Work Health and Safety Policy

Purpose. This policy states Studio Aurora's commitment to the health and safety of staff, freelancers, artists, performers, visitors and audiences across the studio, gallery, theatre, workshop and every location it works in.

1.Commitment

Studio Aurora will provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks to health so far as is reasonably practicable, in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Victoria). Safety applies equally to employees, freelance crew, contracted artists and performers, students on placement, volunteers, hirers and members of the public. The schedule will never take priority over a safe method of work.

2.Principal hazards

The company's principal hazards are working at height on ladders, elevated work platforms and the lighting grid, manual handling of staging, artworks and equipment, electrical equipment and temporary power, hazardous substances in the workshop and darkroom, haze and pyrotechnic effects, crowd movement in the theatre and gallery, fatigue during seasons and shoots, and psychological hazards including harassment and traumatic content.

• Working at height and rigging
• Manual handling of sets, artworks and cases
• Electrical equipment and temporary power
• Workshop machinery and hazardous substances
• Haze, strobe and effects
• Crowd and audience management
• Fatigue and long production days
• Psychological safety on set and stage

3.Responsibilities

The Managing Director holds the primary duty of care. Department leads must complete a production risk assessment before every bump in, shoot and installation and must induct every crew member and performer. All workers must follow safe work methods, use the personal protective equipment provided, report hazards and incidents on the day and stop work they believe is unsafe. The Operations and Finance Manager maintains the WHS Incident and Hazard Register.

4.Risk management

Risks will be assessed using the Production Risk Assessment Template and controlled using the hierarchy of controls, with elimination and engineering controls preferred over administrative controls and personal protective equipment. Any activity rated high or extreme after controls must be approved by the department lead and the Operations and Finance Manager before it proceeds.

5.Incident reporting

Every injury, near miss, hazard and property damage must be reported on the Incident and Hazard Report Form before the end of the shift or shoot day and entered in the WHS Incident and Hazard Register within one working day. Notifiable incidents will be reported to the regulator immediately and the scene preserved.

6.Training and consultation

All workers must complete the safety induction before their first shift. Crew working at height, operating elevated work platforms or rigging must hold the relevant licence or competency. The company will consult with staff and freelancers through the quarterly safety meeting and through toolbox talks at the start of every bump in and shoot.