Central Safety Group Melbourne

Changing OHS culture in construction

One can only marvel at the depth and breadth of research Professor Helen Lingard has undertaken and drawn upon in her work in OHS in the construction industry. We had a taste of it during her presentation on 10th October and luckily her power point is available to financial members to look at it more closely.

Behind the figures, however, is a wealth of knowledge that informs improvements in safety culture. One of the main topics Helen covered was hours of work, where a large data set has identified a tipping point between hours worked and mental health issues. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that point is different for men and women. One finding that fascinated me was the fact that practical support from supervisors matters more than emotional support when it comes to dealing with prolonged hours of work.

Long hours of work is just one of the three main drivers in a poor culture, the other two being lack of diversity and wellbeing issues. Helen talked about a culture project that began in 2018, from which a Culture Standard has been developed that is now part of a pilot program in NSW & Victoria. Helen recommends visiting the website to learn more about it: https://www.constructionindustryculturetaskforce.com.au/

 A really interesting innovation Helen spoke about was an online role playing game that has been developed to improve skills, especially among young construction workers. It was developed from the time not so long ago when face-to-face training was not an option, and draws upon real-life scenarios. There has been some positive feedback about it so far, and one can imagine how such an initiative would appeal to a younger cohort.

Once again we had the speaker and several attendees in the room, which is such a boon for stimulating discussion. In this case we had two attendees from WorkSafe's Construction Division, including an Inspector and it was great to gain his insights as well. He said that the different cultures at different workplaces are palpable.

Financial members can listen to the extensive discussion as well as Professor Lingard's excellent presentation by clicking on the link below (login first).

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Professor Helen Lingard

Date & Time: Tuesday 10 October 2023, noon

CSG Hybrid Lunchtime Presentation -via zoom or in the room

Speaker: Distinguished Professor Helen Lingard, Director, Construction Work Health and Safety Research, RMIT University

Topic: Changing OHS culture in construction

In the past the construction industry has been known for being resistant to improvements affecting worker safety and wellbeing. However, the situation is now changing, according to Professor Helen Lingard, a leading expert in construction safety, whose research over the years has been widely translated into improved work health and safety policy and practice in the construction industry.

This will be the topic of Professor Lingard’s lunchtime presentation to Central Safety Group on Tuesday 10 October. Helen will discuss some of the main health and safety issues affecting workers in the construction industry, and changes in practices and culture that are now making a difference.

This will include some of her work on the effect of long and non-standard work hours on workers' health and wellbeing.

Her presentation will be followed by questions and discussion.

About the speaker:

Helen Lingard is a Distinguished Professor of Construction Management in the School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University, Melbourne. She has a PhD in construction safety, and has been with RMIT for 15 years.

Having started her career working for a contracting organisation in the civil engineering sector, Helen has undertaken extensive applied research in the areas of workplace safety and workers’ health and wellbeing in the construction industry. Helen has also provided consulting services in the infrastructure, telecommunications and mining sectors.

Helen has authored or co-authored numerous papers and books. Her most recent book is "Work, Health and Wellbeing in the Construction Industry", with co-author Michelle Turner, which was published in May 2023.

Event Flyer - Print version

Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 9 October 2023.  When booking, please ensure you select the October Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

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