Central Safety Group Melbourne

November 2023

Recent Research Results

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

CSG event video now available (members only)
Presentation package now available (members only)

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

CSG event video now available (members only)
Presentation package now available (members only)

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

CSG event video now available (members only)
Presentation package now available (members only)

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

CSG event video now available (members only)
Presentation package now available (members only)

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.