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Psychosocial Risk of
RTW in COVID
Times

CSG November 2021 Presenter: Dr Natasha Lazareski, Managing Director, PsyFlex

Return to work in COVID times: managing psychosocial risk

Presentation by: Dr Natasha Lazareski, Managing Director, PsyFlex

Presentation package now available (members only)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a drastic impact on workplace conditions and work arrangements with new psychosocial risks that can affect the health and wellbeing of workers. Occupational health expert Dr Natasha Lazareski discussed this issue, along with strategies to manage it, in a presentation to Central Safety Group on 9 November 2021.
She said that, if not appropriately assessed and managed, psychosocial risks increase stress levels and can lead to physical and mental health problems. Psychological responses may include low mood, low motivation, exhaustion, anxiety, depression and burnout. Insurers are reporting that active psychological claims against employers have risen during the pandemic and are expected to continue to increase.  
Natasha spoke about how workplace stresses and psychosocial risks are arising as people return and readjust to their previous workplace settings and systems, across a wide range of occupations.
Natasha also discussed the impact of confusing and misleading information surrounding the COVID-19 crisis and how to manage this risk in your workplace.

The presenter:

Dr Natasha Lazareski is a medical doctor, specialising in occupational health, with over 20 years’ experience working with Australian organisations. She is founder and Managing Director of workplace wellbeing and resilience specialist PsyFlex. Prior to this she held positions in a range of organisations including the National Australia Bank, Ambulance Victoria and CGU. Her recent work has been with government organisations, educational institutions, healthcare providers and a number of other industries.

 
The current
OHS job
scene


CSG October 2021 Presenter: Helen O'Keefe

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.

 
Manual Handling
Injuries in
Healthcare
CSG September 2021 Presenter: Professor David Caple

New research into manual handling injuries in healthcare

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

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

Work-based musculoskeletal injuries remain a major issue, but research is telling us more about how and why these injuries occur, along with better prevention and management strategies.
Professor David Caple AM has recently been involved in a range of projects related to manual handling injury prevention in hospitals. These injuries account for around 70% of Workcover claims in hospitals for both clinical and non-clinical staff.
He discussed interesting results from a couple of studies in a zoom presentation for Central Safety Group on 14 September.
One of these is a study done with La Trobe University’s Biomechanics laboratory that focused on shoulder injuries in clinical staff. These account for 40% of their musculoskeletal injuries, while 60% are back injuries.
David also spoke about work being done to address the increase in injuries involving the handling of a range of patients, including those with co-morbidities such as dementia, those who present fall risks and bariatric patients.

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.

 
Managing the
Healthcare
Challenge
of COVID-19

Managing the healthcare challenge of COVID-19

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

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

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.

 
COVID-19
in Victoria:
A union
perspective

CSG July 2021 Presenter: Dominic Melling, Lead Organiser, OHS Team, VTHC

COVID-19 response in Victoria: A union perspective

Presentation by: Dominic Melling, Lead Organiser, OHS Team, Victorian Trades Hall Council, Victorian Trades Hall Council

Presentation package now available (members only)

The COVID-19 crisis brought some major challenges to unions affiliated with the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC), their members and workers. These challenges, along with lessons learned and solutions, were discussed by Dominic Melling, Lead Organiser of the OHS Team at the VTHC in a zoom presentation to Central Safety Group on Tuesday, 13 July.
Dominic’s talk covered essential workers who reported to their usual workplaces throughout the lockdowns as well as people working from home. He reviewed the structural problems that facilitated the spread of COVID-19 and the Union’s role in advising Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and members. Using case studies from high risk industries, he discussed what happened when OHS structures and procedures failed and what lessons can be learned from these failures.
The presentation outlined VTHC initiatives to support HSRs and workers, and Unions’ lobbying efforts that led to changes in Government policy designed to protect workers and the community and to eliminate the spread of COVID-19.

The presenter:

Dominic Melling has been the Lead Organiser of the OHS Team at the Victorian Trades Hall Council since January 2020. In this role he works with affiliated unions in their collective efforts to campaign for safer workplaces and better conditions for workers. Recent examples of campaigns include the introduction of industrial manslaughter as an offence; exposure standards to crystalline silica and the introduction of psychological health regulation. Dominic also assists WorkSafe Victoria by liaising with relevant VTHC affiliates in relation to health and safety and workers’ compensation matters. After graduating in law from Monash University, he had extensive experience representing workers in both industrial and health and safety matters. Prior to working at VTHC, Dominic worked with the National Union of Workers as an Industrial Officer, Organiser and Trainer.

 
Human
Factors &
Human Error
CSG June 2021 Presenter: Dr Kate Branford, Senior Human Factors Specialist, V/Line

Human factors and human error

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

Presentation package now available (members only)

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.

 
Safety
Benefits
of Technology
CSG May 2021 Presenter: Gavin Kenny, Manager SHEQ-Service Delivery, Melbourne Water

Using technology to make work safer

Presentation by: Gavin Kenny, Manager SHEQ-Service Delivery, Melbourne Water

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

Melbourne Water shared how technology has improved its safety systems and performance in a zoom presentation to Central Safety Group on Tuesday, 11 May. Gavin Kenny, Manager SHEQ - Service Delivery at Melbourne Water, has introduced a number of digital technology improvements to safety processes there.
Melbourne Water is a statutory body which supplies high-quality water, provides reliable sewerage services, integrates drainage systems to prevent flooding and enhances waterways and land for Melbourne and its surrounds. Gavin spoke about the changes involved, how they were introduced and the resulting efficiency gains.
These new systems are integrated with and supported by the organisation’s existing IT systems and range from large-scale solutions, such as VR design, to the smaller-scale, where policies are adapted to a simple app. Gavin described the transition from using cumbersome, paper-based processes to easy-to-use digital systems. Among other things, this has made safety data at Melbourne Water more transparent and easy to access, making it easier to analyse trends.

The presenter:

Gavin Kenny has been with Melbourne Water since 2016, where he has held a number of specialist safety improvement roles. Before that, his career included senior roles in HSE at Worley Parsons and ABB. He has an honours degree in science from Deakin University and qualifications in OHS and Project Management. It is never too late to join and support Central Safety Group. At $75 per calendar year.

 
Musculoskeletal
Issues -
What’s New
CSG April 2021 Presenter: David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, Coles

Musculoskeletal issues – what’s new in risks and prevention

Presentation by: David Trembearth, Safety Business Partner, Coles

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

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.

 
Hospital Safety
during the
Pandemic

CSG March 2021 Presenter: Christina Rennick, General Manager Health, Safety and Wellbeing, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne

Hospital safety during the pandemic

Presentation by: Christina Rennick, General Manager, Health Safety & Wellbeing, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne

Presentation package now available (members only)

When the Covid-19 crisis exploded just over a year ago, the demand for special safety measures in our hospitals was massive, sudden and urgent. Christina Rennick, General Manager Health, Safety and Wellbeing at Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital, gave a presentation via Zoom on 9 March about how her workplace responded.
The hospital has a big and complex structure, a workforce of 7,000, and a large number of patients and visitors to protect. Beyond implementing large-scale basic requirements for Covid protection, the safety team had to develop new rules and systems, learn from experience and adapt. This has been ongoing as knowledge of the coronavirus unfolds and the situation in the community changes.
Christina spoke not only about physical safety measures, but also the need to monitor and manage the wellbeing of people in the hospital system during this time.

The presenter:

Christina Rennick has worked in the Occupational Health and Safety field for over 25 years. She has been in her current role as General Manager Health, Safety and Wellbeing at Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital for nearly six years. Before that, she was with Mercy Health and held different roles in a number of other organisations, starting out in the health industry then later returning to it. Christina started her career as an Occupational Therapist and, with the ergonomic work she still undertakes, has retained her registration. She is also a Committee member of Central Safety Group.

 
 

Next Event

 

A Visual
Approach
to Inductions

CSG April 2024 event - Troy Winn, WHS Manager, Simonds Group - A visual approach to inductions


A visual approach to inductions

Presented by: Troy Winn, WHS Manager, Simonds Group
Event: CSG Hybrid Lunchtime Presentation -via zoom or in person

Date: Tuesday 9 April 2024, noon
Non-Members welcome to attend

A visual approach to inductions
How do you move safety induction online yet keep it alive? Troy Winn will talk about how he met that challenge in a presentation on Tuesday, 9 April.
Troy, who is WHS Manager for the Simonds Group, recently completed a Masters in Ergonomics, Safety and Health at La Trobe University in Melbourne. His presentation is based on research he did in the Advanced Practice Stream as part of his postgraduate degree.
Working in the construction industry, Troy and his safety team were often investing several hours a week delivering safety inductions to site supervisors before they commenced a job. A high turnover of people and projects on sites made this a demanding commitment.
Troy will talk about a project to move this training online, where his role was to produce videos. He will outline the thinking and planning behind it, as well as the particular role of videos in making the induction more engaging and effective.
His presentation will include some of his safety induction videos, along with discussion about the various ideas, steps and lessons that went into making them.

About the Speaker:

Troy Winn has been WHS Manager for the Simonds Group since 2022. Prior to that he held national safety management roles in a number of construction companies.
He spent several years as State OHS Advisor for the Housing Industry Association.
Troy has also worked in the mental health, allied health, child care and aged care sectors. His experience includes roles in safety, wellbeing, workers compensation and risk management with organisations including Mind Australia, Blue Cross Aged Care and EACH healthcare services.
Troy completed his Masters in Ergonomics, Safety and Health at La Trobe University in October 2023.

Date: Tuesday 9 April 2024
Time: 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Where: Regus Yarra Room, 50th floor, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne
How: In person or online via Zoom -the link will be sent out on the afternoon of Monday 8 April
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 8 April 2024. 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 8 April.
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
The Zoom event link will be emailed on the afternoon of Monday 8 April 2024.

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