging to be advised of adverse situations by their staff through effective reporting processes
  • Monitoring and measuring progress against planned activities.

Managers and Supervisors are responsible for:

  • Implementing relevant system requirements and injury management activities in their area of responsibility, taking into account University requirements and their local business priorities and procedures
  • Ensuring that risk controls and injury management programs are effective in their work environment
  • Taking action where a need for improvement is identified.

Employees and students are required to follow reasonable instructions and work practices to maintain the health and safety of themselves and others, particularly when conducting experimental or untested activities.

University Work Health Safety and Injury Management (WHS&IM) teams are responsible for:

  • Analysing identified problems and assisting the University in finding effective solutions that have an overall goal of eliminating or minimising harm to any person
  • Providing guidance, training and technical expertise at an operational level
  • Providing tools and documentation to support the implementation of the system.

The University team is also responsible for conducting internal audits to measure and evaluate performance, identify and communicate areas of success and consult with workplaces on activities requiring corrective action.