Four chapters of the OHS Body of Knowledge were launched yesterday to an appreciative audience at RMIT University in Melbourne.
The OHS Body of Knowledge for Generalist OHS Professionals was made possible by the strategic foresight and commitment of the then WorkSafe Victoria, now Victorian WorkCover Authority. Funded by Safe Work Australia, the new chapters take the OHS Body of Knowledge into a new era by addressing Principles of OHS Law, User-centered safe design approach to control, Organisational Culture and OHS risk and decision making.
In launching the new chapters Julia Collins, Acting Branch Manager, Review and Engagement, Safe Work Australia highlighted the contribution the OHS Body of Knowledge to the strategic outcome of the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-22. The Australian Strategy and the OHS Body of Knowledge share the vision of healthy, safe and productive working lives, with the OHS Body of Knowledge being a key factor in the strategic outcome that those who provide WHS education, training and advice have the appropriate capabilities.
Emeritus Professor Andrew Hopkins used examples of workplace failures to demonstrate the importance of knowledge in underpinning effective OHS advice. Professor Hopkins presentation was followed by a panel session comprised of chapter authors and OHS professionals which introduced the key concepts in the chapters.
In closing, Pam Pryor, Registrar of the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board sent a clear message to all OHS Professionals that the Victorian WorkCover Authority and now Safe Work Australia have made major contributions to moving the profession forward it; is now up to the OHS profession and individual OHS professionals to take up the challenge set in the Australian Strategy that those providing OHS advice have appropriate capabilities. This challenge was supported by the statement of ongoing commitment to the OHS Body of Knowledge made by the CEO of the Safety Institute of Australia, David Clarke.
The new chapters of the OHS Body of Knowledge together with those published as Edition 1 are freely available at www.ohsbok.org.au.
View session 2, Professor Andrew Hopkins.
Sessions 3, 4, 5, and 6 are available on the resources page.
View session 7, future directions, Pam Pryor here.