Work Health and Safety Policy

1. Purpose

The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace. This Work Health and Safety policy (Policy) aims to remove or reduce the risks to the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors and visitors, and anyone else who may be affected by the AICD’s business operations.
 

2. Objective

To ensure that AICD provides a healthy and safe workplace, promotes the early identification and management of hazards, and complies with its legal obligations with respect to health and safety at work.
 

3. Policy

3.1.  A Safe and Healthy Workplace

a) The AICD will undertake the following activities in fulfilling its commitment to provide a safeand healthy workplace:

• Continually develop, implement and maintain an effective work health and safety management system;
• Comply with applicable health and safety legislation, Codes of Practice and AustralianStandards related to the health and safety of our employees, contractors and the public;
• Implement a health and safety risk management process to ensure workplace hazards (including Psychosocial Hazards) are identified, assessed, controlled and reviewed,where they are not able to be eliminated; and
• Establish objectives and measurable targets for health and safety aimed at: the elimination of work-related illness and injury, and; ongoing system improvements.

b) To ensure compliance, the AICD will:

• Allocate sufficient financial and physical resources to enable the effective implementation of this policy;
• Provide appropriate health and safety education and training of employees,contractors and visitors; and
• Communicate, consult on and promote the active participation of our employees,contractors and other affected parties in the management of their own and others’ health and safety.

c) To keep our WHS practice current, the AICD will:

• Set clear expectations and accountabilities for fostering a continuous improvement culture that empowers and supports improvements that minimise the risk of harm; and
• Implement and maintain arrangements for the consultation of health and safety matters with employees and contractors.

3.2. Leadership and Culture

At the AICD we promote excellence in health and safety leadership and a positive culture of health and safety through:

• Encouraging and supporting innovative, healthy and safe work practices;
• Integrating health, safety and wellbeing into all aspects of our business;
• Ensuring the AICD’s work health and safety management system is appropriate for the AICD;
• Determining, in consultation with our employees, optimal health, safety and wellbeing outcomes;
• Actively monitoring and improving the AICD’s health, safety and wellbeing performance; and

3.3. Workplace Injuries – Rehabilitation and Return to Work

a) The AICD is proactive in its approach to injury management and places strong emphasis on the safe, timely and sustainable return to work program for injured or ill workers. AICD is committed to:

• Prompt injury notification;
• Communication and consultation with all parties to develop an appropriate return to work program;
• Accountability and responsibility for injury management being clearly understood;
• Provision of suitable meaningful activities during the return to work process; and
• Dispute resolution as required.

b) AICD will ensure the following positive approach in meeting these objectives, including:

• Early reporting of injuries;
• Appropriate and timely medical intervention and return to work planning;
• Provision of suitable resources and productive duties for the injured worker;
• Positive support and encouragement during the rehabilitation process; and
• Review of incidents and accidents to seek preventive measures and continuous improvement.

c) AICD will work in conjunction with Workers to review and update this policy, and other, policies and procedures relating to work health and safety as regularly as is necessary.

3.4. Legislative Requirements

The purpose of the Work, Health and Safety legislation in each state is to provide for a balanced framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces in each corresponding jurisdiction where Workers are located. The relevant legislation includes but is not limited to:

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Commonwealth);
• Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (ACT);
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (New South Wales);
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Queensland);
• Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (South Australia);
• Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (Tasmania);
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Victoria); and
• Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (Western Australia).

3.5. Hazard Management

Hazard management steps include:

• Identification – Describe the hazard and state the location of the hazard.
• Risk analysis – Rate the risk.
• Control – Recommend the control measure (eliminate, isolate or minimize).
• Reporting – Record keeping, compliance, management and notifiable incidents.

3.6. Hazard Identification

A variety of systems are used to identify workplace hazards, including:

• Active analysis of the workplace considering work tasks, occupations & work areas;
• Feedback from Workers;
• Analysis of accident statistics.

Workers are responsible for:

• Attending all relevant safety meetings and training sessions;
• Complying with all of the AICD’s safety rules, policies and procedures;
• Complying with all of the AICD’s operating rules, policies and procedures;
• Immediately reporting any work-related accident, injury, or illness to the staff member’s supervisor;
• Immediately reporting any unsafe equipment, safety hazards, or unsafe work practices to the staff member’s supervisor;
• Immediately reporting to their manager any threats or acts of violence in, or related to, the workplace;
• Implementing hazard management procedures in their work area;
• Taking all practicable steps to ensure that hazards identified are eliminated, isolated or controlled;
• Informing others (staff, visitors and contractors) of any hazards to health and safety which are known to be associated with the work they perform and the steps to be taken to control any such hazard;
• Ensuring unsafe acts and unsafe conditions are appropriately addressed.

4. Working Remotely

Workers are expected to manage the risks to their health and safety when performing work, and when providing services outside of normal working hours or in remote/isolated environments.

The AICD is responsible for:

• Identifying the risks associated with Workers who work alone in the office outside of normal working hours or in remote/isolated environments, re-assessing the risks on a regular basis, taking steps to control those risks, and reviewing the effects of controls;
• Providing information and training for Workers about the risks of working alone and what controls are in place. This includes ergonomic training and effective communication with the worker; and
• Ensuring there is a process where a person working alone communicates with their manager and arranges regular calls whilst on AICD premises.

Workers are responsible for:

• Taking all reasonable and necessary precautions for their own health and safety when working alone;
• Completing identified training to minimise risks while working alone or in remote/isolated environments;
• Communicating with their manager and/or colleagues to ensure they are aware of their work schedule when working alone in the office; and
• Maintaining regular contact with their manager and/or colleagues when offsite and on the AICD’s premises.

5. Scope

This Policy applies to:

• each director and officer of the AICD;
• each Employee and Contractor of the AICD;
• Division Councillors;
• each member of any committee or advisory group that the AICD determines should be bound by this Policy;
• Volunteers; and
• to any other person notified that this Policy applies to, collectively referred to as “Workers”.

This Policy applies to Workers at all times when at work or performing work related duties, including but not limited to when they are working from home or remotely in connection with their employment or engagement with the AICD.

6. Roles and Responsibilities

The following people are responsible for the effective implementation of this Policy:

• Executive: provide leadership and oversight to ensure effective communication and implementation of this Policy;
• Senior Leaders: support managers and supervisors in fulfilling responsibilities and accountabilities within their area of responsibility; and
• Employees, contractors and visitors: take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others as well as comply with any reasonable instruction, policy, procedure or guideline of the AICD in relation to health and safety.

7. Compliance and exceptions

The AICD treats the health, safety and welfare of its Workers with the utmost importance. Failure to comply with this Policy may constitute misconduct which may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment, or services.

8. Definitions