What is WHS?
WHS stands for Work Health Safety. The Work Health and Safety Act is designed to protect people in the workplace by providing uniform safety practices across Australia based upon the best safety practices from around Australia as well as International Standards. There are plenty of resources available if you are wanting to learn more about safe work processes, including Safe Work Australia and SafeWork NSW.
How does WHS impact my Club?
As the Executive of an Arc affiliated Club, you are legally required to:
- Take reasonable care for your own safety
- Take reasonable care for that your acts or omissions do not negatively affect the health and safety of other persons
- Comply, as far as you are reasonably able, with any reasonable instruction that is given by Arc or UNSW (including cooperating with any reasonable Arc and/or UNSW policy or procedure relating to health or safety that you have been notified of).
As a result, Clubs are expected to develop a Work Health & Safety Policy, (as part of a larger Risk Management Policy and Procedure of the Club); planning and conducting all Club events in a fashion which is in line with said procedure, as well as ensuring to inform their members that they will be required to have read and understood the Risk Management Policy and Procedure, and must exercise reasonable care to adhere to these procedures. Clubs should consider their personal responsibility for Work Health & Safety, when developing a WHS Policy.
Club Executives are also generally responsible for:
- Taking reasonable care to not endanger your own or other people’s health and safety in the course of Club-related activities and events
- This includes not wilfully placing at risk the health, safety and wellbeing of others or misuse safety equipment
- This includes engaging in safe work practices, where applicable
- Reasonable care describes the standard of care that must be met. It means doing what a reasonable person would do under the circumstances
- Seeking WHS information or advice from Arc where necessary, particularly before carrying out new or unfamiliar work or for the purpose of Club events or activities.
- Participating in discussion and consultation on the management of WHS risks that may affect them and/or their Club members.
- Engaging in safe work practices (where applicable) to ensure your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your acts or omissions
- Ensuring that Executive members participate in WHS education and training as provided by Arc where possible.
This also requires that when conducting events, activities or meetings on their premises, Clubs follow all of Arc and UNSW’s Workplace and Safety Management Systems (“WHSMS”), and WHS protocols set by the organisations, as well as to ensure that all your members do the same. This includes, but is not limited to:
Cooperating with Arc or UNSW WHS Policies & Procedures, such a
- Familiarise yourself with Arc, local and University-wide emergency procedures and cooperate with directions from emergency wardens.
- Engaging in safe work practices (if applicable) whilst on any Arc premises, taking reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of other who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
- When undertaking tasks using Arc’s resources (guillotines, badge makers, BBQs, etc.), familiarise yourself with and follow the relevant Safe Working Procedures
- Planning and conducting events in a fashion which is in line with UNSW and/or Arc’s Risk Management Policy and Procedures
- This includes, but is not limited to, complying with any and all venue terms and conditions.
- Any electrical equipment that includes power cords, plugs (etc.) used at events must undergo tagging and testing inspections to ensure safety (this also applies to equipment that is stored on Arc or UNSW premises).
- It is the expectation that Clubs Executives will inform their members of relevant safety procedures & protocols, including Safe Working Procedures and Emergency Evacuation Procedures relevant to tasks undertaken on Arc or UNSW premises, as well as well as taking reasonable steps to ensure adhere to these procedures.
- Wear appropriate clothing, footwear and protective equipment for the work being done and properly use relevant safety devices.
Overall, WHS will require a few pieces of paperwork, some communications to Club members and taking a few simple measures of additional care but will achieve safer practices when it comes to events and activities, facilities and Club involvement.
Tagging & Testing
Any electrical equipment that is used at a Club event on campus or that is stored in an Arc or UNSW facility needs to be Tagged & Tested before the event or before storage (whichever is relevant), at no point can any equipment that has not been Tagged & Tested or has not passed the test should be used by a Club.
Arc provides some tagging & testing services to Clubs free of charge. Clubs will be notified of when Tagging & Testing sessions will take place in the Clubs Newsletter. Clubs can also have their equipment tagged and tested externally by a licensed provider.
For any questions regarding Tagging & Testing or use of electrical equipment at a Club event, get in touch with us via mail: clubs@arc.unsw.edu.au.
FAQs
What do we need to do if we are serving food at our events?
Use the Safe Food Handling Guidelines (available on the Clubs Forms & Files page) conduct risk assessments for events where food is involved and use clear signage about any ingredients that may cause allergies (or at least ensure that Club members supervising the event have ready access to this information, if asked). Some events will also require an organiser to complete a food safety course.
Where can I find out more information?
SafeWork NSW – Work Health and Safety legislation https://www.safework.nsw.gov.a...
Note: In relation to the legislation, Clubs are considered to be “other persons at the workplace”.
Australian Sports Commission “Sporting clubs guide to a safe workplace” www.ausport.gov.au/supporting/...
Related Documents
Clubs Handbook (www.arc.unsw.edu.au/clubs/clubshandbook)
- Section 11 – Being a successful Club Executive
- Section 12 – Incorporation Section 15 – Managing Risk
- Section 16 – Arc Clubs Alcohol Policy
- Section 17 – Insurance
- Section 21 – Incident Reporting
- Section 22 – Managing Club Events
Forms & Files (www.www.arc.unsw.edu.au/clubs/club-admin/club-forms)
- Risk Management Procedure
- Risk Management Assessment Forms
- Food Safety Guidelines
- Sexual Assault Action Plan
- Arc Safe Working Procedures
