Workplace Monitoring Protocol

1. The purpose of our protocol

Our protocol sets out how we manage workplace monitoring at Adelaide University to ensure we meet our legislative obligations under the Work, Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2012 (SA) and WHS Regulations 2012 (SA) to ensure workplaces are effectively monitored to assist in preventing work related injury or illness to staff and other members of the Adelaide University Community.

This protocol should be read in conjunction with the Hazard Management Procedure, which gives effect to the Wellbeing and Safety Policy and the following protocols:

Chemical Safety Management Protocol
Noise and Sound Protocol
Ionising Radiation Safety Management Protocol
Non-Ionising Radiation Protocol

2. Our protocol applies to

2.1 Inclusions

All areas where the Adelaide University has control of the workplace or work process. For the purposes of this protocol, controlled workplaces are where Adelaide University:

owns and occupies its own workplace; or
leases and occupies a workplace; or
co-locates/shares with another organisation.

2.2 Exclusions

Where a contract or Memorandum of Understanding is in place which specifies that another service provider or organisation is responsible for monitoring the workplace; or
Where Adelaide University owns the space and leases it out, the lessee is responsible for their own workplace monitoring.
Spaces that are occupied by Adelaide University that have their own workplace monitoring requirements, such as hospitals (Local Health Networks).

3. Our Workplace Monitoring protocols

3.1 Roles and responsibility

Adelaide University roles and responsibilities for managing Wellbeing and Safety risks, including those risks associated with workplace monitoring, are set out in the Hazard Management procedure.

3.2 Ensuring hazards are reported

The table below outlines key roles and responsibilities for reporting hazards

Role	Responsibilities	Protocols
Wellbeing and Safety sub-function	Implementing and maintaining hazard management modules within Unisafe. Advising local areas on how to effectively manage identified hazards if requested.	Provide training/user guides to end users of Unisafe as required. Ensure modules within Unisafe are operational and escalate issues to system provider if/when they arise.
People Leaders	Must: Ensure hazards associated with activities are identified, reported and managed. Provide information, training (where relevant), instruction and appropriate level of supervision, to staff, students, and others where relevant. Inform and encourage staff under your supervision to report any hazards, unsafe practices and/or wellbeing and safety (W&S) issues so risks can be managed before an incident occurs.	Inform and encourage staff under your supervision to report any hazards, unsafe practices and/or wellbeing and safety (W&S) issues so risks can be managed before an incident occurs. When notified of a hazard, unsafe practice or W&S issue, ensure appropriate action is taken to eliminate or control any risk and it is recorded in Unisafe. Confirm identified controls have been implemented.
All Staff, Students and Contractors	Must:  Ensure hazards associated with tasks are identified and managed.  Follow reasonable instructions and work practices to maintain their own and others’ wellbeing and safety.	If you observe a hazard or unsafe practice: Where safe to do so take action to remove the hazard or prevent the unsafe practice from continuing. Alert people in the immediate area. Report hazards/incidents identified through Unisafe.

3.3 Workplace Inspections

The table below outlines key roles and responsibilities for undertaking workplace inspections

Role	Responsibilities	Protocols
Wellbeing and Safety sub-function	Implement and maintain the Workplace Inspection module within Unisafe. Assist local areas to undertake workplace inspection if requested. Provide local areas reports on: workplace inspection completion rates outstanding workplace inspections overdue actions significant hazards identified	Ensure the workplace inspection module within Unisafe is operational and escalate issues to system provider if/when they arise Provide training/user guides to end users of Unisafe as required Monitor completion of workplace inspections
People Leaders	Must:  Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed	Ensure work areas within your area of control have scheduled workplace inspections and they are undertaken in accordance with section 3.4 of this protocol Monitor completion of workplace inspections When/if workplace inspections are not completed as scheduled, follow up with assigned staff members if workplace inspections are overdue
Staff assigned to undertake workplace inspections	Must:  Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed.	In Unisafe, complete workplace inspections in assigned work areas in accordance with the workplace inspection schedule Assign actions to appropriate staff for all hazards or issues identified during a workplace inspection Monitor implementation of assigned actions to ensure they are completed Follow up staff with an assigned action to if it is overdue

3.4 Workplace Inspection Scheduling

The following is the minimum requirement for how often a workplace inspection is required. Local areas can choose to schedule workplace inspections more frequently.

Work Area Type	Workplace Inspection Interval
Office/Administrative/Meeting Area	Annually
Low Risk Teaching Spaces	Annually
Low Risk Laboratories	Annually
Workshops	Every 6 months
High Risk Laboratories	Every 6 months
Other	As advised/agreed that specific work areas require more frequent inspections

3.5 Newly Refurbished Workplaces

The table below outlines key roles and responsibilities for undertaking a workplace inspection when a workplace is refurbished

Role	Responsibilities	Protocols
Estates and Facilities Project Manager	Must:  Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed	On completion of refurbishment, provide relevant information to the local area on the controls implemented during the safety in design process addressing identified hazards present in the work environment and the tasks and activities to be undertaken in it (e.g. engineering controls such as fume cupboards, flammable cabinets or other controls such as gas alarms and signage)
People Leader in control of the workplace	Must:  Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed	Review information provided by Estates and Facilities and incorporate, where relevant, into induction for the workplace Ensure staff, students and other relevant members of the Adelaide University Community are inducted into the new workplace
Estates and Facilities Project Manager	Must:  Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed	Undertake a Workplace Pre-occupation inspection of the refurbished workplace Workplace Inspections are to be undertaken in Unisafe

Role

Responsibilities

Protocols

Estates and Facilities Project Manager

Must: 

Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed

On completion of refurbishment, provide relevant information to the local area on the controls implemented during the safety in design process addressing identified hazards present in the work environment and the tasks and activities to be undertaken in it (e.g. engineering controls such as fume cupboards, flammable cabinets or other controls such as gas alarms and signage)

People Leader in control of the workplace

Must: 

Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed

Review information provided by Estates and Facilities and incorporate, where relevant, into induction for the workplace
Ensure staff, students and other relevant members of the Adelaide University Community are inducted into the new workplace

Estates and Facilities Project Manager

Must: 

Ensure hazards associated with the workplace are identified and managed

Undertake a Workplace Pre-occupation inspection of the refurbished workplace
Workplace Inspections are to be undertaken in Unisafe

3.6 Health Monitoring

People Leaders must ensure that health monitoring is undertaken whenever there is a risk that exposure to hazardous chemicals, substances and noise may exceed relevant standards or guidelines. This includes, but is not limited to, monitoring of airborne contaminants, noise, radiation, thermal conditions, and biological hazards. Monitoring must be conducted in accordance with the WHS Act 2012 (SA), Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants (and subsequent updates), and other applicable national standards or codes of practice.

In addition, People Leaders must ensure that hazardous work environments are appropriately adjusted for workers with specific health concerns, such as those who are immunocompromised or pregnant, through individual risk assessments and tailored control measures to safeguard their wellbeing and safety. Unisafe can assist with the risk management process.

4. Definitions used in our protocol

The following definitions are applicable to this protocol, for generic Adelaide University definitions refer to the Glossary of Terms (add link).

Safety in design is the process of proactively identifying, assessing, and controlling hazards during the early stages of a project, such as the design of buildings, products, and systems.

Unisafe is the online system used by our staff and students to manage information related to wellbeing and safety issues. This includes reporting incidents, injuries and hazards to ensure timely investigations, risk assessments and control measures are applied to keep our community safe.

In a WHS context, and for the purpose of this protocol, workplace monitoring refers to the systematic process of observing, measuring, and assessing various aspects of the work environment to ensure the wellbeing and safety of the Adelaide University Community. It plays a critical role in identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and ensuring compliance with WHS legislation and standards.

5. How our protocol is governed

5.1 Compliance

Health monitoring at Adelaide University is conducted in compliance with the following established regulations and guidelines:

Legislation & Code of Practice

University related documents and resources

5.2 Governance

This protocol is categorised, approved and owned in line with the governance structure of Adelaide University and the offices and officers listed below.

Parent procedure	Authority to create and maintain this protocol is granted under the Wellbeing and Safety System Management and Review Procedure
Policy category	Corporate
Approving authority	Executive Director People, Advisory and Wellbeing
Policy owner	Deputy Vice Chancellor People and Culture
Responsible manager	Deputy Vice Chancellor People and Culture or their delegate
Effective from	1 March 2026
Review date	1 March 2029
Enquiries	Wellbeing and Safety Team
Replaced documents	None

6. History of changes

Date approved	To section/clauses	Description of change
28 Jan 2026	N/A	New protocol

Note on structures, positions and position titles:

At the time of writing, the organisational structure, positions and position titles for Adelaide University have not all been confirmed. Accordingly, square brackets [ ] temporarily enclose position titles in this procedure until position titles for Adelaide University are known.