HSR of the Year.

admin • March 3, 2025

The Annual WorkSafe Awards night was held last week. As always, the highlight was the Health and Safety Representative of The Year Category. We all know what amazing work HSR’s do every day across Victoria to keep workplaces safe and it was great to see a handful of them called out for their great work.


The finalists for 2025 were:

  • Barry McKenna – from United Petroleum Hastings Terminal
  • Cameron Barber – from Delcon Civil
  • Cameron Middleton-Else – from Wodonga Middle Years College
  • Danny Humphrey – from Qenos
  • Mick Puche – from Glenelg Shire Council
  • Sue Healey & Melissa Courts – form Echuca Regional Health


Each of these HSRs was nominated for the award by someone who had seen their outstanding commitment to health and safety. They each had a particular challenge to deal with at work and had persevered until they got the right safety outcomes for their co-workers.

This year, the winner of the award was Mick Puche. As a plant operator and with a previous workplace injury where he lost a finger at work, he is a dedicated advocate for health and safety. Find out more about Mick here: HSR of the Year - Mick Puche | Glenelg Shire Council


Another award on the night was the Worker Return to Work Achievement. The finalists were:

Matthew Manley – from Kinross Farms

Nicholas Johansen – from Mainstream Aquaculture

Steel Anderson – Steel Anderson Carpentry


The award went to Matthew Manley. Find out more about Matthew here: Worker Return to Work - Matthew Manley | Kinross Farms

All three of these workers had suffered severe injuries in their workplace. It was such an important reminder of how important safety is. This award focused on their return to work, but we all know that there are many workers who are so severely injured, physically and mentally, that they will never make it back to work. The work of all HSRs is targeted at preventing such terrible incidents – so that no one has to endure what these three workers, and countless others, experience.


HSR’s, as the workers' representatives, are integral to genuine and meaningful consultation in the workplace. Every workplace should have legally elected and trained HSR’s, with safety structures in place. One can’t help but wonder how much safer the workers of Victoria would be if every workplace had HSR’s!


If you need help with setting up safety structures in your workplace, running HSR elections, or HSR training and support – don’t hesitate to get in touch: HSR Training and support | BeSafe | Regional Victoria

NEW HSR Refresher OHS Training Course - Aggression or Violence

By admin • August 10, 2026
BeSafe Victoria is pleased to announce the upcoming delivery of a new Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Refresher OHS Training Course focused on Aggression and Violence in the workplace . This is a brand new WorkSafe developed training course, which equips HSRs with practical knowledge and skills to address one of the most significant psychosocial hazards facing Victorian workplaces today. Workplace aggression and violence can occur in any industry and the impacts can be both physical and psychological, not only affecting the person directly involved but also those who witness or are exposed to these incidents. Impacts also extend beyond the workplace to affect family and community. The new course explores aggression and violence through a risk management lens, building skills in hazard identification, assessing risks, finding effective controls and in contributing to effective workplace consultation. The training aligns with the growing emphasis on managing psychosocial hazards and reflects contemporary workplace health and safety expectations, including the management of aggression and violence as a workplace risk. The knowledge gained is important in ensuring that legal obligations, including those relating to the Psychological Health Regulations, are met and that workplaces are safe. As always, BeSafe Victoria is committed to providing engaging, practical and relevant training. This new refresher course offers an excellent opportunity for participants to strengthen their knowledge, build confidence in addressing workplace risks and return to their workplaces with practical strategies for supporting safer work environments. Bookings for this new HSR Refresher OHS Training Course on Aggression and Violence will be available soon. To register your interest, go to HSR Training and support | BeSafe | Regional Victoria or email us at info@besafevictoria.com.au  We look forward to helping you create safer, healthier and more respectful workplaces across Victoria.

Working in the cold

By admin • July 27, 2026
When Winter sweeps across Victoria, temperatures can drop sharply, especially in regional areas and early mornings. For outdoor workers, or those in cold storage and refrigerated environments, these conditions aren’t just uncomfortable, they can be dangerous if not managed properly. Working in a cold environment can lead to: Hypothermia : when body temperature drops below safe levels. Frostbite : damage to skin and tissue from freezing. Reduced dexterity : making tasks harder and increasing risk of incidents. Slips and falls : from ice, frost, or wet surfaces. Fatigue : as the body works harder to stay warm. Increase in prevalence of other conditions: such as arthritis and bronchitis. Under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (The Act), employers must provide a safe working environment. This includes: Identifying cold-related hazards. Implementing control measures to eliminate or reduce the risk as far as reasonably practicable. Follow a risk management process in relation to the hazard. Consult with your workforce throughout the process. When you have identified that you have a cold hazard in your workplace, you must control the risk as far as reasonably practicable. As, always this means working through the Hierarchy of Control from top to bottom. Here are some ways you could think about controlling the cold hazard in your workplace: Eliminate: Think about changing work scheduling if weather is extreme. Substitute: Think about whether you could move the work to another location. Isolate: Protect the workers from the cold, for example by providing shelter. Engineer: Can you provide heating or insulation in this work situation? Administrative controls: Could include changes to the workflow or rosters. Training must be provided, including training in the signs of cold stress and treatment. PPE: Such as weatherproof clothing, hats, face covers, boots, and allowing for drying or replacement of gear.  Don’t forget that, under The Act, Consultation must be undertaken at every step of the process. Monitoring of the controls must also occur, especially as conditions change. Frosts and wind chill factor should be taken into account, as well as seasonal or unexpected weather changes. Cold conditions in Victoria can be managed with the right planning, clothing, and awareness. Employers and workers share the responsibility to ensure everyone stays safe, warm, and healthy through the winter months. Health and safety representatives are a key part of the co-operative process required to create safe workplaces. For more information on this topic, take a look at: Cold - OHS Reps Extreme cold | Comcare For specific guidance regarding cold storage facilities: Safe operation of cold storage facilities: A handbook for workplaces | WorkSafe Victoria