Policy WHS-PRO-007 Health Engagement Procedure

WHS-PRO-007 Health Engagement Procedure

Intent

James Cook University (JCU) recognises its obligation, as far as reasonably practicable, to provide a safe and healthy environment for all individuals who are influenced by our activities. JCU believe that by engaging our workers in the pursuit of a safe and healthy environment we will ensure that we build and sustain a healthy workforce.

The purpose of this procedure is to support JCU and its Workers identify and implement Health Engagement Initiatives and for Workers to participate in the management of their health and wellbeing.

To achieve this JCU are committed to:

creating a workplace culture and environment that supports and promotes the health and wellbeing of its workers;
encouraging its workers to participate in a range of health and wellbeing initiatives and activities;
educating its workers to identify potential hazards, which might contribute to the increased risk of injuries within the workplace;
engaging with its workers regarding the management of health and wellbeing within the workplace;
providing and implementing appropriate health engagement resources to assist in the management of health and wellbeing within the workplace.

Scope

This procedure, where applicable, applies to all staff, post-graduate students, students, volunteers, adjuncts, visitors and contractors who undertake any activities on JCU premises, or who execute work for or on behalf of JCU.

This procedure does not apply to JCU Controlled Entities.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Hazard	A situation or thing that has the potential to harm a person.
Reasonably Practicable	Which is, or was at a particular time, reasonably able to be done to ensure health and safety, taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters including: the likelihood of the hazard or the risk concerned occurring; the degree of harm that might result from the hazard or the risk; what the person concerned knows, or ought reasonably to know, about the hazard or risk, and ways of eliminating or minimising the risk; the availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk; after assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or minimising the risk, the cost associated with available ways of eliminating or minimising the risk, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk.
Risk	The likelihood that harm will occur when exposed to a hazard and consequence of that harm (death, injury or illness).
Risk Management	In the context of this Procedure, risk management means the identification of work health and safety hazards, the assessment of risks posed by the hazards, the control of those risks either by eliminating the hazard entirely or by minimising the risk and the review of implemented control measures to provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe work environment.
Workers	A person who carries out work in any capacity for JCU, and includes working as: an employee; adjuncts; post-graduate students; students; volunteers; contractors.
Workplace	A workplace is the place where work is carried out for JCU and includes any place where a Worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work.

1 Roles & Responsibilities

Both JCU and Workers, under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, are both responsible for ensuring health and safety within the workplace. JCU must ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their Workers while they are at work and provide and maintain a work environment without risks to the health of workers, or other persons.

Workers must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and comply with reasonable safety instructions.

To ensure Workers remain healthy and safe, JCU and Workers must adopt a shared responsibility and work together to manage the risks associated with work design or the workplace environment.

Specified roles and responsibilities associated with a health engagement Initiative will be determined in consultation with the relevant stakeholders and may vary depending on the type of health engagement initiative provided at JCU.

For further information, regarding roles and responsibilities associated with a Health Engagement Initiative, please visit the JCU WHS website or contact the WHS Unit.

2 Health Engagement

JCU will incorporate a systematic risk management approach to managing health and wellbeing of its workers within the workplace.

Risk management is a systematic process of:

identifying hazards;
assessing risks;
eliminating or minimising the risks so far as is reasonably practicable;
reviewing the control measures

JCU will be required to engage with Workers, via consultation, throughout the entire risk management process.

By adopting a systematic approach in managing the health and wellbeing of its workers, JCU will consider the following range of risk factors:

organisational;
operational;
environmental;
individual.

Risk management must be utilised in accordance with the various sections of this procedure.

3 Health Engagement Initiatives

A healthy workplace is one where workers and management collaborate to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers. Work practices, workplace culture, work-life balance, injury management programs and relationships within workplaces are key determinants that contribute to workers feeling valued and supported in their work roles. These key determinants also influence individual health, wellbeing and productivity.

Health engagement initiatives take into consideration the impacts that the work environment and the type of work can have on the health of workers and provide activities or programs that are designed to assist workers adopt a healthier lifestyle.

These initiatives aim to have a positive impact on worker productivity and performance as well as the health, safety and wellbeing of employees, families and communities.

Health engagement initiatives should:

provide access to health information and build the knowledge and skills of workers to adopt healthy lifestyles;
provide a physical, social and organisational environment that supports healthy choices;
provide healthy lifestyle opportunities and services for everyone in the workplace;
promote participation in activities and encourage personal skill development;
include consultation with workers;
form part of an effective safety management system;
be complementary to existing workplace health and safety systems and duties, not a substitute for them;
include consideration of work design and the work environment, and ensure these are contributing to positive health outcomes for the worker.

4 Implementing in the Workplace

JCU encourages managers and workers to consider implementing Health Engagement Initiatives suitable for the relevant work area and teams by referring to the Work Health Planning Guide.

The Work Health Planning Guide identifies the stages of developing an effective workplace health and wellbeing program: