Central Safety Group Melbourne

New thoughts on the role of ergonomics

Central Safety Group is privileged every year to hear the latest in the world of Ergonomics and Human Factors from Professor David Caple AM and this year did not disappoint. In fact, he is such a drawcard that we had a big attendance both online and in the room. It was great to have a hybrid meeting, where those in the room were able to pick David's brain as well as enjoy the networking opportunites. We hope this is the start of a new trend for our events.

David's talk followed his attendance at two recent international conferences and was so up-to-date that the proceedings from the conferences aren't even out yet. At the first conference he caught up with Pierre Falzon, who some members will recall, visited Australia in 2004 and gave an excellent presentation to CSG at the time.

One of the most fascinatng topics of David's presentation was that of the ratio between human wellbeing and systems performance. It is on the latter that industry spends their money and so, this is the angle ergonomists need to take in order to achieve the former. Leaders have a big influence on safety and David provided a great example of this.

The other topic that came up in the second conference is the enormous impact of AI on ergonomics, and this certainly stimulated quite a bit of discussion in the room.

David also alerted us to a new assessment tool from the UK, and to the fact that the La Trobe tool has been updated to include psychosocial factors. Links to these tools are in his power point presentation.

Finally, David gave a plug for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia (HFESA) conference that will be held in Adelaide this year from 19-22 November. More information can be found here.

Financial members can access all of David Caple's previous presentations in our CSG archives. Once logged in, click on the Speakers tab on the banner at the top of the page, then type in "David Caple" in the Search box.

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Date & Time: Tuesday 11 September 2018 at 12:00pm Venue: Level 1, 333 Queen Street Melbourne (AMS Consulting Group)

Sit to stand desks – what’s the verdict?

Professor David Caple - OHS consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University.

Many organisations have invested in sit-stand desks in response to experts’ claims about the benefits, ranging from reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes to solving back pain.

Professor David Caple will discuss the latest knowledge on the effectiveness of sit-stand desks and issues surrounding their use on 11 September in a lunchtime talk to the Central Safety Group.

David is presenting two papers on this topic at the International Ergonomics Association Congress in Florence, Italy in August. He will be part of a group of 16 presenters from around the world sharing the latest research relating to sit to stand desks.

There can be confusion about how much to use these desks while working, and whether a certain duration or pattern of standing should be prescribed. “In some places they are using them very well, but in other places employees and their managers are unclear about how to benefit from them. As a result, you’ll sometimes find people feeling guilty for not using them,” says David. “A lot of factors can affect how successful these desks are in the workplace. This includes things like the change management process, job design, employee education and work culture.”

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The future of OHS - 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, 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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Date & Time: Tuesday 12 September 2017 at 12:00pm Venue: Level 1, 333 Queen Street Melbourne (AMS Consulting Group)

The future of OHS

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.

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