Central Safety Group Melbourne

March 2019

An explosive hazard hidden in plain sight

Presentation by: Richard Greenwood, RG Chemical Safety

Presentation package now available (members only)

Combustible dust can be a hidden chemical hazard in workshops, factories, storage facilities and many other places. Because it’s not classified as a hazardous substance or as dangerous goods, it is often ignored in workplace procedures and risk control. The significance of this was discussed by chemical hazards expert Richard Greenwood in a lunchtime presentation to Central Safety Group on 12 March.
The consequences of not recognising the presence of combustible dust were dramatically demonstrated recently when two workers doing routine maintenance were seriously injured in a workplace explosion in Victoria. The result was an Enforceable Undertaking for the company involved, including preparation of basic workplace training materials and a video for awareness of the hazard. Richard spoke about this case as part of its compliance with WorkSafe’s Enforceable Undertaking.
He explained how fine combustible dusts are likely to form and potentially explode when disturbed in an enclosed space. He also discussed how to detect and manage risks associated with this.

The presenter:

Richard Greenwood has spent over 25 years working in chemical safety training and consulting and has been involved in the development of some key chemical safety regulations. His career includes 15 years as Manager, Compliance and Training with Chemwatch, an international company with its headquarters in Australia. He now has his own business, RG Chemical Safety.

November 2018

Construction Safety During the Boom

Presentation by: Greg Splatt

Presentation package now available (members only)

Throughout Australia there is unprecedented growth in all areas of construction – commercial, civil and residential. This boom has created issues relating to knowledge, skills and competencies needed at all levels of the construction workforce.
The issue of safety in this climate was discussed by Greg Splatt, a construction safety manager and trainer, in a lunchtime presentation for Central safety Group on 13 November.
Greg said that many people are coming into the industry with the promise of long-term work, long hours and good pay packets. But without the necessary industry experiences and know-how, what risk do they present on job sites? Challenges with safety understanding and experience can also exist at supervisor and manager level.
Greg also spoke extensively about his experiences with the unique OHS challenges during extensive construction rebuilds after major events such as cyclones and bushfires.

The presenter:

Greg Splatt has spent many years as a Safety Manager in the construction industry, and is also a trainer in various OHS courses with the Master Builders Association. He has experience in all areas of construction and is an experienced safety systems auditor and incident investigator. Prior to working in OHS, Greg was a detective in the Victorian Police Force.

September 2018

Sit to Stand Desks – What’s the verdict?

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

Presentation package now available (members only)

Many organisations have invested in sit-stand desks in response to experts’ claims about the benefits, ranging from reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes to solving back pain.
Professor David Caple discussed the latest knowledge on the effectiveness of sit-stand desks and issues surrounding their use on 11 September, 2019 in a lunchtime talk to Central Safety Group.
David recently presented two papers on this topic at the International Ergonomics Association Congress in Florence, Italy in August. He was part of a group of 16 presenters from around the world sharing the latest research relating to sit to stand desks.
There can be confusion about how much to use these desks while working, and whether a certain duration or pattern of standing should be prescribed. David spoke about a range of factors that can affect how successful these desks are in the workplace, including the change management process, job design, employee education and work culture.

The presenter:

Professor David Caple, who has a background as an ergonomist, has been a leading figure in occupational health and safety in Australia for many years. 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 is an OHS consultant and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, La Trobe University. David was awarded the AM – Member of the Order of Australia – in the 2018 Queens Birthday Honours list. The honour is in recognition of his “significant service to community health through workplace health and safety reforms and ergonomic policy development."

July 2018

A WorkSafe Inspector’s-eye view

Presentation by: Les Cameron, WorkSafe Inspector, WorkSafe Victoria

Things have been happening at WorkSafe Victoria, including the relocation this year of its head office along with several hundred roles from Melbourne CBD to Geelong.
This and other current changes, projects and priorities at WorkSafe were outlined by seasoned WorkSafe Inspector Les Cameron in a lunchtime presentation on 10 July.
Les shared his experiences of working on the front line and discussed incidents and some new intervention programs now being tested.

The presenter:

Les Cameron has spent over 20 years with WorkSafe as a dangerous goods and general inspector. He has also taught OHS/WHS for 10 years at Victoria University and Kangan Tafe. Before that he was with the Board of Works and Melbourne Water in a range of roles, including deep sewer maintenance and Training and Rescue special operations. He has also worked as an occupational diver. Les started work as a young teenager in the wool and mining industries in the NT, and went on to “railways, skinning rabbits and roofing” before he settled into a career in safety and related areas.

May 2018

Safety and The Big Cats

Presentation by: ason Hensel, Senior Advisor, Health and Safety, Zoos Victoria

Presentation package now available (members only)

Injuries and fatalities from contact between people and animals are known to be a high risk in zoos worldwide.
At Zoos Victoria a special program for working with dangerous animals is being supported by Jason Hensel, Senior Advisor, Health and Safety, who gave a presentation on this subject to Central Safety Group on 8 May.
Jason discussed how he has drawn on safety programs from a number of industries to develop effective and consistent controls for the safe keeping of all animals likely to endanger human life, known as Category 1 Animals.
Melbourne Zoo has 20 species of animal that fall into this category – ranging from the big cats to gorillas, hippopotamuses and African wild dogs. Jason has been working on risk assessments and safety systems for each of these, taking into account physical, mechanical, animal behaviour and human factors.
This initiative is part of Zoos Victoria’s aim to become a world leader in zoo safety. Zoos around the world put a sharp spotlight on safety following incidents such as a child falling into a gorilla exhibit at Cincinnati Zoo and the death of a keeper at New Zealand’s Hamilton Zoo.

The presenter:

Jason Hensel has been in his present role with Zoos Victoria since 2016. Before that, he worked in safety roles with Veolia Environmental Services and in OHS, process improvement and project management roles with Visy Industries. He began his career as an electrical engineer with Southcorp Packaging, having graduated in this field from RMIT. He also has an Advanced Diploma in HS&E from RMIT.