Psychological Health and Safety for School Staff

7. Reporting hazards, incidents and injuries

The principal or their delegate must ensure all psychosocial hazards, incidents and injuries are reported on eduSafe Plus (staff login required). This is done through ensuring all relevant psychosocial hazards are recorded in the OHS risk register, and incidents and injuries are reported on eduSafe Plus using the incident report function. For further information on the reporting of incidents, refer to the Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management in Schools policy and the Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies) policy.

Employees have obligations under the OHS Act to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at a workplace. Reporting psychosocial hazards, incidents and injuries can assist in complying with these duties.

The department strives for a workplace culture where all staff are willing to report hazards, near misses and incidents honestly, openly and without fear. All principals and their delegates must encourage and support their staff to make eduSafe Plus reports, including the provision of time during work hours to complete reports.

It is important for staff to know that they can choose an alternative manager (for example, regional director, assistant principal) to be the incident review manager if they do not wish for the report to go directly to their line manager. This may be needed, for example, when the incident involves the direct line manager. Directions for how to select a different line manager can be found on the eduSafe Plus (staff login required) reporting form.