Stamford Plaza Melbourne and Online, Wednesday 17 April 2024
8.30 Registration
9.00 Opening remarks from Chair
9.10 Evaluating updated case law and legislation in WHS
- Reviewing changes to WHS regulation, including harmonisation of model act
- Engaging recent attempts at prosecution in WHS law
- Preparing your organisation for anticipated changes and amendments
- Building organisational resilience for potential safety incidents
Sam Jackson, Partner, Sparke Helmore
9.55 Developing a compliant approach to psychosocial risk management
- Navigating expectations for monitoring of worker wellbeing
- Assessing your workplace for potential psychosocial hazards
- Initiating conversations and check-ins with your employees
- Reviewing successful prosecutions within psychosocial WHS law
- Evaluating current and incoming law around psychological injury
Andrew Douglas, Managing Principal, FCW Lawyers
10.40 Morning Coffee
11.10 Ensuring your officers meet their WHS duty of care
- Establishing the key differences between director and officer duties
- Updating your whole-of-business safety policy around new WHS laws
- Ensuring director and officers are aware of their obligations
- Involving leaders in safe job design and training
Caitlin Ible, Special Counsel, MinterEllison
11.55 Working effectively with contractors within WHS regulations
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Communicating clear expectations and agreements on the record
- Assessing historic incidents and prosecutions within contractor management
- Identifying the share and transferability of duties between contractors and organisations
- Navigating your unavoidable safety obligations when engaging a contractor
Steve Bell, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
12.40 Lunch
13.40 Case Study: Implementing WHS law standards and regulations in practice
- Updating your organisational approach and safety philosophy in line with WHS regulations
- Building a comprehensive whole-of-organisation strategy as a safety professional
- Consulting with internal and external stakeholders for effective implementation
- Taking a ‘hearts and minds’ approach to support compliance
Nicole Fauvrelle, GM Health, Safety, and Wellbeing, Country Fire Authority VIC
14.25 Mitigating the safety risk of bullying and harassment in the workplace
- Evaluating changes in WHS law including the Respect at Work legislation
- Reviewing recent WHS incidents and prosecutions in bullying and harrassment
- Understanding your obligations to ensure a safe and preventative culture
- Detecting and eliminating unsafe and disrespectful behaviour
Catherine Dunlop, Partner, Maddocks
15.10 Afternoon Tea
15.40 Collaborating with regulators effectively to ensure best-practice WHS strategy
- Understanding the role of state and federal regulators in WHS
- Accessing current advice and resources provided by your regulator
- Supporting regulators in regular WHS investigations
- Utilising the education and training opportunities provided by regulators
Dr Narelle Beer, Executive Director Health and Safety, WorkSafe Victoria
16.20 Meeting best practice expectations for internal and external incident reporting
- Understanding the external reporting obligations within your jurisdiction
- Evidencing your own actions and interventions effectively
- Utilising best-practice reporting for compliant prevention strategies
- Creating an efficient flow of information to your safety team
Ross Levin, Partner, Mills Oakley
17.00 Closing remarks from the chair and end of conference