Neville Warwick, COHSPrac

🌬 Spirometry. Don't 'blow' it! 🌬 When it comes to spirometry as part of worker respiratory assessment, precision is paramount 📉 Quality spirometry assessment is non-negotiable 🙅‍♀️ Without adequate training and understanding of this procedure, we risk missing crucial lung disease indicators ⚠ In the world of healthcare, we're guided by professionalism and expertise. Let's uphold quality standards and ensure effective health monitoring 💪 #respiratoryhealth #occupationalhealth Resource: TSANZ; Standards for the delivery of Spirometry for resource sector workers: https://lnkd.in/ge8wmMS9 News article triggering this post: https://lnkd.in/guC655ED

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75,000 extra Australian Citizen electricians, construction managers, metal machinists and welders by 2030 to facilitate Subs. Seems like the sector needs to get a wriggle on attracting, nurturing & training the required tsunami of talent. All whilst competing heavily against adjacent industries particularly Renewable Energy.

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How We Do Things Around Here - An Organisational Culture Survey ISOL8 was asked to conduct a workplace Safety Culture Survey, analyse the data and provided a report for two agricultural companies based in Western Australia and Victoria. . Three  factors influenced our decision to proceed as we had not done this type of work before. 1.     The Senior ISOL8 Risk Management Consultant had conducted many investigations and WHS audits over + 30 years across a wide range of mining, construction, agricultural , mineral and gas processing plants where management and workplace culture was noted as an influencing factor. 2.   We had done extensive WHS auditing and incident investigations for both companies and were very familiar with their workplace workflows and processes. 3. One of the ISOL8 Consultants had an extensive background ( 40 + years) as an educator in WA Primary and Secondary school areas, both as a teacher and a deputy principal, who:   (a) Dealt with and managed student classroom/school yard conflicts, student mental/physical limitations and parents/carers on a daily basis (b) Was familiar with cultures and beliefs arising from parents and children who were immigrants from Asian, Islamic and EU countries. We discussed the concept of Safety Culture with a CEO and it was agreed that we would conduct an Organisation Culture survey. Survey Design The intent of the survey was to gain trust and encourage employees to open up and tell us what they thought. (a) One Agricultural Enterprise consisted of several farms with over 50% female employees who originated from an Asian country, (c) Each consultant explained their background to each employee (d) Employees were advised that survey answers were anonymous and asked not to tell the interviewer their name. (e) Employees were interviewed individually no paperwork was required to be completed by the employee. (f) The interviewer asked each employee a series of questions. The employee rated each answer from Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree/Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree and Not Applicable. Once the employee had provided their rating they were asked to explain their rating. (g) Questions covered - Supervision, Workplace relationships , safety, tasks .  Final Question - If the employee was given $1 million , how would they spend this money in their workplace. Insights (a) The interviews were well received. Many employees requested this type of survey is done on regular basis. (b) Examination and analysis of employee comments recorded in questionnaires provided the company with detailed information on internal practices, organisational structures and equipment and included recommendations aimed at improving employee retention, improving safety, improving equipment reliability and increasing productivity. (c) The Million Dollar question produced some surprising & insightfull anwers.

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FPA Australia members that voting for the board elections is still open until October 17th. I’m seeking your support and vote for John Lynch ‘s nomination for the board. Listed below the current challenges from member companies around Australia, which John will be focusing on if elected: 1.     Accessing Australian Standards at a cost-effective price 2.     Development of a new AS1851 and training material to support its introduction. 3.     Creating pathways for entry into the fire industry by traineeships, cadets, and apprenticeship programs. 4.     Closer relationships with government to influence accreditation or licensing schemes that reflect the tasks that our members perform. Make them understand that the Fire Industry has its own identity and specific skillsets 5.     Membership benefits that can be used to reduce the cost of running a small or medium sized fire company.

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Starting a little blog about workplace health and safety / compliance. A timely reminder for one of my favourite topics to improve - injury management and return to work - as the legislation came into force this week. Look after your people ❤️‍🩹

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Understanding your Health and Safety Responsibilities 👷‍♂️👷‍♀️ Safety in the workplace is a shared responsibility, and it's essential that we all play our part. Here are some key questions to consider: 1️⃣ Are you aware of your duties under WHS (Work Health and Safety) laws? Understanding your legal obligations is the first step to creating a safer workplace. 2️⃣ Do you know who to report accidents and incidents to? Prompt reporting is crucial for preventing future incidents and ensuring the well-being of your colleagues. 3️⃣ Do you need refresher training or further training? Keeping your skills and knowledge up to date is vital in maintaining a safe working environment. 4️⃣ What will you do if Workcover turns up? Being prepared for inspections can save you time, money, and potential legal issues. If you're a CEO, manager, or small business owner with questions about safety, it's essential to consult an expert in the field. Safety is not something to take lightly. #SafetyFirst #WorkplaceSafety #HealthAndSafety #StaySafe #angedionconsulting

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WA1 Resources has entered into an agreement with the Tjamu Tjamu (Aboriginal Corporation) RNTBC to support the development of the West Arunta project. WA1 Resources Ltd Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC Tjamu Tjamu (Aboriginal Corporation) RNTBC What is niobium used for? #Alloys containing niobium are used in jet #engines and #rockets, #beams and #girders for buildings and oil #rigs, and oil and gas #pipelines. This element also has superconducting properties. It is used in #superconducting magnets for particle accelerators, #MRI scanners and #NMR equipment. The third major deposit of #pyrochlore being actively mined is the Niobec Mine in #Quebec, #Canada, owned by #IAMGOLD Corp, with measured and indicated resources of 2.6 million tonnes, based on a grade of 0.41% Nb2O5. In all three facilities, the pyrochlore mineral is processed by primarily physical processing technology to give a concentrate ranging from 55 to about 60% niobium oxide which is then processed into ferroniobium and other niobium metal products. IAMGOLD Corporation Source - https://lnkd.in/gsGpACJh 2024 CFO Top Priorities - https://lnkd.in/gKKsMQN7

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𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 I remember the first major emergency call during my stint as an ambulance officer in a remote South Australian town. The radio beeper went off with urgency. I had only moments to gather myself and head to the ambulance bay to meet my fellow officer. Every second counted. People's lives, their safety, hung in the balance. Growing up, I learned the importance of adaptability from my island upbringing. Now, this was adaptability on a whole new level. As I approached the scene, I wasn't just thinking about the injured. I had to consider the bystanders, the environment, potential hazards—everything needed to be assessed, calculated, and acted upon. That night, my experiences from both my island days and past emergency situations converged. I coordinated a team, assessed risks, and executed a safety protocol under pressure. In business, especially in Safety and Compliance, this ability to swiftly assess situations and act with precision is paramount. Your team, your colleagues, they all rely on it. Every time I'm faced with a critical decision at GSD Safety, I draw from these moments, these memories. They remind me: "You've tackled life's most unpredictable challenges. You can ensure the safety and well-being of those around you." In any workplace, it's not just about preventing emergencies but also how you respond when they happen. Have you ever found strength in past experiences to handle present challenges?

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Safe Systems of Work - The elephant in the room - Verify Engineers Australia (WA Risk Engineering Technical Group). recently arranged a Webinar titled "What is Reasonably Practicable" It was presented by WHS Lawyer - Greg Smith. Some of the themes raised by Greg were: (a) Do you have a Safe System of Work? (b) Do you check that it has been implemented? and of critical inportance (c) Was it effective? In my auditing and incident investigation experience, I continually see posters/signs plastered everywhere, telling and reminding employees of the critical hazards and risks and controls. Are the signs effective ? or are they a box ticking exercise giving comfort to organisations who do not conduct forensic probes into the implementation and effectivess of their SSoW Perhaps reinforcement of these hazards,risks would be much more effective if done in the workplace by supervisors and workmates. In some cases, surprisingly , equipment/process plant Isolation is not defined as a critical risk at all.

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Riding For Men's Health Its that time of year again!! Both myself (Peter Lye) and Benoy Joseph will once again be participating in The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride happening in Melbourne on 19th May 2024. Since 2016, Movember has been the official charity partner of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride and both the organizations share similar goal: to bring people together and change the face of men's health. Funds raised by The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride help to power Movember’s work across two of the most complex issues facing men around the globe: prostate cancer and mental health. Ever since I joined for my first ride, I have been blown away by the global scale of the event, number of participants and their enthusiasm. As we have more and more participants joining each year, we hope to spread the awareness to a wider audience and draw their attention to two of the most complex issues facing men around the globe: prostate cancer and mental health. PROSTATE CANCER Globally, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men. Over 10 million men around the world are living with or beyond a prostate cancer diagnosis. In Australia, it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, affecting up to 1 in 7 men by the age of 75. MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION Globally, on average, we lose one man to suicide every minute of every day. That’s half a million men every year. The issue of suicide is incredibly complex. But we know this: improving overall mental health and helping men establish better social connections can reduce the risk of suicide. Almost half of all Australian adults will face mental ill-health during their lives. Suicide was the main cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 49 years in 2019. I hope anyone seeing this post will take few minutes out of their day to read about Prostate Cancer and Men's Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and if possible, donate to support the cause through our respective DGR links (https://lnkd.in/gykgD2Z2) / (https://lnkd.in/gAq8_AeQ). https://lnkd.in/gpRECCjW https://au.movember.com/# I will be riding my classic 1975 Kawasaki Z1B 900 and my friend and colleague Benoy Joseph who will be riding his Ducati Scrambler 900. If you have a motorcycle or can rent one, I sincerely encourage you to sign up for The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride (in your respective countries / cities) and joining us on 19th May 2024. #mentalhealth #health #suicideprevention #melbourne #prostatecancer #menshealthawareness #distinguishgentlemen #DGR2024 #RIDERSOFTHESTORM #MELBOURNE #GOODLIFE #MENSHEALTH #PROSTRATECANCER #MENSLIVESMATTERS #OLDISGOLD #RUOK #Kawasaki #ducati see less Benoy Johnson Joseph Pallithazhe gfolk.me Peter Lye gfolk.me The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride www.gentlemansride.com Movember - Changing the face of men's health

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Safety Literacy Presentation – Greg Smith It is apparent that some of my client Board Members and Officers may not be accurately informed on actual Company Safety Performance, and as a result may not be able to provide assurance that their safety management system complies with WHS Legal requirements and the intent of Company WHS Policies. To explore this in more detail, I attended an in house session on Safety Literacy presented by Jackson McDonald WHS Lawyer Greg Smith in Perth on the 16th July 2024. Greg explored several issues . See my interpretation detailed below: 1.     Do WHS initiatives achieve the intended outcome – how is this demonstrated? 2.     Do WHS initiatives contribute to a safer workplace – how is this demonstrated? 3.     Not sufficient knowledge of Critical Hazards and Risks –  Focus is on Trivial WHS hazards. 4.     Assumptions around WHS reporting data (metrics) is not evaluated sufficiently 5.     Effectiveness of WHS Management systems, meeting WHS legal requirements is not proven sufficiently  –“Inch Wide Mile Deep probing/auditing is not done. 6.     Room for major improvement in incident Investigations. Findings should be applied across the WHS system to determine if this is systemic or a “Once off” issue. 7.     Company WHS Reporting based on Metrics such as frequency rates is of no use to the Regulator or your WHS lawyer 8.     Narratives and analysis which explain and provide evidence of WHS performance is useful. More focus must be placed on a narrative and not a metrics approach in CEO and board WHS reports 9.     Board minutes on WHS performance (at least 2 years of data) and actions is always sought by the Regulator when a serious event occurs. 10. Risk Matrixes (5*5 ,etc) cannot be explained are highly subjective. 11. WHS energy on events is primarily directed at activities and associated hazards , not so much on systems and not much at all on Organisational traits (Culture, “The way we do business around here”) 12. There is too much reliance on misleading safety metrics (LTIs, etc), time wasting, ineffective and poorly written WHS procedures as demonstrated by major inquiries into catastrophic events such a Piper Alpha, Deep Water Horizon, Montara, Longford and Pike River – examples are: Ø Start Cards, Take 5s Ø SWMS and JHAs Ø Toolbox Meetings Ø Management /employee field conversations. 13 The Safety Industry was mentioned several times. There is lack of original thinking in the design and effective implementation of documented systems and procedures. There is a heavy reliance on the “Copy ,Cut and Paste” approach. I recommend that CEOs and Board members attend Gregs “Safety Literacy” Presentation. It will open up your eyes and mind.

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The role of production pressures The Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy concluded that leadership was distracted by financial and production pressures, and that the disaster happened during a drive to achieve coal production in a mine with leadership, operational and cultural problems. Cash-flow pressures meant that the company had to reduce costs and increase income, and so it reduced investment in non-productive infrastructure. It had aims of developing a productive and safe mine, but: “Unfortunately, Pike lost sight of that aim as its drive for production intensified” (Royal Commission, 2012, Vol.1, p.17). Several recent articles on the Piper Alpha disaster have mentioned the role of production pressures. This reminded me of the Pike River tragedy: we often see the same issues across different industries. #humanfactors #safety #safetyleadership #mining #oilandgas https://lnkd.in/e3fCpjj2

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How I place Temp Candidates to Site in 24 Hours - Fast, Compliant, and Reliable! In today’s fast-paced market, businesses need quick, efficient solutions to meet urgent staffing needs. Resources and Renewables Australia ensures the right HSE personnel are on-site quickly to maintain safety standards and meet project deadlines. Here’s how RRA makes it happen: ✨ By having one of the largest HSE candidate pools in Australia, our network includes certified HSE advisors, safety managers, and HSE specialists ready to support any site, no matter how urgent the need. ✨ At Resources and Renewables Australia, we specialise in mobilising fully qualified HSE temp candidates within just 24 hours, ensuring operations stay safe and compliant. ✨ From building relationships with our candidates, we know who has all the necessary safety certifications and compliance checks in advance, ensuring candidates meet the required legal and safety standards before arriving on-site. ✨ We collaborate with clients to fully understand your HSE needs, ensuring the right fit for the site’s safety culture and specific hazards. With our rapid placement of HSE professionals, clients' sites stay operational, compliant, and most importantly, safe. Jeremy Cockran Oscar Winter DENIS MUZA Zac Cheir Tegan Rollinson Rachael Butler Jason Urbano #HSEStaffing #WorkforceSafety #24HourStaffing #HealthAndSafety #TempStaffing #ComplianceReady #HSEExperts #RRA #WA #Resources

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🇦🇺 ANGLO AMERICAN: "Grosvenor Coal Mine fire continues to burn, sparking fears of explosion" (incl. video clip) ▪ In short - A fire burning at a Queensland coal mine has triggered fears of an explosion similar to one that occurred at the site in 2020. ▪ Five workers were injured in that incident and workers and residents are worried it could happen again. ▪ What's next? - Miner Anglo American says efforts to seal the mine are underway and that an investigation will be conducted in due course. 👉 Article: https://lnkd.in/dcbsKJXf 🎯 Mineral Reports - for the fastest daily Strategic Mineral Intel, please visit: https://lnkd.in/dQdjaThT - a KRIXOS / CMI venture 🇦🇹 🇨🇦 #criticalminerals #mining #angloamerican

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WA Mental Health Week | October 5th - 12th Both the emergency services and mining industries demand mental resilience and strength. At SETS Enterprises, we recognise the importance of mental health and encourage all industry employees to prioritise their happiness and wellbeing. Steven Mateljan, our Team Leader of Security and Emergency Services onsite, shares 10 great tips to help you keep on top of your mental health when you work away: 1️⃣ Eat Well | Nourish your body, but don’t be too hard on yourself for the occasional treat. 2️⃣ Exercise | Physical activity releases endorphins and serotonin in your brain, which helps to boost your mood. Research shows that exercise is 1.5 times better at improving mental health than the leading prescription drugs or talking to psychologists. 3️⃣ Stay Connected | Regularly reach out to family and friends. A simple call or text can make a big difference. 4️⃣ Have a Backup Plan | Be prepared for issues at home such as unexpected maintenance issues. Find a reliable contact who can help you out when you’re away. 5️⃣ Supportive Partner | Your partner’s support is vital whilst you’re working away. Open communication can greatly ease the challenges of working away whilst your partner is at home. 6️⃣ Engage Socially | Participate in group activities on-site! Head along to the raffle night, play darts, watch the footy game etc. Staying social can lift your spirits. 7️⃣ Prioritise Sleep | Avoid late-night screen time. A good night’s sleep is essential for mental health. If need be, take your own pillow or mattress topper, as that can greatly improve your quality of sleep. 8️⃣ Accept Missing Events | Accept the fact that you will miss some big events working away, birthdays, graduations, first steps, weddings, funerals. It’s part of life when you work away but it’s important to accept it and don’t beat yourself up over it. 9️⃣ Talk About It | If you’re feeling down, reach out to someone such as a peer supporter, perhaps the on-site medic, your supervisor, or a friend or family member. 🔟 Limit Alcohol | Alcohol is a depressant, so when having a beer or wine after work with your mates, make sure to limit your consumption. This week, take a moment to check in on both yourself and your colleagues and create a supportive environment where everyone feels empowered to speak up and seek help when needed. For valuable resources and more information, visit https://lnkd.in/dcPQzRi #wamentalhealthweek #SETSEnterprises #mentalhealthweek

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