Comcare webinars
Our webinars are presented by workplace health and safety experts and guest speakers to help promote and enable safe and healthy work across Comcare’s scheme.
Previous webinars
Licence fees and cost recovery
27 March 2024
Watch the session
The webinar covered:
- an overview of the relevant legislation and framework for cost recovery.
- an introduction to licence fees: why Comcare charges them, what impacts them and how they are calculated.
- issuing of fees and timing for payment.
Resources
Contractor management and regulatory process enhancements
28 February 2024
Watch the session
The webinar discussed:
- shared duties and monitoring requirements when engaging contractors
- what to expect when an inspector calls following an incident involving contractors
- an update on recent enhancements in regulatory processes for targeted and effective assessment and prioritisation of regulatory response.
Resources
- Presentation
- Workplace relations
- Contractors and Subcontractors Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011
- Contractor management guidance for PCBUs
- The WHS Act and Contractors in the Commonwealth factsheet
- Model Code of Practice: Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination
- Regulatory guides
Why recovery and return to work matters, and what makes a difference
28 November 2023
Presented by Peter Kirwan (Fire and Rescue NSW), Tim Saunders (Telstra), Dr Catherine Kelaher (Department of Defence) and Michael Duke (Comcare).
Watch the session
The webinar discussed:
- Practical insights from an employee with lived experience, employer and medical practitioner.
- How employers can effectively support employees in their recovery and return to work.
- Suggested approaches for early engagement, support and developing psychologically safe workplaces without stigma.
Resources
- Presentation
- Recovery and return to work resources
- Return to Work information sheet
- Rehabilitation case manager handbook
- Return to work process for employers
- Intervene early and know the warning signs
- Providing suitable employment
Body stressing, musculoskeletal disorder and Good Work Design webinar
26 October 2023
As part of Safe Work Month 2023, Comcare hosted an informative webinar with Comcare leaders and Professor Jodi Oakman from La Trobe University, discussing body stressing, musculoskeletal disorders and Good Work Design for strategies to create safer and healthier work.
Watch the session
Resources
- Presentation
- Comcare Prevention Strategy
- Good Work Design
- How to life position paper
- Beyond the Office: Considerations and practical approached for working safely at home
- Office Safety Tool
- Body stressing sources of risk checklist
Psychosocial Health and Safety Forum
10 October 2023
This webinar featured Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman and Comcare CEO Greg Vines discussing mental health challenges in the workplace. It included updates on the regulatory landscape, and approaches to address vicarious trauma and other hazards. An expert panel shared lessons from applied practice.
Watch the session
Resources
- Presentation
- National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022
- Supporting mentally healthy workplaces
- People at Work
- Vicarious trauma
- The Vicarious Trauma—Organizational Readiness Guide
- The Vicarious Trauma Prevention and Awareness Project
- Compassionate Foundations: Suicide prevention capability suite
- Connections: Core capabilities for workplace peer supporters
- A case for investing in relational leadership skills
- APS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Unit
2023-24 Regulatory Priorities and Incident Management
31 July 2023
This webinar discussed:
- Comcare's Regulatory Priorities for 2023-2024
- Comcare's regulatory approach to Incident Management Systems
- Implementation of best practice incident management and response
Watch the session
Resources
- Presentation
- Regulatory priorities
- Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011
- Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033
- Comcare Prevention Strategy 2022-2025
- Psychosocial hazards | Comcare
- WHS Regulations - Case studies | Comcare
- Psychosocial regulations | Comcare
- IPAA Work With Purpose podcast: How to embed psychosocial safety in Australia's workplaces
Comcare information session: Understanding your 2023-24 premium
22 June 2023
Comcare hosted a session to support organisation’s understanding of its 2023–24 workers’ compensation premium. This session discussed how premiums are calculated and key drivers, scheme trends and the impact of claim outcomes on premiums, and responses to commonly asked questions about premiums.
Watch the session
Resources
- Presentation (PDF, 3.2 MB)
- Comcare premiums - Your guide
- Comcare Scheme performance - Overview
- Intervene early and know the warning signs
- Work demands - Practical guidance for employers (PDF, 4.5 MB)
- Managing work demands checklist (PDF, 279.7 KB)
- Psychosocial hazards
- Good work design
- Mental health stigma in the workplace
- People at Work
- Mental health coaching service (NewAccess workplaces)
- Workplace Research Monthly
Psychosocial hazards and regulation
27 March 2023
This webinar covers the WHS Amendment (Managing psychosocial risk and other measures) Regulations 2022, Comcare's regulatory approach, and guidance and support materials.
Watch the webinar
Resources
- Presentation slides (PDF, 2.5 MB)
- Changes to WHS Laws landing page (information on the law changes, guidance and the identified psychosocial hazards)
- Work Demands guidance
WHS systems and the future of work
26 October 2022
Professor Sharon Newnam from Queensland University of Technology discussed how we can review and maintain WHS management systems and the future of work.
Watch the webinar
Resources
- AcciMap approach: Goode, N., Salmon, P. M., Lenne, M. G., Finch, C. (2018). Bridging the gap between accident prevention theory and practice: developing and implementing systems thinking incident reporting and learning systems, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL
- Patient Handling Incident Review of Systems (PHIRES) tool
- Effects of Chronic Job Insecurity on Big Five Personality Change (PDF, 368.9 KB)
- Workplace Safety Futures report
Resilience, adaptability and mental health
10 October 2022
Hear from Georgie Harman, CEO of Beyond Blue about leading teams, sharing vulnerability, managing your wellbeing and resilience, plus the latest insights and data.
Watch the webinar
Resources
- Mental Health Australia reports to the nation on World Mental Health Day 10 October 2022 (PDF, 1.7 MB)
- National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing summary statistics
- Cost of living pressures overtake COVID-19 worries as the main cause of stress, survey shows
- NewAccess Workplaces Mental health Coaching service pilot
- NewAccess – Mental Health Coaching
Creating a safe and healthy workplace
4 October 2022
Comcare leaders discuss work health and safety challenges in the jurisdiction and the latest education, training and upcoming initiatives.
Watch the webinar
Resources
Contractor management: Shared duties and control
3 May 2022
Comcare Senior Inspectors, Susan Jones and Craig Servin from our Regulatory Operations Group, provided organisations that engage contractors with a clearer understanding of shared duties and responsibilities under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).
Watch the webinar
Resources
Comcare
- Regulatory guide - People under the WHS Act
- Contractor Management guidance for PCBUs
- Work Health and Safety Incident Notification guide
Safe Work Australia
- WHS duties in a contractual chain: Factsheet
- How to determine what is reasonably practicable to meet a health and safety duty
- Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks
Investing in health and wellbeing
28 April 2022
Dr L. Casey Chosewood from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) joined Comcare's Justin Napier, General Manager Regulatory Operations Group, to discuss an integrated approach to work, health, safety and wellbeing.
Watch the webinar
Resources
- Dr L. Casey Chosewood's presentation 'Investing in Health and Well-being' (PDF, 2.4 MB)
- Learn more about the Total Worker Health® framework
- Complete the NIOSH WellBQ Wellbeing Questionnaire
Leadership and resilience in changing times
22 October 2021
This webinar discussed leadership, workplace culture and resilience during difficult circumstances.
Managing psychosocial hazards and risks
12 October 2021
This webinar included practical, solutions-based content, from Comcare as the regulator and national authority.
Resources
For more information on the reports referenced:
For information regarding the available toolkits referenced:
- People at Work: a free evidence-based psychosocial risk assessment tool for workplaces
- Mentally healthy workplaces toolkit - WorkSafe.qld.gov.au
- What is a healthy workplace - headsup.org.au
- WorkWell Toolkit - WorkWell - WorkSafe Victoria
Other guidance material and resources referenced:
- Comcare's Office Safety tool
- Comcare's Coronavirus (COVID-19) page
- Comcare's Workplace sexual harassment page
- Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces - National Mental Health Commission
- People at Work
- Model Code of Practice: Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination - Safe Work Australia
- Work-related psychological health and safety: A systematic approach to meeting your duties - Safe Work Australia
- Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements with guidance for use
- Taking action to eliminate or minimise PDF - peopleatwork.gov.au
- Family & domestic violence - Safe Work Australia
- Workplace sexual harassment - Safe Work Australia
- Workplace violence and aggression - Safe Work Australia
Building a culture of respect: Workplace sexual harassment – never part of the job
18 August 2021
Comcare hosted the ‘Building a culture of respect: Workplace sexual harassment – never part of the job’ webinar on 18 August 2021, with discussion on how sexual harassment can occur in the workplace, prevention strategies and ways to manage the risk of workplace sexual harassment.
Watch the webinar recording or read the video transcript to hear our presenters’ responses to the many questions our audience asked during the webinar.
For questions relating to regulatory and practical guidance to help employers, managers and supervisors and workers prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment and comply with their duties under the WHS Act, please refer to Comcare’s guidance:
- Workplace sexual harassment: Practical guidance for workers (PDF, 4.1 MB)
- Workplace sexual harassment: Practical guidance for managers and supervisors (PDF, 4.2 MB)
- Workplace sexual harassment: Practical guidance for employers (PDF, 4.1 MB)
- Regulatory guidance for employers on their work health and safety responsibilities (PDF, 1.7 MB)
For further information regarding education products focused on the prevention, management and reporting of workplace sexual harassment, access Comcare’s training via our learning management system called Comcare LMS.
Resources
Micro Learns – 5-minute video presentations
- An introduction to Workplace Sexual Harassment: Never part of the job
- How to Respond to Workplace Sexual Harassment
- How to prevention of Workplace Sexual Harassment
Online courses – self paced learning
- Workplace Sexual Harassment: an overview for workers
- Workplace Sexual Harassment: an overview for employers and managers
Read more about Comcare’s workplace sexual harassment guidance.
For more information about sexual harassment:
- Respect@Work Report
- Australian Human Rights Commission
- State and Territory WHS regulators
- Workplace sexual harassment | Safe Work Australia
- Know the Line – AHRC
- 1800RESPECT - 1800 737 732
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
COVID-19, safety systems and safety culture
28 October 2020
Comcare presented this webinar on 28 October 2020, which discussed COVID-19, safety systems and emerging trends and risks.
Watch the webinar
Resources
Comcare
- Comcare’s Coronavirus webpage has information and resources.
- Information on the role of PCBUs
- Comcare’s Micro Learn and printable posters on the use of face masks
- Work health and safety management systems
- National WHS Audit Tool audit report (DOCX, 138.0 KB)
- National Self Insurer WHS Audit Tool user workbook (PDF, 370.6 KB)
- National Self Insurer WHS Audit Tool user guide (PDF, 751.7 KB)
Safe Work Australia
COVID-19, our work, mental health and wellbeing
14 October 2020
Co-presented by Comcare, Beyond Blue and Future of Work Institute on 14 October 2020. This webinar explored some of the impacts of COVID-19 on the nature of our work, mental health and wellbeing.
Watch the webinar
Resources
Comcare
- Comcare’s COVID guidance and resources
- Comcare’s Mentally healthy workplaces page
- Comcare’s Learning Management System (LMS)
- Information on Lead Indicator Mentoring Program
- Information on NewAccess Workplaces
- Comcare Psychosocial hazards - Preventing psychological injury at work
Beyond Blue
- Beyond Blue website
- Heads Up website
- Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service
- Beyond Blue: ‘Developing a workplace mental health strategy’
- Safe Work Australia: Work-related psychological health and safety: A systematic approach to meeting your duties
- Tracking outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic (August 2020) – Divergence within Australia
- Thrive at Work Toolkit
- Beyond Blue Wellbeing Plan template
- Beyond Blue online training
- Beyond Blue resources catalogue.
Future of Work Institute
- Curtin University Future of Work Institute
- Centre of Transformative Work Design – Thrive at Work at Home Study
- Centre of Transformative Work Design – About Work Design
- Centre of Transformative Work Design SMART Work Design Resources – SMART Work Design
- The Future of Work Institute’s Thrive at Work Initiative and Wellbeing Strategy Resources - Thrive at Work.
