Occupational Health and Safety Policy
This policy states the commitment of Catalpa to the health, safety and welfare of all people
Current policy effective from
September 2025
Previous policy approved
January 2020
Next review
August 2027
Policy Owner
People & Cuture Manager
1. Introduction
1.1 Preamble
Catalpa International strives to ‘Do good, better’ and recognises that ensuring the safety, security, and wellbeing of staff, partners, and communities is essential to achieving our mission. We operate in diverse and sometimes challenging environments, where proactive risk management is critical. This policy outlines the responsibilities of Catalpa and its employees, with the aim of ensuring that together we maintain a safe and productive workplace.
1.2. Statement of Commitment
We commit to continuously improving work health and safety by addressing hazards and reviewing outcomes. Catalpa is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace. Our goal is to provide a safe and healthy work environment that is free from workplace injury and illness. Catalpa takes a collaborative approach to ensuring the health and safety of our employees and to identifying and solving health and safety issues. Everyone plays a role in taking responsibility for their own safety, as well as for the safety of others.
We are committed to removing or mitigating risks to the health and safety of all workers, contractors, and visitors to this workplace, as well as anyone else who may be affected by our operations.
1.3 Policy Review and Ratification
This policy will be reviewed every 24 months or more frequently as required by organisational needs and/or regulatory changes.
1.4. Policy linkages
This policy should be read in conjunction with:
Safety and Security Plans - Timor, PNG, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Australia - under development
Note that this policy aligns with the principles of compliance in Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Australia, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands. These countries have different legal frameworks, but they all generally follow international health & safety principles such as risk management, consultation, and continuous improvement.
2. Purpose and Scope
2.1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish clear principles and responsibilities for safeguarding the health, safety, and security of all people involved in Catalpa’s activities. This policy outlines the standards and expectations for Catalpa’s leadership and personnel to ensure that work is carried out safely and that hazards are effectively managed. Successful implementation and continuous improvement of health & safety risk management processes will ensure that we:
Protect our people from harm
Minimise trauma
Protect reputation (organisation, donors, partners and individuals)
2.2. Scope
This policy applies to all Catalpa employees, consultants, contractors, board members, and visitors to our workplaces in the countries where we operate.
The scope of this policy includes two components:
Our organisational approach to health and safety
Project-level approach to safety and security
3. Policy Statement
Catalpa International is committed to:
Preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and incidents
Complying with all relevant health and safety legislation and regulations
Providing appropriate training, supervision, and resources to ensure health and safety
Consulting with employees on health & safety matters and encouraging active participation
Continuously improving our health and safety systems and performance
We are committed to promoting employee wellbeing, including mental health support and work-life balance.
4. Policy Principles
Catalpa will adopt a planned and systematic approach to the identification and management of health, safety, and security.
Duty of Care – We have an ethical and legal responsibility to protect staff, partners, and communities from foreseeable harm.
Risk Awareness and Prevention – We actively identify, assess, and mitigate safety and security risks in all operations.
Shared Responsibility – Everyone has a role in maintaining a safe and secure environment by following procedures and reporting concerns. We believe individual accountability must be viewed as the foundation for safety standards. Staff bear responsibility for their own safety and that of their peers. Enforcement of safety standards is exercised at each level of line management.
Preparedness and Response – We ‘expect the unexpected.’ We maintain plans, training, and resources to respond effectively to safety and security incidents.
Continuous Improvement – We continually review and refine safety and security practices based on lessons learned and evolving contexts.
5. Strategies to address Health, Safety and Security
The seven strategies of safety management are the foundation for Catalpa’s ability to ensure our goal of providing a safe and healthy work environment that is free from workplace injury and illness.
Strategy 1 - We will identify, assess and control hazards across our organisation and within our projects
Effective health and safety risk management involves eliminating or controlling hazards and risks. On an ongoing basis, we will implement a structured risk management process that begins with consultation between employers and their employees. The hazard identification and management process then follows a series of steps. The steps are:
Identify the hazards
Assess the risks from those hazards
Control the risks using the hierarchy of controls
Review and, if necessary, revise the risk controls
Catalpa employs the principle of ‘Hierarchy of Risk Control’ to progressively eliminate or minimise workplace hazards, prioritising the most effective measures first:
Eliminate hazards and risks
Highest level of protection and most effective control. Eliminating the hazard and the risk it creates is the most effective control measure.
Reduce the risk
Reducing risks with one or more of the following controls: Substitution (substituting risks with lesser risks); Isolation
(isolating people from the risks); Engineering (reducing risks through engineering changes or changes to systems
of work).
Administrative controls
Using administrative actions to minimise exposure to hazards and to reduce the level of harm. Administrative controls typically provide limited protection and are less reliable.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Using personal protective equipment to protect people from harm. Using PPE is the lowest level of protection and is considered the least reliable control.
Reasonable Practicable
Catalpa manages health & safety risks in a reasonably practicable manner. To decide if something is reasonably practicable, we consider all the relevant matters, for example:
the likelihood of the hazard or risk
the harm that could occur
knowledge about the hazard or risk
ways to minimise or eliminate the risk, and if these are available and suitable
cost, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk
Strategy 2. We will design for safety in our operations
Catalpa will consider and incorporate health and safety practices from program inception, as well as within budget planning, to ensure we create a culture of safety throughout the lifecycle of our projects.
Safety and programming need to be considered as interdependent. The context of our programming is constantly changing. The dynamics that contribute to safety risk are variable. Catalpa will be flexible in adapting procedures and program delivery mechanisms to ensure the provision of assistance in a manner that supports staff safety.
Catalpa utilises a standard Risk Assessment Matrix approach to quantifying risk (see Catalpa Handbook: Risk Management). This, in conjunction with robust context analyses, is used to inform a holistic approach to health & safety risk management that draws upon best practice.
Commencing operations in new countries When we enter into operations in a new country, we will undertake a country-based OHS risk assessment to inform safety measures in that location. This will inform whether staff should be trained in health & safety, First Aid, Emergency Procedures, or any other requirements that become evident, such as marine safety.
We will monitor the risk ratings of the countries we work in
Catalpa utilises the risk assessment process to establish overall risk levels for the country or area and to make informed decisions about which safety measures to adopt.
Risk ratings are based on the presence of threats, risks, the likelihood and speed of changes in threats, the vulnerability of the staff to a specific threat, and the effectiveness of any safety measures already in place. Catalpa subscribes to ISOS to receive alerts on safety and security issues that we need to be aware of.
There are four levels of risk: Low, Moderate, High, and Severe. See Annex 1 for more details.
Country Risk Ratings will be regularly discussed and reviewed in the BAU Management meetings and amended as necessary.
We will keep a central hazard and risk register
The Catalpa hazard and risk register will be revised and updated by the BAU Management Team and health & safety focal point on a quarterly basis. The revision will address and identify risks in order of priority, outline strategies to mitigate risks, establish time frames, assign persons responsible, and specify expected outcomes.
Mobilising new programs When Catalpa enters into new projects contractually, we will undertake a risk assessment as part of the project’s mobilisation and review this on a regular basis.
A template for undertaking an OHS risk assessment can be found here.
Safety will be considered in all new project proposals and in program/operational budgets. The four main components to consider for funding are:
Training eg, security, safety, first aid, boat safety
Building/office enhancements, vehicles, accommodation
Safety resources eg, HF/VHF/Satellite radios, mobile first aid materials, life jackets
Security escorts, drivers, transportation needs, etc
Risks will be identified, reviewed, and monitored on an ongoing basis in consultation with the local Safety Contact and recorded in Safety and Security Plans - see the Programmatic Safety and Security Policy for more information. Staff will be consulted in determining the acceptable level of risk (risk appetite) that will be in place in relation to Catalpa's activities.
Safety & Security Plans
We will develop Safety & Security Plans for countries where we operate, which will outline:
how Catalpa will protect staff working in those countries as part of Catalpa’s duty of care
guide decision-making in the event of crisis or emergencies
protect against risks related to reputation and legal requirements, including within Catalpa’s contract with donors.
The Safety & Security Plans will be readily available to all staff. They will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Strategy 3. We will make sure our staff are trained
Health and safety training equips our staff with the knowledge and skills to identify and manage workplace hazards, promoting a safer and healthier work environment. It's a crucial aspect of Catalpa’s workplace culture, improving employee safety and wellbeing, and potentially reducing incidents and costs.
Mandatory staff training
On commencement with Catalpa, all employees will complete mandatory health and safety training. Key areas covered in health & safety training are:
Identifying workplace hazards: Recognising potential dangers and risks in the workplace.
Assessing and controlling risks: Implementing measures to reduce or eliminate identified risks.
Safe work practices: Following established procedures and guidelines to minimise risks.
Emergency procedures: Knowing what to do in case of an accident or emergency.
Training records will be maintained as evidence of training delivery and assessment of competence.
Emergency Procedures All staff, regardless of their location will be informed and aware of the local emergency procedures, including:
Existence of any alarms and what to do if one is
Location of any emergency exits
Safety warden
Local emergency meeting points
Safe work procedures As required, Catalpa will provide specific information, instruction, training, and supervision to ensure that all employees are safe from injury and risk.
Specific training needs Country and project risk assessments will inform whether additional specific training may be required in areas such as:
First Aid
Fire safety and emergency procedures
Marine safety
Hostile environment awareness training
Security briefings before pre-deployment
Pre-travel safety briefing As per the Programmatic Safety and Security Policy, if staff are travelling to a location where there are additional safety and security considerations, they will be debriefed on the risks and how to mitigate them, especially where they are travelling to that country for the first time.
Strategy 4. We will inspect our workplaces to identify hazards
We will inspect our workplaces regularly to identify hazards in the workplaces we work in and mitigate them where we can to reduce the risk.
This includes:
Where our staff or consultants work from a Catalpa office
Quarterly
Health & Safety Focal Point
Where our staff or consultants work from the office of a partner
Quarterly
Health & Safety Focal Point or delegate
Where staff work remotely from home or another location
Annually or if there are changes in work location.
Remote worker
Strategy 5. We will consult with our staff on health & safety matters
Communication and consultation are core values of how we work to ensure a safe workplace. We recognise that employee consultation and participation about safety issues at Catalpa is vital and improves decision–making about health and safety matters in our workplace.
We will communicate with staff on a regular basis around safety and security matters, including sending out Safety Advices and ensuring safety is an agenda item at project team meetings.
A Health and Safety Focal Point will be appointed in each country where Catalpa has an entity. Health and Safety Focal Points play a key role in facilitating consultation with staff around health & safety matters in the workplace. They will also provide employees with ways to stay informed about and involved in health and safety issues at work, make informed decisions, and offer contextual background on local safety risks and issues. This person will also be responsible for the role of Office Warden.
For roles and responsibilities of a Health & Safety Focal Point, click here.
Strategy 6. We have mechanisms to report and investigate health, safety and security hazards and risks
By encouraging the reporting of hazards, near misses, and maintenance problems, we can help stop incidents from occurring.
Catalpa has a two-pronged approach to reporting and investigation:
Emergencies - use the Phone Tree for the relevant country or project as per the relevant Security Plan
Non-emergencies - follow the reporting process outlined below
Reporting hazards
All hazards are to be reported using the Hazard Report Form. Staff may also report hazards to the Safety Focal Point or their manager who will support them to complete a hazard report form.
Near misses, damaged or faulty equipment should also be reported
Once reported, hazards should be investigated to determine the cause and potential risk.
Based on the investigation, appropriate reasonable actions should be taken to eliminate or mitigate the hazard.
The effectiveness of corrective actions should be monitored to ensure they are successful and prevent recurrence.
Reporting Incidents and Injuries
Incidents and/or injuries sustained in the workplace should be reported on the Incident or Injury Report Form
The following should be reported:
Injuries, illnesses and fatalities sustained in the workplace
Physical and emotional injuries and incidents
Central Log of hazards and incidents Catalpa maintains an accurate log of all incidents. This will enable Catalpa to truly be accountable for how we deal with incidents, but to also learn and improve our systems to prevent similar events from occurring in the future and to better safeguard our people. Depending on the nature of the incident, Catalpa may be required to report an incident or near miss to regulatory bodies in the countries where we work.
Australia only - Notifiable Incidents
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (WHS Act), Catalpa must notify WorkSafe immediately after becoming aware a notifiable incident has occurred. Failure to report an incident to WorkSafe is an offence and may result in prosecution. Notifiable incidents are:
death of a person,
a person needing medical treatment within 48 hours of being exposed to a substance,
a person needing immediate treatment as an inpatient in a hospital,
a person needing immediate medical treatment for one of the following injuries: amputation, serious head injury or serious eye injury, removal of skin (example: degloving, scalping), electric shock, spinal injury, loss of a bodily function, serious lacerations (example: requiring stitching or other medical treatment).
Strategy 7. We have mechanisms to monitor, address, and escalate health & safety issues in our workplace
Health & Safety will be a standing item of business at Operations Meetings and BAU Management meetings, where the following will be tabled:
Any reported hazards and incidents from the reporting period, and risks and actions taken to treat them.
Any injuries reported in the reporting period
Operations reports will document and reference health & safety risk management, outlining the actions taken to treat them.
Country risk ratings will be reviewed, and any changes will be communicated to staff with appropriate advice on safety measures to be taken.
Any risks falling in the ‘Very high’ Residual Risk category (see Catalpa Handbook) will be urgently brought to the attention of the Directors. Through the application of appropriate treatment actions, it is expected that the extreme risks reduce in significance.
Any complaints or feedback regarding workpace health and safety issues can also be dealt with via Catalpa’s Internal Complaints and Feedback Policy
5. Roles and Responsibilities
Each Catalpa staff member or consultant is responsible for helping to build a culture of safety awareness and responsibility. We believe individual accountability must be viewed as the foundation for safety standards. Staff bear responsibility for their own safety and that of their peers. Enforcement of safety standards is exercised at each level of line management.
Catalpa Directors
Ensuring this policy is implemented and monitored.
Directors will ensure that Catalpa decisions and practices comply with the requirements of the relevant legislation, regulations and codes of conduct and practice.
Ensuring this policy is implemented and monitored.
Directors will ensure that Catalpa decisions and practices comply with the requirements of the relevant legislation, regulations and codes of conduct and practice.
People & Culture Manager
Ensuring this policy aligns with relevant legislation, government policy and/or Catalpa requirements / strategies / values; is implemented and monitored, and is reviewed to evaluate its continuing effectiveness.
Ensuring the Directors at Catalpa are meeting legal obligations and expectations in managing health and safety risk.
Development of any safety policies and procedures.
Facilitates safety and security assessment in coordination with the Technical Directors, relevant country-level Safety and Security Focal Points and develops appropriate measures to reduce vulnerability.
Contributes to assessing and monitoring the country-level Country Alert Ratings in coordination with the Technical Director, Head of Programs, country-level Safety and Security Focal Point
Head of Programs (or delegated person)
Assessing and monitoring risk in the countries we work in
Develop and update Safety and Security Plans
Monitors for major emergencies and safety and security risks
Leads and makes decisions in the event of an emergency
Ensuring this policy aligns with relevant legislation, government policy and/or Catalpa requirements / strategies / values; is implemented and monitored, and is reviewed to evaluate its continuing effectiveness
Oversee development of any relevant procedures.
Lead the assessment of health, safety and security risk in all new projects
Monitors for major emergencies, safety and security risks and escalates as necessary
Develop and update Safety and Security Plans
Leads and makes decisions in the event of an emergency
Assessing and monitoring risk in the countries we work in
Provides briefings for travellers visiting countries outside their country of origin for Catalpa work purposes
Ensures visitors/consultants are inducted in our safety and security processes
Contributes to the safety and security assessment in coordination with the Technical Director and the country-level Safety and Security contact, and develops appropriate measures to reduce vulnerability.
Contributes to assessing and monitoring the country-level Country Alert Ratings in coordination with the Technical Director, People and Culture Manager, Head of Programs and the country-level Safety and Security contact
Managers
People / line managers:
Monitor for safety and security risks in projects
Contribute to the safety and security assessment and help develop appropriate measures to reduce vulnerability.
Ensure that their teams understand their responsibilities with respect to Health & Safety risk, and will assist in fostering a risk-aware culture and application of risk management tools.
Investigate incidents and injuries, and ensure that corrective action is taken.
Eliminate or minimise all workplace hazards and risks as far as is reasonably practicable
Provide information, instruction and training to enable all workers to work safely
Consult with and involve workers on matters relating to health, safety and wellbeing
Provide appropriate safety equipment and personal protective equipment
Provide a suitable injury management and return to work progra
Technical Directors of projects:
Overall responsibility for communication and coordination in the event of an emergency
Monitors for major emergencies and safety and security risks
Overall completion of the safety and security assessment in coordination with the Head of Programs, the relevant country-level Safety and Security contact and the People & Culture Manager and develops appropriate measures to reduce vulnerability.
Contributes to assessing and monitoring the relevant country-level Country Alert Ratings in coordination with the People and Culture Manager, Technical Director, Head of Programs and the relevant country-level Safety and Security contact
Safety Focal Point
Being a point of contact in country for initial health & safety matters
Supporting staff with incident and injury reporting
Investigate incidents and injuries and ensure corrective action is taken.
Monitoring operational safety contexts
Consults with staff on health & safety issues
Accountable for ensuring first aid kits are available to staff and teams and are checked regularly to ensure they are well stocked
Ensure workplace inspections are completed regularly
Monitors for major emergencies, safety and security risks and escalates as necessary
Ensures visitors/consultants to that country are inducted in our safety and security processes
Leads safety and security assessment in coordination with the Technical Director, People and Culture Manager, and develops appropriate measures to reduce vulnerability.
Leads assessing and monitoring the country-level Country Alert Ratings in coordination with the Technical Director, country-level Safety and Security Focal Point and the People and Culture Manager
Employees
Take reasonable care for their own health & safety and ensure that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health & safety of others in the workplace
Follow safe work procedures, instructions and rules
Participate in safety training
Report health and safety hazards, any injuries, and incidents
Use safety equipment and personal protective equipment as instructed
Support any hazard inspection and add the hazard to the Risk Register as required.
Catalpians at all levels will continually monitor significant political, social, economic, and military events in the relevant country, and report concerns.
In each country (or in some cases, in each project within a country), one in-country staff member will be the point of contact for local staff for any safety and security issues. This person would be:
Visitors and Consultants
Not put themselves or any other person at the workplace at risk
comply with our safety policy and procedures
6. Definitions
Consultation: health & safety consultation involves the sharing of relevant occupational health and safety (H&S) information between the employer and the employee. Consultation includes giving employees the opportunity to express their views, valuing these views and allowing them to contribute to the resolution of health & safety issues.
Hazard A hazard is something that can cause harm.
Incident An incident is an event that has already occurred and resulted in harm or the potential for harm
Risk - Risk is the possibility that harm might occur when someone is exposed to a hazard.
Harm - Harm is death, injury, illness or disease a person may suffer from a hazard or risk. Illness and injury include psychological illness and injury.
Control - ‘ways to manage an issue’. Controls are things you can put in place to eliminate and reduce risks.
System of work - A system of work is the way work is planned, organised and done. It may include related sets of policies, procedures and practices. It can also include equipment, materials and environment.
Reasonable action: That which is acceptable, fair, honest, proper and would be considered reasonable for a similar organisation to take, considering the nature and severity of the risk of harm or loss, knowledge of severity of harm or loss, knowledge of solutions, availability of solutions, legal requirements and cost of solutions.
Risk Assessment: The overall process of estimating the magnitude of risk and deciding whether the risk is acceptable.
Risk Management: Coordinated activities to direct and control an organisation with regard to risk
Program criticality The extent to which a program and/or set of activities is deemed necessary for the achievement of organisational objectives.
Annex 1 - Country Risk Ratings
LOW RISK- NORMAL OPERATIONS
These are countries, regions, or cities that are essentially stable and free of political, economic, and social unrest. The crime is generally low, and organised anti-government or terrorist groups, if present, exhibit limited operational capabilities. It is important to remember that countries with low crime and stable social systems may still have threats from natural disasters, such as volcanoes or floods.
• Normal safety and security measures are required in low-risk countries.
MODERATE RISK
These are countries or regions where low-level political, economic, and social unrest is present and/or where safety and security infrastructure (such as police or medical care) is poorly developed. Organised anti-government or terrorist groups may be active but not strong enough to threaten government stability. The country may be involved in a regional dispute, exhibit high crime rates, or be prone to natural disasters or disease epidemics.
• Increased safety and security measures are required in moderate-risk countries.
HIGH RISK
These are those countries or regions where organised anti-government or terrorist groups are very active and pose a serious threat to the country’s political or economic stability. A civil war may be in progress, and paramilitary or guerrilla forces may be in control of a significant area. Such a country might also be near or in the process of a military coup, be involved in violent regional disputes with its neighbours, or exhibit a breakdown in social infrastructure, especially police and judiciary. There may be prejudicial treatment of foreigners, or threats or harassment of NGOs specifically. High risk levels are generally associated with civil unrest and crime, but may also reflect increased threats from disease epidemics or natural disasters.
• Stringent safety and security measures, such as restricted movement or curfews, are required in high-risk countries.
• Non-essential staff and dependents may be evacuated or relocated.
SEVERE RISK
These are countries or regions where the level of violence presents a direct threat to the safety and well-being of humanitarian aid workers. Operations are usually not possible without military support, and security cannot be reasonably assured. There may be a temporary suspension of operations, evacuation of international staff, and/or additional precautions for national staff.
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