Critical Incident Response Policy

Emergency information

• Call 000 if there is an immediate danger.
• UTS Security: Free call 1800 249 559 (24 hours) or dial 6 from any campus phone.
• NSW Police Assistance Line: Call 131 444 (24 hours).

Further information on reporting emergencies or critical incidents is available at Urgent help and emergency response.

1. Purpose

1.1 The Critical Incident Response Policy (the policy) outlines UTS's framework for the management of critical incidents.

1.2 This policy:

1. classifies and defines critical incidents (refer Definitions)
2. coordinates the implementation of the university’s response functions to effectively manage critical incidents
3. supports the health, safety and security of UTS staff, students, affiliates, visitors and other members of the UTS community
4. addresses requirements outlined in the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Cwlth), and
5. addresses the obligations under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cwlth) (the ESOS Act) and the ESOS Framework.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies:

1. to staff, students and affiliates (collectively the UTS community) and those with responsibilities under the critical incident response framework, and
2. where an incident impacts the operations or functions of the university, its campus or the safety of the UTS community.   

3. Principles

3.1 The principles outlined in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy and the Campus Policy apply for this policy.    

4. Policy statements

Critical incident response framework

4.1 The critical incident response framework (the framework) outlines the appropriate response and control mechanisms used to manage critical incidents at UTS. A coordinated response underpinned by specific policies, procedures and plans is applied as appropriate to the specific incident type (refer table 4.1).

Table 4.1 UTS critical incident response framework

Risk assessment, response and reporting

4.2 UTS critical incident management generally comprises the following steps:

1. Groundwork: preparing, testing, approving and communicating response mechanisms.
2. Mitigation: assessing, controlling, treating and monitoring risks.
3. Response: identifying the incident type and ensuring the safety of people, property and the community as appropriate. Notifying insurance@uts.edu.au
4. Recover: implementing the business continuity plans and other recovery arrangements.
5. Support: linking members of the UTS community to available emergency services, counselling support, financial or legal advice and other appropriate provisions.
6. Improve: formally reviewing UTS’s preparedness and, where an incident occurs, its response as part of a continuous improvement cycle.

4.3 In line with the Risk Management Policy, risk management is integrated into UTS business processes (including emergency management and response) and is responsive, timely and continually improved.

4.4 The assessment and mitigation of risks is aligned to the response and control mechanism provided for each incident type (refer Critical incident response framework and Health Safety and Wellbeing: Risk Management (SharePoint)). 

4.5 In line with the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy:

1. UTS must report notifiable incidents to the appropriate authorities (refer Health Safety and Wellbeing: Safety Incident Reporting and Investigation (SharePoint)), and
2. the Chief Operating Officer (COO) must report critical incidents to the Audit and Risk Committee of Council.

Emergency management coordination  

4.6 The Head of Security and Emergency Management is responsible for the coordination of Emergency Planning Committee tasks (including training, exercises, management and review). These tasks fall in the regular duties of Security and Emergency Management (in the Property Unit). Police assistance may be sought as outlined in the Campus Policy.

4.7 The Emergency Management Plan (EMP) will be reviewed annually by the Head of Security and Emergency Management, in consultation with the Director, Property Unit and the COO. The Vice-Chancellor (as UTS’s emergency planning authority) is responsible for the approval of the EMP.

Records management

4.8 Records related to critical incidents are high value and high risk requiring appropriate controls and data retention requirements. The UTS Privacy Officer must be contacted in relation to the management of records in relation to critical incidents (refer Privacy contacts).

4.9 Any action or activity taken in line with this policy, including under any policy or process that forms part of the framework, will be recorded in line with the Records Management Policy and, where the incident involves personal information, the Privacy Policy. Records must include:

1. the type of incident
2. the parties involved (taking into consideration privacy and access requirements)
3. mitigation and response mechanisms used in response to the incident
4. the response times and incident duration
5. any reporting activities (internally or externally) undertaken in line with legislation or UTS requirements
6. any recovery activities undertaken
7. outcome and assessment reports, and
8. recommendations for improvement with associated implementation steps.

4.10 The formal record and report for any critical incident must be submitted to the Head of Security and Emergency Management for inclusion on the UTS critical incident register (the register). The register will be used to review and improve this policy and the EMP.

Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Policy owner: The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for enforcement of and compliance with this policy, ensuring that its principles and statements are observed. The COO is also responsible for the approval of any associated university level procedure.

5.2 Policy contact: The Head of Security and Emergency Management and the Manager, Health and Safety are the policy contacts. The Head of Security and Emergency Management is responsible for:

1. the day to day implementation of the policy, acting as a primary point of contact for advice on fulfilling its provisions
2. the coordination of Emergency Planning Committee tasks
3. advice on implementing the Emergency Management Plan, and
4. the maintenance of the UTS critical incident register.

5.3 Implementation and governance roles: The Vice-Chancellor is responsible for approving the Emergency Management Plan.

6. Definitions

The following definitions apply for this policy and all associated procedures. Definitions in the singular also include the plural meaning of the word.

Campus (also UTS campus or campuses) is defined in the Campus Policy.

Critical incident is defined in the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students as ‘a traumatic event, or the threat of such (within or outside Australia), which causes extreme stress, fear or injury’. Critical incidents may cause damage to property, assets, environment or reputation and/or injury to staff, students, affiliates or other members of the community and require immediate response. Critical incidents at UTS include but are not limited to the following on a UTS campus:

1. serious injury, illness or the threat of serious injury or illness
2. any loss of life
3. attempted suicide or self-harm or the imminent risk of such
4. overdose
5. missing people
6. assault including sexual harm, violence or robbery, severe verbal or psychological aggression
7. any mental health episode that may threaten personal safety or the safety of others
8. natural or unnatural disasters
9. war or civil unrest.

Notifiable incident is defined under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and includes the requirement to report to the relevant authorities the death of a person on a UTS campus, a serious injury or illness of a person on a UTS campus and/or a potentially dangerous incident occurring on a UTS campus.

University travel is defined in the Staff Travel, Expenses and Credit Card Policy and, for students, in the Student Travel and Expenses Policy.