Safety in Action heads to Perth in June

The safety spotlight will be on Western Australia next month when Safety in Action arrives in Perth on Wednesday 11 June and Thursday 12 June 2014.

Taking place at Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, the free event is presented by The Safety Institute of Australia. The exhibition will feature over 100 exhibitors from around the country displaying a range of the latest safety-related products and services.

Director of Safety in Action Tony Francis said: “With the recent commitment by the WA government in safety reform there is currently a lot of interest surrounding safety issues, over a range of industries.

“We are also delighted to announce the involvement of both the Department of Mines and Petroleum WA (DMP) and Chamber of Minerals & Energy Western Australia as speakers. Hopefully this will help reduce the likelihood of serious incidents in all aspects of resource-industry-based activities in Western Australia.”

Safety in Action Perth will feature six daily presentations including four panel discussions across the two-day show covering a broad array of safety-related topics in the Safety Seminars sponsored by Workplace Access & Safety - building safety, workplace bullying, injury prevention programs and an overview of the Australian work health and safety strategy 2012-2022.

The free-to-attend program will open on 11 June, with a panel discussion on mine safety, led by Greg McLoughlin, Director at Health by Design. The session will shed light on DMP’s continuous endeavours to provide appropriate services in an ever-changing landscape of new technology and expectations. On the panel will be Nicole Roocke, Director, Chamber of Minerals & Energy Western Australia, Tom Martin, Special Counsel, Norton Rose Fulbright and Executive Director Resources Safety Simon Ridge from Department of Mines & Petroleum WA.

Following the panel discussion, myosh Business Development Manager Adrian Manessis will speak on the benefits and risks associated with safety software. Manessis will highlight the benefits of safety management software and how the use of mobile applications can improve the reporting process for businesses. myosh are also the Major Corporate Sponsor of the Safety in Action series.

Another highlight on 11 June will be ‘The Definition of a Workplace Bully’ panel discussion. Dr Jacquie Hutchinson from the University of Western Australia will join Tom Martin from Norton Rose Fulbright and Executive Director Rod Astbury from WA Association for Mental Health to look at how the law recognises a workplace bully. Research indicates that entire organisations and not just individuals may be to blame for workplace bullying. Issues such as workloads, redundancies and pay scales, as well as the more commonly recognised behaviours such as abusive language may all contribute to workplace bullying.

Also contributing will be Terry Wong from Move 4 Life explaining how to futureproof an ageing workforce against sprain and strain injuries. Sprains and strains contribute to the highest proportion of workplace injuries in Australia; regularly occupying between 40 and 60% of an organisation’s workplace injury profile. Wong will explore how Australia’s leading companies can practise successful sprain and strain prevention strategies and the secrets to ageing well within the workplace.

The topic of drugs and alcohol in the workplace continues to dominate workplace safety discussions.  Head of Workplace Services, Australian Drug Foundation, Phillip Collins will join four thought leaders from various industries across Australia on the panel discussion ‘Drinks, Drugs and Work don’t mix’. The panel will shed light on the complexities surrounding the controversial issue of drug and alcohol testing in the workplace - from appropriate testing to legal questions, case studies and hardware options.

Also on the agenda will be the issue of safety in the building and construction industry, with WorkSafe WA Director of Policy & Education Ian Munns heading up the panel discussion on building safety. Joining Munns will be Dr Susanne Bahn from Edith Cowan University. Dr Bahn stresses that, “proactive identification of hazards in the workplace underpins risk management, often these skills are poorly trained and we need to address them [in a] different way”. Joanne Garlick of Conexus Consulting will also join the panellists to discuss the key safety issues facing the building industry and its workers in WA and identify the best strategies to overcome and mitigate the risks involved.

Following on from this, Carl Sachs, Managing Director, Workplace Access & Safety will deal with the major changes to the Australian Standard AS1657 for fixed ladders, platforms and walkways that safety professionals need to consider in his session ‘Are you ready for the revised AS1657 on walkways, ladders and platforms?’

Rounding out the program on 12 June will be ‘Safety budget success - How to plan it, fund it and get everyone on board’. Costa Barboussas, Workplace Access & Safety explains that: “OHS is often perceived as a cost rather than an investment and a tangled web of red tape. Ironically, occupational health and safety professionals are better equipped than most to present a compelling business case for capital expenditure. Like so many things, the key to success may just be simplicity.”

For more info: http://www.safetyinaction.net.au/perth/