Central Safety Group Melbourne

November 2024

Here comes the sun

Presenters:

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

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Summer brings with it increased risk of skin cancer, heat exhaustion and heat stroke in the workplace. This session on November 12 raised awareness of risks from exposure to heat, and discussed the roles and requirements of employers and employees in dealing with these.

Skin cancer awareness and prevention was discussed by Shannon Jones, Programs and Priority Populations Manager, SunSmart, Cancer Council Victoria.

General dangers from working in high temperatures, both indoors and outdoors, were discussed by Dominic Melling, OHS Unit Coordinator at Victorian Trades Hall Council.

Both speakers showed what employers need to be aware of and actions required to avoid harm to workers.

Apologies for the minor glitsch around the 43-minute mark in the video. It does not affect the viewing.

The presenter:

Shannon Jones is the Programs and Priority Populations Manager at SunSmart, Cancer Council Victoria where she is responsible for the overall management of the SunSmart Program. Shannon works directly with schools, early childhood, the health workforce and workplaces to improve the prevention and early detection of skin cancer in the Victorian population. Before joining Sunsmart 15 years ago, Shannon had a background in corporate health, health promotion and education. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Promotion) from Deakin University and is doing postgraduate studies in Public Health at Monash University.

The presenter:

Dominic Melling serves as the Lead Organiser of the OHS Team at the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC). In this role Dominic collaborates with affiliated unions to advocate for safer workplaces and enhanced conditions for workers. He plays a crucial role as a liaison between WorkSafe and union affiliates to ensure that union priorities are raised and handled collectively. Dominic and his team are instrumental in the development and delivery of resources for HSRs, including the weekly newsletter Safety Net, an email advice line Ask Renata, organising the annual HSR Conference and creating innovative tools. Dominic is also a committee member of Central Safety Group.

September 2024

What’s new in ergonomics – here and overseas

Presentation by: David Caple AM, David Caple & Associates

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Our popular annual speaker David Caple, fresh back from the International Ergonomics Association Congress in Korea, gave an update to CSG on 10 September on emerging issues in ergonomics, followed by some interesting local case studies.

The first case study was about the risk of heavy paint cans to store staff and customers. This has resulted in changes to the industry, but there have been further findings from an industry review related to lighter weight cans.

This was followed by a case study on the management of occupational violence and design of safe frontline staff environments, including counters and security systems.

David also discussed a new publication he launched at the Congress, a resource for business leaders, 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).

The presenter:

David Caple AM is a leading figure in occupational health and safety here and overseas. He is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) in Australia, UK, and USA. 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 was involved in the development of legislation relating to the prevention of MSD for the Australian government and led multiple industry-based MSD prevention projects. David was the 16th President of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) 2006-2009 and represented the IEA at conferences and meetings in 30 countries. He has spent 40 years as an OHS consultant, and was Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University for the last 20 years.

July 2024

Site visit to Melbourne & Olympic Parks

Presentation by: Scott McMillan, Director of Safety, Melbourne & Olympic Parks

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Attendees enjoyed 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 showed 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.

The presenter:

Host Scott McMillan, Director of Safety at Melbourne & Olympic Parks, conducted our tour. About the venue: The original Olympic Park sporting arena, established in 1933, was demolished in 1946 for redevelopment to prepare the precinct to host field hockey and cycling events during the 1956 Olympic Games. By 1988, another significant redevelopment was underway to establish a purpose-built, multi-venue National Tennis Centre to host the Australian Open. In 2006 the precinct hosted various events for the Commonwealth Games. Today the precinct is home to six of Melbourne’s premier venues: Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, John Cain Arena, AAMI Park, CENTREPIECE and Kia Arena. A $972 million-dollar Melbourne Park Redevelopment has recently been completed by the Victorian Government.

May 2024

Psychological health & safety at work

Presenters:

Madelaine Barry, Program Officer (Psychological health programs), WorkSafe Victoria
Darcy Cooper, Program Manager (WorkWell), WorkSafe Victoria
Daniel McConville, Psychosocial Inspector, WorkSafe Victoria

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We had a special event on 14 May with 3 in-person presenters from WorkSafe Victoria, including an Inspector, on the topic of psychological health & safety.
Any worker experiencing unsafe work is a matter of concern for all – employees, employers, insurers, and regulators. So what are some practical approaches companies can take to prevent mental injuries and create safe and mentally healthy workplaces?
We heard from people working on this issue for WorkSafe Victoria. They spoke about their experience supporting Victorian employers to adopt a psychosocial risk management approach in their workplaces. This includes the range of psychosocial hazards that duty holders need to address. They outlined how to access the tools and resources that make getting started easy.
There was an extended Q&A session after the presentation.

The presenter:

Madelaine Barry is a Program Officer (Psychological health programs): project manager delivering strategic interventions aimed at preventing and reducing the risk of work-related mental injury.

The presenter:

Darcy Cooper is Program Manager (WorkWell): large scale behaviour change specialist for psychological health and safety.

The presenter:

Daniel McConville is a Psychosocial Inspector: his role is to ensure that Victorian workplaces are meeting their obligation to provide a working environment that is safe and without risks to psychological health.

March 2024

Emerging OHS challenges

Presentation by: Kevin Jones , Editor, SafetyAtWorkBlog

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Some of the hot topics in OHS at the moment are not directly about work health and safety. Kevin Jones discussed this at a CSG lunchtime presentation on Tuesday 12 March 2024. He covered what’s new, what’s getting attention, and some of the latest and re-emerging challenges in OHS.

His talk included comments, and recommendations of books on issues including work psychology; the management of time; troublemakers; corporate values and leadership.

The presentation was followed by a question and discussion session.

The presenter:

Kevin Jones is a consultant and advisor in a wide range of OHS projects. He is internationally recognised for his commentary and analysis on safety-related matters in his popular award-winning SafetyAtWorkBlog (safetyatworkblog.com). Kevin is a Life Member of Central Safety Group.

November 2023

Recent Research Results

Presentation by: Dr Marilyn Hubner, Manager, OHS Body of Knowledge

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Some recent research findings in OHS and their relevance in the workplace were discussed by Dr Marilyn Hubner in a presentation to Central Safety Group on Tuesday, 14 November.

Marilyn is Manager of OHS Body of Knowledge (OHS BoK) with the Australian Institute of Health & Safety (AIHS), which publishes collective knowledge that should be shared by generalist OHS professionals. A leading professional in safety education and training, Marilyn promotes the importance of safety professionals being engaged in evidence-based research and applying it in their workplace programs.

Her talk was followed by questions and discussion.

Further reading provided by Dr Marilyn Hubner:

The presenter:

Dr Marilyn Hubner has been developing and delivering safety training programs for over 20 years, and was appointed OHS Body of Knowledge Manager with the AIHS in January 2023. Marilyn’s background includes Managing Director of Buildup Research, and eight years as National Research and Training Support Co-ordinator for the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA). She has also been an Awards Judge with NSCA for the past 11 years. Marilyn’s PhD thesis, completed in 2016 from Victoria University, is titled "Constructing Safety Training: Foundations of Attitudes and Perceptions of the Construction Site Supervisor".

September 2023

New thoughts on the role of ergonomics

Presentation by: Professor David Caple AM, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University; David Caple & Associates

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On 12 September Professor David Caple AM shared some of the key issues and new findings from two international conferences he had just attended.

The question of what systems performance is and how it can be achieved was the subject of a number of sessions at the July conference of Organizational Design and Management in Bordeaux, France.

David outlined insights from this conference on how ergonomics can adapt to improve wellbeing and systems performance across multiple industries. The conference’s aim was to provide ‘insights, revelations and recommendations’ on the role of ergonomics.

Australia’s approach to prevention of manual handling injuries was under the spotlight at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Malaysia conference in August. It included a comparative review of Australian and Malaysian approaches.

David Caple gave a presentation there on the subject of 'Sustainable ergonomics interventions to MSD risks in industries'. He outlined some successful programs in different industries in Australia and shared those with us as well.

The presenter:

Professor David Caple AM is a leading figure in occupational health and safety here and overseas, and has led his ergonomics practitioner company in Australia since 1985. He is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) in Australia, UK, and USA. 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 was involved in the development of legislation relating to the prevention of MSD for the Australian government and led multiple industry-based MSD prevention projects. David was the 16th President of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) 2006-2009 and represented the IEA at conferences and meetings in 30 countries. He is currently an OHS consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University.

June 2023

Site Visit: Victorian Tunnelling Centre

Presentation by: Holmesglen Institute , Drummond Street campus, Chadstone

Presentation package now available (members only)

The Victorian Tunnelling Centre (VTC) at Holmesglen Institute’s Drummond Street campus in Chadstone offers specialist training to workers in the construction and operation of a variety of tunnels including rail, road, and utilities tunnels.

Central Safety Group was given a tour of this unique facility on Wednesday 14 June 2023.  The facility includes a replica mined tunnel and a replica rail/Tunnel Boring Machine tunnel similar to the Metro Tunnel, with a full-height entrance, two multi-purpose engineering workrooms and training facilities, including tunnel shaft and concrete lining spray simulators, as well as augmented and virtual reality experiences. A cutterhead, a refuge chamber and the only four-motion bridge and gantry crane located in a TAFE also form part of the facility.

The Australian-first tunnelling training centre is training thousands of workers as part of the Victorian Government's rail projects.Tours are designed to raise awareness of what it is like to work in tunnel construction and tunnel operations, and are led by industry experts with extensive knowledge in civil and tunnelling construction and operations, and virtual and augmented reality.​

April 2023

Green ergonomics: Designing a sustainable workplace

Presentation by: Rosie O’Halloran, Ergonomist, University of Melbourne

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How do you gain a green star rating for ergonomic design? We learned what’s involved from Rosie O’Halloran, an award-winning Human Factors and Ergonomics practitioner, in her presentation to Central Safety Group on Tuesday 4 April.

She presented a methodology she developed for evaluating and certifying the interior of buildings with a green star rating credit for ergonomic design. Following her success with this at the University of Melbourne, Rosie won the 2022 University Safety Association’s Safety Professional of the Year award.

Rosie said incorporating ergonomics and human factors principles and practice into the interior design of buildings comes down to three fundamental principles, and stakeholder engagement is key to getting it right. The outcome is work spaces that promote physical well-being and perceived environmental comfort.

Rosie explained that, while the green star ergonomics credit rating for interior design requires certification by a Certified Professional Ergonomist, her method offers a verified, quality benchmark that can be used with confidence by all safety personnel.

The rating is awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia for interior design that meets selected ergonomic criteria. It is given in recognition of the substantial health benefits afforded by designing spaces and interfaces that provide optimum user comfort, safety and wellbeing and prevent or limit the risk of illness or injury.

The presenter:

Rosie O’Halloran is a Certified Professional Ergonomist with over 35 years’ experience in the field as a Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) practitioner. She is employed in a part-time capacity at the University of Melbourne as well as working privately as an HFE consultant. Rosie has extensive experience in HFE across a broad range of industries. A focus of her work is designing workplace environments, systems and tasks to match the capabilities, needs and limitations of people, with the goal of maximising health, safety, wellbeing, productivity and satisfaction.

February 2023

Recruiting and retaining OHS staff in an inflated job market

Presentation by: Helen O'Keefe, Director, HOK Talent Solutions

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Like many areas of the current job scene, employers looking for quality OHS professionals are finding themselves in an inflated job market, where there are more roles available than suitable applicants.

So what’s required to attract and retain OHS talent when good candidates are spoilt for choice? What do you need to be doing differently? Some useful advice was offered by Helen O’Keefe, who runs a leading national health & safety executive search agency, at a presentation for CSG on Tuesday 14 February.

Helen spoke about the current OHS job market, giving tips for both job seekers and employers looking to recruit. She also discussed post-pandemic changes in OHS roles and where she sees new trends emerging.

The presentation was followed by a discussion with attendees.

The presenter:

Helen O’Keefe is the founder of HOK Talent Solutions, which specialises in national HSE recruitment. Helen has a passion for the health and safety industry, and had been working in recruitment for this sector before founding her own agency in 2015. Prior to this, her background includes working as National Recruitment Manager for the Australian Red Cross, and as an HR consultant with pharmaceutical company GSK.

October 2022

CSG 60th Anniversary Celebration Lunch

Presenters:

Dr Narelle Beer, Executive Director, Health and Safety, WorkSafe Victoria
Barry Naismith, Director, OHS Intros

CSG event video now available (members only)
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For those who missed it, or others who would like to re-live this special occasion, we have produced a memorable package. There were a few technical challenges on the day, including our original plan for filming the speakers. However, our wonderful secretary Heather Turner saved the day by filming it with her phone and, while it will not be nominated for an Academy Award, it certainly captures the atmosphere well.

There were so many highlights of the day, not least of which was having David Caple AM as MC for the event. He features at the beginning of the video, along with President Nan Austin.

We were honoured to have Dr Narelle Beer from WorkSafe Victoria attend and give the keynote address. She had some very interesting things to say about future developments in OHS in Victoria. The transcript of her speech is available as part of this package. We also welcomed Narelle's commitment on behalf of WorkSafe Victoria to maintaining ties with our group.

Barry Naismith was our second speaker and gave a fascinating overview of the history of OHS in Victoria; his presentation slides are also included. Finally, our longest-serving president, Ollie Matthews, was honoured for his 22 years of service to the group (1998-2022).

A photo gallery of the event completes our package. (Members, go to Event video description and click on the photo-video icon, 1st icon shown, to view the Photo gallery.)

The presenter:

Narelle Beer commenced her role with WorkSafe Victoria in November 2021. It has enabled her to focus on enhancing workplace safety and embedding harm reduction processes, opportunities and strategies through engagement, education, compliance and enforcement. Prior to that, Narelle spent more than 35 years serving the community: 5 years as Assistant Commissioner, Regional and Remote Operations, with the Northern Territory Police, preceded by 30 years as a member of Victoria Police. Narelle has worked in criminal, corruption and collision investigations, education and in corporate/policy departments. She has managed and led a number of taskforces into corruption within Victoria Police. Narelle has undertaken extensive postgraduate study and been awarded a number of scholarships, which have enabled her to travel widely. This includes a Churchill Fellowship in 2013 to undertake specialist training in integrity testing and corruption investigations in the UK and USA. In 2008, Narelle was awarded the Vincent Fairfax Fellowship for Ethical Leadership.

The presenter:

Barry Naismith spent more than 14 years with the Victorian WorkCover Authority before working independently as an OHS consultant. This currently includes working with Uniting Victoria on a program to reduce the impact of work harms on the community. Barry has qualifications in science from Melbourne University and media studies from RMIT as well as practical qualifications in OHS/HSR. He has worked previously as a journalist and editor.

August 2022

OHS and social sustainability

Presentation by: Phil Lovelock, Senior Health, Safety and Wellbeing Consultant and Policy Advisor, VCCI

Presentation package now available (members only)

As the concept of social sustainability becomes more important, businesses and organisations are treating people more as an asset to be valued and looked after. How can OHS practitioners support their businesses in building and maintaining social sustainability? Phil Lovelock had some answers when he presented a model for doing this in a CSG lunchtime Zoom talk on 9th August.

He outlined a 5-point action plan with elements that reflect the growth and maturity of OHS as a profession. It covered people, workplace environment, systems, the organisation and external stakeholders. It is a new, broader approach to the OHS role that would be useful for anyone facing this challenge.

The presenter:

Phil Lovelock currently provides OHS and Workers’ Compensation training and consulting for Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) members and clients. He also represents VCCI on various WorkSafe Victoria Stakeholder Reference Groups and on other key industry forums and committees. Before joining VCCI in 2008, Phil spent many years as an occupational health and safety professional across a broad range of industries. He was Manager, Health, Safety & Environment for CSL Behring Ltd with responsibility for three Victorian and four Interstate sites. Prior to that, he spent a number of years providing training and consulting services to commercial and government organisations in the Northern Territory. Phil is a past President of the Australian Institute of Health & Safety (AIHS) and of the International Network of Safety and Health Professional Organisations (INSHPO). He holds both a Bachelors degree in Occupational Health & Environment and a Masters degree in Occupational Hygiene from the University of Western Sydney, along with several graduate diplomas.

June 2022

OHS without borders – helping overseas

Presentation by: Jason Green, President, Australian branch , Workplace Health Without Borders

Presentation package now available (members only)

There are 3 billion workers in the world - and around 2 billion of them work in unhealthy and unsafe conditions. Millions die each year from workplace causes, and hundreds of millions are incapacitated by occupational injuries and disease.

If you want an opportunity to make a difference, we now have an Australian branch of Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB), which is seeking members and volunteers.
Jason Green, President of the Australian branch, spoke at a Central Safety Group lunchtime presentation on 14 June about the work done by WHWB around the world in countries where help is needed to create healthier and safer workplaces.

He discussed what the Australian branch is doing, and how people can support its existing programs. There is also a need to develop further projects, potentially in countries in the Pacific region.

The presenter:

Jason Green has over 27 years’ experience in the health, safety and environment fields in a variety of industries including construction, property, industrial, utilities, health, mining, education and consulting. He is currently a Principal Consultant with Greencap in Sydney as a specialist in occupational hygiene. Jason is a Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH)® and Full Member of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene (AIOH). He holds a science degree and a master’s degree in Occupational Hygiene Practice.

April 2022

Psychological hazards regulatory approaches

Presentation by: Tracey Browne, Manager - National Safety & Workers' Compensation Policy and Membership Services, Australian Industry Group

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Presentation package now available (members only)

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 were discussed in a zoom presentation to Central Safety Group on 12 April by Tracey Browne, Manager, National Safety & Workers' Compensation Policy and Membership Services at Australian Industry Group (Ai Group).

Tracey represents 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 that closed 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 invited questions and discussion.

The presenter:

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.

February 2022

New Perspectives on OHS

Presentation by: Kevin Jones, Editor, SafetyAtWorkBlog

CSG event video now available (members only)
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Kevin Jones challenged his audience with new perspectives on very topical issues for OHS professionals at a lunchtime presentation to CSG on Tuesday 8 February.
He also discussed some of the latest ideas and information he has found in recently-published books by leading OHS experts, economists and political scientists in Australia and elsewhere.
Topics included the bystander effect, workplace mental health, ethical socialism, ‘dirty work’ and more, all of which had relevance to OHS.

The presenter:

Kevin Jones is well known for his award-winning SafetyAtWorkBlog (http://safetyatworkblog.com/). He has been a consultant, writer and commentator on OHS matters for many years. Kevin recently undertook some legal professional privilege work in Victoria and Darwin while working full time on a rail construction project. He is also a Life Member of Central Safety Group.

October 2021

The current OHS job scene

Presentation by: Helen O'Keefe, Principal Consultant, HOK Talent Solutions

Presentation package now available (members only)

What’s the current job scene for OHS? The news is that at the moment there are more roles on offer than candidates, according to Helen O’Keefe, who runs a leading national health & safety executive search agency. This was the subject of her zoom presentation for Central Safety Group on 12 October.
Helen discussed the reasons for the current shortage of applicants happening across the board in a range of industries, as well as in different levels and roles in the OHS field.
She offered advice to recruiters, current job seekers and people trying to decide whether to move in the current job climate. She spoke about how, when you have a candidate-led market, the traditional recruitment methods may not work. She also outlined aspects that candidates need to consider carefully before accepting a new role.
Helen spoke about how workplace changes during the pandemic have led to some organisations creating different OHS roles or adding new requirements.

The presenter:

Helen O’Keefe is the founder of HOK Talent Solutions, which specialises in national HSE recruitment. Helen has a passion for the health and safety industry, and had been working in recruitment for this sector before founding her own agency in 2015. Prior to this, her background includes working as National Recruitment Manager for the Australian Red Cross, and as an HR consultant with pharmaceutical company GSK.

August 2021

Managing the healthcare challenge of COVID-19

Presentation by: Alison Hunt-Sturman, Group Manager, WHS, Mercy Health Australia

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When the Covid-19 crisis arrived, organisations everywhere were hit with a massive task without warning and precedent. The healthcare industry faced significant challenges in managing and implementing new and complex requirements.
Alison Hunt-Sturman, Group Manager, WHS, at Mercy Health Australia, presented a compelling account of what happened across the healthcare industry as well as within her organisation. Mercy Health manages four public hospitals, 30 aged care homes, in-patient and outpatient mental health services, and home care services around Australia.
“We are serving some of the most vulnerable members of the community. We couldn’t just shut down,” said Alison. In addition to the many thousands of clients in its care, Mercy Health has a workforce of 9,000 people.  
There was a great deal for Alison's team and other sections to care about, learn, plan, organise and manage carefully to ensure everything was kept functioning safely, all the while dealing with the impact of the unknowns. Alison discussed the issues they faced, how it affected their operations and people, and how they responded.

The presenter:

Alison Hunt-Sturman is a safety professional with more than 25 years' experience in leadership and strategic oversight of health, safety and workers compensation. She started her career at the University of Melbourne where, after working for almost 10 years in a research capacity, she moved into the role of Environment Health and Safety Manager for the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, which she held for 9 years. Alison was Manager of Safety & Wellbeing at the Department of Justice from 2011-2017, before joining Mercy Health Australia in 2018. Alison has a Masters Degree in Occupational Health and Safety, and an undergraduate Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science.

June 2021

Human factors and human error

Presentation by: Dr Kate Branford, Senior Human Factors Specialist, V/Line

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Human Factors issues constitute a significant source of risk in many industries. Human error contributes to an estimated 60-80% of incidents, while other Human Factors issues also play a part in a large proportion of incidents.
Understanding human error, how it contributes to safety incidents and how it can be managed, was the subject of a zoom talk by Dr Kate Branford on 8 June, 2021.
Kate is the Senior Human Factors Specialist at V/Line, which operates Victoria’s regional public transport network, and has worked in this role for seven years.She spoke about what Human Factors is, how it relates to human error and how it can be applied in the workplace to help improve health and safety performance.
The rail industry attracted her due to its collaborative approach to safety and the many opportunities for improvement; she gave examples of these in her talk.

The presenter:

Dr Kate Branford studied at the ANU, majoring in Sociology, with a focus on industrial accidents. She wrote her Honours thesis on the role of blame in accident investigation and then completed an industry-based Doctorate in Human Factors with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. Her supervisor was Professor Andrew Hopkins, who is internationally recognised for his ground-breaking work in industrial safety and accident analysis. Before joining V/Line in 2014, Kate worked as a Human Factors consultant focusing on defence, aviation and nuclear power projects. At V/Line her role includes error management, incident investigation, Rail Resource Management and supporting Human Factors integration into rail projects and changes.

April 2021

Musculoskeletal issues – what’s new in risks and prevention

Presentation by: David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, Coles

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Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs), often referred to as ‘Body Stressing’, are the highest category of serious workers’ compensation claims for Australian workers, representing 36% of all claims in 2017-18.
Research and experience show there is a lot can be done to prevent these injuries, which will be the topic of a talk by David Trembearth to Central Safety Group via Zoom on Tuesday, 13 April at noon.
David chaired the working group that developed a position statement on WMSDS for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in 2020. He will provide an overview of this and talk about evidence-based causes of WMSDs as well as intervention strategies for the prevention and management of these injuries.
Musculoskeletal injuries can affect any worker, not just manual labourers, says David. It can happen in any workplace and cover a wide range of life-changing lower back and repetitive strain injuries.
Significantly, these injuries can result from both physical and psychological hazards in the workplace. They also present psychosocial hazards and are recognised as critical workplace risk factors.

The presenter:

David Trembearth has had a long career providing expertise in ergonomics and human factors to small industry, government and large commercial enterprises. He is currently Safety Business Partner with Coles, providing technical and operational safety support to diverse business units. He also teaches Occupational Ergonomics to students in RMIT’s postgraduate OHS Management program. David is a Certified Professional Ergonomist with the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society Australia Inc. and a Certified Chartered Generalist OHS Professional and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Health & Safety.

December 2020

What Covid-19 means for workplace safety

Presentation by: Professor David Caple AM, OHS Consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University, David Caple & Associates

Presentation package now available (members only)

2020 – what a year! Central Safety Group wrapped it up with the subject that has had such an impact on our lives and work these past eight months.
Professor David Caple discussed Covid-19 and workplace safety via zoom on Tuesday 8 December. David has been working on Covid-related projects with the healthcare and government sectors during the crisis.
He reflected on the psychological and physical risks, ways these can be managed and what long-lasting impacts coronavirus could have on the workplace. He then opened the session for questions and discussion, in which participants were encouraged to talk about what is being done in their own industry or workplace. It was a great session!

The presenter:

Professor David Caple AM, is a leading figure in occupational health and safety here and overseas. He has advised a wide range of businesses, industry groups and public sector organisations, and has worked with Australian and overseas governments on work health and safety strategy. He is currently an OHS consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University.

July 2020

What does the data reveal about the state of OHS in Victoria?

Presentation by: Barry Naismith, OHS Intros

Presentation package now available (members only)

Welcome to the fifth in a series of videos exclusive to Central Safety Group while normal physical meetings are suspended.

What does the data reveal about the state of OHS in Victoria?
Barry Naismith has once again produced a fascinating and frank analysis of the current state of OHS in Victoria.
Should we stay the course or shoot the rapids? That’s the question Barry poses, offering some invaluable insights and assessments based on his review of the latest full-year data from WorkSafe Victoria and other sources.
You can enjoy it here in PowerPoint form, provided by Central Safety Group as part of our video series during the Covid shutdown.
Says leading blogger Kevin Jones, "This level of analysis and interpretation is rarely available outside of formal academic research, and Naismith provides the all-important social and political context from which much academic occupational health and safety (OHS) research shies."
This presentation is based on Barry’s most recent research paper "Deaths at Work in Victoria 2019", available to financial members.

The presenter:

Barry Naismith spent more than 14 years with the Victorian WorkCover Authority before working independently as an OHS consultant. This currently includes working with Uniting Victoria on a program to reduce the impact of work harms on the community. Barry has qualifications in science from Melbourne University and media studies from RMIT as well as practical qualifications in OHS/HSR. He has worked previously as a journalist and editor.

June 2020

Building safety consciousness in pandemic times – How to ensure people follow OHS guidelines in your workplace

Presentation by: Dr Natasha Lazareski Managing Director, PsyFlex

Welcome to the third in a series of videos exclusive to Central Safety Group while normal physical meetings are suspended.

Building safety consciousness in pandemic times – How to ensure people follow OHS guidelines in your workplace.
Returning to the workplace after the Covid-19 shutdown presents OHS challenges from both a physical and psychological perspective.
In this video, Dr Natasha Lazareski talks about how OHS managers can help employees adjust to the new reality and pandemic-safe workplaces. She outlines an easy to apply guide for employees to embrace the new safety requirements and interact with respect and tolerance towards others. As an occupational health and behavioural science specialist, Natasha offers six helpful points in this video for managing occupational and psychosocial risk in a post-lockdown workplace that requires everyone to comply with Covid-19 guidelines.
Natasha explains that we all feel differently about this new situation, and while we cannot control our feelings, we have control over our actions. At work our actions should show respect, compassion, caring and understanding towards those who have different feelings about the impact of Covid-19.

The presenter:

Natasha Lazareski is a medical doctor, specialising in occupational health, with 21 years of experience in Australian organisations. She is also trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a mindfulness-based cognitive behavioural therapy. In 2006, in the wake of the SARS pandemic, as medical and injury management services manager at IAG, Natasha was actively engaged in developing an organisational response to a possible influenza pandemic. At the time, medical experts knew that another airborne or droplet-borne pandemic was imminent. Natasha has been following COVID 19 developments closely since January and has been supporting workplaces worldwide with their response to infection control and occupational stress management.

May 2020

A look at some new thinking

Presentation by: Kevin Jones Freelance writer, SafetyAtWorkBlog

Welcome to the first of a series of videos exclusive to Central Safety Group while normal physical meetings are suspended.
Some new books about key OHS issues are discussed in this 10-minute video by Kevin Jones, author of the influential SafetyAtWorkBlog.

The Bystander Effect: The Psychology of Courage and Inaction
Author: US psychologist Professor Catherine Sanderson
This book deals with the psychology and context of expecting people to intervene in unsafe workplace situations. Kevin says it includes some useful insights and advice on dealing with bullying.

The COVID19 Pandemic: Lessons on building more equal and sustainable societies
Authors: Professor Michael Quinlan and a dozen of his global colleagues
Kevin discusses this highly topical research paper that examines whether things could, and should, change in the workplace because of the current situation, and the potential implications for OHS.

Michael Tooma on Mental Health
Author: Michael Tooma
Kevin mentions several topics of interest in this book: the legal implications of workplace bullying; industrial manslaughter, and the importance of both managerial and organisational approaches to mental health in the workplace.

We hope you enjoy Kevin’s discussion. Details of the publications can be found under Further Reading in the Members section of our website: www.centralsafetygroup.com.

The presenter:

Kevin Jones has been a consultant, writer and commentator on OHS matters for many years, and is a Life Member of Central Safety Group. He is well known for his award-winning SafetyAtWorkBlog.com, as well as a podcast series of interviews with leading safety experts safetyoz.podbean.com

February 2020

Rebuilding safety culture - a case study

Presentation by: Mary Kikas, Action OHS Consulting

Presentation package now available (members only)

When employee morale, trust and job satisfaction plummet in the wake of major changes, how do you restore a strong safety culture? Mary Kikas faced that exact challenge when asked to help the Health and Safety team of a utilities company that had undergone a significant change management process and redundancies.
She outlined what happened in a presentation to Central Safety Group at its first meeting for 2020 on 11 February.
Mary discussed the principles and approach adopted and the setbacks and obstacles that had to be overcome. In addition, she described step-by-step what it took to drive effective risk management and improve safety culture.

The presenter:

Mary Kikas has had a long career in health and safety management, working both in-house and as a specialist consultant. Her background includes roles across a range of industries including manufacturing, rail, construction, aged care and disability. Mary also conducts work as an expert witness in matters of Common Law, Public and Product liability, failures in building regulations and TAC accidents. She is currently an OHS and Ergonomics Consultant with Action OHS Consulting. Initially qualified as a physiotherapist, Mary has obtained tertiary qualifications in Occupational Health and Safety Management and in Ergonomics. She is a certified OHS Management System Auditor and has held office with a number of professional committees.

October 2019

Safety Clutter and What to do About it

Presentation by: Dr David Provan, Managing Director, Forge Works

Presentation package now available (members only)

Does OHS in your workplace feel weighed down by paperwork, rules and procedures? Dr David Provan said this can be due to ‘safety clutter’, described in a study he co-authored as "the accumulation of safety procedures, documents, roles and activities that are performed in the name of safety, but do not contribute to the safety of operational work." Worse, this can create negative beliefs and attitudes to safety, according to the research.
David spoke about how to identify ‘safety clutter’, what to do about it and how to remove it in a lunchtime presentation to Central Safety Group on Thursday, 10 October.
He said that clutter can take the form of too many rules and procedures, duplication and ‘tick the box’ safety activities. This can include meetings, audits, observations and investigation processes that are not actually reducing the risk of safety incidents. David explained how to ‘de-clutter’ without affecting legal compliance and certification.

The presenter:

Dr David Provan, a leading safety thinker and practitioner, is the former General Manager, Health, Safety and Environment for Origin Energy. He has more than 20 years of safety management experience across several high-hazard industries with international operations. David is the founder of safety consultancy firm Forge Works, and also a part-time lecturer and researcher at Queensland’s Griffith University. He has a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology), Masters of Health Science (Risk Management and OHS), Masters of Business Administration (Finance) and a PhD in Safety Science, where his research thesis was titled, “What is the role of a Safety Professional? The identity, practice and future of the profession”.

August 2019

The real impact of shift work and workplace fatigue

Presentation by: Dr Tracey Sletten, Senior Research Fellow - Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University and Project Leader - Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Monash University

Presentation package now available (members only)

It is estimated around 20% of the Australian workforce is involved in some form of shift work, many of them in roles critical for public safety. The challenges of shift work and occupational fatigue have long been acknowledged, but recent research has increased understanding of the negative consequences of working against the body clock.
Dr Tracey Sletten of Monash University and the Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity presented some of the latest findings and recommendations in this area at the August meeting of Central Safety Group.
Tracey has been working closely with several industries including aviation, transport and healthcare, researching the effects of shift work and sleep loss on workers in their operations. This work has included interventions to improve alertness, health and safety.
As well as the best way to manage shift work, Tracey discussed the need for cultural change to address the growing incidence of sleep loss in the general population linked to modern lifestyles.

The presenter:

Dr Tracey Sletten is a Senior Research Fellow with the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, and serves as a Project Leader with the Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity. She has also held research positions in the US and UK. Dr Sletten frequently consults nationally and internationally, conducting training and education, analysing work schedules and conducting fatigue assessments for industry. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of South Australia.

June 2019

Safety lapses and real life consequences

Presentation by: Rohan Sykes, Phoenix Workplace Safety

Presentation package now available (members only)

Rohan Sykes was a healthy, active young family man when he suffered an horrific workplace injury that caused severe burns to 35% of his body. He was seriously injured by exposure to radiant heat from molten glass, despite wearing full PPE and following procedures.
He emerged from a long and painful recovery and rehabilitation with a strong passion to raise awareness about new approaches to safety that go beyond the standard thinking. Rohan shared his experiences and discussed his special insights and perspectives on safety at the Central Safety Group lunchtime meeting on Tuesday, 11 June.
He spoke about the real life consequences of a workplace accident and outlined a model for safety and ‘safety psychology’ he believes should be adopted. In Rohan’s view, with the right habits and attitudes to safety, most accidents are preventable.

The presenter:

Rohan Sykes started his career as an apprentice fitter and turner with ALCOA. He immediately showed a passion for workplace safety and safe work practices, becoming an apprentice safety rep. Soon after that he started work as a multi-skilled operator at a glass bottle factory where the serious injury occurred. After his recovery Rohan founded Phoenix Workplace Safety with a mission to encourage industrial workplaces and individuals to completely re-think the way they approach safety. Through his presentations he has had a positive impact on the safety culture of many organisations, including major companies in the mining, defence, packaging and food industries and bodies such as local councils.

April 2019

Staff Safety and Difficult Customer Interactions

Presentation by: Kristen Richardson, Wellbeing and Safety Business Partner Team Leader, ANZ

Presentation package now available (members only)

Many businesses have seen an upsurge in staff impacted by difficult customer interactions that may place them at risk of a physical or psycho-social illness. This has particularly been the case in the banking industry and is varied across customer contact, whether it is face-to-face or telephone interactions.
ANZ Bank has a strategy in place to keep their staff safe from this risk and this was presented by Kristen Richardson, Wellbeing and Safety Business Partner Team Leader, at a lunchtime presentation to Central safety Group on 9 April, 2019.
The strategy looks at all aspects of staff safety – physical, psycho-social and most importantly the leadership culture shift required to enable this strategy to be successful. This strategy was developed using external consultancy expertise and research across other industries.

The presenter:

Kristen Richardson joined ANZ in mid-2014 and has been in her current role providing Business Partnering wellbeing and safety support across ANZ Australia Division for two years. Prior to that, she was Retail Wellbeing and Safety Business Partner at ANZ. She spent over seven years in senior HR roles with infrastructure company Golder Associates after being with Coles Supermarkets for 10 years as National HS Manager. Kristen started her career in nursing before studying OH&S at RMIT and doing further studies in change management.

February 2019

OHS Careers and Recruitment - what’s hot and what’s not

Presenters:

Rachel McGregor, Safety People
Ebonie Martello, Safety People

Presentation package now available (members only)

Key job market trends in safety in Australia were the subject of a presentation at the Central Safety Group’s first meeting for 2019 on 12 February.
OHS recruitment specialists Rachel McGregor and Ebonie Martello of Safety People gave a presentation followed by an extensive Q&A session with the audience.
They spoke about how employment trends are matching the industries experiencing a boom and presented a table of salary trends for various OHS positions in the Melbourne market. They noted that the demand for consultants is increasing and talked about the reasons for this as well as the implications for those seeking OHS roles.
They concluded by discussing what employers are looking for in a safety professional and what candidates are looking for in an employer.

The presenter:

Before joining Safety People, Rachel McGregor worked in WorkCover/Return-to-Work roles.

The presenter:

Before joining Safety People, Ebonie Martello was an OH&S Advisor with John Holland.

October 2018

A Fresh Look at Safety Inspections

Presentation by: Dr Ross Donohue, Senior Lecturer, Monash University

Presentation package now available (members only)

There has been surprisingly little research done on how inspectors assess health and safety in workplaces. Although the inspectors’ task is grounded in rules and regulations, there are few standardised measures to assist them.
Dr Ross Donohue, our speaker on 9 October, has done ground-breaking work on this. He shared his research findings with us and outlined the 7-item generic OHS metric checklist he developed as a result of this research, in order to create a standardised tool to assist inspectors.
Ross also talked about the need for developing measures and training to assist OHS inspectors to assess psycho-social risk.

The presenter:

Dr Ross Donohue, Senior Lecturer, Monash University. Dr Ross Donohue works in the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University as a Senior Lecturer. He is currently working on a program to improve the training, competency assessment and development of safety inspectors. His other work includes developing a competency-based framework and continuing professional development program for OHS regulators.

August 2018

Taming Contractor Management

Presentation by: John Naughton

Presentation package now available (members only)

Contractor management is one of the most challenging areas of safety risk management. Contractor management systems can be onerous and complicated, leaving gaps when it comes to covering business and compliance requirements.
John Naughton and his team tackled this problem and transformed contractor management while he was Director of HSE at a major food company, and he shared his experiences at the August meeting of Central Safety Group.
He described the journey from a manual spreadsheet-based contractor management system to an easy-to-manage, efficient and flexible system embracing modern technology. This change also brought crucial new dimensions and features to the company’s system for managing contractors, and significantly, reduced administrative time and costs.

The presenter:

John Naughton has over 20 years’ experience designing, implementing and managing safety and environmental management systems for large companies. In his recent role as Director of HSE at George Weston Foods, he was responsible for a team of over 50 HSE professionals in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. Prior to that he was National SH&E Manager for the Baking Division of Goodman Fielder.

June 2018

The State of OHS in Victoria

Presentation by: Barry Naismith

Presentation package now available (members only)

What do the latest data and developments tell us about the current state of OHS in Victoria? Barry Naismith, who has done a keen-eyed independent analysis, shared his conclusions at the Central Safety Group lunch meeting on 12 June.
Barry was a consultant with the Victorian WorkCover Authority (now WorkSafe) for 14 years. Since then he has produced a number of independent reports into the operations and performance of WorkSafe Victoria.
He has just concluded his latest report, based on 2017, and discussed his findings and spell out some trends and predictions that are likely to be of interest to those working in OHS in Victoria.
To quote leading blogger Kevin Jones, “This level of analysis and interpretation is rarely available outside of formal academic research, and Naismith provides the all-important social and political context from which much academic occupational health and safety (OHS) research shies.” Questions, opinions and comments from the audience were welcomed.

The presenter:

Before a career in OHS, Barry Naismith worked as a journalist and editor. He spent more than 14 years with the Victorian WorkCover Authority and then worked independently as an OHS consultant. Recently this led to a position with Uniting Victoria, working on a program to reduce the impact of work harms on the community. Barry has qualifications in science from Melbourne University and media studies from RMIT.

April 2018

Reducing Manual Handling Injuries

Presentation by: Conor Healy, Manager, Work Health and Safety, Jetstar Australia New Zealand

Presentation package now available (members only)

Manual handling injuries are some of the most common and costly injuries in the workplace.
An account of how Jetstar Airways reduced these injuries by 40% was shared by Conor Healy, Manager, Work Health and Safety, Jetstar Australia New Zealand in a lunchtime presentation on 10 April.
Baggage handlers, cabin crews and engineering workshop teams all do a lot of manual handling at Jetstar, which now has 7,000 employees and is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines.
Conor developed a multi-pronged program to reduce manual handling injuries and the risk of musculoskeletal disorders for employees working in body stressing environments. In two years he has found that the program has already made a significant difference.
He discussed this program and what the airline is doing to continue to gain improvements in this area.

The presenter:

Conor Healy has been Manager, Work Health and Safety, Jetstar Australia New Zealand for three years. His background includes significant experience in areas ranging from transport with London Underground, defence with BAE Systems to logistics with Toll and working with aerospace organisations. He is a graduate of the University of Westminster in the UK and has attained an MBA in Strategy.

February 2018

Mental-Psychological Conditions & Return to Work

Presentation by: Frank Imbesi, Managing Director, AMS Consulting

Presentation package now available (members only)

Return to work for people who have suffered workplace psychological injury or illness can be a complicated and challenging process.
The best-practice approach and potential problems when helping employees recovering from mental health issues was discussed by Frank Imbesi, Managing Director of AMS Consulting, an occupational rehabilitation company.
This area is of special interest to Frank, who has been working in in the field of return-to-work planning, management and support for many years. He said that a lot is known about rehabilitation and return to work after physical injury, but far less about how to help people recovering from events or situations in the workplace that led to mental injury.
There has been a recent increase in the reporting and acceptance of mental injury conditions and claims, which has found many employers unsure and unprepared when it comes to dealing with the challenges of rehabilitation and preventing recurrence of the problem. Frank outlined a number of ways to assist employers with these challenges.

The presenter:

Frank Imbesi is Managing Director of AMS Consulting, a multi- award-wining company specialising in health and wellbeing, injury prevention, injury management, return to work consulting and human factors analysis . He began his career as a physiotherapist, working in sports medicine and clinical private practice, before moving to the field of occupational rehabilitation. Frank has consulted and presented to national and large state based employers, Scheme Agents and universities in the areas of occupational rehabilitation and best practice return to work following occupational injury. Frank has been a university lecturer and has presented in the areas of occupational injury management and best practice RTW over many years and on behalf of VWA. He has also presented at numerous conferences. He was on the organising committee for the international forum on disability management in 2014. Frank was a member of the VWA Clinical Panel providing specialist advice in the area of occupational rehabilitation peer review for the duration of the program. Frank was the recipient of the National Outstanding Achievement in RTW Award in 2017. He has also been a judge for the Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association Awards.

October 2017

OHS in Victoria… where are we going?

Presentation by: Graham Dent, OHS Lawyer

Presentation package now available (members only)

Recent developments in some areas of OHS law in Victoria were discussed by leading OHS lawyer Graham Dent at the October meeting of Central Safety Group.
This included the relevance of the harmonised WHS laws in Victoria, trends in cases, courts and penalties, and the use of Enforceable Undertakings.
Graham gave examples to illustrate these issues and the implications of changes we see going on around us. He also discussed changes that may have quietly slipped past us.

The presenter:

Graham Dent has over 30 years’ experience in the regulatory field, including time as a government prosecutor in OHS, industrial and consumer law matters. He is now in private legal practice representing clients in major regulatory actions for OHS, environmental and other areas. He represents clients and conducts training programs in all jurisdictions. Graham is also the founder of Australia’s largest online OHS forum with 17,000 members, the Work Health Safety Leadership (Australia & International) Group.

August 2017

Peer support programs – tips for success

Presentation by: Jacqui Bloink, Workplace Wellbeing Program Manager, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne

Presentation package now available (members only)

There is growing recognition of the value of workplace peer support programs in helping employees at times of critical work incidents. The experience, learnings and benefits of a well-established peer support program were discussed by Jacqui Bloink, Workplace Wellbeing Program Manager, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne at the August meeting of Central Safety Group.
The hospital this year is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its award-winning staff peer support program, marking it as an early supporter of the concept of a team of colleagues helping one another with typical reactions to stressful events.
Jacqui gave a case study of the St Vincent’s program and outlined findings on how it meets the needs of its users, improves wellbeing and provides value for service.
She also discussed the evolution of such peer support programs and how they can stay relevant in the face of today’s workplace incidents and issues.

The presenter:

Jacqui Bloink has been responsible for managing St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s staff-support services, EAP Liaisons and Critical Incident Stress Management/Peer Support since 2000. She has a background in emergency and intensive care nursing, and has held roles in management, clinical education and project organisation, and served on St Vincent’s executive team. Jacqui was awarded the Critical Incident Stress Management Foundation Australia (CISMFA) achievement award in 2009 and the hospital’s peer support program was recognised in the 2016 Victorian Public Health Care Awards and the 2016 WorkSafe awards.

June 2017

Managing Risk By Incorporating Safety In Design

Presentation by: David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, Coles

Presentation package now available (members only)

Poorly designed work is unsafe work. Many times simple but important aspects are overlooked in the project planning stage, setting the scene for future problems. This was the message from David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, People and Product Safety, Coles. When he spoke to the Central Safety Group on 13 June. David gave examples of how safety in design can make a difference, and discussed the key elements of good safety design both from a people management perspective and an organisational perspective.
He also outlined some of the steps in optimising safety when designing and managing a project.

The presenter:

David is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (HFESA) and a Chartered Generalist OHS Professional (SIA) and is Safety Business Partner for Coles providing safety support across all brands nationally. He has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Human Movement, and Graduate Diplomas in OHS Management, Ergonomics and Teaching. A key driver in his role at Coles is Safety in Design. He has over 30 years of experience in the provision of health and safety advice, including professional/consulting roles in teaching, clinical massage, safety, ergonomics, injury management, and as a WorkSafe inspector.

April 2017

Safety in the age of automation

Presentation by: Mark Letman, Safety & Wellbeing Business Lead, Pacific Brands

Presentation package now available (members only)

Automation is rapidly affecting everything from the agricultural and manufacturing sectors to the healthcare industry. An insight into what automation can mean for safety procedures and related workplace arrangements was given by Mark Letman of Pacific Brands on 11 April. Pacific Brands, which manufactures and sells products that include Bonds underwear and Sheriden sheets, recently automated some of the key procedures for picking and packing orders in its 43,000 square metre national warehouse in Truganina. Mark’s experience is that the move to automation has had some positive effects on working conditions “The automation’s taken away a lot of the hard slog and legwork in the warehouse, and it’s become a joint activity between employees and the machine,” he says. However, it has also brought challenges in introducing employees to new work practices. This includes safety requirements when working with machines for the first time.

The presenter:

Mark Letman joined Pacific Brands 27 years ago and has worked in logistics, freight management, manufacturing and management roles. He started working in safety 12 years ago, after his interest in the field was stirred by his experience as a member of the site’s emergency response team.

November 2016

Winning Formula For Return To Work

Presentation by: Stuart Cross, Occupational Health & Safety Unit Manager, Yarra City Council

Presentation package now available (members only)

A new approach to injury management helped Yarra City Council achieve a 40% reduction in standard WorkCover claims and a WorkSafe Employer Excellence award in 2015.
Stuart Cross outlined the actions the Council took to reduce workplace injuries and assist injured workers in rehabilitation and return to work. The result in just one year was a 55% reduction in lost time days due to injuries and a 46% reduction in injury occurrence rates. It also translated into a $400,000 saving in Yarra City Council’s annual WorkCover premium.
He also discussed how the Council is maintaining these results and making further improvements to their new OHS model in relation to injury management.

The presenter:

Before joining Yarra City Council in 2009, Stuart worked with CGU in Safety & Risk and Injury Management roles. Prior to that he was with Corporate Health Management. He studied Human Movement and Exercise Rehab at Victoria University and has an advanced diploma in OHS.

September 2016

Managing fatigue: getting it right

Presentation by: Professor David Caple, OHS Consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University, David Caple & Associates

Presentation package now available (members only)

Fatigue at work can present significant risks, with fatigue management policies covered in OHS regulations and industrial agreements.
But Professor David Caple questions whether our current arrangements are dealing with it very well.
He discussed shortcomings in this area as well as looking at some less well understood implications of fatigue. He also highlighted the increase in fatigue problems with white collar workers.
David said fatigue has physical, psychological and cognitive effects which can apply in any role in the workplace. This makes it important for OHS professionals to see it not only as a safety hazard but as a wider workplace wellbeing issue.
“We don’t always appreciate the cumulative impact of fatigue, or the poor quality of sleep people are getting today. We’re now in a generation that celebrates extended work hours, lives with round the clock digital activity and sees long daily commutes as normal,” he said.
David talked about increased understanding of the psychological, emotional and cognitive cost this is having on people, as well as the impact on their physical health, and whether awareness of this should lead to changes in the workplace.

The presenter:

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.

July 2016

Rethinking incident investigation

Presentation by: Greg Splatt, National HSE Manager, Johns Lyng Group

Presentation package now available (members only)

How well do we carry out incident investigations and how useful are they?
This issue was explored by Greg Splatt, a former detective with the Victoria Police Force and experienced risk auditor and safety professional now working in the construction industry.
He believes traditional incident investigation models used by the safety industry often fall short.
He also questions how much value is derived from the results of investigations. This is important as incident investigation is a vital part of improving safety performance.
Greg discussed investigative techniques used by detectives for crime and traffic accidents. While some of the methods used in safety investigations are similar, Greg says the follow up and resolution are often different.

The presenter:

Greg Splatt has spent many years as a Safety Manager in the construction industry, and is also a trainer in various OHS courses with the Master Builders Association. He has experience in all areas of construction and is an experienced safety systems auditor and incident investigator. Prior to working in OHS, Greg was a detective in the Victorian Police Force.

May 2016

Safety and the crane industry

Presentation by: Brandon Hitch, CEO, Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA)

Presentation package now available (members only)

As cranes have grown larger and more complicated so have the safety challenges.
An insight into how the industry works on safety with operators and companies was provided by Brandon Hitch to Central Safety Group on May 10, 2016.
He also provided an interesting insight and overview of how cranes worked, and where the risks lie.
Brandon discussed some prominent crane accidents and their causes, and extensive measures being taken to help prevent such incidents through initiatives such as the mobile crane industry’s Cranesafe program.

The presenter:

Before being appointed CEO of the Crane Industry Council, Brandon was General Manager of the industry’s Cranesafe program, overseeing the technical and day to day operations of the program nationally. Brandon joined CICA four years ago after working as a senior engineer for companies in the USA and Australia. With bachelors and masters degrees in engineering, he is registered as a chartered engineer with Engineers Australia and is a licensed professional engineer in the USA.

March 2016

Frontline stress and mental health first aid

Presentation by: Stephen Dowling, Corporate Manager Health, Safety, Rehabilitation and Wellness, ESTA 000 (Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority)

Presentation package now available (members only)

Few jobs are as high pressure and stressful as that of Emergency 000 operators. They deal constantly with life and death situations, often working with distressed, panicked and confused callers.
Helping them handle the stress of their job is the task of Stephen Dowling, whose role is focused not only on physical safety in the workplace, but also on reducing the risk of psychological injury and mental health.
Stephen talked about his work with the 000 team, and discussed strategies for helping employees in stressful frontline situations with the use of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).
He outlined what was involved in MHFA training and why workplaces should appoint people to this role as they did physical first aid officers.
Stephen also discussed intervention strategies for managing psychosocial risk in the workplace.
Stephen has been a leader in dealing with workplace psychological injury for many years and helps a wide range of organisations and industries around the country to develop systems that ensure employees get help when they need it. Stephen believes lack of knowledge and stigma about psychological injury can prevent people from seeking help early, and limit the ability of co-workers and managers to provide mental health first aid to their workmates until appropriate professional treatment is available.

November 2015

Physical Capacity Testing for Emergency Workers

Presentation by: Professor David Caple, OHS Consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University, David Caple & Associates

Presentation package now available (members only)

Physical capacity testing of workers in emergency services can be controversial. Our guest speaker Professor David Caple talked about some of the key issues surrounding this at Central Safety Group's meeting on November 2015. Risk factors associated with this type of work have given rise for the need to do physical capacity testing, which is now a feature of the EBA for emergency workers. One factor is that emergency workers have high cognitive and physical demands and these result in a higher probability of a risk of injury.
A range of controls has been introduced to address the risk factors and the findings from physical capacity testing. These include design controls; training (both physical and skills) as well as peer support programs and controls specific to particular divisions.

The presenter:

David Caple, whose background is in ergonomics, 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 issues. He is an OHS consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University.

September 2015

Is prolonged sitting at work an OHS issue?

Presentation by: Nyssa Hadgraft, Epidemiologist, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Monash University

Presentation package now available (members only)

There is now evidence to suggest that long hours in a sedentary position increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular and other health problems. Our speaker at Central Safety Group's meeting on September 8,2015, Nyssa Hadgraft, is a member of a team called The Stand Up Australia Program of Research that is doing internationally-recognised research on the health impacts of too much sitting and interventions to reduce sitting time.
Nyssa spoke about the group’s findings and discussed recent workplace studies they have done. Findings include that office workers spend most of their day sitting (6+ hours per day) and lot of this sitting time is unbroken (30mins+).  While excessive sitting is detrimental even for those who exercise, prolonged standing is also an issue.
Nyssa outlined a number of strategies to reduce workplace sitting, including the provision of height-adjustable desks, but they have cost implications. Helpfully, all the other measures she suggested have no cost attached. The key take-home message is Stand Up – Sit Less –Move More.

The presenter:

Epidemiologist Nyssa Hadgraft is a postdoctoral research fellow in public health at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. She is a member of the team at Melbourne’s Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute led by Dr David Dunstan doing world-recognised research on the health impacts of too much sitting.

July 2015

Manual handling challenges in Bunnings retail operations

Presentation by: Daniel Venditti, State HSE Advisor, Bunnings

Presentation package now available (members only)

Daniel Venditti, State HSE Advisor with hardware giant Bunnings outlined the company’s approach to manual handling challenges and risks in a presentation to Central Safety Group on July 14, 2015. These included a wide and complex range of manual handling tasks, concrete flooring, racking up to 3 metres and big and bulky packages. Bunnings employees include many part-time and casual workers and a workforce with 25% aged over 50.
A large number of injuries centering on known hot spots led to the development of the BSafe (Bunnings Safe) program in 2004. The methodology involved a move away from the compliance approach to incorporating safety into the business.  Safety leadership training was provided, LTIFR was abolished and replaced by IFR, and staff were encouraged to report all injuries.  This resulted in a 30% increase in incident reporting and was followed by an increase in resources for safety as compared to injury management.
Daniel explained how further strategies evolved over the next 8 years as a result of workplace incidents and the current strategy aims to reduce complexity.  Ownership of the safety system has been assigned to the stores, which have monthly activities that must be completed and reported to Head Office.
Daniel also outlined their range of controls to address the fact that 50% of reported injuries were found to be related to manual handling activities.

The presenter:

Before joining the safety team at Bunnings, Daniel Venditti (who is also a VFL player with the Coburg Lions) worked in injury management and vocational rehabilitation. His background includes a degree in health and exercise science and postgraduate qualifications in OHS management.

April 2015

Incident investigation: implications of the model work health safety legislation for Victorian businesses

Presentation by: Graham Dent, Principal, Dent Consulting & Legal

How can businesses be proactive in managing an incident investigation under both Victorian and national safety legislation? Leading OHS lawyer Graham Dent spoke to Central Safety Group on April 14, 2015, about what happens with incidents when businesses consider themselves to be “Victorian” (with their facilities and personnel based in Victoria), but operate interstate. They could have employees who travel as sales representatives or transport workers or install and maintain plant and equipment interstate.
Graham discussed how he has worked on recent cases involving interstate aspects, where the approach of the interstate authorities has induced “cold sweats” for some clients.
Graham also talked about how WorkSafe Victoria deals with (or tries to avoid) the Codes of Practice and guidance under the national Model Work Health Safety laws that now govern all states except Victoria and WA.

The presenter:

Graham Dent has over 30 years’ experience in the regulatory field including time as a government prosecutor in OHS, industrial and consumer law matters. He is now in private legal practice representing clients in major regulatory actions for OHS, environmental and other areas. Graham is also the founder of Australia’s largest online OHS forum with 13,500 members, the Work Health Safety Leadership Group.

February 2015

How would we manage Ebola – and other public health emergencies?

Presentation by: Dr Jane Canestra, Program Manager Health Emergency Management, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services

Victoria’s emergency management arrangements for health emergencies, such as Ebola, were outlined by Dr Jane Canestra at Central Safety Group's meeting on February 10, 2015. She discussed the emergency management responsibilities of the Department of Health and Human Services and how the State Health Emergency Response Plan is used to coordinate the Victorian health response to significant emergency incidents, giving the arrangements for Ebola as an example.
While the risk of importation of Ebola into Victoria is low, Victoria may eventually need to manage a confirmed case of Ebola. The Department of Health & Human Services has developed the Victorian Ebola Virus Disease Plan which has been issued to metropolitan, regional and other health services and stakeholders including general practitioners.
Victorian health services have responsibility for ensuring all potentially involved staff are appropriately trained, informed and clear about each individual’s role in the event of a suspected Ebola case presenting at any hospital or health care service.
Jane spoke about coordination at departmental, health sector, Victorian and national level as well as about health services training in specialist preparedness.

The presenter:

A medical practitioner and specialist emergency physician, Dr Jane Canestra was involved in disaster medicine for many years before her appointment to her current role. She has also provided medical expertise to numerous State and National Working Groups, including the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.

July 2014

Return on Investing in OHS

Presentation by: John Knowles, OHS Consultant, Xchanging

Presentation package now available (members only)

How much can investing in OHS improvements pay off in measurable financial terms? And what should be measured? These questions were explored by John Knowles, OHS Consultant at Xchanging in a lunchtime presentation to Central Safety Group on 8 July, 2014.
John cited wide-ranging research, which has shown that returns can be high. However, there are many variables when it comes to measuring this, which John discussed in detail.
John offered a checklist of both direct and indirect costs that should be considered when measuring returns. He also suggested a range of different ways to measure return on investment and gave details of several international case studies that showed OHS-related improvements in a variety of situations and which used a range of different measures to assess returns. These showed measurable outcomes obtained both in financial terms and changes in human health and behaviour.

May 2014

Australia’s failure to improve Return-to-Work Rates

Presentation by: Associate Professor Alex Collie, Research Leader and Acting Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research, Monash University

Presentation package now available (members only)

Current obstacles to successfully bringing injured people back to work and the need for new approaches was discussed by Associate Professor Alex Collie from Monash University in his lunchtime talk to Central Safety Group on 13 May, 2014.
Alex Collie has done substantial research on this and related issues. He said that surveys had shown that Australia has failed to improve return to rates for the past 15 years, describing this as a major public health and economic challenge.
There is abundant international research showing that a worker's recovery can be shaped by their interactions with employers, healthcare providers and the workers' compensation system. But it takes new thinking, careful planning and sustained effort on behalf of those involved in the process.
Alex presented some of his latest research findings, explored some of the key issues and made recommendations on what we should be doing to improve return to work outcomes.

The presenter:

Associate Professor Alex Collie, Acting Chief Executive Officer of ISCRR (Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research) at Monash University, is an applied public health and social policy researcher, with a specific focus on work disability benefit and compensation systems and their impact on the work, social and health outcomes of injured and ill people. Alex has advised multiple state and commonwealth government departments and in private sector organisations in matters relating to workplace health, insurance and injury compensation. He has held numerous board positions on non-profit health sector organisations. He has a PhD in psychology. He has published over 100 peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and technical reports, and is regularly invited to speak at national and international conferences.