A highlight of our annual event calendar, this year we gathered with our Health, Safety & Environment Representatives (HSERs) in Darwin, to ‘Get Involved’.
You are our eyes and ears on the frontline – this year Safer Together member companies sent their peer-elected representatives to our Forum in Darwin.
Emceed by Lindsay Gerrard (HSER, INPEX) who opened with a welcome to country and run through of the day before handing over to Monadelphous’s Emma Gauld (HSEQ Manager, Monadelphous), who reminded the room of everything Safer Together had delivered for HSERs since the 2023 Forum.
Tom Pettitt (Safer Together) led the room in a brief meditation session before moving on to HSER Success Story presentations from Johnny McCluskey (HSER Monadelphous), who presented a simple yet effective HSER ‘Action Tracker’ solution from his workplace, and Rohan Holdsworth (HSER INPEX) presenting a decontamination shower tent Success Story that generated much discussion from the room.
A presentation from Nick Webster (OHS Specialist Regulatory Operations – Decommissioning Safety, NOPSEMA) updated delegates on changes in the regulatory space.
After a short break, Natalie Martinovich, (COO, Lifeline WA) with her presentation ‘Building Strong, Supportive Teams’ led delegates in a skills-building session based on Lifeline WA’s Resourceful Mind program – a peer-support program created in response to research that showed the resource sector workers face unique challenges that puts them at greater risk of mental ill health – a presentation very well-received by the room.
Following another brief meditation session with Tom, Emma returned to ask HSERs for their feedback – asking what do HSERs need help with, and what can our senior leaders do to help them in their role.
Jenna Frzop (Senior HSE Adviser, INPEX) guided HSERs through tools on the Safer Together website, before wrapping up this fantastic event.
HSERs Breakout in the Afternoon
Later in the day, Senior Leaders from the Industry Safety Forum attended three breakout panel sessions delivered Frontline HSERs, with Lindsay, Jenna, Nick and Natalie supported by frontline HSER’s Joseph Aparis (INPEX) and Shane Glover (Monadelphous) two gents who bravely stepped up to represent their peers on the Q&A session at the breakout sessions.
These sessions provided Senior Leaders with an intimate opportunity to listen to feedback from the morning session, to hear directly from Lindsay, Shane and Joseph about issues currently directly impacting HSERs – and to ask questions about how they can better work together to improve safety for the frontline, and how they can better support HSERs to fulfil their role.
Members can access the Forum slide pack here.
We are Stronger and Safer Together.