CSG Posts
We had something special in July. The group enjoyed hearing a WorkSafe Inspector’s-eye view from speaker Les Cameron, who has worked in that role for over 20 years.
Les also gave a run-down on some current priorities and events happening at WorkSafe Victoria, including this year’s relocation of its Melbourne CBD head office with several hundred roles to Geelong.
Of particular interest to the audience was Les’s account of some of the problems he’d inspected, where lack of attention to small details had led to major incidents. In other examples, he showed how careless practices or ignoring the rules had put sites in serious danger. He also talked about some WorkSafe intervention programs currently being tested.
Unfortunately we are unable to provide the presentation from this meeting. If you want to make sure you don't miss out on any of our great speakers, put the second Tuesday of the month in your calendar and come along to our meetings.
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John Naughton shared his experiences of working with George Weston Foods to overhaul their contractor management system and bring it into the 21st century.
Being a large organisation with multiple sites across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific engaging more than 4,000 external contractors, there were particular challenges in streamlining the multiple systems that existed. However, any sized organisation could relate to his descriptions of ad hoc manual systems with the potential for frequent safety breaches.
The centralised electronic system he developed was tailored to the users and is so much more than a database. It was built as a management and compliance tool that allows everyone in the organisation to become a contractor manager. An example is the Permit To Work system that was built from the existing procedure then improved and can now be tracked easily. As John explained, centralisation = control.
The system has resulted in many safety improvements and the business gained a 600% return on investment in just 12 months.
The meeting provoked quite a bit of discussion as attendees were keen to dig down into the details of John's successful project.
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This paper about the role of safety professionals was hot-off-the-internet when it was mentioned at the CSG Meeting. It was written by Dave Provan, Sidney Dekker and Drew Rae and called “Benefactor or burden: Exploring the professional identity of safety professionals”. The abstract says: “Understanding the professional identity of safety professionals provides an important foundation for exploring their professional practice, and by extension, understanding organizational safety more broadly.”
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The state of OHS in VictoriaBased on his forensic research and analysis of data from WorkSafe Victoria, Barry Naismith presented some measured and thought-provoking findings to a packed room. Some findings are somewhat dispiriting, including the fact that this data can be inaccurate, shallow and lagging. Nevertheless, his presentation provided some interesting insights into trends in injury rates and claims, including mental claims.
He also took a clear-eyed look at the current push for wellbeing programs in the workplace and how these are grabbing the spotlight from OHS. He discussed the issue of whether wellbeing included both the physical and mental, and how we embed wellbeing into injury prevention.
Barry concluded with a call to OHS professionals to speak out if they see a need for things to change. "Don't just leave safety leadership to the regulator in these challenging and interesting times - times that are re-shaping OHS, hopefully for the better", he said.
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Jason Hensel, Senior Advisor, Health and Safety, at Zoos Victoria gave a fascinating insight into the work he has been undertaking, developing a program for working with dangerous animals. These animals are known as Category 1 Animals, because they are likely to endanger human life. Jason has been concentrating on Melbourne Zoo, where there are 20 species of Category 1 Animals. (At the Healesville site, the only Category 1 Animal is the cassowary!)
It is two years into the development of the program, which has proved to be much bigger than expected due to the many interconnected aspects. In the past, dealing with these animals relied on people making sound decisions and a number of ad hoc systems. Now this approach has been replaced with consistent streamlined processes and the introduction of engineering controls that are being tailor-made to suit this unique environment.
Jason is supported by a CEO with a strong interest in health & safety, which we all know is a key factor in successful programs.
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Conor Healy was a very engaging speaker as he spoke enthusiastically about the program he has developed for Jetstar that has resulted in a 40% reduction in manual handling injuries and the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in just two years.
He spoke about the challenges of working within a regulatory framework (CASA + airports) that make it difficult to introduce design & engineering controls. As a result he has developed a multi-pronged program that includes onsite physiotherapy, particpatory ergonomics and a radical shift in their training approach.
While acknowledging that it is early days and there is still a way to go, he is rightly proud of what has been achieved so far. He offered quite a few practical strategies in his presentation that are applicable to many industries.
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This was a well-attended meeting of great interest to all present. Kevin's presentation outlined the main aspects of the new Standard and he also provided a handout with a summary of the different sections of the Standard in comparison to AS 4801 & OHSAS 18001.
The key message was to reassure organisations that the new Standard will not be overly disruptive; in fact, it can support and strengthen the work of OHS professionals within organisations. Kevin's advice is to start using the Standard now even if it is still a couple of years before it becomes an official element of Australian OHS systems.
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As well as having a vast experience in this area, Frank was also the recipient of the National Outstanding Achievement in RTW Award in 2017, and so we were very fortunate to have him as our first speaker for the year.
He shared some very valuable information about the challenges associated with return to work for people who have suffered workplace psychological injury or illness.
Research data he presented showed how important it is to aim for a timely return to work. There has also been a recent increase in the reporting and acceptance of mental injury conditions and claims, which has found many employers unsure and unprepared when it comes to dealing with the challenges of rehabilitation and preventing recurrence of the problem.
Frank outlined a number of ways to assist employers -and consequently the workforce -with these challenges.
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At our AGM on February 13, members voted to adopt amendments to the Constitution.
To summarise the main changes in the new version:
Networking at Parliament HouseMembers & guests of CSG enjoyed a wonderful Christmas networking lunch on Tuesday 11 December 2017 at Parliament House Victoria.
This new venue for our Christmas lunch proved a great success, not only for the excellent service and delicious food featuring seasonal Victorian produce, but also for the elegant surroundings. Being set up in our own private area in the dining room facilitated great conversation without having to compete with the usual clatter of a restaurant setting.
We hope to make this venue a regular fixture for our Christmas lunches in the future as we continue to offer this benefit to our members.
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Leading OHS lawyer Graham Dent talked about recent developments in OHS law in Victoria on 10 October 2017.
This included the relevance of the harmonised WHS laws in Victoria, trends in cases, courts and penalties, and the use of Enforceable Undertakings.
Graham gave examples to illustrate the implications of some of the changes we see going on around us. He also discussed changes which may have quietly slipped past us
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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, examined those questions on 12 September 2017.
David talked about how the field of workplace safety has evolved, looking at the most important trends and changes over the years.
Both the transcript and pdf for his presentation are available to members.
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The Mental Health Foundation Australia presents this year's Mental Health Week with the theme of Mental Health in the Workplace, which is aligned with the World Federation of Mental Health.
"Mental Health Week aims to activate, educate and engage Victorians about mental health, through a week of interactive events across the state, including an official launch, community festivals, art exhibitions, music, theatre and seminars."
The official launch is on Monday 9th October & includes:
For more information and to register for this free event, click button below.
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