Work Health and Safety Policy (WHS)

1. Overview

The Bank is committed to providing all its workers with a safe and healthy place to work, and work practices that do not compromise the health or safety of others including contractors, visitors and members of the public. The Bank's management and executive staff will exercise due diligence to ensure that the Bank complies with relevant health and safety legislation. An essential element of the program is a cooperative and consultative relationship on health and safety matters between all workers, with a view to achieving continuous improvement through the implementation of the Bank’s Work Health & Safety Management Plan.

2. Who does this policy apply to?

This Policy applies to you if you:

are an employee of the Bank
occupy a position (as a contractor, consultant, agency employee or otherwise) within the organisational structure of the Bank
are a contractor, consultant or visitor to the Bank and have been informed that you are required to comply with some or all of this Policy.

3. Governance

Key groups that contribute to Work Health and Safety (WHS) governance and operation at the Bank include:

Executive Committee which approves WHS arrangements and activities at the Bank.
Risk Management Committee (RMC), whose core objective is to ensure that the Bank's risks are identified, assessed and properly managed. The Bank's WHS risks are considered and reviewed as part of this Committee's work.
WHS Committee, which comprises of staff who are Health and Safety Representatives and management representatives. The WHS Committee facilitates consultation between the Bank and its workers on WHS matters.
Safety and Wellbeing (Human Resources), which manages the Bank's WHS prevention, claims management and rehabilitation self-licence arrangements.
Workplace, which is responsible for property management, building works, infrastructure maintenance and repairs, physical security, fire and emergency control, and various facility services.
Risk and Compliance, which supports the objectives of the RMC and provides a framework for the assessment, monitoring and control of risk, throughout the Bank.

4. Responsibilities

An essential element of the Bank's WHS program is a cooperative and consultative relationship on health and safety matters between the Bank's management and executive staff, supervisors and staff, with a view to achieving continuous improvement in work health and safety.

To achieve a safe and healthy work environment, all staff must:

take reasonable care of their own health and safety, including their psychological wellbeing
take reasonable care that they do not do, or fail to do, anything with the consequence that the health or safety of anyone else at the Bank is adversely affected
comply with the Bank's procedures relating to health and safety and with any reasonable instruction they are given relating to a health or safety matter, including a requirement to undertake training.

In addition, all management and executive staff must demonstrate safety leadership, including by being proactive and diligent in, and demonstrating a commitment to, health and safety matters at the Bank. They must apply the Bank's work health and safety framework and procedures effectively in their areas of responsibility and in doing so effectively assess risks and eliminate or minimise potential hazards.

5. Policy Management

5.1 Administration

This Policy is administered by Human Resources.

5.2 Enquiries

Enquiries about this policy should be directed to the Head of Safety and Wellbeing in Human Resources.

5.3 Review

This Policy is reviewed by Human Resources every two years or more frequently if required. All changes to the Policy are approved by the Executive Committee.

6. Resources

All related documents can be found in the Human Resources Policy Governance Register.

6.1 Reserve Bank

Policies: Code of Conduct

6.2 Legislation

Work Health & Safety Act 2011 (Cth)
Work Health and Safety Codes of Practice 2015 (Cth)
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth)
Reserve Bank Act 1959
Age Discrimination Act 2004
Disability Discrimination Act 1992
Racial Discrimination Act 1975
Sex Discrimination Act 1984
Privacy Act 1988
Freedom of Information Act 1982
Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework