On 18 May 2018 Safer Together WA/NT activities commenced in earnest. This day marked the inaugural meeting of the Competence and Behaviour Working Group (CBWG) and heralded the beginning of efforts to simplify, standardise and share in WA/NT. The Marine Working Group followed soon after.

Details of the inaugural CBWG meeting reflected the truly collaborative nature of Safer Together WA/NT.

  • Working Group Co-Champions are Ian Grant (Quadrant) and Zoran Bebic (Monadelphous)
  • The Working Group Chair is Louise Bonser (Chevron)
  • The meeting was hosted by Jamie Huthwaite (Woodside)
  • 6 Operators and 8 Contractor Partners are represented on the Working Group

The meeting started with a safety moment that prompted each member to answer “Why are you here?”  One suggestion resonated strongly with the Group.  “We are here to prevent fatality and serious harm to people working in our Industry”.  The Group agreed to enshrine this in its Charter.

Stewart Allan (Quadrant) looks forward enthusiastically. “It’s so good that we are finally here. We now have the right people in the room to pursue initiatives that will truly improve safety by further addressing competency and workplace behaviour in our Industry”.

Prior to the CBWG’s formation, industry was examining the issue of what training would be appropriate to meet demands of the industry in a post construction context.  Gaining standardisation of induction training across the industry nationally is seen as a major prize which would deliver industry efficiencies and promote greater portability of learning. 

To explore this opportunity, one of the first items of business for the CBWG was to  evaluate the Industry Safety Induction developed by Safer Together in Queensland, for possible implementation in WA/NT.  To this end, the Group noted "Quadrant had sponsored a couple of pilot courses to provide WA stakeholders with the opportunity to experience the ISI course. The CBWG now gives us the ability to make collective decisions about pursuing initiatives like the ISI. We can then work collaboratively to bring these initiatives to life”.

To ensure all CBWG members have a taste of the ISI experience, a further pilot is being organised which will provide an opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the ISI content and also how it is delivered.

The CBWG is not the only Working Group that has ‘fired up’ in WA/NT.   On 12 June, the Marine Working Group held its inaugural meeting. The Co-Champions of this Group are Kevin Owens (Chevron) and Brett Howard (TechnipFMC).  An alignment with MarineSafe has allowed the Group to get off to a flying start.  The spirit of MarineSafe is reflected in the new Marine Working Group Charter.  The MarineSafe name and logo will be retained by the Group. It is chaired by Alastair Martin (Svitzer) the former Chair of MarineSafe.  The core of the Group are former members of MarineSafe.

For more information about Safer Together WA/NT, click here.

* Image: 18 May, 2018.  Members of the Safer Together WA/NT Competence Working Group assemble for the inaugural meeting.