Virtual Seminar Series: Recent Episodes
Safe Work Australia
Safe Work Australia broadcasts a series of free online seminars and podcasts that showcase the latest thinking, innovation, research and developments in work health and safety.
Safe Work Australia leads the development of work health and safety and workers' compensation policy in Australia.
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
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Safe Work Australia CEO Michelle Baxter launches Clean Air. Clear Lungs.
Go to the media release: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/media-release/occupational-lung-disease-major-work-health-and-safety-concern
For more information about the campagin go to: swa.gov.au/clearlungs
Safe Work Australia CEO Michelle Baxter launches Clean Air. Clear Lungs.
Go to the media release: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/media-release/occupational-lung-disease-major-work-health-and-safety-concern
For more information about the campagin go to: swa.gov.au/clearlungs
Safe Work Australia CEO Michelle Baxter launches Clean Air. Clear Lungs.
Go to the media release: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/media-release/occupational-lung-disease-major-work-health-and-safety-concern
For more information about the campagin go to: swa.gov.au/clearlungs
Safe Work Australia CEO Michelle Baxter launches Clean Air. Clear Lungs.
Go to the media release: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/media-release/occupational-lung-disease-major-work-health-and-safety-concern
For more information about the campagin go to: swa.gov.au/clearlungs
Safe Work Australia Chair Diane Smith Gander AO launches National Safe Work Month October 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.
Transcript:
October is Safe Work Australia’s National Safe Work Month, and this year, unsurprisingly, the theme is ‘Work Health and Safety through COVID-19’.
National Safe Work Month is an opportunity to build awareness of work health and safety, encourage discussion about safety at work, and share best practice.
All workers have the right to a healthy and safe work environment, and no work-related injury, illness or death is ever acceptable.
COVID-19 has changed our world and our workplaces. Good work health and safety practices and risk management are more important than ever.
What we've also seen through the COVID-19 pandemic is just how central work health and safety is, and the significant role plays in allowing Australian businesses to actually operate.
For more information about National Safe Work Month, go to the website – safeworkmonth.swa.gov.au.
Safe Work Australia Chair Diane Smith Gander AO launches National Safe Work Month October 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.
Transcript: COVID-19 has changed our world and our workplaces. Good work health and safety practices and risk management and practices are more important than ever.
Safe Work Australia Chair Diane Smith Gander AO launches National Safe Work Month October 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.
Transcript: October is Safe Work Australia’s National Safe Work Month, and this year, unsurprisingly, the theme is ‘Work Health and Safety through COVID-19’.
Safe Work Australia Chair Diane Smith Gander AO launches National Safe Work Month October 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.
Transcript: For more information about National Safe Work Month, go to the website – safeworkmonth.swa.gov.au.
Safe Work Australia Chair Diane Smith Gander AO launches National Safe Work Month October 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.
Transcript: National Safe Work Month is an opportunity to build awareness of work health and safety, encourage discussion about safety at work, and share best practice.
Safe Work Australia Chair Diane Smith Gander AO launches National Safe Work Month October 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.
Transcript: All workers have the right to a healthy and safe work environment, and no work-related injury, illness or death is ever acceptable.
Safe Work Australia Chair Diane Smith Gander AO launches National Safe Work Month October 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.
Transcript: What we've also seen through the COVID-19 pandemic is just how central work health and safety is, and the significant role plays in allowing Australian businesses to actually operate.
Part three of a presentation Safe Work Australia’s CEO Michelle Baxter gave at the Singapore WSH Conference in 2018.
Part two of a presentation Safe Work Australia’s CEO Michelle Baxter gave at the Singapore WSH Conference in 2018.
Part one of a presentation Safe Work Australia’s CEO Michelle Baxter gave at the Singapore WSH Conference in 2018.
This video is a presentation Safe Work Australia’s CEO Michelle Baxter gave at the Singapore WSH Conference in 2018.
In this panel discussion, work health and safety experts share their insights and experiences with work-related injury in hot conditions. They discuss the importance of identifying hazards, implementing risk-management strategies and raising the level of awareness and education across a broad range of industries.
Officers have a work health and safety duty under work health and safety laws.
This podcast features workers from a range of industries talking about how they meet their officer duty.
If you are involved in managing a small to medium business then you are likely to have a duty as an ‘officer’ under work health and safety laws.
This podcast features workers from a range of industries talking about why they are an officer in their business.
A diverse and experienced panel talks about grey fleets: what they are, their safety and legal risks and why we should make them safe workplaces.
The terms ‘culture’ and particularly ‘safety culture’ are widely used yet misunderstood.
Professor Andrew Hopkins critically examines the use of these terms and makes six propositions about culture that informs a clearer approach to understanding and managing culture in organisations.
Andrew Hopkins is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the Australian National University in Canberra. He was a consultant to the US Chemical Safety Board in its investigation of the Texas City accident, and for its investigation of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.
Three experts discuss ways to prevent and manage mental health at work, including in small business; how to identify psychological hazards; how to tailor effective evidence-based mental health programs, and; the importance of effective leadership.
The panellists include: Eldeen Pozniak, CEO of Pozniak Safety Associates (Canada) Jamie Toth, Senior Consultant at Actrua Teegan Modderman, Manager of Psychological Health Unit at Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
Workers from seven industries take a moment to talk work health and safety.
Hear from a factory worker, farmer, corrections officer, chef, nurse, truck driver and construction worker, each take a moment for WHS.
Minister O'Dwyer asks employers and workers in all workplaces and industries to commit to taking a safety moment every day this October.
Safe Work Australia Chair, Diane Smith-Gander, urges employers and workers to take a safety moment this October for National Safe Work Month.
Using specific examples from his experience working with Sydney Metro, Kurt Warren, Head of HSE at Laing O’Rourke, discusses how they proactively embedded systems and resources to tackle the issue of illness prevention across their rail and infrastructure divisions.
Sydney Metro Executive Director of Safety, Sustainability & Environment Executive Director Stephen Jones discusses the important role of the client in delivering positive health and safety outcomes.
Construction Manager Christian D’Hondt discusses his key learnings from delivering the tunnelling contract on Sydney Metro Northwest.
Keith Bannerman from the Australasian Tunnelling Society presents some key issues facing the industry, and working together to address the challenge of silica dust control.
Occupational Hygienist Kate Cole highlights international best practice in preventing illness and disease and practical steps to improve work health and safety in tunnelling projects.
Daniel Beavon provides an overview of SafeWork NSW’s current strategy targeting silica control in the infrastructure sector and the activities which support that strategy.
In this presentation Dr Peta Miller discusses the drivers of Safe Work Australia’s new authoritative guidance material for addressing psychological workplace health and safety.
International safety expert Professor Patrick Hudson and Qantas Engineering Head of Safety, Quality and Compliance Mark Sinclair discuss managing WHS risks in complex and hazardous industries. They reflect on the Qantas’s aspiration to be a high reliability organisation (HRO) in a global business.
In this podcast, international safety expert Professor Patrick Hudson reflects on the challenges facing organisations trying to implement processes to improve their safety performance. He discusses his Safety Culture Ladder Model, and how companies can assess their safety maturity in relation to this model.
This seminar features three panel members representing the employer, insurer and regulator. Panellists discuss the role of each in the workers’ compensation process, emphasising the importance of communication, consultation and education. They also discuss various supports available for business, for example vocation rehabilitation and work trials.
In this broadcast, Kris Garred, Director of Evidence at Safe Work Australia, discusses the Work-related traumatic injury fatalities 2016 report, the statistics within it and the powerful role this data can have on improving safety in Australian workplaces.
Every business and industry is affected by fatigue; however some types of work and sectors have an inherently higher risk, particularly when shift work is involved.
While chemicals may present health hazards to the workers handling them, applying the hierarchy of controls can eliminate and minimise these risks.
Find out how to correctly and safely put on, wear, and remove personal protective equipment when managing airborne contaminants in the workplace.
If you manage, or are in control of, a workplace, you have a responsibility to protect those who work with asbestos.
Security guard Gail shares the work safety tactics that she goes through every day to keep herself and her colleagues safe.
Music festivals, sporting events and cultural celebrations are exciting and fun, but what are the safety implications for the staff, contractors and volunteers who make them happen?
Michaela and Adam are committed to their jobs caring for clients, ensuring they take steps to keep themselves safe too.
Farm Manager Ross and Winery Operator Marina get the best from their workers by providing a safe workplace in their unique working environments.
In a fast-paced working environment, café owner and barista Blake asks his staff to communicate, and be aware of each other and their surroundings throughout their shift.
Bus Drivers Paul Williams and Angela Katic commence their safety thinking when they enters the depot.
Instead of managing personalities or interpersonal conflicts, proactively change organisational culture.
When it comes to work health and safety, Andrew Brewer, Facilities Manager at the Royal Australian Mint, focuses on education and continual improvement.
Construction worker Antoni Paragalli speaks about the importance of understanding work health and safety obligations before commencing on a worksite.
Employers get the best out of their employees by empowering them to make decisions about their own safety and making them safety aware.
Safe Work Australia Chair, Diane Smith-Gander, has issued a statement on National Safe Work Month.
The statement is available in video, audio and text. You can use the embed code to share the statement. Contact us if you are from a media organisation and would like to include this statement in your broadcast.
Managing numerous kitchen staff across multiple restaurants is all in a day’s work for executive chef Scott Drinkwater who discusses why being safe at work is so important.
Communication is crucial to staying on the cutting edge of health and safety at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).
Emergency nurse Rebecca Caulfield discusses the work health and safety risks of working in a busy emergency department where new and unexpected challenges are a daily occurrence.
Roof tilers use power tools on a daily basis, but no amount of practice can replace following principles of safe use from the get-go.
Working at heights is one of the highest risk activities across the industry. Think smart before you start.
While using a ladder can seem intuitive, there are some key points to remember before using it, to ensure your safety and in the event of a fall.
Working under the influence of drugs and alcohol puts you and everyone around you at risk.
Nick, a leading hand carpenter, knows first-hand the risks that can arise when using power tools and appliances.
Matt, a fourth year electrical apprentice, takes a minute to share what he’s learnt about staying safe around electricity.
Josh, a civil plant operator, takes a break from his duties to talk about the importance of paying close attention to exclusion zones while working on a construction site.
Working with machinery is a key part of farming, but it is also one of the leading causes of injury, or even death, on Australian farms.
The National Farmers' Federation present a simple four-step process for managing safety risks involved in stockyard handling.
Farm manager Matthew Sherwood talks about the work health and safety challenges of managing a farm and his reasons for being safe.
Yolngu traditional owner, M. Mununggurr, speaks to her family about looking out for dangers and risks in daily life and at work, with one common goal – returning home safely to one another.
Simple design changes and good communication with your workers can lead to big benefits for health and safety in the workplace.
Safety inspectors from WorkSafe Victoria share their top tips on conducting workplace safety inspections.
Lower speed limits in school zones are deeply respected and obeyed by the community. Why should road work zones be any different?
Fatigue is a major cause of serious incidents involving heavy vehicles. Unlike speeding or blood alcohol concentration, it is not easy to test for fatigue, making it difficult to identify and manage with confidence.
Many people believe that speeding just above the signposted limit is okay and that strict speed enforcement is more for revenue-raising than safety.
Renowned national affairs, finance and business journalist Jennifer Hewett spearheads a discussion with some of Australia’s top business leaders about the relationship between good business and workplace safety.
A confronting and honest look into the heartache of losing a son and mate to a preventable workplace incident.
Alcohol, illicit drug use and pressure on the mental health sector mean the risks to hospital staff and bystanders are growing.
Managing WHS risks can be perceived as a complex activity. Learn some practical approaches to WHS risk management.
Expert in social psychology, Dr Robert Long challenges work health and safety policy makers and industry to move away from the current risk-averse approaches and apply a more social understanding of human judgement and decision making.
Megatrends – and the opportunities and risks they present – will disrupt the way we manage employment and workplace safety. This panel discussion examines how organisations can position themselves to thrive in the face of rapid and extensive change.
Linda Apthorpe from the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) discusses how best to use workplace exposure standards to protect workers from exposure to airborne contaminants.
During this live broadcast Lucinda Brogden, Carolyn Davis and Dr Peter Cotton discussed some of the facts and fallacies about workplace mental health.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland explains how small businesses can comply with work health and safety requirements and where they can go for further assistance.
What does work health and safety mean to you? See how Mars Petcare Australia has incorporated health and safety into their everyday work practices in the Wodonga factory.
This podcast showcases four companies that, in addition to managing work-related health risks, have developed wellbeing programs that support workers to make healthier choices.
Staff at NT WorkSafe explain how they collaborate with Traditional Owners of the Nhulunbuy community to improve work health and safety for businesses in Australia’s far north.
First responders are routinely faced with challenging, distressing and even violent situations in their everyday work, which can have a profound effect on their mental and physical health.
Find out about the new guidelines for chemical classification and labelling, which become mandatory for all businesses from 1 January 2017.
In this seminar, Dr Kirsten Way challenges some of the arguments commonly cited by business owners against building a mentally healthy workplace.
Eliza Oakley, Mindful Employer Manager, discusses three steps for employers to take to help them manage complex mental health in the workplace.
Mars Petcare Australia – Wodonga Factory were the winners of the 2015 Workplace Participation Reward. Listen to Glen Cuthbert, the Health, Safety and Environment Manager discuss their company’s involvement in 2015 National Safe Work Month and what winning the Reward means to them.
In this podcast young people share their experiences and thoughts on a range of work health and safety issues, from unsafe work practices to mental health in the workplace. The podcast feature a number of young people who were interviewed while attending a work safety expo hosted by SafeWork NSW.
Rarrtjiwuy Herdman, Chairperson Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation in Arnhem Land, explains how Yolgnu beliefs and traditions, ngapaki (western) practices, and Australia’s unique far north, all intersect to influence Aboriginal Rangers’ health and safety at work.
Dr Carmel Harrington and Professor Drew Dawson discuss how sleep is critical to our physical and mental health, is fundamental to our ability to think and learn, and critical to maintaining safe and healthy workplaces.
CEO of Safe Work Australia, Michelle Baxter, has today launched 2016 National Safe Work Month in a message that appeals to workers to save lives by having a conversation, sharing stories and raising awareness about work health and safety.
Chair of Safe Work Australia, Ms Diane Smith-Gander, reminds business leaders of the importance of work health and safety.
This seminar explores the role of the ‘accidental design professional’ in improving work design.
Many people who don’t typically see themselves as work designers actually have a powerful influence on work safety, from CEOs, to IT professionals to HR executives. Exploring the role of the ‘accidental design professional’ in improving work design, this seminar examines how well-designed, healthy and safe work enables workers to have more productive lives.
President of the Risk Engineering Society Geoff Hurst, Ergonomist Barbara McPhee, and Peter Holmes from National Australia Bank will discuss how to implement the ten principles of good work design in practice.
Our experts will explore how good work design can radically transform the workplace in ways that benefit the business, workers, clients and others in the supply chain, while failure to consider how work is designed is a lost opportunity to innovate and improve the efficiency of work.
Peter Dunphy from SafeWork NSW, Liz Bluff from the Australian National University and Wes Wilkinson from Work Systems Technology discuss the importance of designing hazards and risks out of machinery before it enters the workplace.
In today's global and national economies, businesses increasingly outsource parts of their activities and processes. This trend, and the growing importance of supply chains, has implications for the health and safety of workers in suppliers and contracting companies.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology operates in a range of environments, both in Australia and overseas.
From remote field stations to aid projects in the Pacific, the Bureau employs or contracts workers from many cultures, in unfamiliar situations, and often working in difficult environments. It provides critical, specialised information and advice – and its workers face some unexpected risks.
Two senior leaders from the Bureau discuss how they manage these risks and avoid complacency. They also talk about the challenges and opportunities that supply chain relationships offer to help improve work health and safety – by what they leave behind after the job is done, as well as how work is managed during the project.
Join Ged Kearney, President of the ACTU, Professor Michael Quinlan from UNSW and Christian Frost from News Corp Australia exploring how consultation and cooperation in supply chain networks can be used to improve workers’ health and safety.
Our panellists suggest practical ways to use supply chains to protect the health and safety of workers, emphasising the importance of consultation and cooperation.
In this live broadcast, three leading experts will explore how the safe design of construction projects can protect the health and safety of workers – not just while they are being built, but throughout the project’s life cycle. The panel will discuss how companies in the construction supply chains can work together to apply safe design and improve work health and safety outcomes.
Better design at the start of a project can benefit businesses throughout the building process and during subsequent use of the building.
Ann Sherry AO, Chair of Safe Work Australia, Georgie Harman, Chief Executive Officer of beyondblue, and Leanne Faulkner, small business owner and mental health champion, discuss the challenges faced by many small businesses and sole traders and how these may affect their mental health and that of their workers.
In this presentation, Dr Jodi Oakman discusses the causes of musculoskeletal disorders and from these, examines what this means for managing the risks of musculoskeletal disorders in workplaces.
Everybody's business: Load restraint safety in the steel industry by Safe Work Australia
What's in that cloud? Does diesel exhaust pose a health risk at your workplace? Research estimates that 1.2 million Australian workers were exposed to diesel exhaust in the workplace in 2011.
Why would you invest in a safer vehicle fleet for your business? It’s a better business practice, it offers a good return on investment, provides greater security for employees and their families and a safer society for everyone. And it’s never been easier or more affordable to buy 5-star rated vehicles for your fleet.
After someone gets seriously injured at work, everything changes. So many people's lives are affected when somebody gets hurt. That’s what happened after Nigel Smith got caught in the conveyor at a steel tube mill. In this podcast, the former Paralympian returns to the steel tube mill where he lost his leg 22 years ago.
The Better Work Tasmania website was launched in April 2015. It is an online resource for sharing ideas, and helps Tasmanian businesses of all sizes to network and learn about work health and safety.
The supervisors or managers of young workers have the greatest influence on their attitude to work safety. Listen to this podcast to hear two young workers going about their day’s work, and how their interactions with their supervisors can have such an effect on the outcome – for good or bad.
In this presentation, Paul Cook from WorleyParsons explains the five pillars of its safety program and what the organisation has been doing in implementing activities around each of the five pillars:
One worker paid a serious penalty when he fell through a gap, or ‘void’, on a construction site. This video reminds us of the hazards and gives some simple steps to control them.
Two senior leaders from the Bureau of Meteorology discuss how they manage these risks and avoid complacency. They also talk about the challenges and opportunities which supply chain relationships offer to help improve work health and safety – by what they leave behind after the job is done, as well as how work is managed during the project.
Three leaders – a union leader, an academic and a business leader – explore the challenges and opportunities supply chains present for protecting and improving workers’ health and safety. This seminar discusses the role of the union movement in helping raise awareness and create sustainable change. It suggests practical ways to use supply chains effectively to protect the health and safety of workers. The seminar emphasises the importance of consultation and cooperation and explains how supply chain relationships can be used to improve workers’ health and safety.
This podcast discusses a risk management approach to preventing musculoskeletal injuries in the workplace. Featuring a hospital, a fine art restoration service, and an artisan bakery, this podcast shows how risk management and the hierarchy of controls can be used to protect workers’ health and safety.
Anita Johnston, the national Human Resources Manager of Vac Group, provides practical guidance on return to work practice that benefits both workers and business. Anita discusses effective return to work environments and practical strategies to reduce lost time and suitable duties durations, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and improve medical, psychological, social and financial outcomes.
Ann Sherry, Chair of Safe Work Australia, speaks about the links between good work health and safety practice and the business bottom line.
Official launch of National Safe Work Month and the Virtual Seminar Series by Michelle Baxter by Safe Work Australia
Providing a mentally healthy workplace not only protects workers from psychological harm but positively enhances their mental health. There is evidence it can also increase productivity and peak performance in individuals, teams and organisations