education.vic.gov.au

School operations

Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management in Schools

A review of the school management system for occupational health, safety and wellbeing is currently underway in 2022/2023. Your thoughts and feedback are invaluable. Please visit the consultation portalExternal Link (staff login required) for more information, including policy documents currently available for your feedback. For all recent changes to health, safety and wellbeing related policies and procedures, please refer to the Recently updated PAL topics page.

Send us your feedback and ideas: Does a health, safety and wellbeing requirement, process or document confuse you? Do you have suggestions on process improvements? Contact us at employeehealth@education.vic.gov.au

Policy

This topic aims to provide a clear overview of policies, procedures and guidance materials available to support schools to manage the health, safety and wellbeing of staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors in schools. Together these policies, procedures and guidance materials constitute the department’s occupational health and safety management system.

Summary

  • Schools are required to implement the department’s management system for occupational health, safety and wellbeing (the OHS management system).
  • The Guidance tab contains information about expert support to help schools implement the OHS management system (including school-based health and safety representatives) and procedures for reporting and managing incidents, hazards and near-misses.
  • Schools can refer to the Resources tab for further news, alerts and events for health, safety and wellbeing.

Details

The OHS management system is a set of policies, procedures and guidance materials that support schools to manage their health and safety obligations and maintain a safe and healthy working environment.

Schools are required to implement the OHS management system, which includes 4 key sections:

  1. Building and maintaining a health, safety and wellbeing culture
  2. Managing hazards
  3. Managing incidents and emergencies
  4. Review and ongoing improvement

At the centre of these sections is the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, which is the department’s overarching leadership commitment to support, promote and protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all employees, visitors, volunteers and contractors.

The diagram below represents the 4 sections and their connection to the department’s health, safety and wellbeing policy.

The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy surrounded by the four key sections of the OHS management system

These sections each contain a set of policies, procedures and guidance that schools are required to follow in order to effectively manage occupational health, safety and wellbeing. For more information on the topics that fall within them, click on the headings below.

Note: schools can also access an A to Z list of all occupational health, safety and wellbeing policies and proceduresExternal Link included in the system if preferred.

Implementing and embedding the management system

Implementing the OHS management system within schools is important to:

  • provide a safe and healthy workplace
  • prevent or reduce the incidence of illness and injury to employees, volunteers, visitors and contractors
  • identify workplace hazards, assess and control risks
  • ensure principals, delegates, employees and their representatives work together on health and safety matters
  • provide information and training for employees at all levels so they can work safely measure and continuously improve the way health, safety and wellbeing is managed.

eduSafe Plus

eduSafe Plus is the online portal for reporting and managing occupational health, safety and wellbeing. eduSafe Plus allows the management of all incidents, hazards and sick bay/first aid activity and OHS Assurance Program actions. Reporting on eduSafe Plus also supports the department to track health, safety and wellbeing trends across the system, and allows the department, as an employer, to provide further supports and guidance around emerging issues.

To learn more about how this system supports your school, refer to the eduSafe Plus – report and manage incidents, hazards and near misses chapter.

OHS Assurance Program

The OHS Assurance Program provides proactive support to confirm schools are implementing the system to manage health, safety and wellbeing. Refer to the Reviewing health and safety processes – OHS Assurance Program below for more information.

Department strategies and frameworks

  • The Safe and Well in Education Strategy (PDF)External Link outlines a 5-year roadmap for the department to systematically enhance and support health, safety and wellbeing outcomes for all of its employees. This includes new intensive supports for schools to manage OHS and workers compensation.
  • The Safe and Well in Education Framework (PDF)External Link works in conjunction with the strategy to assist everyone at the department understand their health, safety and wellbeing accountabilities and responsibilities, and the supports available to acquit those, to ultimately improve the performance of Victorian government schools.

Reviewing health and safety processes – OHS Assurance Program

The OHS Assurance Program provides proactive support to confirm schools are implementing the OHS management system to manage health, safety and wellbeing, consistent with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic). It is a supportive assessment of each school’s safety management practices.

The program enables schools to:

  • manage key occupational health, safety and wellbeing matters
  • review current safety systems of work
  • identify opportunities to improve safety management
  • verify that they are providing healthy and safe workplaces.

Information on the OHS Assurance Program, including the OHS Assurance Program school assessment guide and fact sheet is available at: Audits, Reviews and Assurance Programs in Schools.

Definitions

For the full list of health and safety terms and definitions refer to: Defined health and safety terms in the Guidance tab.

Relevant legislation

Department policy on Employee Health, Safety and Wellbeing and an overview of the Department's OHS Management System (OHSMS)

Reviewed 07 February 2024

Policy last updated

16 November 2023

Scope

  • Schools

Contact

OHS Advisory Service For more Contacts refer to Guidance tab

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