5. Useful contacts (including for emergencies)
Emergency OHS contacts
If someone is seriously injured or in need of urgent medical help, their life or property is being threatened or they have just witnessed a serious accident or crime, call 000 immediately.
Give emergency services precise details about your location. Ensure emergency services vehicles can access the property if required.
Use your team's OHS notice board (located in communal areas in your workplace) or the department's Incident Support and Operations Centre (ISOC) as your primary source of information in an emergency.
- For routine security issues: including access inquiries, contact the Security Unit on SSU@education.vic.gov.au
- For non-routine security issues: including security threats and bomb threats, contact ISOC on 1800 126 126.
The Employee Wellbeing Support Services (EWSS) is available for all staff affected by an incident. This service is confidential and professional, available to all staff and their family members.
Follow the Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies) Policy for further information.
Facilities contacts
Make-safe Program
The department engages service providers to respond to incidents or events, including those that involve hazardous building materials. The Make-safe Program operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information, refer to the Make-safe Guidelines or contact: 1300 133 468.
Essential safety measures
Essential safety measures (ESM) are the fire, life safety and health items installed or constructed in a building. These safety measures elements are required to be routinely inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with the Australian Standards to ensure adequate levels of safety and protection over the life of the building.
The Essential Safety Measures team can provide technical advice around ESM compliance. For more information, refer to the Essential safety measures guidance, or contact 03 7022 0075 or essential.safety.measures@education.vic.gov.au
School Cleaning Unit
The school cleaning unit assists schools in ensuring they have appropriate arrangements in place to clean the school.
For more information, refer to the Cleaning Policy, or contact 03 7022 2730 or cleaning@education.vic.gov.au
School maintenance plans
All schools are required to develop and maintain a 5-year School Maintenance Plan to help budget, schedule and manage the maintenance of their buildings and grounds.
The School Maintenance Plan supports schools to address maintenance issues identified through the Rolling Facilities Evaluation, which gives schools comprehensive information about the condition of their assets. For more information, refer to the School Maintenance Plans and Rolling Facilities Evaluations Policy, contact 03 7022 2212 or maintenance.plan@education.vic.gov.au
Annual contracts
The Annual Contracts team supports schools to manage and deliver technical aspects of compliance tasks funded through the student resource package (SRP) funding, including gas appliances, air conditioning, termite inspections, and hygiene (sanitary and nappy) exchange.
Contact 03 7022 5800 or vsba.annual.contracts@education.vic.gov.au
Asset Information Management System Knowledge Centre
The Asset Information Management System (AIMS) Knowledge is a central place for Quick Reference Guides, digital learning, and useful links to resources. It will help you find answers to common queries enabling you to navigate AIMS more easily. The knowledge articles will help you improve your understanding of AIMS and asset management.
Refer to the Asset Information Management System Advice for more information.
OHS Advisory Service (Mercer Marsh Benefits Pty Ltd)
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Advisory Service provides practical advice and support to schools to manage occupational health, safety and wellbeing. Support includes, but is not limited to, implementation of the latest OHS guidance, assistance with updating school OHS documentation, and reporting or closing hazards or incidents in eduSafe (staff login required), through over the phone support, site visits or tailored expert advice.
This team can work with a range of school staff, including principals, assistant principals, business managers, leading teachers, and facilities staff, to better understand your school’s environment and safety risks.
Telephone: 1300 074 715
E-mail: safety@education.vic.gov.au
Statewide OHS Services Team
The Statewide OHS Services Team, located across all Victorian regions, provides schools with practical advice and hands-on OHS support to schools, including support with WorkSafe interactions.
The OHS Services Team provides schools with regular, consistent and practical support with completing OHS and emergency management (EM) tasks. They work closely with other support services available to schools and liaise with regional and central teams/divisions to provide coordinated school support.
The Statewide OHS Services Team is part of the Employee Safety, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division, with 4 regionally based teams located in North Eastern, North Western, South Eastern and South Western regions. Each team has a regionally-located manager leading a team of OHS Service Officers responsible for providing OHS and EM tasks.
OHS Service Officers can work with a range of school staff, including principals, assistant principals, business managers, leading teachers, and facilities staff, to better understand your school’s environment and safety risks and to ensure school staff feel more confident about managing health and safety in their school.
Regional OHS Services contacts
North Eastern Victoria region
Ian Matthews, NEVR OHS Services Manager
Telephone: 03 9057 4430 (landline) and 0419 754 945 (mobile)
Email: Ian.Matthews@education.vic.gov.au or NEVR.OHS@education.vic.gov.au
North Western Victoria region
Peter Thlimenos, NWVR OHS Services Manager
Telephone: 03 7022 2794 (landline) and 0438 599 018 (mobile)
Email: Peter.Thlimenos@education.vic.gov.au or NWVR.OHS@education.vic.gov.au
South Eastern Victoria region
Brendan Henderson, SEVR OHS Services Manager
Telephone: 03 7022 0706 (landline) and 0437 110 278 (mobile)
Email: Brendan.Henderson@education.vic.gov.au or SEVR.OHS@education.vic.gov.au
South Western Victoria region
Nicole Selig, SWVR OHS Services Manager
Telephone: 03 9057 4419 (landline) and 0436 438 841 (mobile)
Email: Nicole.Selig@education.vic.gov.au or SWVR.OHS@education.vic.gov.au
Return to work and compensation contacts
Return to Work and Compensation team
The department’s Return to Work and Compensation team provides support and advice to managers and return to work coordinators of workers’ compensation claims. This can include:
- advice on claim lodgement, the liability process and ongoing claim management
- advice on workers’ compensation legislation and employer obligations
- advice on return to work (RTW) strategies, including the provision of the department’s funding support for RTW programs
- advice and support in conciliation and dispute resolution.
Telephone: 03 7022 0780
South West Victoria Region: workers.compensation.swvr@education.vic.gov.au
South East Victoria Region: workers.compensation.sevr@education.vic.gov.au
North East Victoria Region: workers.compensation.nevr@education.vic.gov.au
North West Victoria Region: workers.compensation.nwvr@education.vic.gov.au
Workers' Compensation Corporate: workers.compensation.corporate@education.vic.gov.au
Gallagher Bassett – workers' compensation agent
The department’s workers' compensation agent, Gallagher Bassett, manage claims in accordance with the obligations of the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (Vic). The agent can provide guidance and support in managing the workers recovery at work or planning for a return to work. Their role includes:
- claims management
- claims administration
- liability determination
- injury management advice.
Telephone: 1300 975 609 or 03 9297 9100
For the submission of all new department claims email: educlaims@gbtpa.com.au
Each region has a dedicated email address for all other claim related correspondence:
- South Western Victoria Region – educlaimsSWVR@gbtpa.com.au
- South Eastern Victoria Region – educlaimsSEVR@gbtpa.com.au
- North Western Victoria Region – educlaimsNWVR@gbtpa.com.au
- North Eastern Victoria Region – educlaimsNEVR@gbtpa.com.au
- Corporate (VPS employees) – educlaimscorporate@gbtpa.com.au
Workforce Diversity and Inclusion team
Employees and managers/principals with queries about respectful and inclusive workplaces can access expert advice from the department’s Workforce Diversity and Inclusion team. They can provide help with:
- aboriginal employment
- celebrating observance days and events
- disability employment
- disability and workplace reasonable adjustments
- diversity and inclusion training
- equal opportunity and anti-discrimination
- gender affirmation
- gender equality
- implementing initiatives that contribute to an inclusive workplace culture
- inclusive recruitment
- sexual harassment prevention
- staff networks.
For assistance email: diversity@education.vic.gov.au
WorkSafe Victoria
WorkSafe is contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to report an emergency or an incident, or to speak to a health and safety advisor.
To report emergencies call: 13 23 60
Telephone (head office): 03 9641 1555
Speak to an advisor (toll free): 1800 136 089
Fax: 03 9641 1222
WorkSafe
If your school needs help with a WorkSafe visit or interaction, contact the OHS Services Team in your region.
Reviewed 09 August 2024