Purpose

This document outlines CAP’s approach to ensuring the health and safety of all Support Office employees, coaches, volunteers, contractors, and other people present in CAP workspaces or representing CAP in other various workspaces.

Application

This Health & Safety Practice Guide applies to CAP’s Board of Trustees, Support Office employees, coaches, volunteers, or contractors, effective from 22 July 2024.

The above excludes CAP money coaches and Church Partner support workers.

Definitions

PCBU: Is a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking as defined under the Health and Safety (H&S) at Work Act 2015. A PCBU may be an individual person or an organisation.

Accountabilities

CAP’s Board of Trustees & CEO

CAP’s Board of Trustees & CEO are designated the role of Officers.

They have a due diligence duty to ensure that CAP’s PCBU complies with its H&S obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). The PCBU has the primary duty of care for all of CAP’s Health, Safety and Environment Policies and Practices.

Officers fulfil their obligation by:

• Familiarise themselves with CAP’s Hazard Register.
• Delegating day-to-day H&S management to the People and Culture department who oversees Health, Safety & Environment.
• Review and discuss the quarterly H&S Report and raise any relevant concerns or recommendations.
• Where necessary, request specific information from the Head of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) or P&C Director to answer specific questions or recommendations.
• Take any other steps needed to satisfy themselves that H&S is being effectively and appropriately managed at CAP.

People & Culture Director

• Conduit between Officers, Head of HSE, Executive Leadership Team (ELT) & Board of Trustees
• In conjunction with Head of HSE manage any serious harm incidents.
• In conjunction with ELT, assume accountability for serious H&S decisions.
• Escalate significant risks to ELT and Board.
• Presents quarterly H&S report to Board.
• Provides oversight and advice.
• Responsible for investigating any employment relations issues supported by the P&C Advisor/Business Partner.
• On call for emergency incidents.

Head of Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)

• In conjunction with the P&C Director, provide oversight of org wide H&S strategy and initiatives for Support Office, Coaches, Volunteers and Contractors.
• Oversee org wide CAP’s Health & Safety Policies and processes
• Responsible for maintaining the Incident and Hazard register
• Responsible for inductiong all Support Office employees, coaches, volunteers and contractors present in CAP’s workspace
• Responsible for physical safety in and around Support Office, including emergency evacuation processes and Business Continuity Plan (BCP).
• Responsible for managing CAP’s H&S Commitee.
• Responsible for sending org-wide H&S communications and delegate team communications as required.
• Responsible for providing advice and delegating apropriate responsibility to the manager or Department Director for any H&S investigations.
• Responsible for managing incidents involving mental/emotional harm connected with CAP Support Office in conjunction with the P&C Director.
• Support Heads of and Managers where employee requires support in returning to work post extended health related leave.
• Scope and develop Health & Safety trainings as required and delegate embedding of training to org.
• Audit H&S practices across the org.
• On call for emergency incidents

Executive Leadership Team

• Lead any H&S hazards, near misses and incidents as required
• Post hazard, near miss identification or incidents, embed with team any recommendations
• Foster org-wide culture of Safety is everyone’s priority
• Review and ensure awareness of H&S hazards, near misses and incidents as per ELT Monthly Board Report.
• Investigate all relevant H&S reports/incidents including communicating investigation outcomes and implement recommendations as required in consultation with the Head of HSE.
• In conjunction with heads of and managers, be responsible for embedding and championing all Health & Safety policies and practices within the team.
• Coach leaders and provide wellbeing support and care to team as required

Heads of Department & Managers

• Report any H&S hazards, near misses and incidents.
• Investigate all relevant H&S reports/incidents including communicating investigation outcomes and implement recommendations as required in consultation with the Head of HSE.
• Responsible for embedding all Health & Safety policies and practices within team.
• Responsible for follow up and auditing for policy and practices within team.
• Responsible for championing participation in all H&S training
• In conjunction with Head of HSE support employees in returning to work post extended health related leave.
• Responsible for providing wellbeing support and care to team
• Responsible for arranging supervision or EAP support as required
• Responsible for ensuring that an Event Safety Analysis form is completed for any external event e.g. Fundraising dinners, Revive Days, Closer Conferences.

Health & Safety Committee

• Attend 3 out of 4 quarterly committee meetings per year.
• Provide regular contributions to hazard notification and incident register quarterly to identify any emerging themes or patterns
• Review annually CAP’s Hazard Register to ensure they identify all known hazards, have appropriate mitigation steps in place and that these are being followed
• Surface any concerns or Health, Safety and Environment recommendations to ELT

Partner Churches

• CAP and partner churches recognise that there is a shared duty of care towards debt coaches as joint PCBU’s under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in the outworking of CAP services.
• CAP expects Partner Churches to apply their usual H&S practices alongside CAPs Health and Safety Policy, Client Interactions Policy, Code of Conduct and Health and Safety Practice Guide.
• Partner Churches are responsible for reporting to CAP any incidents that involve coaches and CAP clients, as well as cooperate with any investigations in a timely manner.
• Responsible for all Health & Safety matters regarding support workers directly involved with the church partner.
• In conjunction with CAP responsible for care and wellbeing of coaches impacted by any interactions or incidents.
• Advise CAP if any significant H&S risks involving coaches
• Champion coaches to attend any relevant H&S training.
• Review and comply with H&S expectations outlined clearly in the Partnership Agreement.