OHSRM - FAQ

Gathered here are answers to a number of questions that have been asked. There are more questions than answers at this time, but I will post the answers (and the authority) as I discover them...

Q:What is a workgroup?

A: A workgroup is defined in the  ohsrm Program document as a "group of staff under the direct supervision of a supervisor or manager".

A workgroup can also be thought of as a group of people who do a similar type of work, or who share a common work space. For example, we have a "School Workgroup" that contains a number of what I have called "sub-workgroups" that correspond to the main functional groups in the School.

David Rye, ohsrm Coordinator

Q: What is the role of an ohsrm committee or representative?

A: An ohsrm committee (and/or an ohsrm representative) represents the employees in a particular workgroup. The committee makes recommendations on behalf of the "employees" to the "employer" (line manager), but the manager (as the "employee") is responsible for the final decision, and for ensuring safety.

David Rye, ohsrm Coordinator

Q: Does the legislation apply to postgraduate (PhD or MES) or undergraduate students?

A: The legislation does not apply to postgraduate or undergraduate students, except in the sense that they are "persons legally in the workplace". The employer then has a legal obligation to ensure that any part of the workplace to which they have access is safe, and that any activities in which they legally engage are conducted in a safe manner.

When the University pays a student for providing a service, the student becomes an employee, and both the student and the University are bound by the reciprocal provisions of the legislation. For example, postgraduate or undergraduate student become employees when they undertake casual tutoring or demonstrating work.

Authority: Jon D'Astoli, Risk Management

Q: The legislation is framed in terms of an "employer" and its "employees". How does the University interpret these words in terms of a Faculty or a School/Department?

A: The University interprets the term "employer" in terms of its line management and delegations of authority. Line management has responsibility for 1) ensuring safety in that part of the workplace over which they (any individual manager) has designated authority, and 2) making decisions as to how risks are to be eliminated or controlled.

See the section on "Responsibility for Implementing the ohsrm Program" in the ohsrm Program document and the University Delegations of Authority document.

For example, the Dean of Engineering is the "employer" of all persons in the Faculty, and the Head of School is the "employer" of all persons in the School.

Authority: Jon D'Astoli, Risk Management

Q: In the ohsrm process, does the University require assessment of the worst case risk, or the most likely risk?

A: Answer has been sought.

Q: What length of time does the University consider to be a reasonable maximum time within which to implement controls on identified hazards assessed as being at each of the various priority levels (Level 1, Level 2, ...,  Level 6)?

A: Answer has been sought.

Q: "Guidelines" issued by WorkCover NSW?

A: The Codes of Practice and Guidelines are not legal documents, except in the sense that the legislation provides that Codes of Practice may be introduced into proceedings as evidence. It would seem prudent to comply with all recommendations of Codes of Practice and Guides whenever reasonably practicable to do so.

David Rye, ohsrm Coordinator

Please email comments and questions to Rod Fiford.