Psychological Health and Safety for School Staff

6. Monitoring and reviewing controls

Due to their complexity it is important that psychosocial hazards and risks are managed on an ongoing basis.

The principal or their delegate must monitor and review the effectiveness of risk controls. The department has pre-populated it’s OHS risk register with psychosocial hazards and controls. The register must be reviewed at least annually. However, additional reviews of risk controls may be necessary when:

• a new hazard is reported or a potential hazard is identified (for example, through a report on eduSafe Plus, or in discussions with a staff member)
• a severe incident, including a WorkSafe notifiable incident, occurs. Reviewing controls after a severe incident, or an incident impacting students or school operations must also follow the Managing and Reporting School Incidents policy
• a staff member/s is psychologically injured at work.

In reviewing the effectiveness of controls, factors to consider include whether the controls are targeting the right aspect of the task or situation, whether it is achieving what it intends to, and ensuring it does not have unintended consequences. Where appropriate it is also encouraged that principals share what has been learned about the effectiveness of controls with their peers and other principals, for example through principal network meetings.

Schools must also follow the OHS issue resolution process outlined in the OHS Consultation and Communication policy, including opportunities for staff and elected HSRs to raise issues in relation to how psychosocial risk is controlled.

The OHS advisory service and Statewide OHS support team are available to support schools in monitoring and reviewing controls.