Initiative to support health and safety representatives

NOPSEMA, Australia’s offshore regulator, in conjunction with peak industry and union bodies APPEA and the ACTU, will host a one-day forum for health and safety representatives (HSRs) in Melbourne. The HSR Forum is a hybrid event at which attendees will hear from a range of expert speakers and panellists, presenting on topics such as training, updates on legislation and regulation, psychosocial work hazards and workplace support for HSRs.

Derrick O’Keefe, who leads NOPSEMA’s Safety and Integrity division, said he hopes the day will be a great success, especially as last year’s event was limited to video attendance. “We held our first event in 2019 in Perth and it was very well received. The last one we did was slightly hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic and so we’re really looking forward to hosting a face-to-face event on the east coast. The Australian offshore oil and gas industry relies on dedicated, trained, experienced and competent personnel to ensure the safe operations and optimal performance of its offshore facilities. HSRs are a key part of this workforce and play a crucial role in keeping the offshore workforce safe and healthy,” O’Keefe said.

APPEA Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said that the forum will enable health and safety representatives to share practical experiences from across the industry, with representatives from a range of offshore workplaces bringing their individual perspectives. McCulloch said that attendees will be able to hear about industry developments and discuss how to continually improve health and safety. “Our industry has decades of experience operating offshore facilities with a focus on ensuring the health and safety of our workers,” McCulloch said.

ACTU’s Liam O’Brien called on all companies operating in the offshore oil and gas sector to make their health and safety representatives available to attend the forum. “We really need to see broad support from across industry to ensure the forum’s well attended and of value to the workforce. We need a wide cross-section of HSRs representing a variety of stakeholders, operators, contractors and labour hire providers to ensure a diversity of views and learnings are shared through the event. And so we’re particularly keen to see HSRs from second- and third-tier contractors attending,” O’Brien said.

The in-person/virtual HSR forum is being held at Cliftons Melbourne on 24 November 2022. For more information and to register to attend in person or via video link, click here.

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