Voice Care for Teachers

1. Preparing, planning and ongoing management of voice care

The Voice Care for Teachers policy and procedure are part of the broader approach to managing health, safety and wellbeing in schools.

Actions for principals or delegates

To effectively manage voice fatigue and injury risks as part of an ongoing health, safety and wellbeing management approach, principals or their delegates must undertake the actions outlined in this chapter.

Consult

The principal or delegate must consult with teachers and school staff who are or are likely to be affected, and health and safety representatives (HSR), where elected, by implementing the OHS Consultation and Communication policy and procedure to ensure effective consultation systems are in place, including regular communication forums.

Document, monitor and review

Principals or their delegates must regularly monitor and review the risks and controls associated with voice fatigue and injury by implementing the OHS Risk Management policy. This includes activities in the OHS activities calendar (or equivalent), workplace inspections, risk assessments and maintenance of the OHS risk register. These documents must be retained in accordance with the Records Management – School Records policy.

Manage hazards and incidents

The principal or their delegate must manage hazards and incidents by implementing the Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies) policy.

Actions for all school staff

All staff must support ongoing management of risks and hazards related to voice health through:

• taking reasonable care for their own health and safety, including caring for and managing their voice health to avoid fatigue or injury
• implementing risk controls and monitoring for symptoms of voice fatigue
• the reporting of hazards, risks and incidents.