The way forward for HSRs - a Safe Work Month forum for HSRs and their leaders

Safe Work Month opens with this free half-day forum designed for health and safety representatives (HSRs) and their supervisors or leaders

This engaging event will highlight the critical role of consultation and communication in workplace health and safety—including in addressing psychosocial hazards—and offer practical skill-building opportunities.

Focusing on two key priorities from WorkSafe WA’s The Way Forward—consultation and communication and psychosocial hazards—the forum will explore real-world scenarios from the perspective of HSRs as well as their leaders’. The goal is to strengthen the essential role of HSRs while fostering stronger relationships and mutual understanding between them and their leaders.

Professional actors will bring workplace situations to life, presenting realistic scenarios that spotlight challenges and opportunities in communication and consultation. These performances will serve as a springboard for discussion and reflection.

WorkSafe will also premiere new videos from the A day in the life of an HSR series, focused on how to issue provisional improvement notices (PINs). These segments will be accompanied by discussions around effective communication and consultation strategies when using this important tool.

Enjoy a morning SafeTea and networking lunch while connecting with others committed to building safer, more supportive workplaces.

Registration details

Although there is no registration fee, pre-registration is essential to reserve your place.

Registration for each attendee must be completed online.
If you register and subsequently are not able to attend, please cancel your registration online or advise wsengage@lgirs.wa.gov.au as soon as possible so someone else can attend.
Morning SafeTea and a networking lunch will be provided.

Event program

Morning

Time (AWST)	Description
08:00	Registration
08:30	Introduction - MC and facilitator Franca Sala Tenna
08:35	Welcome to Country - Theo Kearing
08:40	Welcome address - Hon Simone McGurk MLA, Minister for Industrial Relations
08:50	Navigating conversations between HSRs and their leaders - Facilitator Franca Sala Tenna with EEO Specialists actors
09:50	SafeTea
10:40	Issuing provisional improvement notices (PINs) - Dr Terence Chia, WorkSafe
11:10	Psychosocial hazards – Now you see it - Franca Sala Tenna and EEO Specialists actors
12:25	Closing remarks - Jennifer Low, Deputy WorkSafe Commissioner
12:30	Networking lunch

Know the speakers

Jennifer Low - Deputy WorkSafe Commissioner

Jennifer is the Deputy WorkSafe Commissioner, bringing 14 years of policy and consulting experience across regulatory design, policy development and reform, strategic planning, training, people and safety.

Hon Simone McGurk MLA

Simone is the State Labor Member for Fremantle, and the Minister for Creative Industries; Heritage; Industrial Relations; Aged Care and Seniors; Women. Simone is the State Labor Member for Fremantle, and the Minister for Creative Industries; Heritage; Industrial Relations; Aged Care and Seniors; Women. Simone worked in the union movement for over 22 years.

Franca Sala Tenna – Event facilitator, Founder and Director of EEO Specialists, Lawyer

Franca has spent 16 years in the unlawful workplace behaviour space; in the room preventing behaviours through in-person training to more than 25,000 people, using her legal skills to conduct investigations and applying her coaching skills with one-on-one training for people who’ve had allegations substantiated.

Dr Terence Chia - Senior Inspector Scientific Officer, WorkSafe

Terence specialises in the regulation of psychosocial hazards. He is a registered psychologist with a background in organisational psychology and holds a PhD in Organisational Behaviour.

Questions & answers

This event is designed for HSRs and their supervisors and leaders, aiming to build communication and consultation skills and build awareness and skills in dealing with psychosocial hazards.

If you are an HSR, please let your supervisor or leader know about forum, and vice versa, as this forum is designed to strengthen the understanding between HSRs and their leaders to help make workplaces safer and healthier. We look forward to sharing an engaging morning to build practical skills and awareness of key issues.

Yes, a morning SafeTea and networking lunch is provided as part of your registration.

Parking map

The way forward for HSRs – a forum for HSRs and their leaders