Conference Program

Showcasing workplace safety

(includes afternoon tea)

Resilience and renewal
Tony Bradford, Managing Director, Centre for Corporate Health

In challenging times how can health, safety and rehabilitation practitioners

• know the business and maintain focus on the important problems
• understand the organisation’s injury prevention and management performance
• 'Tell the story' to influence management decisions
• utilise supportive networks and celebrate success

Be kind: Rewind
Management of psychological injury

Participating agencies - Australian Taxation Office, Department of Finance and Deregulation and Australian Federal Police.

Facilitated by Dr Melissa Lehmann, Work Solutions

Despite a reduction in the incidence Psychological Injury in recent years, this type of injury carries significant personal and financial costs. It remains a significant cost driver for many employers under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (the SRC Act) as the duration and costs of psychological injury cases remain high.
This workshop will use an interactive case study to highlight the findings of a project examining the management of psychological injury cases from a range of employers within the Comcare scheme.  Participants will learn approaches and/or improvements that they could adopt to enhance early and durable RTW outcomes for employees with psychological injuries.

Suitable employment toolkit

Dr Bernadette Trifiletti, Occupational Physician, Health Services Australia

Delegates will participate in an interactive workshop based on case studies and take away the tools and knowledge to optimise rehabilitation outcomes through the provision of suitable employment.

Join your colleagues for a 'sparkling' cocktail reception and enjoy a welcome drink to open the 2009 National Conference

Professor Niki Ellis, Deputy CEO, The Australian Institute of Health Workforce Innovation and SRCC member

New perspectives on workplace health promotion

The term ‘workplace wellness’ is receiving greater recognition, although programs may still predominantly focus on individual lifestyle behaviours such as fitness, weight control and smoking cessation. New approaches see the individual as a person at work and aim to recognise that personal health relates to intrapersonal, interpersonal and broader environmental factors.

Major General Craig Orme AM, CSC, Department of Defence

Risk management – part of everyday business

Effective leadership in health and safety and the scope of OHS management in a diverse working environment where risk is part of everyday business.

Looking past the downturn

Ms Susan Heron, Chief Executive Officer, VIC & TAS, Australian Institute of Management

The impact of the global financial crisis – ‘Australia’s in better shape than most’.  Explores the long term business strengths, productivity and business leadership in these times, integrating health and safety into everyday business.

Mr Geoff Fary, Assistant Secretary, ACTU

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) have agreed to implement a national harmonised OHS regime in all jurisdictions by 2011.  The challenge for Australian unions is to ensure the new scheme involves the highest standards and protections for all Australian workers; not a leveling down.

Mr Wayne Creaser, Manager, Research and data, Safe Work Australia

What is the progress of the Government’s agenda to create model OHS legislation?

For many people with a disability, a major barrier to equal opportunity, equal participation or equal performance at work is some feature of the work situation which could readily be altered. This session will discuss the reasonable adjustments employers can implement in their workplace.

Mr Nev Keynes, Centrelink

Centrelink has developed a Positive Leadership Program to assist managers to grow a positive and effective workplace environment. Delegates will hear how Centrelink has applied Organisational Psychology to maintain a healthy workforce and improve workplace performance.

Mr Paul Cutrone, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers

The management of health risks can often be disconnected from the management of safety risks.  This presentation broadens the perspective of an integrated approach to the management of these risks by exploring the benefits of effective management, emerging legal compliance issues, good practices and guidelines.

He will also raise awareness about the importance of organisational health as a critical success factor in all Australian organisations.

Ms Pam Garton, Managing Director, Abilita Services

International research has confirmed that work outcomes are optimised when pain management is integrated into work rehabilitation. Delegates will be presented with an innovative program that assists Employers and Rehabilitation Providers to manage the complex needs of injured workers who are at risk of persistent pain and disability. This session will report on how the use of a composite assessment tool and structured coaching, assists injured workers to optimise health and work outcomes.

Ms Tracey Bell, Director Health and Safety, Department of Immigration and Citizenship

It is well known that throughout the workforce, employees with a life-threatening illness often experience significant difficulties in maintaining and managing their employment.  Many employees who are carers also face such difficulties.  Even in the most understanding workplaces, providing appropriate support for such employees can sometimes present significant challenges to supervisors and co-workers. In this presentation Tracey Bell will explore how DIAC has recognised the importance of flexible management strategies to provide timely and sensitive support to employees.

What makes the difference in prevention and management of slow onset conditions? How can we engage all stakeholders to prevent the development of longer term disability and reduce the time off work.

The conference gala dinner will incorporate the 2009 SRCC Safety Awards.

The Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra

Mr John Cairns, Acting Deputy Commissioner, Australian Public Service Commission

How effective and flexible are today’s workplaces?

As the impact of the economic slowdown is felt more widely, what challenges are currently facing the APS and Australian workforce? Carmel McGregor will examine measures to deal with these challenges and how you can assist your organisation to deliver business outcomes.

Organisational resilience: A case study in building resilience in a large Government department

Mr Charles Bishop, Director, O2C Solutions

Charles will explore the keys to building a successful internal change team, how to recognise the signs and symptoms of low resilience in the workplace, obstacles of delivering a resilience program and ultimately embedding the solution into business as usual.

Creating an OHS reporting and information system – how to align sustainable organisational objectives

Nicholas Ward, Senior Project Manager, Konekt Australia

Data management is essential for organisations to design business strategies. Data management and OHS objectives are vital for corporate governance and risk management. This presentation will illustrate how to use and collect data to develop meaningful and effective OHS objectives for sustainable and continuous improvement.  It will also discuss the new age of technology and its application to OHS data management as well as OHS culture within organisations and the importance of 'subjective' information.

Ms Regina Perton, Member, Administrative Appeals Tribunal

What are the challenges in maintaining positive relationships in a dispute environment?

How can we ensure that rehabilitation does not suffer?

Disparity in interpersonal conflict: implications for prevention and management of psychological injury

Dr Rod Gutierrez, Senior Rehabilitation Psychologist and Management Consultant, Injury Management Solutions

Recent research into psychological injury claims highlights the marked differences in the perceptions of both claimants and employers with regard to the existence and nature of interpersonal  conflict in the workplace.  Conflict has been singled out as an important catalyst for claim lodgement and therefore such differences in point of view are critical to any efforts made to both manage and prevent such injuries.

Reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders

Associate Professor Wendy Macdonald, La Trobe University

What is the relationship between job demands, the work environment and the individual’s coping resources in prevention of musculoskeletal injury? What can employers do to manage these risks in the workplace?

Luncheon event - Great Safety Debate

High performance means success - we know how to measure performance!

Team captains: Ms Jean Kittson and Dr John Tickell

In an entertaining format, this debate will discuss the emphasis placed on the health and safety performance ‘scorecard’. As business environments are focussed on showcasing positive performance to increase market share and become more sustainable, are we really focussing efforts on the right measures; or should we explore other factors to achieve optimal workplace health and safety outcomes. Is it what we measure, or what we don’t measure, you decide!

Switched on Performance

Andrew May, Performance and Productivity Expert

The rapid speed and intensity of modern business demands a new way of approaching performance. Being able to consistently perform at your peak requires a balance between intense effort and essential periods of rest and recovery. You cannot be 100% efficient if you are ‘on’ 24/7. In this workshop Andrew will explore

Dr Keith Suter

Global Futurist