Central Safety Group Melbourne

Heather Turner: A career in auditing

In a recent edition of the global online publication "The Auditor", there is a profile of Heather Turner, who has had a long career in auditing and also happens to be the current Secretary of Central Safety Group.

It is a great article, where Heather is interviewed and shares many fascinating stories about her Australian work experiences. She also talks about the importance of lifelong learning, as well as how she sees the future of the auditing profession.

Heather began her working life in a chemical lab, where she was given the opportunity to branch out into chemical safety and, from there, to quality assurance. She had extensive experience with WorkSafe Victoria as an auditor prior to beginning her own consultancy in 2014. Therefore, she has worked from both sides of the fence: with the Regulator and with assisting businesses.

Heather gives plenty of sage advice in the interview, including this gem: "To be a good auditor, you’ve got to deliver bad news in a positive way."

The article certainly explains why, as our Secretary, she has such an eye for proper process and detail.

Here is the link to the full article.

View all CSG posts

Dr Carys Chan

Date & Time: Tuesday 12 July 2022 at 12:00pm 

PLEASE NOTE: ONLINE ZOOM Event:

Speaker: Dr Carys Chan, Research Fellow, Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, Griffith University

Topic: Return to Work – What research is telling us

What are the psychological effects of workplace injury? How can an understanding of this help employers support workers’ return to work? Research findings on this will be discussed in a Zoom presentation on 12 July by Dr Carys Chan of Griffith University, one of the authors of a recent paper commissioned by Safe Work Australia.

The aim was to advance knowledge and generate recommendations for Safe Work Australia’s National Return to Work Strategy 2020-2030. Safe Work Australia develops national policy to improve WHS and workers’ compensation arrangements across Australia...Read more

Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 11 July 2022.  When booking, please ensure you select the July Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

RSVP Here

Free Event - contractor management

CSG members LinkSafe are holding a free event on 25 May 2022, 2:00 - 4:00pm on Contractor Safety Management - The Do's, Don'ts & Down Right Silly, Lessons in effective contractor management.

LinkSafe Legal Expert Sue Bottrell will walk you through the modern approach to contractor safety management and some of the outdated practices undertaken in the name of contractor safety management. They promise that the session will be entertaining and informative.

As it's a free event, it's bound to book out quickly, so make sure you register now via the link here.

Sue Bottrell is LinkSafe’s Legal Advisor and a leading expert in contractor safety management. You may remember her excellent video presentation during our CSG Talks short video series last year. She spoke about the legal implications arising from the tragic incident on the Eastern Freeway that resulted in the death of 4 Victorian Police officers. Of course that is being played out in the courts as we speak, so it’s timely to hear again what Sue had to say about the contractor management aspects of this incident. Her talk A very public tragedy – but who is really responsible? is available to members and non-members alike.

Keith Govias

Date & Time: Tuesday 10 May 2022 at 12:00pm 

PLEASE NOTE: ONLINE ZOOM Event:

Speaker: Keith Govias, Principal Consultant - Workplace Risk, Gallagher

Topic: Ethics in Safety

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.

RSVP Here

Jason Green

Date & Time: Tuesday 14 June 2022 at 12:00pm 

PLEASE NOTE: ONLINE ZOOM Event:

Speaker: Jason Green, President, Australian branch - Workplace Health Without Borders

Topic: TBA

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.

RSVP Here

Tracey Browne

Date & Time: Tuesday 12 April 2022 at 12:00pm 

PLEASE NOTE: ONLINE ZOOM Event:

Speaker: Tracey Browne, Manager - National Safety & Workers' Compensation Policy and Membership Services, Ai Group

Topic: New psychological hazard regulations

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.

RSVP Here

Pam Pryor AO

Date & Time: Tuesday 8 March 2022 at 12:00pm 

PLEASE NOTE: ONLINE ZOOM Event:

Speaker: Pam Pryor AO, Manager OHS BoK Development, Australian Institute of Health and Safety

Topic: The Changing Role of the OHS Professional

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.

RSVP Here

A special offer for CSG financial members

Do you want to be informed and challenged? If so, join Kevin Jones at his SafetyAtWorkBlog for award winning news, commentary and opinion on workplace health and safety.

To celebrate Central Safety Group’s 60th anniversary, Kevin Jones has provided a very generous offer for financial members: 12 months’ FREE subscription to his blog and its library of articles.

Kevin, a Life Member of Central Safety Group, has been writing and editing the SafetyAtWorkBlog for over 14 years, during which time the blog has achieved several Australian and US awards as an important source of safety news and analysis.

Kevin is regularly contracted to develop and refine discussion papers and has recently written the safety and risk chapter for a major Australian infrastructure project.

SafetyAtWorkBlog provides over 3,000 exclusive posts on occupational health and safety matters. Your CSG membership for 2022 provides you with full access to this library. Not only that, your subscription will last until 12 months from the date of creation.

Current financial members have been sent the access details. New and renewing members will also be sent details once their CSG membership for 2022 has been finalised.

Central Safety Group membership has always offered great value for money and now there is even more reason to join today. Membership costs just $75 for the calendar year.

Join / Renew Now

Thank you Kevin for this wonderful offer in celebration of our 60th year!

Central Safety Group Inc. AGM

On the 8th February 2022, Central Safety Group held its inaugural AGM as an Incorporated Association.

As there were no additional nominees for the committee, all office bearers were re-elected unopposed.

• President - Nan Austin
• Vice-President - Frank Imbesi
• Secretary - Heather Turner
• Treasurer - Cameron Cranstoun
• Committee Members - Jane Loudon, Marina Milankovic, Christina Rennick

The financial statement shows that we had quite a number of costs during 2021, mostly related to the website and our 60th anniversary this year. While we are a not-for-profit organisation, it was agreed that our financial situation is a little bit precarious. At the same time, our website is our biggest asset with its ever-increasing resources for members and, therefore, it is worth the investment.

To this end, four proposals were put to members regarding fees and charges, all of which were carried unanimously. As a result, the following resolutions were passed:

1. The Individual membership fee for 2023 will increase to $80 per calendar year.
2. The Corporate membership fee for 2023 will remain at $300 per calendar year.
3. The casual attendance fee for non-members at our monthly lunchtime presentations, will increase to $15, effective from the March 2022 event.
4. For external CSG functions (such as the networking luncheon at Parliament House) financial members will be charged a $20 co-payment. Non-members continue to pay the full amount for attendance at external functions.

Log in to view the Minutes, Annual Report and Financial Statement.

Kevin Jones

Date & Time: Tuesday 8 February 2022 at 12:00pm 

PLEASE NOTE: ONLINE ZOOM Event:

Speaker: Kevin Jones Freelance writer, SafetyAtWorkBlog

Topic: New Perspectives on OHS

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.

RSVP Here