WHS Law Perth Agenda

The Melbourne Hotel (Perth), Tuesday 26 March 2024

8.10       Registration 

8.30       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

Sally North, a/g Commissioner, WorkSafe WA 

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

Ian Bennett, 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

Craig Boyle, Partner, MinterEllison

Ben Morrison, Lawyer, MinterEllison

11.55     Working effectively with contractors within WHS regulations

  • 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

Olga Klimczak, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills

 12.40     Lunch

13.40     Case Study: Implementing WHS law standards and regulations in practice

  • Updating your organisational approach 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
  • Engaging with experts when required to ensure you are compliant

Robert Nankivell, Production Technician and Health & Safety Representative, BHP Billiton

 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

Cav. Maria Saraceni, Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers

15.10     Afternoon Tea

15.40   Investigating psychosocial complaints at the intersection of HR and WHS

  • Understanding your internal and external reporting obligations
  • Investigating psychosocial complaints effectively where required
  • Ensuring you meet your obligations to the complainant and stakeholders
  • Producing a best-case outcome when the complainant is reluctant to participate

Renae Harding, Partner, Jackson McDonald

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

Rob Humphreys, Partner, Mills Oakley

 

17.00     Closing remarks from the chair and end of conference