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Showing 'October 2016: Safety: Trade or profession?'.
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Safety:
Trade or
Profession?
CSG October 2016 Presenter: Leo Ruschena, Senior Lecturer OHS, RMIT University

Safety: Trade or profession?

Presentation by: Leo Ruschena, Senior Lecturer OHS, RMIT University

Presentation package now available (members only)

It’s both trade and profession, according to Leo Ruschena, Senior Lecturer OHS, RMIT University and Chair, Technical Committee of the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board.
Leo talked about how safety education and accreditation are going through a process of major reform. This includes developing a uniform system of knowledge, accreditation of universities and certification of individuals. This has led to some confusions and gaps, including problems with the role of TAFE in safety education and certification.
He also discussed the current (controversial) move to ‘professionalise the profession’, which will require safety professionals to have accreditation the same as engineers, doctors and accountants.

The presenter:

Leo Ruschena was previously Director of Human Resources at WorkSafe Victoria and before that held senior roles in human resources and OHS with several utility companies. He has bachelors degrees in chemical engineering and economics from the University of Queensland, a Masters in Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene from the University of London and a Masters in Industrial and Employee Relations from Monash University.

 
 

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Innovations
in Injury
Management

CSG October 2026 event - Presenter: Pete Gardiner, Group Health & Injury Manager, Protech Group - Innovations in Injury Management


Innovations in Injury Management

Presented by: Pete Gardiner, Group Health & Injury Manager, Protech Group
Date: Tuesday 13 October 2026, 12 noon
Non-Members welcome to attend
Where: Regus Yarra Room, 50th floor, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne
How: CSG Hybrid Lunchtime Presentation -via zoom or in person
Non-Members welcome to attend.

Innovations in injury management


Effective workplace injury management can make a vital difference for both employees and employers. Improved ways of doing this will be discussed in a presentation on 13 October by Pete Gardiner, Group Health & Injury Manager at Protech Group.
As a strong advocate for early intervention and evidence-based practice in injury management, Pete will discuss his success in combining traditional injury management expertise with innovative approaches to workers' compensation, rehabilitation and return-to-work. This includes the use of data analytics, predictive assessment tools, AI-assisted decision-making and multidisciplinary recovery strategies.
Pete will also review current legislation and changes that have made it more difficult for companies to reduce accountability. Poor safety systems and practices can result in companies being liable for the majority of the cost of a WorkCover claim.
His presentation will be followed by discussion and audience questions.

About the speaker:
Pete Gardiner is Group Health & Injury Manager with Protech Group, a workforce provider to technical industries Australia-wide.
Pete has more than 37 years' experience working across claims management, human resources, occupational health and safety, insurer partnerships, rehabilitation services and government relations. This has given him a unique perspective across all aspects of workers' compensation and injury management systems.
Before joining Protech, Pete's career included senior roles with IMC Workers Compensation, Myer, Sigma Pharmaceuticals, Austbrokers Phillips, QBE, Generation Health, and Healthscope.

Date: Tuesday 13 October 2026 2026
Time: 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Where: Regus Yarra Room, 50th floor, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Our thanks to Helen O'Keefe for providing the venue.
N.B. A video recording of the session will be available on the website exclusively for financial members.
Cost: Financial members* free. Others $15
RSVP: COB Monday 12 October 2026. Online using our RSVP form
Join: Join CSG now [Individual membership fee: $85.]
*If unsure of your membership status, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
   RSVP: by Monday 12 October.
Online using our RSVP form or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone the secretary T: (03) 9387 9768 Mobile 0417 040 252


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