Central Safety Group Melbourne

Here comes the sun

What a timely presentation this was, especially as we were enjoying a lovely 25 degree day in Melbourne. It seemed like quite a benign day, but Shannon Jones from Sunsmart soon disabused us of that idea: the UV index was 8, which meant that the exposure standard would be exceeded after only 10 minutes in the sun. This was just one of the eye-opening nuggets of information throughout both Shannon's and Dominic's presentations.

Shannon explained the difference between temperature and UV and how the former is no indication of the latter. For instance, a couple of years ago in January, there was a day of 38 degrees when the UV index was 9.9; two days later the temperature was 21 degrees, but the UV index was 10.5. Because UV radiation can't be seen or felt, one needs to be aware of the UV index. One way is via one of Sunsmart's many free resources, the Global UV App: https://www.sunsmart.com.au/resources/sunsmart-app.

Shannon also provided guidance on protective clothing, including a hint on how you can easily check your clothing's protective qualities. She emphasised how clothing is more important than sunscreen and encouraged us to "get to know your skin".

Dominic Melling focussed on heat exposure, both outdoors and indoors. The effects are more than those that immediately come to mind, such as heat stress and heat stroke. Extreme heat can also affect motor skills as well as increase irritability. There is also evidence in the construction industry to show how a rise in temperature correlates to a rise in WorkCover claims.

Dominic pointed to a number of resources, but said that the WorkSafe Victoria 2-page guidance note is a good place to start: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/working-heat.

Both presentations were so full of information that the video of the event is highly recommended. There is a minor glitsch around the 43-minute mark, but it doesn't affect your viewing.

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Workplace mental health research findings

Daryan Rosic was thrown in the deep end when our original speaker from Allianz became unavailable and he has only been with the organisation for a few weeks. However, he was more than capable of dealing with the situation and gave a comprehensive and fascinating presentation.

Daryan began by presenting valuable information from extensive research undertaken by Allianz in partnership with other organisations over a number of years. One of the key messages from this research is that workplaces need to be open to new ways of working and a diverse workforce. This is the area Daryan focussed on.

It is inevitable that more and more younger people are entering the workforce, and this can create a generational divide. Daryan offered a number of tips to break down this divide and support diversity and wellbeing in the workplace.

In fact, Allianz is demonstrating this in their own workplace: since 2021 they have run a traineeship program with Jigsaw Australia to provide work opportunities for neurodiverse people. Daryan explained what a benefit it has been for the organisation and how it fits with his notion of "psychological ergonomics". That is where a role is created to fit the person, rather than expecting them to fit an established mould.

Daryan also directed us to a range of free resources and guides on the Allianz website - see https://www.allianzcare.com/en/support/health-and-wellness/health-guides.html#guides.

Daryan's talk was really enlightening in the way he invited us to new ways of thinking about what a workplace can look like. I was struck by the notion that people "bring their whole selves to work". Sometimes we can be a bit rigid about processes and outcomes without considering the real humans making it happen.

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Here Comes the Sun

Date & Time: Tuesday 12 November 2024, noon

CSG Hybrid Lunchtime Presentation - via zoom or in the room

Speaker: Dominic Melling, OHS Unit Coordinator, Victorian Trades Hall Council & Shannon Jones, Programs and Priority Populations Manager, SunSmart, Cancer Council Victoria

Topic: Here comes the sun

Summer brings with it increased risk of skin cancer, heat exhaustion and heat stroke in the workplace.
This session will raise awareness of risks from exposure to heat, and discuss the roles and requirements of employers and employees in dealing with these.
General dangers from working in high temperatures, both indoors and outdoors, will be discussed by Dominic Melling, OHS Unit Coordinator at Victorian Trades Hall Council.....Read more

Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 11 November 2024.  When booking, please ensure you select the November Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

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Workplace mental health research findings

Date & Time: Tuesday 8 October 2024, noon

CSG Hybrid Lunchtime Presentation - via zoom or in the room

Speaker: Daryan Rosic, Mental Health Programs and Initiatives Specialist, Allianz Insurance Australia

Topic: Workplace mental health research findings

Workplace mental health research findings
Research findings on the state of mental health in Australian workplaces will be discussed on October 8 by psychologist Daryan Rosic, Mental Health Programs and Initiatives Specialist at Allianz Insurance Australia. His talk will draw on several years of external research by Allianz, surveying over 12,000 employees and managers.

Daryan says today’s workforce is experiencing a profound shift towards greater diversity, due to globalisation, changing social dynamics and more inclusive hiring practices...Read more

Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 7 October 2024.  When booking, please ensure you select the October Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

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What’s new in ergonomics – here and overseas

The softly-spoken, widely-experienced David Caple is like the Obi Wan Kenobi of ergonomics, on whose every word we hang as he imparts his wisdom and guidance. This month's presentation covered a range of topics that highlighted his wealth of knowledge and experience and, indeed, why his expertise is sought after all over the world. 

Just back from the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) Congress in Korea, David gave a snapshot of the main topics of interest. He also recommended the IEA's series of Ergonomic Checkpoints publications, available freely on their website. Delegates gave great feedback on them, appreciating the simple case studies.

There you will also find a new publication Giving your business the human factors edge… Making it Happen! David is a co-author alongside Karen Lange-Morales (Colombia) and Andrew S. Imada (USA). This is aimed at line managers and supervisors.

David shared some case studies of his own, one to do with MSD issues related to large paint cans; the other concerned design of safe frontline staff environments. There is such a balancing act required when designing counters, for instance, and he showed us some of the pitfalls in this area. Screens are another contentious issue. In all cases, he recommends using prototypes before launching into changing design as this allows the people using the equipment to test it and provide feedback.

David briefly mentioned some innovation at the Department of Justice, which piqued our interest, and we are already looking at making that a topic for one of our events next year.

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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Safety beyond city limits

What an eye-opening presentation this was and what a great double-act Phil & Carly proved to be! Phil Dwyer has the wisdom of many years of experience in the construction industry & OHS, while Carly Chambers only became a South West TAFE OHS Officer in 2023, but her enthusiasm for the role shone through in her joint presentation with Phil in August.

The two generations clearly complement each other as they tackle a number of unique OHS issues across 5 campuses covering a large geographic area in SW Victoria. The distances between campuses mean that Phil & Carly do a great deal of travel in their working week, and so both have had training in defensive driving, which is essential on rural roads.

Other risk factors about these regional sites include the fact that 3 of the campuses are in fire-prone areas. The most rural site, Glenormiston, was originally a squatter’s farm before becoming an agricultural college, and now a TAFE. School camps still take place there, however, and so night-time evacuation drills are required. Not to mention training to deal with wildlife!

One campus has the town’s public library on-site, which means there are issues with public access. Another has a public bus route running through the middle of it –something most workplaces don’t have to contend with.

During their presentation, they showed a couple of contrasting photos: the new WorkSafe HQ in Geelong, which has been a boon for awareness of regional OHS issues, and the WorkSafe regional office in Warrnambool. The latter covers a huge section of Western Victoria, but has only 4 inspectors and the building is a small shopfront that looks like it could have been a local pharmacy once upon a time. The contrast in resources is staggering.

Nevertheless, Phil & Carly certainly never have a dull moment, and enjoy the challenges each day brings.

When CSG added its Zoom component necessitated by the dreaded pandemic, we didn’t realise at first what a benefit it would be. Not only do we have people like Phil join as financial members, but it also means we can have speakers from far beyond our CBD limit. In this instance it proved a bonus for us, because it was really fascinating to hear about a completely different OHS environment.

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Site visit to Melbourne & Olympic Parks

On a windy, wet Tuesday in July, intrepid members of Central Safety Group attended a site visit to Melbourne & Olympic Parks –it was just like being at Wimbledon!

Fortunately for the group, hosts Scott and Glen had special security clearance to use the below ground corridors.  It provided protection from the rain as well as the opportunity to view operations unavailable to the average person. Recent improvements have included the completion of these large corridors underneath the venues, enabling cars and trucks to move around without encountering members of the public.

The group was also fascinated to learn how they manage the risk of multiple teams and contractors dismantling huge sets and stages in short periods of time, including the use of movable stages and overhead tracking. The collaborative work that has to done between the site teams and contractor teams is enormous. While the group was there, workers were in the process of removing the ice rink from Disney on Ice.

Due to the weather and size of the precinct (a total of 44 hectares), members could not visit all the venues, but there may be an opportunity to return in the future.

A huge thanks to our hosts Scott McMillan, Director of Safety, and Glen King, Operations Manager, for sharing their knowledge and providing an excellent tour for our members.

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What's new in ergonomics – here and overseas

Date & Time: Tuesday 10 September 2024, noon

CSG Hybrid Lunchtime Presentation - via zoom or in the room

Speaker: David Caple AM, David Caple & Associates

Topic: What's new in ergonomics – here and overseas

Our popular annual speaker David Caple, fresh back from the International Ergonomics Association Congress in Korea, will give an update to CSG on 10 September on emerging issues in ergonomics, followed by some interesting local case studies.
The first case study is about the risk of heavy paint cans to store staff and customers. This has resulted in changes to the industry, but there are further findings from an industry review related to lighter weight cans.
This will be followed by case studies related to reviews and solutions for occupational violence for frontline staff in public spaces.....Read more...

Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 9 September 2024.  When booking, please ensure you select the September Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

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Safety beyond city limits

Date & Time: Tuesday 13 August 2024, noon

CSG Hybrid Lunchtime Presentation -via zoom or in the room

Speakers: Phil Dwyer & Carly Chambers, OHS Officers, South West Institute of TAFE

Topic: Safety beyond city limits

How do you keep in contact with safety colleagues and issues out in the country? Phil Dwyer, from regional Warrnambool in Victoria, will give us an insight into this on 13 August when he talks about regional safety networks and his own job as OHS Officer - Audit, Risk and Compliance, at multi-campus South West Institute of TAFE.
Phil is a keen member of safety networking groups: Warrnambool Area of Safety and Health Group (WASH Group) and the TAFE Safety Network Group that covers Victoria. He is also a member of Central Safety Group...Read more...

Note: RSVP by close of business Monday 13 May 2024.  When booking, please ensure you select the August Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

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Site Visit: Melbourne & Olympic Parks

Date & Time: Tuesday 9 July 2024, noon

Location: Melbourne & Olympic Parks

Host: Scott McMillan, Director of Safety, Melbourne & Olympic Parks

How: In-person attendance only.
Non-Members welcome to attend

Enjoy the chance to see inside the safety systems of some of Melbourne’s biggest event and sporting venues with Scott McMillan, Director of Safety at Melbourne & Olympic Parks on 9 July.
Melbourne & Olympic Parks (M&OP) is home to seven national, elite sporting teams and welcomes millions of visitors annually. The precinct is acclaimed for hosting the Australian Open, a range of sporting codes, as well as top international acts and musicians.
On the site visit, Scott will show the safety side of what goes into putting on some of its main sporting events. This includes discussing the challenge of providing safe delivery, in a short time frame and on a very large scale. Read more...

Note: RSVP by close of business Friday 5 July 2024.  When booking, please ensure you select the July Event from the dropdown list (shaded orange), to RSVP.

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