University Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

• The committee will meet four times a year.
• On behalf of the University Executive Committee, the committee will facilitate engagement, participation and consultation with health and safety representatives and unions on the planning, delivery, monitoring and review of key health, safety and wellbeing issues.
• The committee will provide assurance to the University of Auckland, via the Audit and Risk Committee, as to the efficacy of its arrangements for the management of health, safety and wellbeing.

• To review the scope of the University's health and safety organisational arrangements (health and safety management system) to ensure that they are comprehensive and complete, with clear accountability for different roles.
  
  
• To consider new and emerging risks affecting the University, or changes in knowledge or best practice in managing existing risks, and initiate proposals to add to or amend the University's health and safety policy, standards and procedures.
  
  
• To consider reports that advise on systematic compliance with occupational health and safety legislation, and relevant regulations, standards and codes of practice.
  
  
• To identify instances where compliance risks disproportionately outweigh risks to health, safety and wellbeing, and escalate appropriately via government and regulatory agencies.
  
  
• To discuss issues of health and safety policy and practice raised by the chair of a faculty/service division health and safety committee, relevant committee, advisory group, community of interest and/or health and safety representatives.
  
  
• To review and discuss formal proposals raised by a health and safety representative, if not previously resolved at a Faculty/Service Division level.
  
  
• To monitor the University's arrangements for the management of health and safety via reports from the Health, Safety and Wellbeing team including:
  
  
  • Reports from the Associate Director Health, Safety and Wellbeing
  • Reports of untoward incidents carrying major risk to health and safety
  • Reports of any enforcement visits, interactions and notices served on the University by WorkSafe New Zealand, Ministry for Primary Industries, Office of Radiation Safety, or other regulatory body
  • Reports on issues of significance from the faculty and service division health and safety committees, University Biological Safety Committee, Fire Safety Committee, advisory groups (e.g. Resilience Management; Asbestos) and communities of interest, or direct from deans and other members of the University Executive Committee
  • Reports on trends, management and interventions in workplace mental health and wellbeing and psychosocial risks, including alignment with ISO 45003
  • Presentations from deans and directors on the control of Critical Risks 
    
    
• To report regularly to the Council, via the University Executive Committee, and the Audit and Risk Committee, on routine business and monitoring information; including appraising Council of significant accidents, incidents, trends and major, “critical” or emerging risks.
  
  
• To advise on the University's participation, as an accredited employer, in the ACC Accredited Employer Partnership Programme.

Attendance or representation of all members is expected at every meeting. The Chair has a deputy assigned in these terms of reference; it is the responsibility of all other members to appoint a deputy appropriate to the agenda when offering apologies for non-attendance and delegate their authority to make decisions on behalf of the area or cohort they represent.

Chair

Vice-Chancellor

University management

• Director Human Resources, Vice-Chair
  Representing: People and culture; Staff management
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation
  Representing: Academic interests
• Chief Operating Officer and Registrar
  Representing: Professional staff
• Director Student and Scholarly Services
  Representing: Student services and support
• Chief Property Officer
  Representing: Campus infrastructure; maintenance and events
• Associate Director Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HR)
  Representing: Safety and wellbeing; HSW management standards and systems

Health and Safety representation

• Two health and safety representatives (HSRs) appointed by the unions
  Representing: Staff
• Two student representatives appointed by the Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA)
  Representing: Student safety in work and study; student safety on campus
• Three elected HSRs appointed by the HSR Community of Interest, including at least one academic and one professional staff member
  Representing: all staff, including faculties, large-scale research institutes, service divisions, and academic and professional staff

University management

These members are ex officio.

• Vice-Chancellor (interim), Professor Frank Bloomfield (Chair)
• Director HR, Andrew Phipps (Vice-Chair)
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation (interim), Professor Simon Holdaway
• Chief Operating Officer and Registrar, Mark Gregory
• Director Student and Scholarly Services, Sue Roberts
• Chief Property Officer, Simon Neale
• Associate Director Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HR), Tracey McGall

Health and Safety representation

These members are appointed for fixed terms.

• Two health and safety representatives (HSRs) appointed by the unions
  Tamsin Kingston (appointed by TEU)
• Two student representatives appointed by the Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA)
  Gauri Jeejesh, Nadia Malik
• Three elected HSRs appointed by the HSR Community of Interest, including at least one academic and one professional staff member
  Brody Radford (appointed by the Services HSR Forum)
  Professor Vernon Rive (appointed by HSR Community of Interest)
  Professor Simon Swift (appointed by HSR Community of Interest)
  

All meetings take place at 2.30pm on a Tuesday.

2026 meeting dates

• 10 February
• 14 April
• 9 June
• 11 August
• 13 October
• 8 December

D Chapman
Phone: +64 9 923 7779
Ext. 87779
Email: dee.chapman@auckland.ac.nz