The NTEU WA branches have been partnering with UnionsWA to deliver the following session to all tertiary staff:

Confronting Unsafe Workloads and Psychosocial Work Hazards at Universities with presenters:

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• Owen Whittle, Secretary, UnionsWA

• Julia Armitt, Unity Training

• Scott Fitzgerald, President, NTEU Curtin Branch

• Alexis Vassiley, NTEU ECU Branch Workplace Rep and member of the ECU Centre for Work + Wellbeing

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If you would like to be informed when the session will run again, please contact us.

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As a follow up to the session, Julia Armitt of Unity Training has kindly provided the following resources:

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• 2023 UnionsWA Public Sessions: Work Health and Safety Act Overview Events - UnionsWA

• Download the Mentally Healthy Workplaces Codes of Practice

• View all approved WA Codes of Practice in operation

• Recommended: Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination
   

Further Resources: 

• Please refer to your university’s own internal WHS Policies and Procedures

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Regulators:

• Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (commerce.wa.gov.au): 

  • Mentally healthy workplaces

  • Mentally healthy workplaces audit tool and technical guide

• Safe Work Australia: Mental Health

• Comcare: Psychosocial hazards

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Union resources:

• Australian Unions

  • Mind Your Head (MYH) campaign (you can sign up for emails from MYH)

  • WA psychosocial hazard checklist - can be used as part of a Risk Assessment process

  • Australian Unions Health and Safety Factsheets

 
Other resources:

• People at Work: a free and validated Australian psychosocial risk assessment survey

• Work design - Thrive at work: An introduction to the SMART Work Design Model

• CEDA (Committee for Economic Development) for resources and link to their report: Mental Health and the Workplace: How can employers improve productivity through well-being?​

• WA Government: Guidance on Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking's (PCBU) obligations: How to determine what is reasonably practicable to meet a health and safety duty 

• Awareness around the Duties of Employers: 

  • ​Reporting incidents to WorkSafe: All workers should be generally aware of when an employer is required to be formally reporting extended worker absences to WorkSafe (such as absences linked to psychological incidents).  

 
WorkSafe resources for HSRs:

•  For current HSRs including training requirements and how to elect an HSR 

 
Please note: HSRs now have a choice of training provider. Even if training is being arranged/recommended by your PCBUs, HSRs can still elect to attend a course with any RTO they wish with all reasonable expenses to be covered. HSRs also have the right to request yearly refresher training.

List of all WA RTOs approved to deliver formal safety training including Unity Training co-located within UnionsWA (sign up for UnionsWA's Safety newsletter)