Note the following directions:

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1. The Safety Policy must be effectively communicated to all persons in the URG and made available to all interested persons.
    

2. This Policy should be signed by the President of the Underwater Research Group of NSW and placed in the URG towing vehicle, with the current URG president and a copy found on the URG website.

Occupational Health and Safety Policy Statement

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1. The Underwater Research Group of NSW (the URG) is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all members, contractors, visitors and other persons at each of its dive sites.
    

2. Safety is given top priority in our plans, programs, procedures and dive instructions.
    

3. The URG will make every reasonable effort in the areas of accident prevention, hazard control and removal, protection from injury, rehabilitation, health preservation and promotion.
    

4. A copy of this Policy Statement is kept in the URG towing vehicle, with the current President, and posted on the URG’s website. Copies of relevant legislation or other essential documentation can be obtained from the URG committee.
    

5. Our objective is to sustain on an ongoing basis a zero incident rate. The URG is committed to ensuring that:
    

   • all hazards and risks to health and safety arising from the URG’s activities are identified, assessed and effectively controlled;

   • measures to control hazards and risks to health and safety are regularly monitored and evaluated;

   • members are consulted and encouraged to contribute to the decision making process on safety matters; and

   • all members and visitors receive appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision they need to safely carry out their responsibilities.
      

6. The URG is committed to setting measurable objectives and targets to reduce health and safety risks and ensure continual improvement demonstrated through performance measurement and benchmarking for best practice.
    

7. The URG is committed to developing, implementing and maintaining an integrated safety, health and environmental safety system.
    

8. The URG is committed to providing equipment (boat and towing vehicle) and substances (oxygen bottle) that are free from risks to health and safety.
    

9. The URG is committed to identifying and systemically minimising all foreseeable hazards that may arise from the conduct of its dives and other activities which have the potential to harm the health and safety of persons lawfully at its dive sites.
   
   
   Monitoring and Measuring
    

10. To ensure the Safety Policy remains relevant and appropriate the URG is committed to regularly reviewing and improving the policy.
    
    
    Communication
     

11. The URG is committed to consulting its members on matters affecting their health and safety.
    
    
    Implementation
     

12. Each committee member is required to ensure this Policy and the safety programs are effectively implemented and to be accountable for their specific responsibilities.
     

13. All members of the URG are required to co-operate with the Safety Policy and programs and to take reasonable steps to ensure their own health and safety and the health and safety of others.
     

14. All contractors and sub-contractors that are engaged to perform work on the URG boat, trailer or vehicle are required, as part of their contract, to comply with URG Safety Policy and procedures and observe directions on health and safety from designated officers of URG. Failure to comply or observe a direction will be considered a breach of the contract and sufficient grounds for termination of the contract.

 

This document is signed by the URG President, Secretary and four Committee Members. Download the printed signed copy of this document.

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