CSG Monthly Meetings
Keith Govias
Keith Govias will talk about Ethics in Safety. Keith is an OHS professional who has held a Fairfax Fellowship in Ethical Leadership.
More details coming soon.
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 9 May 2022. When booking, please ensure you select the May Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.
Jason Green
Jason will be talking about how the OHS community here can get involved.
More details coming soon.
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 13 June 2022. When booking, please ensure you select the June Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.
Tracey Browne
Victoria has developed draft regulations for psychological health, and work is happening at the national level to develop Model WHS Regulations on this topic. What responsibilities will employers have under this new legislation? How might it affect the workplace? Will it have an impact on workers compensation?
These and other issues will be discussed in a zoom presentation at midday on 12 April by Tracey Browne, Manager, National Safety & Workers' Compensation Policy and Membership Services at Australian Industry Group (Ai Group).
Tracey is currently representing peak national employer organisation Ai Group on a working group reviewing WorkSafe Victoria’s proposed OHS Amendment (Psychological Health) Regulations, which were released for public comment closing on 31 March 2022. Tracey also represents industry as a member of Safe Work Australia, who are developing the Model Regulations and supporting Code of Practice.
The new WorkSafe regulations reflect the existing requirement in the Act to manage both physical and psychological health and safety. WorkSafe considers that they will provide clearer guidance to employers on their obligations to protect workers better from mental injury.
After her presentation Tracey will invite questions and discussion.
About the speaker:
Tracey Browne joined the national employers’ representative Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) in 2001. She has been their Manager of National Safety & Workers' Compensation Policy and Membership Services for the past 14 years.
Tracey’s role includes representing employer views and interests to governments, regulators and other relevant bodies, when legislative and policy changes are being considered. She is also responsible for information, advice and training in relation to safety and workers' compensation for Ai Group membership and staff.
Before joining AiG, Tracey worked in OHS and workers compensation roles in industry and lectured on safety and workers compensation at Ballarat University.
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 11 April 2022. When booking, please ensure you select the April Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.
Pam Pryor AO
OHS is now suffering from 'disciplinary ambiguity' according to a recent international study. You will hear why from Pam Pryor, Manager OHS Body of Knowledge Development for the Australian Institute of Health and Safety, in a CSG lunchtime Zoom presentation on 8 March.
Changes affecting the OHS profession include the COVID-19 pandemic opening new ground on workplace safety; the growing discussions around psychological health and safety, and the fact that many OHS professionals now include ‘wellness’ as part of their role.
These all highlight the lack of clarity around the role of the generalist OHS Professional, according to Pam.
Pam is co-author of a recent paper [The OHS Professional: International and Australian Perspectives] published as part of the Body of Knowledge. She will offer insights and perspectives on the current status of the generalist OHS professional in Australia, why it is now seen to be in some respects an ‘emerging profession’, and where it is headed.
If you are employed in OHS or a related field, this session should not be missed.
About the speaker:
Pam Pryor is an internationally recognised specialist in OHS capability and related aspects of OHS professionality.
She is currently responsible for the development and ongoing maintenance of the Australian OHS Body of Knowledge (BoK). Bok is the collective works developed by a range of specialists that informs OHS education, certification and further development of OHS professionals. (See www.ohsbok.org.au)
Her work with the International Network of Safety and Health Professionals developing the OHS Professional Capability Framework earned Pam the 2017-18 President’s Award from the American Society of Safety Professionals.
In 2018 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to OHS Professionals, through her leadership and advisory roles, particularly in developing standards for education frameworks.
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 7 March 2022. When booking, please ensure you select the March Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.
Kevin Jones
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 7 February 2022. When booking, please ensure you select the February Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.
CSG networking get-together
A FREE zoom event
for both members and friends of CSG
Host: Nan Austin, President, Central Safety Group.
December is the time of year for us to celebrate our CSG network, share ideas and get to know each other a little better.
While circumstances prevent us from gathering in person for a second year, please join us via zoom for an informal networking function. Let’s share our experiences and valuable lessons from 2021, as well as exploring next year's events... Read more...
Note: RSVP not required for this event.
Return to work in Covid times: managing psychosocial risk
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a drastic impact on workplace conditions and work arrangements. This has brought new psychosocial risks that can affect the health and wellbeing of workers. Occupational health expert Dr Natasha Lazareski will discuss this issue, along with strategies to manage it, in a Zoom presentation to Central Safety Group Inc. on Tuesday 9 November at noon.
She says that, if not appropriately assessed and managed, psychosocial risks increase stress levels and can lead to physical and mental health problems. Psychological responses may include low mood, low motivation, exhaustion, anxiety, depression and burnout. Read more...
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 8 November 2021. When booking, please ensure you select the November Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.
The current job scene for OHS – what’s different now
The current job scene for OHS – what’s different now
What’s the current job scene for OHS? The news is that at the moment there are more roles on offer than candidates, according to Helen O’Keefe, who runs a leading national health & safety executive search agency. This will be the subject of her zoom presentation for CSG at midday on Tuesday 12 October.
Helen will discuss the reasons for the current shortage of applicants happening across the board in a range of industries, as well as in different levels and roles in the OHS field.
She will be offering advice to recruiters, current job seekers and people trying to decide whether to move in the current job climate. “When you have a candidate-led market, the traditional recruitment methods may not work,” says Helen. “Candidates also need to consider certain things carefully before accepting a new role.”
Helen will talk about how workplace changes during the pandemic have led to some organisations creating different OHS roles or adding new requirements.
The session will conclude with discussion and questions from the audience..
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 11 October 2021. When booking for this Event, please ensure you select the October Meeting from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP to this meeting.
New research into manual handling injuries in healthcare.
Work-based musculoskeletal injuries remain a major issue, but research is telling us more about how and why these injuries occur, along with better prevention and management strategies.
Professor David Caple AM has recently been involved in a range of projects related to manual handling injury prevention in hospitals. These injuries account for around 70% of Workcover claims in hospitals for both clinical and non-clinical staff.
He discussed interesting results from a couple of studies in a zoom presentation for Central Safety Group on Tuesday, 14 September.
One of these is a study done with La Trobe University’s Biomechanics laboratory that focused on shoulder injuries in clinical staff. These account for 40% of their musculoskeletal injuries, while 60% are back injuries.
David also spoke about work being done to address the increase in injuries involving the handling of a range of patients, including those with co-morbidities such as dementia, those who present fall risks and bariatric patients.
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Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 9 August 2021. When booking for this Event, please ensure you select the September Meeting from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP to this meeting.
Managing the healthcare challenge of COVID-19.
When the Covid-19 crisis arrived, organisations everywhere were hit with a massive task without warning and precedent. The healthcare industry faced significant challenges in managing and implementing new and complex requirements.
Alison Hunt-Sturman, Group Manager, WHS, at Mercy Health Australia, presented a compelling account of what happened across the healthcare industry as well as within her organisation. Mercy Health manages four public hospitals, 30 aged care homes, in-patient and outpatient mental health services, and home care services around Australia.
“We are serving some of the most vulnerable members of the community. We couldn’t just shut down,” said Alison. In addition to the many thousands of clients in its care, Mercy Health has a workforce of 9,000 people.
There was a great deal for Alison's team and other sections to care about, learn, plan, organise and manage carefully to ensure everything was kept functioning safely, all the while dealing with the impact of the unknowns. Alison discussed the issues they faced, how it affected their operations and people, and how they responded.
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 9 August 2021. When booking for this Event, please ensure you select the August Meeting from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP to this meeting.
Dr Kate Branford, Senior Human Factors Specialist, V/Line.
Human Factors issues constitute a significant source of risk in many industries. Human error contributes to an estimated 60-80% of incidents, while other Human Factors issues also play a part in a large proportion of incidents.
Understanding human error, how it contributes to safety incidents and how it can be managed, was the subject of a zoom talk by Dr Kate Branford on 8 June, 2021. Read more...
Note: Full video of this meeting now available from the 'View Presentation' button below. Available for a limited time to members only.
View presentation video package
Gavin Kenny, Manager SHEQ-Service Delivery, Melbourne Water.
Melbourne Water shared how technology has improved its safety systems and performance in a zoom presentation to Central Safety Group on Tuesday, 11 May. Gavin Kenny, Manager SHEQ - Service Delivery at Melbourne Water, has introduced a number of digital technology improvements to safety processes there.
Melbourne Water is a statutory body which supplies high-quality water, provides reliable sewerage services, integrates drainage systems to prevent flooding and enhances waterways and land for Melbourne and its surrounds. Gavin spoke about the changes involved, how they were introduced and the resulting efficiency gains. Read more...
Note: Full video of this meeting now available from the 'View Presentation' button below. Available to members only.
View presentation video package
COVID-19 response in Victoria: A union perspective
Topic: COVID-19 response in Victoria: A union perspective
The COVID-19 crisis brought some major challenges to unions affiliated with the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC), their members and workers. These challenges, along with lessons learned and solutions, will be discussed by Dominic Melling, Lead Organiser of the OHS Team at the VTHC in a zoom presentation at midday on Tuesday, 13 July.
Dominic’s talk will cover essential workers who reported to their usual workplaces throughout the lockdowns as well as people working from home. He will review the structural problems that facilitated the spread of COVID-19 and the Union’s role in advising Health and Safety Representatives and members. Using case studies from high risk industries, he will discuss what happened when OHS structures and procedures failed and what lessons can be learned from these failures.
The presentation will outline VTHC initiatives to support HSRs and workers, and Unions’ lobbying efforts that led to changes in Government policy designed to protect workers and the community and to eliminate the spread of COVID-19.
About the speaker:
Dominic Melling has been the Lead Organiser of the OHS Team at the Victorian Trades Hall Council since January 2020. In this role he works with affiliated unions in their collective efforts to campaign for safer workplaces and better conditions for workers. Recent examples of campaigns include the introduction of industrial manslaughter as an offence; exposure standards to crystalline silica and the introduction of psychological health regulation.
Dominic also assists WorkSafe Victoria by liaising with relevant VTHC affiliates in relation to health and safety and workers’ compensation matters.
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Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 12 July 2021. When booking for this Event, please ensure you select the July Meeting from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP to this meeting.
David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, People and Product Safety, Coles.
Details coming soon.
Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 12 April 2021. When booking for this Event, please ensure you select the April Meeting from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP to this meeting.
