Understanding The Australian Approach
To Construction Safety
WITH RUBY THOMPSON , HSE OFFICER COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION , MIRVAC
Mirvac is an Australian
property group with a clearly defined purpose to reimagine urban life . By creating beautiful homes , inspiring workplace precincts , and thriving shopping centers , the company aims to make a positive contribution to cities and communities . HSE Officer Ruby Thompson notes that Mirvac doesn ’ t just develop assets . We also construct , operate , and own them , Thompson notes , which gives us a unique endto-end capability , and the platform to co-create with partners occurs at every stage of the process . Being an owner and manager also means we have a vested interest in the long term success of our assets . Mirvac Office and Industrial is one of Australia ’ s leading property owners and managers , with globally recognized assets located across Australia . Mirvac ’ s HSE vision is to continue to pursue safety excellence while improving the overall health and well-being of employees and communities .
Establishing awareness
and acceptance
With safety being a familiar conversation across the construction industry in modern times , there is a common response of acceptance from people to comply with safety guidelines . The construction industry exposes people to different standards and expectations of safety practices , further influenced by the individual levels of experience . Being that Mirvac is a Tier 1 builder , “ acceptance can sometimes be a journey of education and guidance into the higher safety guidelines and standards ,” Thompson states . Beyond acceptance is ensuring that people feel confident implementing and applying the required safety practices in all scenarios and environments . A high-risk environment requires HSE professionals to focus on motivating continual awareness and avoiding complacency .
Tips on building a
culture of safety
A great safety culture stems from good people and inspirational leaders . At Mirvac , safety culture is an ongoing community effort where everyone shares the responsibility to make it great .
A company should ensure that they are well resourced with members who value and promote safety to implement its safety management system effectively .
Thompson shares her in-depth experience as an HSE professional to facilitate establishing a culture that prioritizes safety :
• Recognize and celebrate people ’ s strengths and diversity .
• Understand that everyone has something valuable to contribute .
• Create a thorough onboarding and induction process . The process introduces people to company values , culture , standards , and requirements . A strong introduction aligns people with a company ’ s safety culture and sets them up for success .
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