OHS Professional Magazine September 2023

PROFESSIONAL

How can artificial intelligence advance the cause of OHS?

SPECIAL ISSUE CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF THE AIHS

How can OHS professionals become more influential?

Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2023 winners

Recognising and celebrating major milestones

There have been a number of significant developments in the broader profession and within the AIHS as it celebrates its 75th anniversary, writes

Craig Donaldson

the humans in the organisation work and will interact and use the technology.” For the full story please turn to page 18.

Technology has played a significant role in transforming organisations over the past decade. While many have been undertaking strategies to streamline operations and achieve efficiencies through digital transformation programs, artificial intelligence has shot to prominence in the past year.

With the potential to improve workplace safety, enhance risk management, and analyse data, AI technology holds immense promise. By analysing vast amounts of data and patterns, these systems can accurately predict potential hazards and identify areas requiring attention. However, there is certainly no one-size-fits-all approach (or platform) when it comes to applying AI to WHS. As Rod Maule, general manager of safety and wellbeing at Australia Post, notes in our cover story, “there is lots of new tech, and it is really interesting and potentially helpful; however, it is about thinking through ‘is this shiny thing something that addresses our risk, or something exciting and new?’” he asks. “If it addresses your risk, you really need to think through how

The AIHS also announced the winners of the 2023 OHS Education Awards as part of the Dr Eric Wigglesworth AM Memorial Lecture in May earlier this year.

Dr Cassie Madigan, senior lecturer in the School of the Environment at The University of Queensland, won the 2023 Dr Eric Wigglesworth Research Award, for PhD research which examines how OHS professionals can be strategically influential and contribute to the prevention of work-related injury and illness. “Having worked as an OHS professional for several decades, I believe influence is 99 per cent of the role,” said Madigan, who explained that if an OHS professional is unable to influence OHS decision-makers, their impact on safety outcomes will be negligible. Based on her research outcomes, Madigan recommends OHS professionals reflect on their influence behaviours and be self-aware of their current influencing practices and ask themselves five questions to assist in the process. See the full story on page 30.

The OHS Professional editorial board 2023

National safety, property & environment manager, Ramsay Health Care

In this issue’s OHS Body of Knowledge article (page 26), we explore a number of new chapters on managing chemical hazards in the workplace. The four new chapters (Managing Chemical Hazards, Health Effects of Hazardous Chemicals, Dusts, Fumes and Fibres, and Process Hazards (Chemical)), are interlinked in a number of ways, with important points of crossreference to other chapters in the OHS Body of Knowledge. As professor Mike Capra, co-author of chapter 17.2 notes: “to fully understand basic toxicology, the generalist OHS professional needs an appreciation of basic science (chapter 14), which provides an overview of how aspects of physical and biological/health sciences underpin OHS practice.”

Lastly, 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the AIHS. In a special feature (beginning page 10), we look at the evolution of the Institute from its inception in 1948, and explore a number of significant milestones in the evolution of the Institute over the decades. From the Safety Engineering Society of Australia, through to the Safety Institute of Australia and today’s Australian Institute of Health & Safety, the most recent development has been the development of the AIHS’ new strategic plan, ‘Vision 2026’. As Julia Whitford. CEO of the AIHS, notes in the article, a key component of this strategy is looking at ways to ensure an effective WHS workforce. “As we continue this exciting journey towards a dynamic, well-supported, and growing AIHS, I encourage you all to stay engaged, share your knowledge, and continue this strong collaboration,” she says. “I’m excited and energised for the future of the Institute as we embrace change and growth and continue the AIHS’s strong tradition of service to the profession.”n

Managing partner, Clyde & Co Australia

ROD MAULE, GM Safety & Wellbeing, Safety, Australia Post

STEVE BELL Managing Partner –Employment, Industrial Relations and Safety (Australia, Asia)

Craig Donaldson, editor, OHS Professional

“If it addresses your risk, you really need to think through how the humans in the organisation work and will interact and use the technology”

Looking back and looking forward

Naomi Kemp reflects on the achievements, both past and present, of the AIHS, and looks forward to the future of the profession

who advocated for being part of a professional body. Undertaking an AOHSEAB accredited course, I relied on the OHS Body of Knowledge for foundational knowledge. A few years later, I became a Certified OHS Professional Member during the implementation of Certification.

Having industry and academic leaders, influencers, advocates, course accreditation, the OHS Body of Knowledge and Certification are all things taken for granted as ‘what the AIHS does.’ It is unfortunate that those on the outside don’t understand and appreciate the value of these things. I most certainly do.

will be enhanced by this too. These outcomes are operational priorities key for achieving the Vision 26 Strategic Plan set by the Board.

Vision 26 seeks to achieve strategic outcomes – an effective WHS workforce; contemporary WHS policy, advocacy and practice; and workplaces valuing health, safety, and wellbeing. All of which requires us to recognise that the world of work is changing rapidly due to technological, social, environmental and economic factors, and that health and safety professionals need to adapt and innovate to keep pace with these changes.

In this edition of the OHS Professional, the AIHS is not only looking back at its past achievements over 75 years, but also looking forward to the future challenges and opportunities for the profession. Reaching a milestone of 75 years, does make one reflect on what has changed even in the relatively short amount of time I have been a member. Even more so as I reach the end of my six-year tenure on the AIHS Board.

So, I want to indulge for a moment to recognise what I have had the opportunity to experience and perhaps influence in my time. I joined the AIHS as a student member during my studies under Mike Capra, Margaret Cook, and Kelly Johnstone

Corporate Members

SHARING OUR VISION – DIAMOND MEMBERS

Amazon Commercial Services Pty Ltd

APA Group

Avetta

Enablon Australia Pty Ltd

Everyday Massive Pty Ltd

Programmed

SAI360

Zenergy Safety Health & Wellbeing

GETTING CONNECTED – SILVER MEMBERS

Aurecon Australasia Pty Ltd

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Australian Unity

Brisbane Catholic Education

Clough Projects Australia Pty. Ltd

Codesafe

Compita Consulting Pty Ltd

Convergint

Downer EDI LTD

Engentus Pty Ltd

Fifo Focus

Guardian Angel Safety

Herbert Smith Freehills

Now at 75 years old, under the AIHS brand and with the highest membership ever, we look to what is next. With Julia leading the national office with vim and vigour, we are going to see the member experience enhanced through much needed digital innovation. I anticipate our staff experience

One of the most significant drivers of change in the way we work is the coming of age of artificial intelligence (AI). We have already started to see how it has the potential to transform the way work is done, as well as the risks and benefits associated with it. Some of this will be discussed in the following articles, and no doubt in our Branches, networking events, webinars, and symposiums around the country.

In a world where AI is becoming increasingly prevalent, I think it will be exciting to see how our roles change and adapt to ensure we continue to shape health and safety in Australia. I look forward to the challenge. Now, where are my shades? n

INVESTING IN HEALTH & SAFETY – GOLD MEMBERS

Alcolizer Technology

Area9 Lyceum

Australian Army

BGIS Pty Ltd

Brisbane City Council

Coles Group

Defence Housing Australia

EY

Federation University

Jones Lang La Salle (NSW) Pty Ltd

K & L Gates

Kitney OHS

Metcash Limited

MinterEllison

Relevant Drug Testing Solutions

Teamcare Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd

Uniting

BEING PART OF THE NETWORK – BRONZE MEMBERS

Hitachi Rail STS Pty Ltd

HOK Talent Solutions

Pilz Australia

Port of Newcastle Operations Pty Ltd

Safesearch Pty Ltd

Sustainable Future Solutions

The Safe Step

Trainwest Safety Institute

Transurban UnitingSA

University of Queensland

Virgin Australia

5 Sticks Consulting

Airbus Australia Pacific

AusGroup Limited

BWC Safety

Complete Security Protection Pty Ltd

Ecoportal

Employment Innovations Pty Ltd

Employsure Pty Ltd

FEFO Consulting

Flick Anticimex Pty Ltd

Health & Safety Advisory Service P/L

Integrated Trolley Management Pty Ltd

Isaac Regional Council

Kemira Australia Pty Ltd

Liberty Industrial Modus Projects

National Storage

National Training Masters

Office for the Commissioner of Public Sector Employment

Safetysure

SafeWork SA

Scenic Rim Regional Council

Services Australia

SIXP Consulting Pty Ltd

Westside Christian College

Would you like to become a Corporate Member of the AIHS? Please contact AIHS on 03 8336 1995 to discuss the many options available.

“Now at 75 years old, under the AIHS brand and with the highest membership ever, we look to what is next”

Naomi Kemp, Chair of the Australian Institute of Health & Safety

Enforceable undertaking for Queensland Museum Board over Q Fever cases

The Board of the Queensland Museum recently entered an enforceable undertaking (EU) worth at least $900,224 following an incident in which two employees at the museum were diagnosed with Q fever. Part of the work and research of the Queensland Museum Network includes taxidermy of animals for display or study. It is alleged that between 1 June 2015 and 22 February 2019, workers were exposed to the risk of serious injury or illness from work that was performed in the evisceration area of the Queensland Museum in South Bank to prepare exhibits for display. In January 2019 and February 2019 two employees, based at the Queensland Museum were diagnosed with Q fever. One employee was diagnosed with a spinal abscess as a result of contracting Q Fever while the other employee experienced flu-like symptoms. While the source and cause of Q Fever have not been identified, however, the EU said taxidermy of native animals and field work associated with collecting specimens are potential causes.

SA introduces laws to criminalise industrial manslaughter

The South Australian Government recently introduced a Bill to make industrial manslaughter a criminal offence in the state. Under the Work Health and Safety (Industrial Manslaughter) Amendment Bill, individuals can face a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, and $18 million for companies, if they are reckless or grossly negligent in conduct that breaches a work health and safety duty and results in the death of another person. The introduction of this bill brings South Australia into line with other jurisdictions which have made industrial manslaughter a crime, including Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and the ACT. “Industrial manslaughter laws recognise that, while tragic workplace incidents do occur from time to time, it’s not an accident when people deliberately cut corners and place workers’ lives at risk. It’s a crime and it will be treated like one,” said South Australian AttorneyGeneral, Kyam Maher. “The overwhelming majority of businesses in South Australia do the right thing and take the health and safety of their workers seriously.”

Pressure and stress drive suicide rates up in construction industry

Long work hours and job insecurity are driving suicidal thoughts and distress among some Australian construction workers, according to new research from the University of South Australia. It found that the strain of working in a sector that, by nature, is often transient, requires hard physical labour, and assumes self-reliance and risk-taking attitudes, is pushing some workers to unendurable distress. These factors are contributing to the 190 cases of suicide within the Australian construction industry every year, equating to one worker taking their life every second day. The University of South Australia study, in collaboration with mental health charity MATES in Construction (MATES), explored the drivers and experiences of suicidal thoughts and psychological distress of industry workers. The research team also reviewed coping strategies that workers have adopted during challenging times, as well as what the industry can do to lower the risk of losing more of its workers.

Transport gig workers feel pressured to cut safety corners

More than half of food delivery, rideshare, and Amazon Flex drivers experience workrelated stress, anxiety, and mental health issues, according to a recent research report. It found 56 per cent of food delivery riders are pressured to rush and take risks on the road to earn enough money and avoid deactivation for being deemed too slow by the algorithm. This compared with 51 per cent of all gig workers, who said they also felt pressured to rush or take risks to make enough money or protect their job. The report, which was conducted by The McKell Institute and commissioned by TEACHO (Transport, Education, Audit, Compliance, & Health Organisation) and the TWU, also found one in seven workers had experienced sexual harassment, while over a third have been physically injured while working. While women only made up one in ten survey respondents, they experienced over twice the rate of sexual harassment as men – at 26 per cent compared to 12 per cent.

Alarming rise in compensation claims for apprentices and trainees

In the five years to 2021, the number of serious workers’ compensation claims (involving total absence from work of one week or more) for apprentices and trainees rose by 41 per cent to 11,490 claims, despite the number of apprentices and trainees increasing only 13 per cent. A new analysis from Safe Work Australia also found that the construction, manufacturing, and other services industries accounted for more than two-thirds of all serious workers’ compensation claims (those that result in five or more days lost from work) for apprentices and trainees. Half of these claims were for workers in the construction industry alone. Furthermore, for apprentices and trainees under 30 in the construction industry, the most common type of workrelated injury was lacerations or open wounds not involving traumatic amputation. while the most common cause of work-related injury was falls, trips and slips. And for apprentices and trainees under 30 in the manufacturing industry, the most common type of workrelated injury was lacerations or open wounds not involving traumatic amputation.

Assaults on retail workers to attract stronger penalties

People who assault retail workers will face tougher penalties under a Bill which was recently tabled by the NSW Government. The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Assaults on Retail Workers) Bill 2023 will introduce three new offences into the Crimes Act 1900. The reforms make it an offence to: assault, throw a missile at, stalk, harass or intimidate a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty, even if no actual bodily harm is caused to the worker, with a maximum penalty of 4 years imprisonment; assault a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty and cause actual bodily harm to the worker, with a maximum penalty of 6 years imprisonment, or; wound or cause grievous bodily harm to a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty, being reckless as to causing actual bodily harm to the worker or another person, with a maximum penalty of 11 years imprisonment. “This type of offending causes enormous distress for the shop workers, their families and the wider community and can leave lasting emotional scars, as well as those caused by injury,” said Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis.

Legal advice hotline launched for AIHS members

The Australian Institute of Health and Safety has partnered with law firm K&L Gates to provide business members with an exclusive member benefit

Are you concerned about safety risks and their potential legal implications in your workplace?

The Australian Institute of Health and Safety recently launched a new legal advice hotline in conjunction with K&L Gates, experts in addressing workplace health and safety legal issues.

By using the Take 15 hotline, AIHS members can access a free 15-minute discussion with the K&L Gates national safety team about ways to control safety risks in their business, with a focus on proactive strategies for compliance and incident prevention.

In this Q&A, OHS Professional speaks with K&L Gates partners Dominic Fleeton, Alanna Fitzpatrick, and Paul Hardman about some of the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in WHS law and governance and what the Take 15 hotline offers AIHS members.

OHS Professional: How well do most organisations fare in terms of WHS legal governance?

K&L Gates: In our experience, the organisations that we advise and act for take the issue of safety in the workplace very seriously.

However, the level of effectiveness in managing and mitigating safety risk varies widely, and the variance does not necessarily reflect the organisation’s size or success. Some organisations have very robust risk management systems in place, whereas others are more superficial. Robust systems are generally anchored in a detailed assessment of the safety risks arising across each part of the organisation, investment in effective controls to mitigate critical risks, clear lines of accountability for the implementation and periodic review of risk controls, and a proactive approach to risk management.

OHS Professional: Where are the most common WHS legal gaps/ areas of risk and exposure for organisations?

K&L Gates: One of the biggest gaps we are seeing at present concerns the effective

management of psychosocial health risks, including sexual harassment and bullying. This is corroborated by the rapid increase in the number of mental health workers’ compensation claims that we have seen in the past three years.

OHS Professional: What is the Take 15 service about, and how can it help AIHS members?

K&L Gates: Take 15 is an exclusive hotline service offered through a partnership between the AIHS and K&L Gates. By calling the hotline, members can access 15 minutes of free legal advice about ways to control safety risks in their business, with an emphasis on proactive strategies for compliance and incident prevention.

OHS Professional: How can a proactive approach to WHS legal risk mitigation assist organisations and WHS professionals?

An issue with which many organisations have been grappling is the need to draw upon internal resources from disciplines in a coordinated way to assess and mitigate psychosocial risks properly. For example, there is a clear need for safety professionals to work collaboratively with Human Resources to ensure that risks are identified and measures are identified and implemented. Both groups have independent but critical skill sets.

K&L Gates: A proactive approach to WHS legal risk mitigation is a key component of future-proofing for any business. It is critical for organisations in order to limit their liability, reduce their insurance premiums and, most crucially, protect their workplace culture and brand. n

For more information, please visit www.aihs. org.au/take-15-sounding-board-service or call 1800 825 315 to speak to a member of the K&L Gates safety team.

“Some organisations have very robust risk management systems in place, whereas others are more superficial”

Streamlining EHS performance through SaaS-enabled platforms

SaaS-enabled and mobile-ready applications can play an important role in protecting workers against risks and hazards, complying with regulations, conducting audits and inspections, and managing incidents

Investors, consumers, analysts, employees, and other key stakeholders have long looked at financial metrics as key indicators of a business’s operational health. Now, those same stakeholders are demanding companies make – and keep – strategic commitments to advance social responsibility and environmental stewardship. That’s because investors and analysts increasingly report strong correlations among ESG performance, business value, and operational performance.

Today’s businesses are expected and often required to report and comply with a myriad of inconsistent and ever-evolving ESG regulations. They’re also faced with the overwhelming task of centralising and standardising non-financial ESG data from a multitude of internal and third-party sources.

“Just like financial reporting, effective ESG reporting requires multiple corporate regions, functions, and businesses to rise above their siloes to work together to collect and report ESG data, analyse that data to identify and manage risks, and assure its accuracy,” said Jay Mahoney, regional director, APAC at Wolters Kluwer Enablon. “That kind of true collaboration and integration can only happen with the support of digital transformation: technologies that can break down siloes, bring clarity to complexity, and ensure the traceability and auditability of ESG data.”

Three EHS and organisational trends

There are a number of significant EHS trends playing out within organisations, according to Mahoney. First, he observed innovative and emerging technologies are becoming more present in EHS management. “Examples include artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital twins, mobile technologies, etc. These technologies are not meant to replace EHS staff, but rather to make EHS processes more efficient,” he said. Second, the EHS function plays a big

role in the ESG programs of organisations. “This is not an accident,” said Mahoney, who explained that for decades, EHS departments have been collecting and managing key metrics, including carbon emissions, waste, and workplace incident rates, among others. “In fact, almost all of the ‘E’ of ESG and part of the ‘S’ is just EHS with a new name. We see today the EHS function owning outright the company’s ESG strategy, or having a big influence over it, or at least being a major contributor to it,” he said.

The third trend is one where the traditional pain points and concerns of EHS teams remain high on their agenda. “Of course, the use of emerging technologies, consolidation of EHS IT systems, and ESG are big trends, but ultimately, compliance with environmental and occupational health and safety regulations and the need to reduce incident and accident rates still reign supreme in terms of top EHS objectives,” he said.

Benchmarking EHS platform performance

In terms of how organisations use technology platforms to drive EHS outcomes, improve compliance, and reduce risks, the “picture is mixed”, according to Mahoney. On the positive side, he said most organisations recognise that commercial software (as opposed to spreadsheets or homegrown systems) is the best solution to achieve EHS objectives, remain compliant, and reduce risks. Leading firms also understand the value of an integrated enterprise EHS platform that covers most EHS processes or areas (e.g., incident management, audits, inspections, air emissions, environmental management, safety, occupational health, etc.), he said. “This is why many organisations have embarked on system rationalisation efforts to replace multiple EHS systems with a single one. Sometimes these efforts are part of corporate digital transformation initiatives and therefore get funded.

“But there is an untapped opportunity to “connect the dots.” Even if organisations are implementing a single integrated EHS platform, they need to capitalise on synergies between different processes,” said Mahoney, who gave a few examples of how to best leverage value from such systems. First, if an incident happens, the organisation should link it to the pertinent risk assessment and see if the likelihood or severity of an incident was properly evaluated and if the right controls were implemented. “They should also link the incident type to the pertinent inspection questionnaire to see if questions should be added to reduce the risk of a similar incident,” he said.

Second, if an audit or inspection identifies a non-conformity, new hazard, or weakened control, Mahoney said an action plan should be launched immediately to address the issue. And third, when a new hazard is identified through an observation entered by a worker, a risk assessment should be initiated, followed by an action plan to implement controls. “A single EHS platform enables these scenarios and others, or at least brings greater automation,” he said.

Common challenges and issues

When it comes to common problems that organisations experience with EHS technology platforms, Mahoney said there are some issues worth highlighting. “First, as part of their EHS system consolidation

“As part of your system rationalisation initiative, you must do a proper inventory of all systems that need to be replaced”

and standardisation efforts, some firms fail to do a proper inventory of all the systems used for various EHS processes,” he said. For example, an oil and gas firm may have acquired another firm that years ago acquired a refinery that previously purchased a system to track incidents. Many such sites utilise these point solutions, and Mahoney said the number can be quite high for large global firms that have been through many mergers and acquisitions. “As part of your system rationalisation initiative, you must do a proper inventory of all systems that need to be replaced,” he said.

Second, while most organisations have a good understanding of the value of an integrated enterprise EHS platform, he said some are still failing to look beyond their immediate needs and setting themselves up for more problems in the future. For example, they might seek a solution only for incident management, industrial hygiene, or audits and inspections – failing to realise the value of the synergies described in the previous section. “Firms should consider both their current and future needs and understand the benefits of a single platform for all EHS processes, such as reduced training and onboarding costs, better user adoption, a single vendor to interact with, and the ability to connect the dots between different processes,” he said.

Finally, firms should think seriously about systems integration, according to Mahoney, who explained that an EHS platform would require data integrations with external systems, such as ERPs, IoT sensors, HR systems, etc. “This is especially relevant to ESG, where EHS software will have to integrate with

financial or corporate performance systems for the creation of combined financial and ESG (non-financial) reports,” he said.

Building a business case for EHS platforms

In building the business case for an EHS platform, Mahoney said it’s important to know that there may be non-EHS leaders who will be part of the decisionmaking process and who could be more difficult to convince than EHS executives or leaders. “Therefore, you have to go beyond the ‘traditional’ arguments consisting of protecting the safety and health of employees and the public, protecting the environment, ensuring compliance, etc. These arguments, centred around ‘doing the right thing’, must still be made, but you must also articulate the business rationale for EHS software,” he said.

“For example, highlight the fact that EHS software makes it easier to identify and mitigate safety risks, which reduces incidents, thus increasing productivity and avoiding operational disruptions or production delays that can result in higher costs or loss of revenue. In essence, EHS software brings efficiency gains and greatly contributes to consistency and stability in business operations.

“You can also make an IT argument: An EHS platform like Enablon is deployed throughout the enterprise, across all sites and regions. In the process, dozens of point solutions, some of them used only locally, are replaced. IT costs are therefore reduced because there is only one system to administer and maintain, and only one vendor to interact with.”

Realising optimal value from EHS platforms

For organisations and WHS professionals looking to get the most value from such platforms, Mahoney recommended using out-of-the-box products and limiting customisations as much as possible. He explained that the Enablon platform already reflects industry best practices as a result of having been deployed and used by companies worldwide for well over two decades.

“By using the standard product, you reap the most benefits from the platform and ensure upgrades are seamless, especially regarding integrations with external systems, which are more likely to be impacted if you have heavy customisations across your IT landscape,” he said.

Second, it is important to ‘connect the dots’ and take advantage of the synergies described in the second section above. “That’s where the true value is found because it enables a cycle of continuous improvement. For example, if an accident happens, you don’t just enter it in the system for reporting and recordkeeping purposes. You also update the pertinent risk assessment, or start a new one, and launch action plans to correct what went wrong and prevent reoccurrence,” he said.

“Also, if you use the Enablon Permitto-Work application, you can receive learnings from past incidents associated to the work to be done directly in the digital permit right before you start work, to ensure you’re fully prepared and safe. Make full use of these synergies.”

Finally, Mahoney said to remember that, ultimately, an EHS platform is meant to strengthen your existing processes, not replace them. “Make sure your processes for incident management, incident investigation, action plans, audits and inspections, risk assessments, environmental reporting, etc., are well defined in your organisation. The Enablon platform helps you make your processes more efficient and effective through configurable workflows, dashboards, data quality checks, notifications, automations, real-time alerts, etc. Enablon helps you get from ‘point A’ to ‘point B’ in a faster and better way. But you have to determine where your ‘point B’ is located.” n

Enablon offers a suite of SaaS-enabled and mobile-ready environment, health, safety, and quality (EHSQ) applications designed to protect workers against risks and hazards, comply with regulations, conduct audits and inspections, and manage incidents. Wolters Kluwer is a diamond member of the AIHS.

Celebrating 75 years of

2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the Australian Institute of Health & Safety, with a number of significant milestones in the evolution of the Institute over the decades

The AIHS started as the Safety Engineering Society of Australia, whose seed was planted in 1948 when a small group of students attended the first Industrial Safety and Accident Prevention course at the then Melbourne Technical College (which later became RMIT University). There was a meeting of like minds at this course, which provided a fortuitous opportunity for many of the founding members of the organisation to come together.

Neville Betts FAIHS, Former Chair, College of Fellows, and winner of the Harold Greenwood Thomas Award (2005), explains that their vision was to create a profession that could influence workplaces through the prevention of accidents, injuries, and diseases.

These individuals included:

• Eric Warburton (first president)

• Chris Allan (first secretary)

• Eugene Falk (served periods as secretary of the society)

• Harold Greenwood-Thomas

• Bill Reid, safety manager for the then Herald newspaper

• Bill Jenkins, safety manager for the Gas & Light Company

• Peter Cathcart

• Bill Carroll

• Cecil Holmes (president-elect 1963)

After completing the course, Betts said this group kept together and formed the nucleus of the Safety Engineering Society of Australia. Their regular monthly meetings were held in the Boardroom of the Melbourne-based insurance company, Manchester Unity. Chris Allan,

an inaugural member of the society, later established ‘Alston Safety Equipment’, an organisation that was to become the safety equipment company Alsafe Safety. Another member who joined the society and later the institute was Bill Hughes, who Betts said was the driving force behind establishing the institute’s original safety journal, Safety in Australia. Many members found that they needed to assume several roles in these early days. For example, John Burns joined the Safety Engineering Society in 1957. He became a Fellow of the Safety Institute of Australia in 1984 after serving as Chairman of the Monash Exhibition Committee, a member of the Federal Constitution Committee. Membership of the Society expanded steadily and reached the stage where every state had formed a division affiliated with the federal body. In general, Betts said membership included a majority of safety engineers and safety officers, as well as medical practitioners, insurance officers, occupational nurses, educators, and many other people interested in promoting health, safety, and accident prevention.

The Safety Institute of Australia

With time, Betts said it became apparent that the term Safety Engineering in the Society’s name had an implied bias and emphasised only one of the many disciplines associated with the effective control of accidents, injuries, and diseases. “This was a time for the society to evolve into a bigger and broader organisation (accompanied by a name change) in the form of the Safety Institute of Australia,

incorporated in 1977,” recalls Betts. Some of the notable members who carried forward the aims and objectives of the Society were Eric Wigglesworth, Samuel Barclay, Sol Freedman, Frank Kuffer, Roger Smith, Cip Corva, Hilton Ludekens, and Fred Catlin. The constitution for the Safety Institute of Australia carried forward many of the structural and professional concepts of the Society. At the time of incorporation, Betts said the Institute adopted the following aims and objectives:

1. To promote and advance the science and practice of accident prevention in all its branches and to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas in relation thereto.

2. To encourage the development of safety as a profession by promoting such activities and providing such services to members as may set at a high level their proficiency in and knowledge of safety.

3. To encourage the increased employment of proficient safety practitioners and take action to encourage recognition of the Institute as a reference authority on technical aspects of safety.

4. To cooperate and maintain a close relationship with other organisations actively interested in accident prevention and promotion of environmental health and welfare.

5. To promote and advance the above by means of forums, lectures, classes, publications, demonstrations, investigations, and recommendations or by any other means.

2008-09 Victorian Committee

Geoff Dell and Pam Pryor, Investiture 2005

advancing the OHS cause

Standards, events, and policies and procedures

From 1958 through to the present day, Betts said the Institute has maintained a close working relationship with the Standards Australia organisation. The Institute has served on many technical committees dealing with the likes of risk management, fire safety, OHS, road and traffic design, and the Building Code of Australia. “Institute members have been appointed to Standards Australia committees while attending conferences and working parties with the International Standards Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland and the European Standards Organisation, Brussels, Belgium,” Betts added.

The Institute developed and ran an International Safety Exposition in Melbourne from 25–28 February 1998. Whereas the usual scientific conference would be strictly focused on one professional speciality, ‘Safety in Action’ brought together safety researchers and professionals from many different areas and applications, according to Betts, who explained that, instead of concentrating on the normal narrow or niche of specialists, Safety in Action sought to encourage participants to explore the application of safety in all of its applications.

In May 1986, the then Federal Council received the report of a Procedures and Practices Review conducted by a recognised management consultant, Elmar Toime. This review recommended widespread changes to the administrative and publishing policies of the Institute. The review resulted in a sharp refocusing of the Federal Council’s attention on all matters of Institute management and has directly led to the adoption of formal

strategic planning measures of which the consultative document became a forerunner, according to Betts.

The many recommendations made in the report by Elmar Toime resulted in some immediate improvements, but more importantly, the production of the Safety Institute of Australia Corporate Plan, 1989-1992. The Institute’s Corporate Plan was both a consultative document and a plan of action for both Federal and Divisional organisations, said Betts. Drafted by the then Federal President Gary Knobel, the Corporate Plan was based upon decisions taken at the Federal Council over the period 1985-1988. Many points within the plan were actioned, and Betts said this document served as a major vehicle for change and the modernisation of the Institute.

The SIA evolves and expands David Skegg FAIHS was the former SIA National President and Chair of the College of Fellows. “Witnessing and being part of the development of the Institute has been a learning and rewarding experience, from the early days of 1992 through to my stepping away from all positional responsibilities,” he recalled.

“The year 1999 saw then President Geoff Dell and myself careering around Australia to re-establish relationships with members at large and the Divisional structures. This followed an intense period, driven by the passion and energy of Geoff Dell, where I was privileged to organise the first investiture of Fellows by the then Governor-General, Sir Peter Hollingworth.” That same year saw the first steps to changing the SIA’s constitution, representing the Institute at the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) conference in Nashville,

establishing a privacy policy and ethics process, and many others. A tipping point was reached following the Health and Safety Professionals Alliance (HASPA) with the Victorian Workcover Authority, which led to inviting the Presidents of the UK (John Lacey), ASSE (Mark Hansen), Canadian (John Boerefyn), Malaysia (Lee Ham), and China (Cheng Ying-Xue) to the Safety in Action conference in Melbourne – “the beginning of our involvement in the fledgling INSHPO, now to be chaired by our own Nathan Winter”, said Skegg.

“That same year saw the creation of the Congress of Occupational Safety and Health Association Presidents (COSHAP) led by our own Dino Pisaniello, who developed its profile in the ensuing twelve months.”

Internally, Skegg said the Institute developed from a secretariat in the garage of a member in Lindisfarne, Tasmania, through contracted services to a professional support secretariat based in Melbourne supplied by stalwart Neville Betts and Doreen, “his long-suffering, hard-working wife”. This allowed the then Federal Committee to look longer term, with proposals such as computerisation, financial structures, and membership grades and awards, including the creation of the Harold Greenwood Thomas award, all of which fostered lively debate. “A proposal to establish a subsidiary to be known as the Australian Safety Representatives Association (ASRA) to cater for the practitioners who account for most of the then 20,000 deriving their living from the world of safety was tabled in 2003, but defeated on the basis that the current majority view was that the Institute was for the professional grades. Of particular note is the OHS Body of Knowledge project, arising from the earlier

SIA Safety Show NSW 2008

2009 Education Awards

HASPA, and so well guided and managed by Pam Pryor AO over many years, and of such a standard to be now recognised on an international basis. This is truly a shining light for the Institute,” said Skegg.

A generational change from the entrepreneurial spirit of the Dell and Skegg years was followed by a lull in growth, which was ably turned around by the arrival of Patrick Murphy, first as President and then as Chairman of the newly formed proprietary limited company it is now. Along the way were a number of CEOs, who Skegg said all did their best to steer the ship through the turbulent times of the day.

The Australian Institute of Health and Safety

By the late 2000s, it was evident that the evolution of OHS was well and truly underway, according to Patrick Murphy, former Chair of the SIA. “Work was changing,” he explains. “The relationship between employer and employee was changing; the legislative environment had also been embarking on its own adventure to harmonise. There had been a few significant incidents and tragedies which helped shape public perception regarding the importance of work health and safety.”

There was also the re-emergence of deadly occupational illnesses that had not been identified or monitored. Contextually speaking, however, Murphy said the biggest factor and trend was the emphasis and focus being placed on mental health and wellbeing. “The realisation that mental health was just as important as physical safety and inherently connected. Organisations were responding to and dealing with their role in one’s mental health. The trend and importance would culminate in regulators requiring us to now address psychosocial hazards and risks born out of the work,” he said.

“So, the megatrends of the 2000s

that were observed were playing out in our discipline and field. The risk for the SIA was that it was seen standing still, not moving forward, and evolving to address the needs of its members and the profession more generally. How do we evolve, grow, and modernise the engineer’s vision from 1948? We set out on redefining the strategy of the organisation, aiming to reposition it for the future.”

in 2019 also aimed to reposition the profession and practice as:

• Enablers in business, not blockers: Striving for solutions to make things happen safely as opposed to finding reasons why something can’t be done.

• Reducing complexity each and every day: Procedures and paperwork do not save people’s lives. Gold-plated systems are costly and burdensome. We need to be more conscious of the differences between work as done vs work as imagined.

• We needed to cut through more and more – especially at the frontline: We need not create new and more safety initiatives every day but rather hold course and remain disciplined on the most important critical few that will change the game.

It was a three-year plan that began in 2014 and consisted of three phases:

• Phase 1: Stabilise the organisation

• Phase 2: Refresh the direction, and

• Phase 3: Reposition for the future, a transformation centred around repositioning the Institute as a modern and dynamic peak body.

“In FY19, after a wide consultative, we announced the evolution of the SIA into the AIHS, which will likely be earmarked as a significant milestone in our history. We were focused on repositioning ‘health,’ especially mental health and safety, to enhance our relevance and value for stakeholders,” said Murphy.

“We owed it to ourselves and the next generational workforce working in OHS. The future needed us to be determined in tackling new and emerging challenges in order to improve health and safety outcomes.” The transition of our Institute

• We needed to be injecting more of the “H,” especially mental health, into OHS: The state of mind one is in when one makes a decision critical to whether one lives or dies is so critical to improving safety outcomes. The connection is very real.

• We needed to be clear on the commercial value of what we are doing: In our profession, we talk too much about the what and the how and not enough about the why. We fundamentally need to understand and appreciate the business context.

• We also needed to be more open to new ideas and learning, challenging ourselves and our peers, and embracing diversity in thinking: The old way will not be the new way, necessarily.

“Our vision was for safe and healthy workers in productive workplaces and communities. It was a privilege and honour to lead the Institute during this period, and I am proud to see the Institute evolve and modernise,” said Murphy.

Geoff Dell 2008

CoF Lunch 2010

“There had been a few significant incidents and tragedies which helped shape public perception regarding the importance of work health and safety”

Women's Breakfast 2009

The OHS Body of Knowledge and the profession

A defined body of knowledge has long been considered a core element of a profession, and the lack of such a body of knowledge was identified as a factor limiting professional development in the field of OHS, according to Pam Pryor AO FAIHS ChOHSP and former manager of the OHS Body of Knowledge.

Following the formation of the Health and Safety Professionals Alliance (HaSPA) in 2007, sponsored by WorkSafe Victoria) Pryor said the recommendation was made that those providing OHS advice should be certified with the criteria for certification, including “completion of an educational program specified by a certification board or alternate means of establishing the applicant has the required knowledge.” However, Pryor said there was no agreement at that time as to what that knowledge should be.

A HaSPA sub-committee was convened in early 2008 under the auspices of the then Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) to explore how the core body of knowledge for the OHS generalist might be conceptualised and the required content. In 2009, WorkSafe Victoria provided funding for the OHS Body of Knowledge project. HaSPA ‘owned’ the project and provided oversight with technical aspects developed and managed by a technical panel comprising representatives of La Trobe University, (then) Ballarat University, RMIT University, and the SIA, with a consultant undertaking project administration and some consultation activities. As HaSPA was not a legal entity, Pryor explained that the Safety Institute of Australia was the contract holder and responsible for financial governance.

The design of the OHS Body of Knowledge was guided by a clear definition of its intended users, its application, and a set of principles.

The intended users of the OHS Body of Knowledge were defined as generalist OHS professionals, and the OHS Body of Knowledge would:

• Inform OHS education, but not prescribe a curriculum

• Provide a basis for course accreditation and professional certification

• Inform continuing professional development

• Be able to be applied in different contexts and frameworks.

“There would be a broad range of inputs, including Australian and international sources, educators and academics, OHS professionals, OHS professional bodies, and other interested parties,” said Pryor. “It would not be based on the opinions of individuals but, wherever possible, be derived from the evidence base reported in peer-reviewed literature and, as the evidence base expands, it would be updated to ensure its continued relevance. Information gathering and consultation resulted in a conceptual framework and list of chapters.”

The technical panel then selected highly regarded Australian experts to author each chapter topic. The OHS Body of Knowledge was launched in April 2012 with the OHS Body of Knowledge website and WorkSafe Victoria, assigning copyright and custodianship to the SIA.

In the 11 years since its initial publication, Pryor said the original chapters have been reviewed and updated with the addition of 21 new chapters. The OHS Body of Knowledge has been incorporated into the accreditation requirements of Australian universitybased generalist OHS education; it provides a framework for certification of individual OHS professionals by the Australian Institute of Health & Safety and is a resource for developing and implementing Continuing Professional

Development (CPD) plans. Internationally, it informed the development of the knowledge component of the INSHPO publication The Occupational Health and Safety Professional Capability Framework: A Global Framework for Practice.

“The OHS Body of Knowledge is a body of learning derived from research, education, and practice at a high level. It provides OHS professionals with knowledge, which is a point-in-time update of the current thinking. However, the OHS Body of Knowledge is only useful to the profession when people are aware of it and use it,” said Pryor, who added that it is freely available to all OHS professionals and others interested in evidenced-based OHS information via www.ohsbok.org.au.

The Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board (AOHSEAB)

Susanne Tepe, Registrar AOHSEAB and inaugural member of the OHS Body of Knowledge Technical Committee (2008 to 2012) recalls the moment that provided a catalyst for the eventual formation of the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board. “Who would have thought that a taunt by a Victorian OHS regulator in 2008 would precipitate a 15-year journey to define the knowledge base of the OHS profession and recognise the Australian universities that use this knowledge to mould future OHS professionals?” Tepe recalls.

“The taunt came from a regulator at WorkSafe Victoria who observed that: ‘There is a lot of bad OHS advice being given in workplaces, and it’s your fault.’ The OHS educators and SIA members in the room were aghast. There was a great sucking in of breath, much looking at the tabletop; no one actually crawled under the table, but many were clearly considering it.”

To address this, she said there was a discussion about making OHS a profession

Herbert Smith Freehills 2011

and what attributes make up a profession. Being academics, Tepe said there was literature searching, examining other professions, and many discussions. Ultimately, the decision was that the profession needs a recognised body of knowledge that defines the knowledge and skills used by the professionals, provides them with the means to acquire the knowledge and skills, members who possess and practice that knowledge and those skills, and a set of ethics that put boundaries on the practice with consequences for those who are unethical. This led to the development of the OHS Body of Knowledge, the Accreditation of OHS education programs (AOHSEAB), the Certification of members, and the AIHS Ethics Statement.

“While the development of the OHS Body of Knowledge is addressed above, suffice it to say, it was a grand adventure. Recognising the original 40 concepts that formed the core chapters of the OHS Body of Knowledge, wrangling over 100 local experts to author the chapters, and editing this into a cohesive whole for publishing in 2012 was a herculean task,” said Tepe.

The next task was to ensure that aspiring professionals were educated with respect to this OHS Body of Knowledge. This task was delegated to the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board (AOHSEAB), structured as an independent body under the aegis of the SIA. The AOHSEAB was formed from a broad base of stakeholders, with the board members representing OHS professionals, OHS academics, related OHS professional societies, employers, unions, and regulators, with the assistance of an education advisor. “Among their first tasks was to set up an audit document (we are OHS professionals, after all) to be applied to university programs (Bachelors, Masters, or Graduate Diplomas) addressing the educational requirements of the government as well as the content,

knowledge, skills, and application expected of a graduate OHS professional,” said Tepe.

“After trials and improvements with a few willing universities (thank you RMIT and LaTrobe), the accreditation process was used by 18 universities to have five undergraduate programs and 17 postgraduate programs accredited.” After a review of the process in 2017, AOHSEAB reworked its audit document to focus more on the content of the programs (meaning less emphasis on university structures and processes) and added more attention to skills and application of knowledge. This was heavily influenced by the INSHPO Capability Framework 2017, which the SIA representatives helped develop. In 2023, while several accredited programs have been closed during these tumultuous times for universities, Tepe said there are still 15 universities with 20 active programs that are accredited as providing the core knowledge and skills for entry-level OHS professionals.

“OHS is on the cusp of being able to be a recognisable profession. There is an OHS Body of Knowledge and ways of recognising when one has achieved this body of knowledge (certification). There is a Code of Ethics. The pieces are in place; the main issue is that there needs to be a drive to achieve recognised professional status. This can only be achieved with a push from the profession and a pull from employer and regulator stakeholders. AOHSEAB is well placed to support this.”

Furthering the cause of education

The Institute has successfully promoted and supported a number of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate educational courses around Australia – the first of which came about in 1979. One of these was the Graduate Diploma in Occupational Hazard Management (GDipOHM), which

was a ground-breaking development in OHS, according to Professor Dennis Else, former Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Ballarat and former Chair of the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, and Dr Steve Cowley, CMIOSH FAIHS and Associate Professor of Accident Forensics at Central Queensland University

“Not only was the concept of managing hazards a little alien but also OHS had not previously been considered a subject of study at a higher level in Australia,” said Else and Cowley. Led by Derek Viner, with his aeronautical engineering background, and a small group of mechanical engineers at the then Ballarat College of Advanced Education (BCAE), the GDipOHM had its first intake in 1979. Eric Wigglesworth from the Menzies Institute became a central player, and collectively, the core lecturers planted the roots of hazard and risk management in engineering and introduced a high level of academic rigour, according to Else and Cowley.

“Unforeseen had been the influence of the four, two-week teaching periods on the Ballarat campus over the two-year course. Throwing OHS practitioners together in student accommodation led to much diffusion of knowledge and ideas, cemented friendships, and in no small way influenced the development of the early Safety Institute of Australia,” Else and Cowley said.

During the early 1980s, Else was seconded from Birmingham’s Aston University to support course growth. He then made the permanent move and saw the opportunity to grow research activities around the core of the GDipOHM. Cowley joined Else in 1985 to assist with delivering the first research projects and seeking further funding. “At the heart of Victorian Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (VIOSH) research was a focus on the generation and sharing of solutions to workplace problems,” they recall. “This prevailed.”

WA Branch Christmas Function 2016

SIA Conference 2016

The advent of the state legislation around that time and the formation of the National Health and Safety Commission presented opportunities at Ballarat, and soon, the number of staff had grown, and VIOSH (the Victorian Institute of Safety & Health) was established. A Master degree in Hazard management was introduced for GDip students with higher academic ambitions.

“BCAE became the Ballarat University College, affiliated with the University of Melbourne, and some fresh thinking led to innovation in teaching and course design,” according to Else and Cowley, who said VIOSH staff attained teaching qualifications that led to a redesign of the GDipOHM. While maintaining the core values, the course was reconstructed to provide clearer learning pathways, building knowledge, and developing critical thinking, culminating with a dissertation that was the capstone of the studies. “The approach was based on that of a seasoned traveller who, when packing a suitcase, knows what to leave out,” said Else and Cowley.

“Around the same time, the work of Earnest Boyer was introduced to VIOSH. Boyer believed that traditional university activity needed to be broadened to address new social and environmental challenges beyond the campus. He proposed a clearer integration of research, application of knowledge in the community, and teaching and integration of these. This crystallised the thinking and supported the VIOSH approach to education; students were provided with an evidence-based framework, encouraging them to challenge theory against their real-world experiences and stimulating conversations whilst walking across the campus to the accommodation blocks where debate would often continue long into the night.”

The College of Fellows

The turbulent and productive years

of 1999 to 2001 were marked by the Institute struggling to identify itself between two schools of thought, according to Skegg: “either a populous body for all comers, or a professional body requiring entry standards and ethics, with the latter being dominant at the time,” he recalls.

“Grading levels were already established, and, following the around Australia trip by the National President and National Vice-President in 1999, it became clear that there was a need for a ‘senate’ to oversee the science and other issues.” In a letter to all Fellows and above of 29 March 2001, Geoff Dell proposed the formation of a College for the Fellow grades be formed for that purpose, with a remit to:

• Conduct colloquia to discuss emerging issues in OHS

• Engage OHS bodies from overseas in debate on emerging OHS issues

• Run advisory forums for other professional groups

• Encourage development of the OHS science within the Institute and across the OHS profession in Australia by engaging SIA members at all levels, and the public in the ideological debate.

• Conduct research-based, peer-reviewed scientific seminars to encourage Australian Tertiary Research Institutes to engage in OHS research and publication, and

• Develop a peer-reviewed scientific OHS journal.

The College was first proposed as an affiliate body of the Institute, as Skegg said there was no other option under the then constitution. “An attempt to create the College as a constitutional entity was defeated in 2001 by only two votes, probably due to too many constitutional changes being made at the same time. Nevertheless, the College continued to emerge as part of the Institute and started to make itself heard,” said Skegg.

A presentation to the Productivity Commission in 2003 by Skegg (then President) encompassed much of the College ideology and formed part of the profile presented to national bodies, such as the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) and the State and Territory governments. In 2012, the College executive agreed to include new terms of reference proposed by the Board of the Institute, which were:

• Professional Standards, Ethics and Education (formerly the PSEEC of the Board), including:

o Ethics inquiries and recommendations to the Board

o Grading decisions

o Grading Appeals, and

o National Technical Panel Accreditation Board matters

The inaugural head of the College was titled Dean, in keeping with the status of that title in tertiary education. The first Dean was, predictably, Dr Geoff Dell, who Skegg said provided the passion, energy, and enthusiasm to bring the emerging safety profession into being, ably assisted by such luminaries as Pam Pryor, Honorary Fellow and barrister John McDonald, Treasurer Phil Lovelock, Neville Betts, and many others. “The reach of the College started to expand, with the awarding of Honorary Fellowships to Laurie Lawrence for his work in child water safety, and Donald Hector, for his advice to the College and his work in the public company directorates,” said Skegg. “Since these formative years, the College has continued to evolve and will undoubtedly continue to do so.”

AIHS engagement with INSHPO

The International Network of Health & Safety Professional Organisations (INSHPO) was founded in 2001 by the American Society of Safety Engineers (now American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)), the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), and

Safety Symposium Board Vic 2017

the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) in the United Kingdom, to establish an effective and mutually supportive international network to address concerns of common interest and influence policymakers on a global scale. INSHPO has expanded its membership to include 13 organisations worldwide, according to Nathan Winter, PresidentElect of INSHPO and Former Deputy Chair of SIA.

Around 2003, the Safety Institute of Australia was invited to join INSHPO. Phil Lovelock was the inaugural SIA representative to the INSHPO Board and was INSHPO President from 2011-2012. Phil continued as the SIA representative until 2015 when Winter said he was succeeded by the then SIA Chair, Patrick Murphy. Murphy was the SIA representative until 2018 when he was succeeded by Winter (then SIA Deputy Chair). He was President of INSHPO in 2020, when COVID hit, and all INSHPO meetings were held virtually for the first time since INSHPO was founded. Winter continues to be the AIHS representative to INSHPO till today and is currently the President-elect for the second time.

Another AIHS Member, Fellow and 2022 Inspector of Year, Martin Ralph, has also served on the INSHPO Board and was a member of the Executive Council and President from 2008 to 2010. Although Martin didn’t serve as the SIA representative, Murphy said he was the representative for the Industrial Foundation for Accident Prevention (IFAP), where he was Managing Director at the time.

Pam Pryor, AO, the inaugural AOHSEAB Registrar, has been heavily involved with INSHPO. Pryor led the development of INSHPO’s flagship publication, The OHS Professional Capability Framework: A Global Framework for Practice (aka The Global Capability Framework), in conjunction with Professor Andrew Hale from the UK and Dennis Hudson from the US between 2012 and 2017. The Global Capability Framework was designed to be a visionary document to raise the bar

for OHS professional practice and create some consistency in what were highly disparate OHS education curricula and certification requirements around the world. “Many universities and certifying bodies (including the AIHS) have since aligned their curriculum and certification requirement to the Global Capability Framework, and many companies have used the Global Capability Framework to create capability frameworks for their own OHS employees,” said Winter.

a research project underway on the value of the OHS profession, are reviewing the Global Capability Framework, and seeking to diversify their membership to other geographic locations around the world,” said Winter.

The evolution of OHS management systems

The OHS Body of Knowledge has a number of chapters devoted to systems, which cover off topics including OHS management systems, rules and procedures, document usability, contractor management, and OHS performance evaluation, for example. Dr Nektarios Karanikas, Associate Professor in Health, Safety & Environment at QUT (Queensland University of Technology), co-authored the chapter on OHS management systems together with Pam Pryor, and he observed that in the circles and practice of OHS, the phrase “we have systems in place” usually denotes what we formally call OHS management systems.

While the INSHPO Board was meeting in Singapore in 2017 to coincidence with the 21st World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, then SIA CEO David Clarke, Winter (then Deputy Chair), and Tony Williams from WorkCover NSW met with representatives from the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), organisers of the World Congress, to discuss the Australian bid for the 23rd World Congress in Sydney, which Australia ultimately won.

It was also through INSHPO that the SIA and the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) began discussing mutual recognition of each organisation’s certification programs, said Winter. This ultimately led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the then Chair of BCRSP, Paul Andre and Patrick Murphy (then Chair of AIHS) at the SIA National Conference in Melbourne on 23 May 2018.

“Currently INSHPO, in conjunction with several of its member organisations, have

Introducing quality management systems in the 1930s inspired early versions of OHS management systems. These were followed by regional standards such as OHSAS 18001 in the United Kingdom and AS/NZS 4801:2001 in our region and culminated in the ISO 45001 adopted by Australia and New Zealand as AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018.

As the term “system” in the industry has engineering roots, apart from the notion of “useful” to justify its existence, Karanikas said it has inherited the sense of “controllable,” which is central to disciplines such as process engineering. Thus, it is unsurprising that regulatory encouragement for implementation, audits and certification accompanied the standardisation initiatives above and incentivised the introduction of rigid, strict, and invariable processes to manage OHS. “Having an audited and/or certified OHS management system promised a competitive and reputational advantage and brought some comfort to internal and external stakeholders: ‘we must be safe. We have an OHS management

“There was a realisation that mental health was just as important as physical safety and inherently connected”

Patrick Murphy VIC Safety Symposium 2017 David Clarke VIC Safety Symposium 2017 Naomi Kemp announcing name change to AIHS 2019 National Conference in Sydney

system, after all,’” said Karanikas.

Why then, he asked, don’t scientific evidence and lived experience consistently support that OHS management systems lead to improved OHS? “Indeed, we would reasonably expect that all successfully audited and certified companies, at least, enjoy similar OHS levels (and higher than their counterparts without OHS management systems) and harvest the fruits of their resource and capital investments in OHS management systems. Regrettably, this is not the case,” said Karanikas.

The key issue here comes from the exact phrase “we have systems in place” and the misunderstanding of what an OHS management system is. To fix this and make things work, Karanikas said we must reposition ourselves and see OHS management systems for what they should be. “The humans interacting between them and with technology and the environment are the system, and the OHS management system should serve the system. Staff should be supported by the OHS management system, not serve the OHS management system. The OHS management system must be designed with and for workers; the OHS management system should not just happen to workers,” he said.

An OHS management system can be extremely valuable and helpful if it facilitates, guides, and monitors the interactions amongst humans,

technology, and the environment – with the aim of maintaining and improving OHS, or simply put, implementing controls to minimise risks, Karanikas said. “When your OHS management system processes do not regularly “talk” to each other with the purpose of minimising risks, your system is fragmented and dysfunctional. If the major concern is maintaining the risk registry updated and not how to control risks effectively and sustainably, the OHS management system is off-track. If the investigations in your OHS management system do not conclude with tangible and effective risk controls, they add no OHS value,” he said.

The AIHS, now and into the future

The AIHS recently released its new strategic plan, ‘Vision 2026’, developed by the AIHS Board of Directors. “A key component of this strategy is looking at ways to ensure an effective WHS workforce,” said Julia Whitford, CEO of the AIHS.

“To do this, the AIHS will align education pathways to career pathways and opportunities, convert research and evidence to practical tools, keep professionals up-to-date and informed, and, as always, recognise and reward excellence in WHS, and showcase inspiring career pathways and achievements within the profession.”

Another focus of Vision 2026 is

embedding a culture where workplaces value health, safety, and wellbeing. To achieve this, Whitford said the AIHS has pledged to link researchers with industries that need support, educate employers about WHS career pathways, and provide practical support to assist businesses in applying good WHS practices.

A final focus for the AIHS over the coming three years is strengthening advocacy and policy work. “We will do this by working with governments and legislators to ensure the regulation that governs WHS is aligned to –and supports – good practice,” said Whitford.

“The AIHS is the trusted voice in WHS. We continue to be present in each state and territory throughout Australia with a dedicated group of volunteers who span across state branches and committees. It is through these dedicated individuals and this momentous reach that we use this voice to advocate and influence WHS best practices and policy. As we continue this exciting journey towards a dynamic, well-supported, and growing AIHS, I encourage you all to stay engaged, share your knowledge, and continue this strong collaboration. I’m excited and energised for the future of the Institute as we embrace change and growth and continue the AIHS’s strong tradition of service to the profession.” n

How can artificial intelligence advance the cause of OHS?

OHS professionals need to clearly understand what problems they are trying to solve before exploring artificial intelligence solutions, writes Craig Donaldson

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having a major impact on a broad range of professions, and OHS is no exception. With the potential to improve workplace safety, enhance risk management, and analyse data, AI technology holds immense promise. By analysing vast amounts of data and patterns, these systems can accurately predict potential hazards and identify areas requiring attention. This proactive approach to safety management allows organisations to address risks before they escalate into accidents or incidents.

could replace some dangerous manual tasks (decreasing worker exposure to physical risks), it said workers overseeing the technology could be exposed to more psychosocial hazards resulting from increased or more complex interpersonal interactions as part of their job role.

Another common organisational and functional priority for OHS is compliance. By automating routine administrative tasks, such as data collection and reporting, AI not only reduces the administrative burden on OHS professionals but also enhances data accuracy and accessibility. This point was underscored in a recent International Labour Organization (ILO) research report, Safety and health at the heart of the future of work, which explained how AI-driven technologies can assist in streamlining OHS compliance while assisting with facilitating datadriven decisions, implement targeted interventions, and continuously improve safety standards.

However, new technology capabilities must also be designed and have appropriate oversight to ensure workers are not exposed to new or additional OHS risks. This point was emphasised by Safe Work Australia in its Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 20232033. For example, while automation

“AI adoption in business sectors has more than doubled in recent years, with optimisation of service operations being its top use case,” said Skye Buatava, research and evaluation director of the NSW Government’s Centre for Work Health and Safety, which recently published a detailed report on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, in conjunction with The University of Adelaide and Flinders University.

The use of AI is affecting workplaces around employee recruitment, role design, task allocation, time management, organisational structure, communication, and even how employees are rewarded for their job performance, said Buatava. “Despite the increased use of AI, there has been no substantial increase in organisations’ mitigation of AI-related risks. AI may potentially elevate levels of uncertainty and pose the possibility of unknown risks and hazards to employees, only

“AI adoption in business sectors has more than doubled in recent years, with optimisation of service operations being its top use case”

being apparent after the implementation of the innovation,” she said.

AI is also facilitating new ways to monitor and manage workers, which provides an opportunity to improve WHS and reduce potential exposure to risk factors. These include, for example, improving safety by detecting unsafe conditions in real time, monitoring the movements of workers to detect unsafe behaviour, and then providing alerts or interventions.

“The use of AI in the workplace,

whether intended for economic gains or to facilitate WHS, will raise legal, regulatory, and ethical concerns. More awareness and attention will be needed towards the safe use of AI and WHS management in addressing such concerns,” Buatava explained.

Dr Simon Harrison, a computational modelling expert at Data61, the data and digital arm of Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, said one of the more impactful ways artificial AI is being leveraged for WHS is through

the field of computer vision, which enables computers to identify and understand objects in images or video footage. “Computer vision is impacting WHS in the areas of risk identification, monitoring and reporting,” he explained. “Automated systems use cameras and deep learning algorithms to identify people in the way of moving equipment, people not wearing protective gear (such as goggles and hardhats), and body poses and movements that could lead to overuse-type injury.”

A key outcome of this is that these systems show the true number of incidents and near misses are far more than reported. For example, a research report by safety consultancy Sentis found that 31 per cent of incidents go unreported. “Detection and monitoring via artificial intelligence could help overcome some current reporting barriers and contribute to safer workplaces,” said Harrison.

Common AI challenges and pitfalls

As with most new technologies, there are a range of challenges and pitfalls associated with the adoption and use of AI. Chief among these is “being seduced by the next shiny thing to come along”, according to Rod Maule, general manager of safety and wellbeing at Australia Post: “there is lots of new tech, and it is really interesting and potentially helpful; however, it is about thinking through ‘is this shiny thing something that addresses our risk, or something exciting and new?’ If it addresses your risk, you really need to think through how the humans in the organisation work and will interact and use the technology,” he said.

For example, there is no use acquiring new capabilities and data if it just overwhelms people or workers are disengaged while team leaders do not understand how the technology works, how it will help and how to use it. “Otherwise, it is just gathering info that sits in a report and goes nowhere and changes nothing. Even where the information is available, that does not mean that workers want to use it, find it helpful or trust it,” he said.

“Many workers are sceptical or untrusting of data and Big Brother watching them”

“Many workers are sceptical or untrusting of data and Big Brother watching them. They may have distrust with management due to their experiences in their life and have an inherent belief that these tools will be used to punish or micromanage them,” said Maule, who explained that trust takes time to build, and transparency, consultation, and time are required to build up trust with the workforce.

Leaders also have to work hard to build trust and be prepared to use the data and AI to learn and change their ways – and not just look to blame or punish workers, he said. “A great saying is ‘trust rides in on a turtle and out on a stallion’ – hard and slow to build and easy and quick to lose,” he said.

Christian Frost, group executive – SHEQ at Ventia, an essential infrastructure services provider based in Australia and New Zealand, said another common challenge relates to data which has to be “be quite clean and accurate”, he said. “I think a lot of organisations

will find that the data is not necessarily in a state that’s usable, so they might have to spend six months making sure that it’s clean so that the information can be used,” he said. “The computer is just going to read the data that it’s got, and the AI can only make decisions and recommendations based on the quality of the information it has.”

Another common issue for organisations is being “really strategic” about what you invest your time in. When it comes to AI, there are so many use cases for it, so Frost said it is important to make sure your limited time and bandwidth are being invested in the right areas. “The reality is there might be a lot of dead ends,” he said. “There are just some things, particularly in safety, where you really do need a human touch, and you need empathy because you’re dealing with conflict and tensions between different areas of a business or people from different teams. So, I think it would be easy to go and try and put an AI solution in place when in fact, you

might not need one. Remember, you can’t replace the human qualities that go with leadership, personal interactions, and connection.”

While AI can significantly add value to organisations and the work environment, Buatava said the WHS impact and potential harm to employees of such emerging technology is less understood and acknowledged. For instance, while intended to improve WHS, she said that AI systems may be used to predict the performance of workers based on their task activity and behavioural patterns, identify individuals who are most diligent, and recommend the optimal approach. “It could be misused even to discipline employees; for example, AI systems have influenced employment conditions and termination decisions in some job roles (such as delivery riders based on performance),” she said.

AI can also be used to discover erratic and dangerous driving behaviour in taxi drivers or detect safety violations, such as not wearing appropriate safety

attire when entering restricted areas. “AI applications such as these can be used for positive purposes, but the effects of AI on workers could have negative physical and psychological impacts on workers,” she said. “In fact, there is not only a gap in the understanding of potential WHS implications in using AI but also a lack of resources and tools for assessing and mitigating potential hazards and risks.”

Important ethical considerations

The rapid speed of developments in AI has created significant challenges, according to Harrison, who said there are many new commercial products and services that offer AI-enabled solutions to organisations. But because this type of technology is so new, he said it is not clear to most (1) which are evidencebased, (2) which are secure, and (3) which provide the superior outcomes.

Similarly, the safe and appropriate use of personal data is critical. “Personal data is commonly input to machine learning algorithms to deliver new

insights. Camera footage could be used for unintended outcomes if not protected properly. Other personal data, such as medical history, needs to be similarly secured,” said Harrison.

How will OHS look in the future with the use of AI?

The use of AI in many business sectors has grown by 270 per cent in recent years, according to Gartner research. At this rate, Skye Buatava, research and evaluation director of the NSW Government’s Centre for Work Health and Safety, said it is perceived that by 2030 around 70 per cent of companies will adopt at least one type of AI technology, such as computer vision, natural language, virtual assistants, robotic process automation, and advanced machine learning.

Additionally, AI algorithms are trained on large datasets often sourced from the public. “Recently, it has been shown that not all datasets have been obtained with sufficient ethics approvals and/ or methods that the end users would be comfortable with,” he added.

In the process of making predictions and recommendations, Buatava said AI systems may shift the nature of work by minimising human involvement and oversight of traditional operational processes. Further, as the AI system evolves, learning and adapting to new information, she said its prediction and recommendations would also continuously reshape, making such systems less transparent and explainable than traditional systems.

“For instance, the lack of transparency and explainability of AI systems in monitoring and tracking individuals may cause anxiety and stress to employees. Other ethical concerns of poorly planned implementation of AI include the system being unfair or biased against workers based on the individual’s data collected, unreliable in accordance with its intended use, insecure in data protection and upholding privacy rights,” she said. “AI could be seen as competence-enhancing for employees but instead may lead to their competence being destroyed, for example, due to automation. Moreover, the loss of task autonomy could negatively impact employees’ sense of accomplishment.”

Buatava added that WHS professionals should also be familiar with the ethics principles, such as the OECD Principles on AI and Australia’s Artificial Intelligence Ethics Framework, which inform on the safe and responsible use of AI.

AI reduces risks at Australia Post

A potential application of AI to OHS is in providing real-time feedback to workers about risks while working, according to Maule. “The AI has the ability to give

She explained that generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT, are poised to unleash the next wave of productivity; in performing a range of routine tasks, including writing text, composing music, and creating digital art, plus having the potential to change the anatomy of work. “Such AI technologies are likely to create new applications or broaden its application through augmented/virtual reality, internet of things, drones and robotics, potentially improving WHS with more accurate monitoring results and effective control measures,” she said.

As AI continues to make advancements, Buatava also noted that legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations will become more important to ensure its safe use. While this may introduce stronger regulation of AI use, she predicted a variety of tools and resources for WHS management of AI will also emerge to support businesses.

The Centre for Work Health and Safety and its future world of work program is developing a novel AI WHS management tool, which she said aims to be practical and user-friendly to assist businesses adopting AI technology. “The tool, intended to be used by businesses and leaders, will ensure WHS risks are identified and managed during the design, development and implementation stages of the AI system,” said Buatava, who affirmed WHS professionals, and others in the organisation, such as WHS leaders, should educate themselves on AI capabilities and its limitations, as well as understand and justify its organisational need.

Further, collaborating or consulting with AI subject matter experts can ensure AI systems align with WHS requirements and safety challenges. “The Centre’s research in this area informs on potential WHS risks related to AI use in the workplace as well as the mitigation strategies. Further, the Centre’s radar reports would be helpful for WHS professionals. The initiative delivers the latest trends and insights into the current state of play regarding WHS in and outside of Australia, as well as potential WHS issues in the future world of work,” said Buatava.

“A great saying is ‘trust rides in on a turtle and out on a stallion’ – hard and slow to build and easy and quick to lose”

workers feedback on their movements and prompt them when they are more at risk by analysing through sensors or CCTV footage how they are moving, for example,” he said.

Australia Post, for example, has a partnership with Google Machine Learning, in which the company develops new capabilities to detect risk exposure. In dock areas, for example, Australia Post uses digital cameras to identify pedestrians, people driving forklifts, and ride-on pallet movers. Computers connected to digital cameras can identify when a person is in a pedestrian-free zone or is too close to a moving plant.

This program took significant work with cross-functional senior teams established to lead and help challenge existing practices. “We had to change our operating model for our leaders in those facilities and put in place a routine that included reviewing the data and looking for trends,” said Maule.

The major learning lessons were that the technology helped identify high-risk times when it was difficult to avoid interactions. It helped justify spending money to put new floor traffic management plans and hard barriers in place to keep people from the plant.

It was also important to make sure leaders looked to understand the causes and try not to default to blaming workers, he added. “Leaders were coached in how to have open conversations with team members and seek to understand not blaming workers for breaches,” said Maule.

“This built trust with the workforce, and we were able to iterate on that model for our motorcycle and electric delivery fleet telematics, which is showing some great improvements with a 50 per cent reduction in at-risk behaviours in the first full year,” he said.

As the computers run 24/7, Maule said this has helped identify exposures and put in place, which has led to a 95 per cent reduction in this risk at major docks in the first two years of the program, and no worker’s jobs terminated during this time as a result of breaches.

AI applications at Ventia

Ventia, which provides services including facility management, asset management, telecommunications, engineering, and environmental management to a diverse portfolio of clients, uses AI in a number of ways across its business. One of the ways it is helping is with supervision, according to Frost.

“One of the practical applications might be when we send people to respond to incidents on a road. Let’s say a member of the public breaks down, and it’s on a motorway that has a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour. The member of the public has pulled over to the shoulder, and our team is there to try and make sure they’re safe. But when they get out of their vehicle it can be quite dangerous, so we are using technology to help identify speeding vehicles 700 metres in advance of where our vehicle is. And if it picks up a speeding vehicle, it notifies the crew, who wear something that vibrates an alert to them, so they know they’ve got about 20 seconds to get out of the way,” he said.

Another way AI has assisted with the process and reduction of administration within Ventia is through streamlining compliance. “If you work for a large principal contractor, often they’re going to be asking you for lots of evidence of insurance and safety documents, training, etc. We’re using AI to scan that information and put it into our system, which makes it easier for the contractor. It also makes it easier for us because there is less admin time required, so we can focus on doing more valuable work,” he said. Similarly, another application can be found in the field of query management. If a customer calls in, for example, Frost said the initial conversation might be

with a computer that uses a voice that sounds very lifelike. Depending on their queries and the information they need, the computer can either tell them the answer, email them a document, text them some information, or get a subject matter expert to call them back. “So, it’s like a call centre, except there are no people. The technology simply triages what they understand the queries to be and then gives them the right info,” said Frost.

Ventia also uses AI for cross-functional data analysis. “There are often various data points from across an organisation, with a bit of data from sales, a bit of data from safety, and a bit of data from HR, but how do you use this to predict responses, for example, based on those data points?” asked Frost, who explained that this is one area in which AI excels when it comes to analysing data and providing potential insights. “This is about the ability to take data and form meaningful information and insights, and that’s actually quite a skill. A typical safety person will generate lots of data. But to be fair, it's not a natural skill set for them to make digestible and relevant to other audiences. So, the ability to partner really well with an IT group with integration and implementation skills is important. The second part around this is the skill set required for data analysis, insights, and action planning,” he explained.

Skillsets, capability, and the right solutions

It’s fair to say that most OHS professionals are not subject matter experts when it comes to AI. However, there are a number of steps they can take to keep up with the AI curve in order to deliver optimal functional and organisational outcomes.

Current OHS management systems appear to be best suited for addressing situations where there is a straightforward link between the causes of OHS hazards and their resolution and generally tend to focus on physical hazards, said Buatava. “They are less suited for scenarios where the hazard is ambiguous, and its resolution is complicated and multi-faceted, as is the case with using AI in the workplace,” she said. For WHS leaders to keep up with the AI curve, Buatava said there is a need for:

• Better understanding and anticipation of the health and safety implications of AI.

• Considering AI ethics from the perspective of WHS

• WHS consideration in earlier stages of the AI development cycle. “In fact, WHS should be considered during the design, development and implementation stages of the AI, system,” she said.

• Emphasis on psychological harms, as AI is seen to be more likely to

Working with AI technology vendors

Christian Frost, group executive – SHEQ at Ventia, has worked with a number of suppliers of AI technology, and he said his experience has been mixed. “We’ve had some of them pitch their solutions to us, and our experience with that hasn’t been overly positive,” he said. “They’ve spent quite a bit of time building a product, without really knowing what our problem is, that they’re trying to solve. There is quite a bit of that out there.”

With the AI solutions currently in place, Frost explained that Ventia started working with some small AI providers to build partnerships. “So, they would spend quite a bit

impact workers psychologically than physically.

Maule also had a number of recommendations for OHS professionals, the first of which is to make sure the AI is helping you solve a problem and that you aren’t looking for a problem for AI to solve as “the new shiny thing”. He also recommended upskilling and working with others in the organisation or across other organisations to stay up-to-date with developments and tools, whether through conferences, networks, relationships or reading. “There is lots going on; you need to keep current and use all the available people, not just the safety people, to keep across it,” he said.

When looking to bring AI tools to life, he also said to make sure you use a working group that crosses different functions such as HR, safety, IT, operations, security, and legal: “all may and should be involved,” said Maule, who added that it is important to bring your stakeholders along the journey including the workers, HSRs, unions and management. “We are only as a profession starting to touch the surface of this capability, and we need to leverage our networks to stay across developments and learn how to implement effectively.

AI is a great tool and will get better over time, but like all tools, no point owning a drill if you don’t know how to use one effectively,” he said.

of time scoping out the solution to the problem, and we both learned in the process. The partnerships grew as we took those learnings on board and got more confident,” he said.

“It’s a new and emerging area, and there are quite a few players out there. The challenge for those players and organisations is to get the right solution to the right problem, and that’s going to be a challenge for a lot of organisations. It is consuming quite a bit of time to sift through what’s going to add value and what’s just an idea from a technical person who was passionate, who built something and then wanted to sell it.”

Frost echoed Maule’s sentiment and said it is important to properly understand any problem before looking to technology such as AI for a solution. “You could end up with a hodgepodge of solutions that don’t really solve the problem, for which you may not even need AI,” said Frost, who cited an example of a problem and non-AI solution in Ventia.

“One of the jobs we have is to keep bushland around motorways and tunnels in check, so we were looking at a whole range of solutions for that. And the solution that we came up with was goats. So, now we use goats to keep the native Australian bush under control. They are fantastic because they are safe, and we don’t have people using mowers on steep inclines. They don’t contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Our client loved the idea, and the community loves having the goats around, so it’s been really good for community engagement,” he said.

“Now, it wasn’t an AI or a technology solution. But that’s the point: if you’ve got a framework, you’re more likely to choose the right solution and have more chance of success. And having a framework means that your team is involved in defining the problem and your team is involved in coming up with the solution. Your team also celebrates the wins and the learnings from that solution.” n

Celebrating the Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2023

Excellence and innovation in WHS were recently celebrated at the Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2023 in Melbourne

The Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2023 provide national recognition to organisations and individuals that are demonstrating excellence and innovation in the field of WHS. In 2023, the awards recognised 11 individual and organisational achievements, across nine award categories. Presented by the AIHS in partnership with Zenergy, the awards were open to government, nongovernment, and private organisations operating in Australia, and to individuals who are currently employed and working within the field of WHS in Australia.

In partnership with Zenergy

Australian WHS Champion (CEO) of the Year – Greater than 1,000 employees

Finalist: Rod Henderson, Ampcontrols

Winner: Fiona Notley, Curtin University

Proudly sponsored by BGIS

Australian WHS Champion (CEO) of the Year – Less than 1,000 employees

Finalist: Caleb Leeming, BlueScope Steel

Winner: Andriy Kotykhov, machinemonitor

Australian WHS Leader of the Year – Less than 1,000 employees

Finalists: Samantha Boarder, Elphinstone; Ellie Bowden, Degnan; Lex Hanegraaf, Built Environs; Tony Karamatic, ALBEM Operations

Winner: Mel Pollock, Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure

Australian WHS Leader of the Year – Greater than 1,000 employees

Proudly sponsored by Endeavour Energy

Finalists: Wade DeManiel, CouriersPlease; Chanel Nesci, Bupa; Mike Verheyen, Mondiale VGL

Winner: Tanya Pelja, BGIS

For more information on the Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2023 please visit www.awhsa.org.au.

Australian WHS Emerging Leader of the Year

Finalists: Aaron Boyes, Altius Group; Dr Tristan William Casey, Queensland University of Technology;

Winner: Ally Orr, Endeavour Energy

Proudly sponsored by Coles

Australian HSR of the Year

Finalists: Joe Cox, Townsville City Council; Tristan McSwain, Keolis Downer, proud operator of Yarra Trams

Winner: Desmond Thompson, Keolis Downer, proud operator of Yarra Trams Yarra Trams

Australian WHS Team of the Year

Finalists: Airservices Australia, Work Health & Safety Assessments Team; Ampcontrol Ltd., Live & Work Better; Communities at Work, WHS Team; Hansen Yuncken, WHS team; Water Group | Water Infrastructure NSW, WHS team

Winner: Mitchell Services, Human and Organisational Resilience and Critical Risk

Best WHS Health & Wellbeing Program

Finalists: Bupa, ‘Viva Healthier and Happier’ - Bupa Asia Pacific’s Integrated Safety and Wellbeing Program; Endeavour Energy, Designing Out Musculoskeletal Risk in Overhead Switching; VIC SES, 2022

Victorian Flooda Recovery Program

Winner: Xero, Wellbeing at Xero - Time Well Spent

Proudly sponsored by Coles

Best WHS Learning & Professional Development Program

Finalists: Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure, ACI HSE Team L&D Program; Level Crossing Removal Project, Removing Barrier to Knowledge Development and Retention for Migrant Workers Using 7taps Microlearning; Sydney Trains, SEQR Service Delivery Masterclass Program; YanCoal, Safe Way

Everyday Program

Winner: Major Road Projects Victoria, The MRPV Civil Construction Safety Cadetship Program Proudly sponsored by Amazon

Best WHS Technology Initiative

Finalists: Amazon, Using Technology to Measure and Impact Safety Leadership and Culture at Amazon, Endeavour Energy & Soter Analytics, Small Wearables with Big Impact; Engentus, TopTorque Precision Reactionless Bolting System; Enviroculture Maintenance Services; Global Safety Index (GSI)

Winner: University of Newcastle – College of Engineering, Science and Environment

Proudly sponsored by Coates

A primer on chemical hazard safety in the workplace

In 2021, the International Labour Organisation observed in its Exposure to hazardous chemicals at work and resulting health impacts: A global review report that: “Workers around the world are facing a global health crisis due to occupational exposure to toxic chemicals. Every year more than one billion workers are exposed to hazardous substances, including pollutants, dusts, vapours and fumes in their working environments. Many of these workers lose their life following such exposures, succumbing to fatal diseases, cancers, and poisonings, or from fatal injuries following fires or explosions. We must also consider the additional burden that workers and their families face from non-fatal injuries resulting in disability, debilitating chronic diseases, and other health sequela that, unfortunately, in many cases, remain invisible. All of these deaths, injuries and illnesses are entirely preventable.”

Managing chemical hazards is an important yet challenging role for OHS professionals. In recognition of this, four new related chapters were published in the OHS Body of Knowledge. The chapters, Managing Chemical Hazards (authored by Susanne Tepe, Dino Pisaniello, and Terry Elms), Health Effects of Hazardous Chemicals (authored by Mike Capra and Scott Hahn), Dusts, Fumes, and Fibres (authored by Linda Apthorpe, Shahnaz Bakand, Jennifer Hines, Leanne Treadwell and Jane Whitelaw), and Process Hazards (Chemical) (authored by Trish Kerin) are interlinked in a number of ways. There are also important points of cross-reference with other chapters in the OHS Body of Knowledge, according to Mike Capra, emeritus professor in OHS in the school of earth and environmental sciences at The University of Queensland, and co-author of chapter 17.2: Health Effects of Hazardous Chemicals. The chapter presents an overview of how chemicals can have adverse effects on the body, and Capra said it essentially serves as a brief and basic overview of the science of toxicology. “To fully understand basic toxicology, the generalist OHS professional needs

an appreciation of basic science (chapter 14), which provides an overview of how aspects of physical and biological/health sciences underpin OHS practice,” he said.

The concepts presented in chapter 14 are further developed in chapter 7.1 (The Human: as a Biological System) into how the external work environment can have a considerable influence on health and wellbeing. Two of the four scenarios in chapter 7.1 also deal with the adverse effects of workplace exposure to chemicals on the human body: one on the effect of cleaning chemicals on the skin and the other on the effect of pesticides on the body and the routes by which pesticide can enter the body.

with chemicals in the workplace should equip the generalist OHS profession with the knowledge to deal with many aspects of the management of chemicals in the workplace, said Capra. “However, it should be remembered that in some instances, it may be necessary to utilise the expertise of other professionals such as occupational hygienists and occupational physicians in the interests of protecting the health and well-being now and into the future of workers,” he said.

Capra noted that much of the management of workplace chemicals will depend on appropriate hazard identification and the management of the identified hazards as reviewed in chapter 6 (Hazard as a Concept). The global management of chemicals is discussed in Managing Chemical Hazards in chapter 17.1, while the management of an important specific group of chemicals – dusts, fumes, and fibres – is covered in chapter 17.3 (Dusts, Fumes and Fibres) – which provides insight into how dusts, fumes and fibres impact the health of workers and how exposures may be evaluated and controlled. The final chemical chapter in the OHS Body of Knowledge (chapter 17.4) deals with largescale chemical processes.

The four specific chapters that deal

Scott Hahn, a medical officer in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps, Queensland Health and Australian Government Department of Veterans Affairs, co-authored chapter 17.2: Health Effects of Hazardous Chemicals. As a medical doctor with a PhD in environmental toxicology, he said most organisations vary in their understanding and ability to manage the health effects of hazardous chemicals. There are several variables in this, including the organisation, size, and complexity of work processes where chemical exposure hazards exist. “In general, organisations that set up and adhere to occupational health and safety management systems, guided by ISO standards as ‘living’ documents actively promulgated from the top down through their employees, do very well,” he said.

Although OHS management systems reinforce a hierarchy of control measures and articulate necessary safeguards with defined safe work processes, Hahn said it often remains a challenge to “maintain the rage” and refresh the enthusiasm of the workforce to participate and adhere where risk is largely perceived to be already mitigated by control measures. “The ongoing review and development of OHS, as well as workforce education, motivation and encouragement to participate, remains an onerous task,” he observed.

Managing chemical hazards

Chemicals are one of the most complex hazards found in the workplace, according to Lisa Stevens, principal health and safety consultant at Lisa J Stevens and Associates.

Managing chemical hazards is an important yet challenging role for OHS professionals, who can benefit from a number of new chapters published in the OHS Body of Knowledge

“The knowledge about chemicals is constantly changing as more research into the human health and environmental hazards of chemicals is undertaken”

Stevens, a PhD Candidate at Edith Cowan University who provided comments for the OHS Body of Knowledge chapter (17.1) Managing Chemical Hazards, which explains that chemicals are multifactorial based on their chemical properties. That means that organisations have to consider not only the physical hazards (i.e., flammability, reactivity with other chemicals) but also need to consider both the short- and long-term health impact of exposure to chemicals (i.e., sensitisation, respiratory conditions, damage to organs, and cancer).

“However, unlike a piece of machinery where the knowledge of hazards is well documented and static, the knowledge about chemicals is constantly changing as more research into the human health and environmental hazards of chemicals is undertaken. We are now finding that chemicals previously considered ‘safe’ are now being declared hazardous to human health and the environment. The goalposts are constantly moving,” she said.

In general terms, Stevens said that the majority of small to medium enterprises understand the regulatory requirements in managing chemicals within the workplace (i.e., having a register of hazardous chemicals, undertaking risk assessments, having SDS readily available for workers,

storage of dangerous goods, and disposal of chemicals). However, she noted that many SMEs often need help managing chemicals and developing effective and efficient chemical management systems.

There are a number of common challenges for organisations in this regard, and Stevens said the biggest challenge for most organisations is undertaking a chemical risk assessment. “The first problem with many chemical risk assessments is what we are assessing. The second is what information we are using to inform the risk assessment,” said Stevens, who noted that many organisations use a simplistic and generic consequence/ likelihood risk template, while others require transcribing information from the safety data sheet on the more complex risk assessment template.

“If you look at chapter 31.1 (Risk) of the OHS Body of Knowledge, it acknowledges the likelihood/consequence approach to risk assessment has limitations, particularly when it comes to gradual or time-delayed consequences or multiple consequences from a single exposure. The problem is that categorising the risk of chemicals to high, medium, or lowrisk rating provides us with a false sense of safety. In focusing on risk ratings and residual risk, there is the potential to miss

more critical issues, such as reactivities,” said Stevens.

She also noted that the model WHS regulations and the Code of Practice Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace have moved away from the consequence/likelihood model toward chemical risk assessment reports. “However, the safety profession seems unable to translate this process into a usable risk assessment template,” she said. “Health and safety professionals are led to believe that the consequence-likelihood methodology of risk assessment is an approach that can be used for a wide range of hazards and tasks. However, such an approach does not necessarily work with respect to chemicals.”

There are a number of ways organisations and OHS professionals can address these challenges, according to Stevens, who observed that organisations rely heavily on competent specialist advice. In the first instance, they rely on their health and safety personnel to be able to advise and guide them through the regulatory requirements. “The problem here is that the profession has morphed into a generalist role, and in that transition, changes to the undergraduate and postgraduate OHS program have meant the removal of specialist units (i.e.,

chemical hazards and health/introductory chemistry) from critical qualifications,” she said.

Similarly, vocational education units relating to hazardous chemicals have been downgraded to electives, meaning that OHS professionals may not be adequately abreast of the myriad of regulatory requirements to ensure safety within the workplace. “It is important to remember that there is a difference between an occupational hygienist, chemist, and toxicologist. Each profession will see chemical hazards and chemical management from a different perspective.

From an individual perspective, OHS professionals responsible for managing chemicals in the workplace or providing specialist advice must ensure they continue professional development in this area,” said Stevens.

we be considering the concepts outlined in chapters 12.3.1 and 12.3.2 concerning documenting procedures and SOPs, but they should also be applied to the myriad chemical management software packages on the market. The bottom line is that a safety artefact is only useful if it is simple enough and meets the organisation’s and workers’ needs,” she said.

OHS professionals should be aiming to build capacity within organisations, according to Stevens. “To do that, we need to give workers the tools to do so. Long-winded and complicated procedures only hinder workers. Having a multi-paged procedure that says that no matter how big or small the chemical spill, you have to contact the OHS professional to clean it up, does not build capacity but creates dependency,” she said.

“In short, workers need to know what chemicals they are working with, what process they are undertaking, the hazards of individual chemicals and possible reactions, how to protect themselves from exposure, what to do in an emergency, and when to seek specialist advice.”

Dusts, fumes, and fibres

work as a full-time welder”. Apthorpe explained: “they often don’t have access to information that welding fume is harmful to their health, or on how to reduce exposure to the welding fume such as local or on-tool extraction ventilation, and appropriate respiratory protection. Some people work as subcontractors who often have even less access to relevant information and suitable equipment to control their exposure,” she said.

Some organisations place significant emphasis on controls in a workplace; however, Apthorpe observed they do not always maintain those controls, resulting in worker ill-health. This has been the case worldwide with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis or black lung. This lung disease was significant in the 1970s, affecting many workers. Legislation and controls, including health monitoring, were introduced, and the reported level reduced dramatically. By the 1990s, the disease was thought by many to be a disease of the past. “This was proven incorrect in 2016 in Australia, with a resurgence of this untreatable, yet preventable lung disease,” she said.

For OHS professionals whose remit includes hazardous chemical management, Stevens also said there are many important lessons to be learned from other chapters in the OHS Body of Knowledge. “From my experience, OHS professionals make two fundamental errors in managing chemicals,” said Stevens, who explained that the first is the excessive amount of safety documentation (i.e., safety manuals, risk assessments, and operating procedures) being developed. The second is the level of detail, complexity, and jargonistic language we use in technical documents. “We need to remember that the people reading these safety artefacts are not necessarily chemists, toxicologists, or specialist safety professionals but lay people with a limited understanding of the more technical aspects of chemical management,” she said.

Document usability and avoiding safety clutter are critical concepts, particularly when setting up chemical management systems. “Not only should

There has been a renewed focus on the dangers of dusts, particularly those which contain silica (i.e. quartz), which is carcinogenic and causes silicosis and other diseases. Linda Apthorpe, certified occupational hygienist, occupational hygienist lecturer and co-author of chapter 17.3 – Dusts, Fumes, and Fibres, said there has been a lot of recent publicity on this hazard as it can be found in many workplaces from manufacturing, construction, tunnelling, and small businesses who work with natural and manufactured stone products. “Some of these organisations are identifying silica hazards that are present and keeping exposures well controlled as part of a consolidated management approach,” said Apthorpe.

“Other organisations are either unaware of the risk or unable to control it, and that is a problem, especially as the best practice is to keep exposures to hazardous dusts which contain silica as low as reasonably practical.” Most regulators have now provided additional support and guidance information, and in some cases, specific legislation regarding control of silica exposures aimed at assisting workplaces to manage and control this hazard.

Another highly hazardous risk is exposure to fumes from welding and metal fabrication; according to Apthorpe, welders “may work on an ad-hoc basis doing a little bit here and there, or

There are a number of common challenges for organisations around dusts, fumes, and fibres, and Apthorpe said some of the challenges (particularly for small to medium industries) is access to competent OHS professionals, including occupational hygienists who can help them to identify and evaluate hazards and to apply appropriate control strategies. “Many times, it is often too easy to reach for personal protective equipment such as respiratory protection, which has the lowest reliability in protecting workers and controlling exposure, and in the long run, can end up being the most expensive option,” said Apthorpe.

There are also often large gaps in the basic knowledge of the consequence of worker exposure to certain dusts, fumes, and fibres. Consequences can include acute and chronic health, worker ill health (such as metal fume fever, fibrotic lung diseases such as silicosis, and lung cancer), which Apthorpe said then results in loss of productivity in workplaces and community impacts. “Sometimes, employers may not know of their responsibility or how to keep workers healthy by applying appropriate and effective controls,” she said.

There are several important ways organisations can address these challenges in practice, and Apthorpe said the most important element is reaching out to seek professional advice from an experienced OHS professional and/or occupational hygienist. “They can help in identifying

“Having a multi-paged procedure that says that no matter how big or small the chemical spill, you have to contact the OHS professional to clean it up, does not build capacity but creates dependency”

hazards such as dusts, fumes, and fibres in the specific workplace context. In this process, it is essential to consider the toxicity of the dust, fume, or fibre, and the likelihood of exposure,” said Apthorpe, who added that, besides sourcing relevant information from regulators, the OHS Body of Knowledge chapter on dusts, fumes, and fibres is a good place to start to get a basic understanding of these aerosol hazards and sources of them in workplaces.

“Next, some sort of assessment will likely be required, which may involve evaluation via quantitative measurements in the workplace to ensure worker exposures do not exceed prescribed occupational exposure limits. The results of the measurements will assist in establishing if existing control measures are adequate to protect worker health or require improvement,” she said.

“Another way organisations can bridge these gaps is to develop a sound knowledge base on aerosol hazards such as dusts, fumes, and fibres they may have in the workplace. This will help with applying effective and practical control measures. Further, when employees also have hazard awareness training specific to their work and workplace, it can really help with managing and controlling these hazards.”

Process hazards (chemical)

Process safety is difficult to manage because it is less intuitive than OHS, according to Trish Kerin, professional process safety engineer, director of the IChemE Safety Centre, Institution of Chemical Engineers, and author of chapter 17.4: Process Hazards (Chemical). She explained that the events that occur are of a higher consequence (typically multiple fatalities

and significant equipment damage) but a much lower likelihood, meaning most people will not experience an event themselves, making them a bit more difficult to relate to.

“Having said that, events such as fires or explosions do continue to occur, so it is important to focus on both the OHS and process safety potential events and manage both. We do see reports each year, both in Australia and overseas, of events that would be described as process safety related, so there is still work to be done in most organisations about this,” said Kerin, who gave the example of a recent fire in NSW which highlights the need to understand the process safety risks. A milk powder factory burned for several days in Bomaderry, and milk powder is not only flammable; it is also a combustible dust. “So, a significant fire also had the potential to be massive dust explosions,” said Kerin. “When a significant process safety incident happens, we are left not only counting the cost of significant equipment and building damage and environmental impacts, but tragically there is also the possibility of multiple fatalities.”

Kerin also explained that the pathway from the initiating causes to a process safety incident may not be easily visible. For example, a failed maintenance system that has not provided ongoing monitoring of corrosion on a pipe containing flammable liquid may lead to a loss of containment that explodes. But the loss of containment may be years after the maintenance system started to fail. Because it is difficult to see the causal pathway, she said it can often be missed or, if it is identified, discounted due to lower likelihood.

“The nature of process safety means

we need to really understand the consequence and then the controls to prevent the incident, without dismissing the risk due to low likelihood. A great tool to do this with is the Bow Tie diagram (described in the OHS Body of Knowledge chapter 31.1). This can make an excellent tool for communicating the possible incident pathways and show the critical controls in place to prevent the top event and/or mitigate the consequence,” said Kerin.

“This allows people to focus on the controls and ensure they are functioning. It is important to be able to define which controls are actually safety-critical because there is not enough time or resources to monitor everything; you can only monitor what matters. Ensuring the integrity of the critical controls on the left side of the bow tie will prevent the top event and on the right side to help mitigate the consequence.”

In addressing these challenges, Kerin recommended ensuring competent OHS professionals in your organisation who have basic process safety knowledge (as described in chapters 13 and 17.4) recognise when they need advice and have competent process safety people available to provide that advice. “It is also important to understand the crossover between the two fields; there are systems that span both fields and can be leveraged off each other to improve safety outcomes,” she said.

“It is also very important to ensure all the relevant hazards are identified so they can be communicated and managed. The building of process safety competency is also important, understanding that not everyone needs to be an expert. Sometimes awareness is what is needed across the organisation.”

Kerin also noted that it is essential for OHS professionals to have an understanding of the key differences in the mechanism of causation as well as the different risk tools used to understand and manage process safety. Likewise, she said it is important for process safety professionals to understand the processes used in OHS and how they can be leveraged, such as how culture impacts safety, as discussed in chapter 10.2.1. “Achieving good safety outcomes is a process that requires a multi-discipline approach to the work, ensuring that both the OHS and process safety hazards are identified and then managed. The various chapters of the OHS Body of Knowledge complement each other well to provide the holistic view of what an OHS professional should know,” she said. n

How can OHS professionals become more influential?

The strategic influence of OHS professionals is a critical capability for the success of safety improvements and interventions, according to new research, which found there are number of factors that impact OHS professionals’ strategic influence and how they exert influence upstream in organisations.

This is the finding of PhD research conducted by Dr Cassie Madigan, Senior Lecturer in the School of the Environment at The University of Queensland, who won the 2023 Dr Eric Wigglesworth Research Award. By utilising multiple perspectives (OHS professionals and senior managers), data sets, and methods in combination with well-validated intra-organisational influence theory, her research provides new knowledge on how OHS professionals can be strategically influential and contribute to the prevention of workrelated injury and illness.

There are a number of findings Madigan set out to uncover with her PhD thesis, which has been published in a series of three papers, the first of which is from the perspective of OHS professionals themselves, while the second is from the perspective of non-safety managers. The third paper takes a qualitative approach using a critical incident technique with in-depth interviews with OHS professionals.

Motivations for the research

“Having worked as an OHS professional for several decades, I believe influence is 99 per cent of the role,” said Madigan. “Most decisions that impact OHS are made by others in the organisation, not by OHS professionals. OHS

professionals position themselves in organisations as strategic advisors with the aim of integrating OHS practices into organisational systems through influence. Put simply, if an OHS professional is unable to influence OHS decisionmakers, their impact on safety outcomes will be negligible.”

Although OHS professionals influence at all levels of an organisation, she said her research focussed on their influence interactions with senior managers (upward influence) for several reasons. “First, key decisions relating to business risks such as managing multiple goals of OHS, production, and resourcing are largely made by senior managers, who have both the positional power and legal obligations to take the necessary actions in relation to OHS,” she said. On the other hand, OHS professionals are often embedded as middle managers or advisors in organisations. They may lack positional power and formal authority and depend on their own personal power and interpersonal skills to exert influence.

Second, while there were excellent theoretical explanations of what OHS professionals should do (i.e., communicate, engage, and influence senior managers), Madigan said there was limited research advising OHS professionals on how to do these things in OHS practice. “Third, any new knowledge emerging from this research could be incorporated into the OHS professional practice courses I teach at the University of Queensland. In my view, influencing and leadership skills are as critical to an OHS graduate as are skills in risk management,” said Madigan, who

explained that her practice-orientated research involved shining a spotlight on the micro-level influence processes of OHS professionals through mixed methods and multiple perspectives, particularly what influence tactics they are using, and how effective these tactics are in gaining commitment for important OHS initiatives.

“Influence tactics are the specific proactive behaviours used to enable influence, and I explored not only a range of tactics that had been described in traditional influence models, but also whether any new or different tactics aligned with contemporary leadership practices emerged. While tactic choice has the potential to make a difference to influence outcomes, I also wanted to

New research examines how OHS professionals exert influence in organisations and what factors might impact their ability to be strategically influential, writes Craig Donaldson

identify situational factors that facilitate or impede strategic influence,” she said. “By examining these individual, relational, and organisational factors from both a social science and OHS perspective, I set out to identify the factors that OHS professionals should consider when reflecting on their ability to influence.”

Finally, she noted existing OHS research in this field is primarily based on the self-reports of OHS professionals, and Madigan said she was interested in broadening this research by examining the other side of the coin, i.e., senior manager’s perspectives on how OHS professionals influence, and whether this differs from the views of the OHS professionals themselves.

Key research findings

The surveys of OHS professionals and managers on the effectiveness of eleven influence tactics revealed rational persuasion (i.e., using logical arguments and factual evidence) was the “most dominant and effective”, according to Madigan. “While this finding is not surprising given the role of OHS professionals in providing expert advice on how to integrate the management of OHS risk into organisational systems and practices, follow-up interviews with experienced OHS professionals indicated that how this advice was delivered mattered. Over fifty per cent of interviewees described using business cases to successfully gain management commitment,” said Madigan, who cited

a comment from a research participant:

“It was a business case … what is the need, why do we need it, and what are the options in terms of what is out there in the market and then ultimately weighing those solutions against what was the most financially cost-effective solutions to get an essentially overall balanced scorecard and recommend a solution to the business from there.”

Incorporating research and scientific evidence was also viewed by interviewees as a fruitful method: “We run an hour workshop with all the senior management team. And I usually go through what is the evidence-based research” and “anything going to executives and boards these days has to be presented as researched best practice.”

Madigan said these stronger forms of rational persuasion were seen more favourably by the interviewees than weaker forms which consisted of brief explanations or assertions without supporting evidence: “I thought I’d give some senior leaders an early heads up on our proposed approach. And unfortunately, by just talking to it briefly, without having anything available to support the approach we’re taking, it was too early, and it got dismissed very quickly.”

Other tactics viewed positively across the multiple studies were consultation (i.e., asking for input or suggestions from the manager on the proposed change or request) and inspirational appeals (i.e., aligning the change or request with the manager’s interests, beliefs, and values). “It was believed these strategies led to a greater commitment towards changes being implemented,” said Madigan.

On the other hand, she noted a strong negative hue on legitimating tactics (i.e., referring to OHS legislation, procedures, and rules), with both OHS professionals and managers rating this tactic as the least effective. “Existing (non-safety) research has found legitimating to be generally not effective because it often leads to resistance and non-commitment, due to potential sanctions for noncompliance. This approach to influencing has the potential to threaten individual autonomy and undermine motivational processes,” she said, as highlighted by this comment in the research: “People aren’t emotionally involved in legislation; it doesn’t mean anything to them. It’s like here is a rule; you must follow it. Rather than trying to make it personal and connect to something else that is more valuable to them.”

Although OHS professionals were primarily using the tactics described in traditional influence models (e.g., rational persuasion, legitimating, inspirational appeals, consultation, and collaboration), Madigan said they were also using different tactics that align well with contemporary leadership practices. “I was able to tease out three novel/different tactics being used by OHS professionals to prompt managers to think differently about OHS issues –coaching (where they asked a set of open questions); storytelling (where they told personal or work-related narratives); and social proof (where they provided evidence that similar organisations were already doing the same thing they were proposing).

Another important finding from the surveys was the similar views

of managers and OHS professionals on the factors that enable influence, Madigan added. When asked to consider a range of individual, relational, and organisational factors, she said both groups identified the individual characteristics of the OHS professionals (i.e., knowledge, interpersonal skills, work experience, and understanding of organisational context) as the most important for strategic influence. “These views were also strongly supported by the interviewees, who were able to add deeper contextual understanding to those factors. Preparing for influence attempts, building positive relationships, sensitivity to business priorities, and understanding organisational cultural influences on health and safety emerged as the most important themes,” said Madigan.

Research findings and practical examples

After identifying what broadly enabled strategic influence, Madigan said her research next focussed on how OHS professionals implement/apply these influence behaviours in the workplace. First, a range of preparation strategies were described. Planning for influence attempts through role-play or rehearsing conversations was viewed as a useful strategy, summed up by one participant: “Sometimes I do role-play the conversation and how it will go. And sometimes, even that role-play itself will change my mindset in terms of, you know what, they may have a point on this perspective.”

This also examined who they were trying to influence, including the person’s work priorities, interests, values, and communication preferences. OHS professionals leveraged this knowledge to choose or avoid using certain influencing approaches: “You need to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the people you’re trying to influence. You need to understand their job as best you can and look at it from their point of view, and that will inform the way you approach things.”

Another preparation strategy described by over half the OHS professionals was having a systems approach to safety, according to Madigan. This involved advanced thinking beyond safety outcomes by considering all elements within the organisation that were interconnected with their influence objective. “We’ve got to wear many hats now, and I think we’ve got to think outside of our own sphere of just the health and safety discipline…what are the financial implications of my decision? What is the quality outcome?”

Second, Madigan said the majority of OHS professionals believed influence attempts were more successful where positive relationships existed. “The two practices seen as critical for positive relationships were building rapport and being perceived as trustworthy,” she said. “To build rapport, they used techniques aimed at reaching common ground on OHS practice and having conversations not always related to safety.” For example: “Knowing what the problem is, the needs of the business, and being able to agree on that, I think, was probably the most important thing because then we both have the same outcome that we’re trying to achieve.”

Approaches to build trust were multifaceted and included demonstrating knowledge and expertise, showing care and concern, and being open and honest: “If you can’t be seen as a trustworthy person or you don’t have a relationship with someone that you’re trying to influence, then it can be very difficult because you’re the unknown” and, “I think a part of it is bringing people along for the journey and showing that you care.”

Third, Madigan said many interviewees articulated that understanding the business environment, including operational context, organisational culture, budgeting, and planning processes, was critical in creating buy-in from managers. Some of the strategies they found useful to improve their business acumen included:

Dr Cassie Madigan, Senior Lecturer in the School of the Environment at The University of Queensland, said that key factors for OHS professionals in developing the ability to influence include OHS knowledge, expertise, and experience; interpersonal skills, including building rapport and trustworthiness; and understanding of the business environment.

• regularly visiting sites;

• being mentored by non-safety professionals;

• joining multi-disciplinary committees;

• acquiring business intelligence by having conversations with key stakeholders; and

• undertaking formal business education: A research participant explained: “I learnt so much about how organisations and business operate, how decisions are made, what’s important, how to get things done, how to achieve results. It was that component of the training that, I think, that I applied to my health and safety knowledge that then made it more effective.”

Implications for OHS in Practice

The research highlights several practical implications for OHS professionals, according to Madigan, who said that overall, it found that the use of proactive influence tactics (i.e., behaviour used intentionally to gain support for a change or proposal) by OHS professionals explained a significant difference in perceived effectiveness to influence.

“The implications of this finding are that while individual, relational, and organisational factors played a role, the proactive influencing behaviours of OHS professionals made more of a difference to influence outcomes. For OHS professional practice, this establishes the importance of proactive influencing behaviours in attempts to influence upwards in organisations,” she said.

While proactive behaviour, in general, impacts the consequences of influence attempts, some specific tactics were found to be more effective than others. In practice, Madigan said OHS professionals should rely more on stronger forms of rational persuasion, such as business cases and scientific evidence, using inspirational appeals via ethical and value-based arguments to justify OHS initiatives, and consulting with senior managers on important OHS objectives.

Madigan also said OHS professionals should take a nuanced approach to using legitimating tactics in managing upwards since it was considered the least effective tactic and has the potential to undermine engagement, effort, and commitment.

“The implication for practice is that prior to employing this tactic with senior managers, OHS professionals should reflect on their influencing objectives and situational factors to determine whether a different tactic might be more effective in gaining management commitment,” she said.

“In some cases, it may be totally appropriate and necessary to use this tactic, for example, as part of their role in providing advice to managers on their specific OHS duties and obligations, but in some cases, a more ‘people-centred’ approach may be more effective.

As one participant reflected, the peoplecentred approach is “building on the human side of safety by involving people rather than the procedural side, or the requirements of the law”.

potential to make a powerful difference in influencing outcomes, with some tactics tending to be more effective than others. In my research, the tactics perceived as the most effective were the core tactics of rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, and consultation, while those seen as least effective were the hard tactics with potential sanctions, i.e., legitimating and pressure.

Knowledge of the factors that enabled strategic influence will be valuable for those OHS professionals who are interested in developing their ability to influence, said Madigan, who summed up the key factors as OHS knowledge, expertise, and experience; interpersonal skills, including building rapport and trustworthiness; and understanding of the business environment.

Advice for OHS professionals

Based on her research outcomes, Madigan recommends OHS professionals reflect on their influence behaviours and be self-aware of their current influencing practices. She said that one way to achieve this is to think about a recent influence attempt (whether successful or unsuccessful) and ask themselves the following five questions:

1. What did I set out to achieve? We often dive blindly into conversation with people, triggered by an event or a need (I need this person to do this now) without being fully conscious of what it is we want to achieve with the other person. By asking this question, you can be clear about why you are trying to influence this person and identify your goals and objectives.

2. What influence tactics or methods did I use? In practice, we often default to just one or two influence tactics, but there are many. By consciously being aware of other influence tactic choices, we can increase our own flexibility to navigate between influence tactics depending on the situation.

3. Why did I choose this approach? The choice of influence tactic has the

4. Why do I think I was successful or unsuccessful in this situation? In both successful and unsuccessful influence attempts, OHS professionals may improve their influence capabilities by reflecting on what worked and what didn’t work. It is important to think about what impacts their ability to influence, which could be individual characteristics (themselves and others), their relationship with the person they are trying to influence, and organisational factors such as the size of the organisation and its culture. So being sensitive to these factors will enable OHS professionals to tailor their influence attempts and employ skills to navigate different tactics and situations.

5. What could I do differently next time? It is not always easy to influence someone when you have no actual or implied authority over them. Trying to influence important safety outcomes is often not a one-off or isolated event and may involve multiple interventions over time. If the initial attempt meets resistance, OHS professionals must thoroughly evaluate the situation and consider what they could do differently in follow-up scenarios. Sometimes in the face of resistance, it is easy to become frustrated with the other person and label them difficult. Rather than writing that person off prematurely, it can be useful to assume that an unsupportive manager can be turned into a supporter with the right approach. n

The AIHS announced the winners of the 2023 OHS Education Awards as part of the Dr Eric Wigglesworth AM Memorial Lecture in May. The Eric Wigglesworth OHS Education Medal is a national award created by the Australian Institute of Health & Safety to recognise achievement in OHS education in the Doctor of Philosophy or professional doctorate category. The award recognises: significant contributions to the OHS Body of Knowledge; the potential for application of research outcomes in preventing work-related fatalities, injuries, disease and/or ill health; and demonstrated dissemination of research outcomes to relevant parties.

“Having worked as an OHS professional for several decades, I believe influence is 99 per cent of the role”

First published as a hardback in 2021, this well-written but challenging 398-page book (plus 53 pages of chapter endnotes and references) has rapidly become an international bestseller. In it, Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman extends his acclaimed work in Thinking, Fast and Slow in several major new directions with the support of his accomplished co-authors. As the title suggests, the focus of the book is ‘noise’, which is a form of human error that is typically not visible, but which can be as important in undermining human judgement as the various and more obvious types of human biases and errors documented by psychologists that are already familiar to safety professionals.

In 1973, a famous US Judge, Marvin Frankel, drew attention to large variations across judges in criminal sentencing based upon the same facts and defendant circumstances. Extensive subsequent research also found significant sentencing variations by the same judge despite all other data being unchanged. The basis of this has now been identified as ‘noise’. The book’s authors state, “A general property of noise is that you can recognize and measure it while knowing nothing about the target or bias. … To understand error in judgment, we must understand

Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment

Book: Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment

Authors: Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony & Cass Sunstein

Publisher: William Collins, 2022

RRP: $19.25 (paperback) or $57.63 (hardcover)

ISBN: 978-0-00-853444-8

both bias and noise” (p5). “Bias and noise make equal contributions to error (MSE) when the mean of errors (the bias) is equal to the standard deviations of errors (the noise)” (p364). “Noise is detrimental even when judgments are not verifiable, and error cannot be measured” (p365).

the iceberg’, so “To improve the quality of our judgments we need to overcome noise as well as bias” (p7). “In noisy systems, errors do not cancel out. They add up” (p29). Beyond unfairness “System noise is inconsistency, and inconsistency damages the credibility of the system” (p53).

The judgment process is described as “the informal integration of a set of cues to produce judgment on a scale” that often does not lead to a numerical value and can involve comparative matching and weighting of multiple, conflicting cues (p368). “Only a statistical view of the world enables us to see noise, but that view does not come easily – we prefer causal stories” (p369) and ‘objective ignorance’ is often dismissed internally.

and favour relative judgments and relative scales.

Noise is “the unwanted variability of judgments” (p361). In real-world decisions involving predictive or evaluative judgment, the amount of noise is often ‘scandalously high’, including in forecasting (e.g., financial, economic), child custody, bail, asylum, patents, job selection, forensic science, and medicine (e.g., psychiatry, radiology). This is the ‘tip of

‘System noise’ can be broken down into ‘level noise’ (variability of the average judgments made by different professionals) and ‘pattern noise’ (the ‘stable pattern’ noise difference between judges regarding the same case, plus ‘transient occasion’ noise). Pattern noise is often predictably stable because it is based on differences in individual personalities. Transient occasion noise includes variability due to individual mood or even the time and day of the week, such as a Monday morning. A ‘noise audit’ is recommended to see the noise and its components and severity. A ‘how to’ guide is included in Appendix A.

To reduce noise in judgment requires ‘decision hygiene’. The best judges are ‘actively open-minded’, seek accuracy, think statistically, and take the outside view of the case, structure judgments into several independent tasks, obtain multiple independent judgments that can be aggregated,

While ‘standards’ provide discretion that delegates power and can invite increased noise based on different judgments of feasibility, prudence, or reasonability, ‘rules’ reduce the role of judgment and discretion and its attendant noise. AI algorithms work as rules. Even though rules may contain biases and AI is imperfect, the authors consider that outcomes will often be improved through the use of well-designed rules. This is, of course, a challenge in generalist WHS contexts where often there have been seen to be excessive rules and insufficient discretion. The research and analysis reported in this book may reopen any Robens consensus and challenge elements of both current WHS legislative schemes and ‘New View’ safety concepts and programs. There is probably something in the book to offend everyone in WHS. But I think it would be a great shame not to carefully read it and engage with the ideas and research before taking offence and retreating to comfortable polarities.

Noise is currently $19.25 in paperback on Amazon Australia and is highly recommended. n

Kym Bills, FAIHS (Life), ECU PhD student & Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide

“It would be a great shame to not carefully read it and engage with the ideas and research before taking offence and retreating to comfortable polarities”