Central Safety Group Melbourne

February 2016

Safety compliance in the digital age

Presentation by: Glenn Parker, Civil Engineer, Donesafe

Advances in software and mobile devices are bringing a revolution to safety management systems. Just how much things have changed was discussed at Central Safety Group's meeting on 9 February, 2016, by Glenn Parker, a civil engineer and software specialist, who is responsible for taking to market the DoneSafe system for safety compliance which can be run from a mobile phone.
This Australian-developed software is now getting attention overseas as well as continuing to grow locally. Its users range from tradies to organisations with thousands of employees. Glenn talked about what inspired the system, how it works and what it covers.

The presenter:

Glenn, a civil engineer and software specialist, is responsible for taking to market the DoneSafe system for safety compliance which can be run from a mobile phone.

October 2015

What’s wrong with OHS today (and what’s right)

Presentation by: Kevin Jones, Freelance journalist, SafetyAtWorkBlog

Presentation package now available (members only)

Kevin Jones, well known for his award-winning SafetyAtWorkBlog (www.safetyatworkblog.com) led a discussion at Central Safety Group's meeting on October 13, 2015, about some of the positives and negatives of OHS today. He began by stating that one of the major problems is the excessive documentation required and this may be due to WorkSafe conditions.
Kevin believes that there is also an excess of consultation; management need to be more decisive and focus on the short term – attack the easy problems first to achieve some progress. Recurring problems are either not addressed or the controls implemented are inadequate.  Businesses need to look at the source of the problem and eliminate the hazards.
Kevin stated that there was no face associated with safety, that no-one was seen as a safety champion. There is no engagement of the media by safety groups.
He raised the issue of there being no safety economics in Australia, even though it is possible to determine the costs of safety and relate it to the benefits. Safety managers are expected to know all and be all.  However, funding is tied to the risk profile of a business and is therefore not successful.  Implementation of OHS is seen as reactive with little or no progress.
Kevin also noted that there was little talk about the ethics of safety.
He followed up the session with a blog entry (attached).

The presenter:

Kevin Jones is well known for his award-winning Safety At Work blog (http://safetyatworkblog.com) which keeps readers up-to-date with the Australian and international OHS scene. It’s a beautifully written blog, serving up a tasty mix of news, insights and fresh perspectives on a sector he knows very well.

August 2015

Safety on a mass scale – managing risk and safety at epic events

Presentation by: Steve Goss, Sentry Business Resilience Solutions

Presentation package now available (members only)

How do you manage safety for a crowd of 500,000 out for a good night? Members heard how it is done from Steve Goss, the man behind safety, risk and emergency planning for the 2015 White Night festival in Melbourne’s CBD with his lunchtime presentation on August 11, 2015.
Following significant challenges experienced at the first White Night in 2013, where debrief comments included “from a crowd safety and risk management perspective, it is the worst event witnessed”, Steve was brought in to make radical improvements to the safety approach.
Steve explained that many of the 2103 problems were foreseeable and, when he joined the organisation, he tackled the main issues of communication and crowd control. He outlined crowd dynamics as well as how safety was improved through design. An installation risk assessment includes specifics for every item of plant, and he also developed a decision matrix for adverse weather conditions to use when considering cancelling events or specific activities.
Importantly, his system involves briefing and liaising with all relevant stakeholders such as security agencies, emergency services and transport and traffic management bodies.
The extensive planning and constant vigilance led to a very successful event in 2015 with the number of incidents significantly reduced in number and severity.

The presenter:

Originally a Senior Sergeant in the Victoria Police, Steve Goss then worked as a safety regulator in the upstream oil, gas and mining and quarrying industries, followed by senior executive roles in safety & risk management at both the Melbourne Racing Club and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation. Steve set up his company Sentry Business Resilience Solutions (Sentry) in 2009, and his clients include businesses, not-for-profit organisations, sporting bodies and local and State government agencies.

June 2015

WorkSafe Victoria: health & safety priorities for 2015-16

Presentation by: Tim McLean, Director Improvement Programs, WorkSafe Victoria

Presentation package now available (members only)

WorkSafe Victoria’s current priority hazards, industries and emerging issues were discussed by Tim McLean, Director Improvement Programs at WorkSafe in a lunchtime presentation on June 16, 2015. The priority hazards range from mandatory work, such as construction and dangerous goods to strategic work with both physical and psychosocial risks as well as occupational violence and worker health.The strategic approach includes addressing supply chains and networks; elimination of risk at source; improved compliance and risk control; increase in awareness and capability; working with and through others; and a whole of organisation approach at WorkSafe itself.Industries in focus are wide-ranging: health; construction; agriculture; manufacturing; warehousing and transport.
He also outlined progress in meeting targets and action plans set by the five-year Worksafe 2017 strategy in the areas of Safety, Return-to-Work, Service and Sustainability. The strategy underpins WorkSafe’s two approaches to workplaces: Encouragement for effective workplace safety through campaigns and financial incentives, and Deterrence for poor performance through inspections and prosecutions.

The presenter:

Tim McLean leads the design and delivery of strategic prevention programs to improve health, safety and wellbeing in Victorian workplaces. He has been with WorkSafe Victoria for the past 8 years, and has a background in public relations and strategic communications with a focus on influencing behaviour change.

March 2015

Key OHS issues for employers in 2015

Presenters:

Carolyn Davis, Manager, Work Health and Safety and Worker’s Compensation Policy, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)
Phil Lovelock, Senior OHS Consultant and Specialist Policy Advisor, Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI)

Presentation package now available (members only)

What are some of the most pressing OHS issues facing employers in 2015?
Both national and Victorian perspectives were presented at Central Safety Group's lunchtime talk on March 17, 2015. The national scene was discussed by Carolyn Davis, Manager Work Health and Safety and Worker’s Compensation Policy with the ACCI.
This was followed by Phil Lovelock presenting a more detailed look at what’s currently happening in Victoria. Issues for VECCI include the state of flux within WorkSafe Victoria itself and the alignment of regulations with the Model WHS legislation.
Both Carolyn and Phil are responsible for informing and representing businesses of all sizes and sectors of the economy. ACCI is a peak organisation which represents at national level VECCI and other state chambers of commerce and industry associations. VECCI is Victoria's most influential employer group, directly representing 15,000 members.

The presenter:

Carolyn Davis has a background in industrial chemistry and occupational hygiene, and has been involved in WHS management, policy and advocacy for more than 20 years. She currently represents industry on a range of issues with Safework Australia and other agencies.

The presenter:

Phil Lovelock is a qualified Occupational Health and Safety specialist who provides occupational health and safety assistance to a wide range of industries. He also conducts a number of OHS courses for VECCI and provides input to WorkSafe Victoria.