Session 5.02
Tracks
Track 2
| Friday, June 14, 2024 |
| 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM |
| Boulevard room B2 |
Overview
WHS legislative changes, health and safety representatives and managing risks in practical subject teaching spaces
Speaker
Mr Brendan Crotty
Deputy General Secretary
Queensland Teachers' Union
WHS legislative changes, health and safety representatives and managing risks in practical subject teaching spaces
Presentation description
On 21 March, Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 (Amendment Bill) was passed by the Queensland Parliament.
The Amendment Bill gives effect to 33 sub-recommendations from the 2022 Review of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act Review) and eight recommendations from the 2018 Review of the Model Work Health and Safety Laws.
Many of these changes relate to the enhancing the rights of Workplace Health and Safety Representatives and Entry Permit Holders. This has the capacity to impact on the way we deal with disputes related to risk assessments, class sizes and physical facilities in schools.
The QTU as the industrial and professional voice of the teaching profession in state schools and TAFE, the QTU will be providing advice and support to QTU members in understanding the legislative changes and enacting HRS and EPH rights in dealing with health and safety issues in our workplaces. This is critical in the face of DoE negotiating two Enforceable Undertakings related to ITD classrooms.
This work and our EB11 campaign will be exploring ways to improve the health and safety of the work practical subject teachers and all teachers who undertake high and extreme risk educational activities including but not limited to:
• Staffing allocations and methodologies
• Clear dispute resolution procedures when class size risk assessments are undertaken but classes remain oversized.
This session with explore the industrial and legislative tools available to make the working conditions of teachers and the learning conditions of students in practical subjects safer.
The Amendment Bill gives effect to 33 sub-recommendations from the 2022 Review of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act Review) and eight recommendations from the 2018 Review of the Model Work Health and Safety Laws.
Many of these changes relate to the enhancing the rights of Workplace Health and Safety Representatives and Entry Permit Holders. This has the capacity to impact on the way we deal with disputes related to risk assessments, class sizes and physical facilities in schools.
The QTU as the industrial and professional voice of the teaching profession in state schools and TAFE, the QTU will be providing advice and support to QTU members in understanding the legislative changes and enacting HRS and EPH rights in dealing with health and safety issues in our workplaces. This is critical in the face of DoE negotiating two Enforceable Undertakings related to ITD classrooms.
This work and our EB11 campaign will be exploring ways to improve the health and safety of the work practical subject teachers and all teachers who undertake high and extreme risk educational activities including but not limited to:
• Staffing allocations and methodologies
• Clear dispute resolution procedures when class size risk assessments are undertaken but classes remain oversized.
This session with explore the industrial and legislative tools available to make the working conditions of teachers and the learning conditions of students in practical subjects safer.
Biography
Brendan was elected as Deputy General Secretary of the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) in October 2015 and commenced in the new role in January 2016. Prior to his election he served as the QTU Regional Organiser in Brisbane South and South Queensland from August 2001. Brendan trained as a high school teacher and taught ITD, VETiS and HPE in rural, remote, and outer metropolitan schools in Queensland. He holds a Bachelor of Technology Education from Griffith University and a Graduate Certificate in Occupation Health and Safety from Central Queensland University. In early 2020 Brendan graduated from the 109th session of the Harvard Trade Union Program and has completed an Executive Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership through the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Brendan has been a strong advocate for the concept of assertive professionalism and the intersection of industrial and professional issues for members.
