AI know-how & OHS

There isn't a day that goes by where AI isn't a topic for conversation, so it was refreshing to hear about how it can be used for good, not evil!  John Ansley's engaging presentation demonstrated how you can take safety instructions beyond a mere compliance exercise using his product Knowby Pro, which harnesses AI to create videos that present information in a clear and concise way.

When speaking about the issues his product aims to address, John made reference to Cognitive Load Theory that deals with how the human brain takes in and stores information. Bite-sized information is apparently more effective as a general rule and not just for those of us with a diminishing attention span!

John emphasisied the importance of collaboration as a guiding principle. This is a feature in both the creation of "knowbys" tailored to each organisation and the ability to provide feedback about the product. In fact, John is always happy to receive feedback and ideas on how to make Knowby Pro work better for users. This has led to the development of new capabilities, including ways to capture data to ensure and demonstrate compliance

The most fascinating aspect of the presentation was the live demonstration of how to create knowbys from an existing video as well as from a 16-page pdf document. John spruiked their offer of a 30-day free trial so that you can try it out for yourself: https://www.knowby.co/.

Our very own Gavin Kenny contributed to the presentation by talking about how he uses the product at his own workplace. He showed some great examples, including how he created a knowby for contractors changing over their huge bins. Those of us who attended the Opal site visit in July could really appreciate the challenges in that workplace, and so it was very interesting to learn how some of these are being addressed with the Knowby Pro digital tool.

Gavin has presented to us in the past and is renowned for his approach to using technology in the workplace: keep it simple and make it work for you. You can view his presentation from May 2021, Using technology to make work safer, in the Speakers archive (log in first).

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Site Visit: Opal Specialty Packaging

Date & Time: Tuesday 19 August 2025, noon

In person only

Host:  Gavin Kenny, Opal Specialty Packaging

Venue:  100 Carroll Road, Oakleigh South, Vic, 3167

Topic: Site Visit - Opal Specialty Packaging

Opal Specialty Packaging provides tailored cardboard-based packaging solutions for small, medium and large businesses. Their fully integrated packaging development service is based on circular economy principles.
Join CSG for a tour of their Oakleigh South production facility on Tuesday 19th August and see Opal’s advanced manufacturing capabilities. Learn how they deal with hazards such as mobile plant, traffic management, noise and machine guarding.
We will also hear about recent safety programs related to video SOPs and streamlining the on-boarding of casuals.
Opal’s sustainable corrugated cardboard packaging solutions cover every application you can think of, from smartly designed bespoke boxes and vibrant digital print to high-end corrugated cardboard point-of-purchase displays for retailers. ..read more.

Numbers limited: book early to secure your place.
Non-Members welcome to attend

Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 18 August 2025.  When booking, please ensure you select the August Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

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Gavin Kenny, Manager SHEQ-Service Delivery, Melbourne Water.

Date & Time: Tuesday 11 May 2021 at 12:00pm 

PLEASE NOTE: ONLINE ZOOM MEETING:

Topic: Using technology to make work safer

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.

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Using technology to make work safer

This was a fascinating presentation and quite an eye-opener for those of us who are technologically-challenged. While Central Safety Group has only recently joined the world of zoom, Gavin Kenny at Melbourne Water has spent the last 4 years implementing a whole range of innovative solutions to common health and safety issues.

Gavin covered the whole gamut: from the use of Virtual Reality technology when designing new plant, through the use of animation to bring the Confined Spaces compliance code to life and developing apps for workers and maintenance contractors to use in the field, to very low-tech ways to engage with the workforce. With the latter, one that caught my eye was an annual staff barbecue called "Whingefest".

Another feature is the conversion of many of their procedures into a digital format to make them less cumbersome and, therefore, easier to use. It is part of their philosophy to reduce safety clutter. This was also the topic of our October 2019 presentation by Dr David Provan, here, which is definitely worth checking out again (log in first to access it).

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