CSG Monthly Meetings
Professor David Caple
What will OHS look like in the future? What jobs are likely to be available and skill sets required?
Professor David Caple, a close participant and observer in the safety industry for over 40 years will examine these questions in a lunchtime talk to the Central Safety Group on 12 September.
David will talk about how the field of workplace safety has evolved, looking at the most important trends and changes over the years.
He will then discuss what he sees as the latest significant developments in the area, and where he sees things heading in the future.
This will include what OHS practitioners will be expected to know and do, and the skills, background and experience they will need in the years ahead.
About the Speaker
David Caple, who has a background as an ergonomist, has been a leading figure in occupational health and safety in Australia for many years. He has advised a wide range of businesses, industry groups and public sector organisations and worked with Australian and overseas governments on work health and safety strategy. He is an OHS consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University.
Jacqui Bloink, Workplace Wellbeing Program Manager, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne
There is growing recognition of the value of workplace peer support programs in helping employees at times of critical work incidents.
The experience, learnings and benefits of a well-established peer support program will be discussed by Jacqui Bloink, Workplace Wellbeing Program Manager, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.
The hospital this year is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its award-winning staff peer support program, marking it as an early supporter of the concept of a team of colleagues helping one another with typical reactions to stressful events.
Jacqui will give a case study of the St Vincent’s program and outline findings on how it meets the needs of its users, improves wellbeing and provides value for service.
She will also discuss the evolution of such peer support programs and how they can stay relevant in the face of today’s workplace incidents and issues.
About the Speaker
Jacqui Bloink has been responsible for managing St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s staff-support services, EAP Liaisons and Critical Incident Stress Management/Peer Support since 2000.
She has a background in emergency and intensive care nursing, has held roles in management, clinical education and project organisation, and served on St Vincent’s executive team.
Jacqui was awarded the Critical Incident Stress Management Foundation Australia (CISMFA) achievement award in 2009. The hospital’s peer support program was recognised in the 2016 Victorian Public Health Care Awards and the 2016 WorkSafe awards.
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David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, People and Product Safety, Coles.
Poorly designed work is unsafe work. Many times simple but important aspects are overlooked in the project planning stage, setting the scene for future problems. Someone dedicated to spreading this message is David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, People and Product Safety, Coles, who will speak to the Central Safety Group on Tuesday 13 June. David will talk about how safety in design can make a difference, and discuss the key elements of good safety design both from a people management perspective and an organisational perspective. “If safety practitioners are not thinking and practising safety in design they are missing an important safety element in their approach” states David. Putting safety in design at the forefront of project management and at the concept stage is crucial to risk reduction, and David will outline some of the steps in optimising safety when designing and managing a project.
Coming Soon:
Site Visit: Melbourne Arts Centre
Join the CSG for an exclusive site visit to the Melbourne Arts Centre, and see first hand Safety Behind the Scenes.
Wayne Richards - General Manager, Group Health Safety Environment and Quality, Transdev Australasia.
A lot is said about ‘safety leadership’.
But what specifically can leaders do to shape an organisation’s safety culture?
This will be discussed by Wayne Richards, General Manager, Group Health Safety Environment & Quality, Transdev Australasia at a lunchtime presentation to the Central Safety Group at 12.15 pm on 9 May.
Wayne will talk about what is being done in Transdev.
He will also draw on his experience in senior safety roles with the MFB and the aviation and environmental services sectors.
Transdev is a leading transport provider in Australia and NZ, operating train, bus, coach, ferry and light rail operations in partnership with public authorities and private companies. In Melbourne, this includes operating passenger transport services and school bus services on behalf of Public Transport Victoria.
About the Speaker:
Wayne commenced his role with Transdev in mid-2016. He was previously Director of Work Health and Safety with the MFB and Executive General Manager of SHEQ with Veolia. He holds a Masters of Business and Technology from the University of NSW as well as technical certificates in electronics. He is also a chartered professional member of the Safety Institute of Australia and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Wayne Richards - General Manager, Group Health Safety Environment and Quality, Transdev Australasia
Automation is rapidly affecting everything from the agricultural and manufacturing sectors to the healthcare industry.
For an insight into what automation can mean for safety procedures and related workplace arrangements, Mark Letman of Pacific Brands will talk on Tuesday, 11 April about recent major changes at Pacific Brand’s giant national warehouse. Pacific Brands manufactures and sells consumer products that include Bonds underwear and Sheridan sheets.
Mark is Safety & Wellbeing Business Lead for the division which has recently automated some of the key procedures for picking and packing orders in its 43,000 square metre warehouse in Truganina.
Mark’s experience is that the move to automation has had some positive effects on working conditions.
“The automation’s taken away a lot of the hard slog and legwork in the warehouse, and it’s become a joint activity between employees and the machine,” he says.
But it has also brought challenges in introducing employees to new work practices. This includes safety requirements when working with machines for the first time.
About the Speaker
Mark Letman joined Pacific Brands 27 years ago and has worked in logistics, freight management, manufacturing and management roles. He started working in safety12 years ago, after his interest in the field was stirred by his experience as a member of the site’s emergency response team.
NOTE: This presentation will be followed by a short AGM for the Central; Safety Group. Members of the CSG and others interested are invited to attend.
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Poorly designed work is unsafe work. Many times simple but important aspects are overlooked in the project planning stage, setting the scene for future problems.
David will talk about how safety in design can make a difference, and discuss the key elements of good safety design both from a people management perspective and an organisational perspective.
“If safety practitioners are not thinking and practising safety in design they are missing an important safety element in their approach” states David.
Putting safety in design at the forefront of project management and at the concept stage is crucial to risk reduction, and David will outline some of the steps in optimising safety when designing and managing a project.
About the Speaker
David is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (HFESA) and a Chartered Generalist OHS Professional (SIA) and is Safety Business Partner for Coles providing safety support across all brands nationally.
He has over 30 years of experience in the provision of health and safety advice, including professional/consulting roles in teaching, clinical massage, safety, ergonomics, injury management, and as a WorkSafe inspector.
He continues to provide sessional teaching at two Melbourne Universities in post graduate courses involving Occupational Ergonomics and Occupational Assessment and Rehabilitation and supervises ergonomic projects to Masters Level
Dr Natasha Lazareski is Managing Director of Psyflex, which provides expertise in workplace mental health and wellbeing.
She has been Health and Wellbeing Manager for a number of organisations including National Australia Bank and Ambulance Victoria. She has also worked as a medical officer for personal injury insurance and was National Manager of CGU Workers Compensation Injury Management Services.
Through Psyflex Natasha now develops programs for businesses in a range of industries as well as government organisations, schools, and health and emergency services.
PLEASE NOTE: This has been changed from Tuesday 14 February, now Thursday 16 February 2017
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Fatigue at work can present significant risks, with fatigue management policies covered in OHS regulations and industrial agreements.
But Professor David Caple questions whether our current arrangements are dealing with it very well.
He discussed shortcomings in this area as well as looking at some less well understood implications of fatigue. He also highlighted the increase in fatigue problems with white collar workers.
David said fatigue has physical, psychological and cognitive effects which can apply in any role in the workplace. This makes it important for OHS professionals to see it not only as a safety hazard but as a wider workplace wellbeing issue.
“We don’t always appreciate the cumulative impact of fatigue, or the poor quality of sleep people are getting today. We’re now in a generation that celebrates extended work hours, lives with round the clock digital activity and sees long daily commutes as normal,” he said.
David talked about increased understanding of the psychological, emotional and cognitive cost this is having on people, as well as the impact on their physical health, and whether awareness of this should lead to changes in the workplace.
David Caple, who has a background as an ergonomist, has been a leading figure in occupational health and safety in Australia for many years. He has advised a wide range of businesses, industry groups and public sector organisations and worked with Australian and overseas governments on work health and safety strategy. He is an OHS consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University.
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Join us for the CSG Annual Networking Christmas Lunch.
Everyone welcome to attend, members & non members.
