NETWORK MEETING – Managing Workplace Incidents – Part 2 (Part 1 – see August 2023 meeting)

PRESENTATION

 John Makris, Partner, Kingston Reid & Greg Maddaford (Recently retired Senior SafeWork NSW Inspector)

 Topic:        Managing Workplace Incidents

 

Greg Maddaford and John Makris will present a two-part session over the August and September meetings on managing workplace incidents, both from SafeWork NSW’s perspective, and from the Employer / PCBU’s perspective. The sessions will be presented by way of a case study.

 The sessions proposed will cover:

Session 1: 9 August 2023

• Introduction to case study
• Inspector’s initial attendance on scene
• Attendance by other stakeholders – media, union, worker’s immediate family
• Issue of Improvement and/or Prohibition notices
• Issue of Section 171 and/or s155 notices
• Your Internal investigation
• Need for legal professional privilege?
• Managing the workplace and resuming business operations

 

Session 2: 13 September 2023

• SafeWork Records of Interview
• Questions you can expect
• SafeWork decision making on whether to commence prosecutions
• EU process
• Legal Proceedings – Summons and Facts
• Brief of Evidence
• Defend or plea
• Learnings

 

About your Presenters

John Makris

With over 25 years’ experience working in WHS and regulatory law, dealing with industry, incidents and regulators, and providing advice and representation across a spectrum of workplace issues, John is regarded as a notable senior leader in the industry.

His appetite for getting to know and understand his clients and their industries, and focusing on exceptional service and support to them, is respected by John’s peers and colleagues and valued by his clients.

His real passion is helping clients get their businesses back on track with minimum downtime and disruption, following workplace issues, incidents and investigations. John expertly guides clients through the uncertainty and complexity of dealing with workplace incidents, including police and regulator investigations, prosecutions and coronial proceedings. His insightful, clear and practical advice is built around helping teams and people understand what has occurred and what needs to happen next, focusing on minimising any adverse impacts on business and its people.

John also takes pride in staying ahead of the game. He invests a significant amount of time educating and training his clients on a range of safety and regulatory subjects so they too can be ahead of issues and challenges, and can be proactive in meeting their regulatory and compliance obligations.

Greg Maddaford

Greg recently retired from WorkCover NSW and SafeWork NSW after 25 years service as a generalist safety Inspector. He has extensive experience in the Manufacturing, Logistics, Waste management and recycling, Retail, Transport, and Building products industries. He has expertise in Machine safety, Forklift trucks, Traffic Management, Warehousing, Transport and logistics, Workplace bullying, Waste Management and Recycling, Precast concrete panel manufacturing, Hazardous Chemicals use and storage, and Asbestos Management in non-demolition situations and environments.

A major part component of his position as a safety Inspector was investigating workplace incidents, injuries and fatalities.  These investigations have led to successful prosecutions of companies, directors, and managers/workers for breaches of the OHS Legislation.