Terms of Reference

Regional Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

Purpose

To act as a forum for improving the health, safety and wellbeing (HSW) performance within the region and an integral part of the Department’s HSW governance framework. The Committee supports the department’s legislative consultation requirements and also assists the department in fulfilling its’ corporate governance responsibilities. This is achieved through the provision of oversight and direction for the implemented continual improvement of the HSW Management System consistently across departmental Regions.

Scope

The Regional Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee will:
  • oversee the application of department HSW risk management systems within the region to ensure that reasonably foreseeable HSW risks are identified, assessed, controlled and monitored;
  • oversee contingency planning processes and ensure that appropriate plans are in place to address all high and/or extreme safety risks;
  • oversee and ensure the effectiveness of HSW (and associated risk) reporting systems throughout the region;
  • oversee and ensure the effective management of significant HSW risks and incidents through receipt and review of reports on significant incidents and trends;
  • oversee the operation and effectiveness of HSW assurance programs;
  • review regional HSW performance, identifying the factors contributing to performance and direct reinforcing or corrective action plans;
  • recognise exceptional individual and collective HSW behaviours; and
  • escalate HSW information and material issues to the DoE HSW Committee for information and / or decisions as required.

Strategic alignment

Strategic Plan objectives:
Operational Plan priorities:

Membership

The composition of the Committee will reflect the scale, scope and risk profile of department operations and includes incumbents in the following positions:

Role

/

Position

/

Division/organisation

Chair / Regional Director / Region
Members: /
  • Director, Human Resource Business Partnering
/ Human Resources
  • Assistant Regional Director Representative(s)
/ Region
  • School Representative(s)
/ Schools
  • Regional Infrastructure Manager
/ Infrastructure Services Branch
  • Senior Internal Auditor
/ Internal Audit
  • Senior Health and Safety Consultant
/ Human Resources
  • Senior Injury Management Consultant
/ Human Resources
  • Other business unit representatives

Secretariat / To be determined by the Chair

Governance

Status of terms of reference

Draft / Final / TRIM reference:
Date approved: / Approver:

Committee type

/

Committee term

Decision making / Advisory

Authority

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Parent entity

  • Department of Education (DoE) Health Safety and Wellbeing Committee

Subordinate groups

  • School[Workplace] Health Safety and Wellbeing Committees

Committee relationships and pathways for escalation and decisions are illustrated through the DoE Health, Safety and Wellbeing Governance Framework, in below.
Diagram indicating committee relationships and pathways for escalation and decisions:
Committee relationships and pathways for escalation and decisions are illustrated through the diagram below.
Reporting and referral relationships
The committee, through the Chair, prepares the following reports for the parent entity: (DoE Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee)
  • Minutes of meetings
  • Items for escalation
  • Progress against regional HSW priorities

Regular reports to this committee include:
  • Items from School/Workplace HSW Committees

Attachment 1: Annual Forward Work Plan

This work plan is directed by the committee’s purpose and scope and takes into account all responsibilities outlined in the Terms of Reference. It guides the committee’s focus and outcome for each meeting, assists with scheduling and supports performance assessment in annual reviews.

Meeting date / Key area of focus / Outcome committee is seeking / Sponsoring member/s
Standing agenda items
Welcome and opening / Welcome and opening
Confirmation of previous minutes / Confirmation of previous minutes
Previous Business
  • Information from DoE HSW Committee
  • Actions from previous meetings
/
  • Communicate outcomes from previous parent committee meeting
  • Address actions from previous meeting to ensure progression

Performance review
  • Regional HSW performance metrics
/
  • Identify items for consideration

Incident Review
  • Serious incident review and actions taken
  • Enforcement actions / key issues
/
  • Ensure incidents are being appropriately managed.
  • Communicate breaches of any enforcement notices from across the region to ensure rectification processes are underway.

Regional Risk Review - HSW Committees
  • Escalated risks from school / workplace HSW Committees
  • Internal and external audit findings
  • Audit schedule
  • Infrastructure projects
  • Procurement

Regulatory / Legal issues
  • Common Law Claims
  • Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

HSW Improvement Strategies update
  • Wellbeing Update

Issues raised by School / workplace HSW Committees
General business
Items to be escalated to DoE HSW Committee
January – June
  • Introducing school “HSW Scorecard”
/
  • Improved performance measures

  • Subordinate HSW Committee meeting assurance.
/
  • Improved performance measures

  • Determination of HSW Priorities for the year

July - December
  • Safe Work Month Activities (October)
/
  • Endorsement of activities

  • Implementation of HSW related policy and procedures
/
  • Identify key messages

  • Determination of HSW Priorities for next year
/ Preparedness and endorsement
  • Review Regional Terms of Reference
/ Review and update of ToR

Attachment 2: Meeting operations

Roles and responsibilities

Chair

  • Approve the agenda;
  • Ensure the committee operates effectively and according to agreed protocols;
  • Facilitate the flow of information during meetings;
  • Approve draft minutes no more than 3 weeks after each meeting for circulation to members;
  • Escalate issues and risks and report on achievements to EMB as appropriate no later than four weeks after each meeting; and
  • Delegate the above responsibilities to the next most senior executive present as required.

Members

  • Acquire and maintain knowledge of:
WHS duties and obligations that affect the Department; and
safety hazards and risks inherent in the operations of the Department;
  • Represent the interests and make decisions on their behalf of their respective regions, branches and divisions and have authority to in relation to the health safety and wellbeing of students and staff in their areas;
  • Prepare and present sponsored items for the agenda; and
  • Provide feedback or endorse minutes of each meeting within one week of their circulation by the secretariat.

Secretariat

  • Compile and distribute the agenda and any supporting papers at least three working days prior to each meeting;
  • Circulate minutes (approved by Chair) to members for endorsement within two weeks of each meeting;
  • Record keeping in accordance with the Department’s policies and practices;
  • Monitor and track actions; and
  • Maintain distribution lists and terms of reference.

Meetings

Frequency

  • The Committee will meet quarterly as a minimum and the dates of each meeting shall be determined by the Chair. Meetings will be scheduled with regard to the conduct of Department (DoE) HSW Committee meetings.

Operations

Agenda
  • Committee members may sponsor items for the agenda.
  • Agenda items should be forwarded to the secretariat at least one week before the scheduled meeting.
  • The Chair will approve agendas not less than 3 working days before the meeting date.
Record keeping
  • Minutes of meetings will be taken by the secretariat using the Department HSW Committee Meeting Minutes Template.
  • Once endorsed, the minutes will be distributed to members, and will be available for administrative release under the Right to Information legislation.
  • The minutes of meetings and the status of associated actions must be reviewed at the next Committee meeting.
Reporting
  • As required, the Committee shall escalate issues to DoE HSW Committee for endorsement or a decision.
  • Escalation of issues to DoE HSW Committee shall be through the Chair or other invited member as appropriate.
  • Addressing compliance issues and performance of the HSW Management System.
  • Communication of meeting outcomes will be through the distribution of Committee minutes to members. Members are responsible for the communication of issues within their areas as appropriate.
Resolution of issues ‘out-of-session’
  • The Chair may schedule out of session meetings of the Committee or part thereof as deemed necessary.
  • The Chair may issue papers to committee members for consultation and decision outside scheduled committee meetings. This may include papers or issues unable to be included in scheduled meetings due to time constraints.

Review arrangements

  • The Committee shall undertake a review of these Terms of Reference, membership and operations annually through a self-assessment process, with a focus on continuous improvement.

Reviewed March 2018 V2.

Uncontrolled when printed Organisational Safety and Wellbeing