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Safety in the construction industry isn’t something you learn overnight. Great safety leaders are born from decades of experience, on-site and in managerial roles, with plenty of life lessons in between.

���Ǵ��� sat down with three leading Australian experts in construction safety and asked them for the insider information. We inquired about what’s unique about safety here in Australia, what their top safety tips are — and after one of the wildest years for workplace safety in recent history, what they think will outlast 2020 into the future.

Clayton Eigenmann

is the General Manager of Project Delivery at . He is responsible for the safe and efficient delivery of Solgen’s project portfolio of solar energy systems throughout Australia. Originally from the US, Clayton grew up under the wing of his father in the electrical infrastructure industry from a young age.

What’s Unique to Safety in Australia 

Most of my early construction experience came from the US, so entering Australia was a significant learning curve in terms of governance and safety reporting. The main difference in Australia would be the level of awareness around safety initiatives and documentation requirements, there must be a “paper trail for anyone that’s on the jobsite and for each activity with strict controls reviewed at all risk levels. 

This creates analytical data thanks to a comprehensive backlog of diverse perspectives and assessments as a result of that “paper trail”. It’s a truly holistic approach with ���Ǵ���, which allows us to jump into any project remotely and get a view of safety hazards and mostly creative controls implemented to control the risks. 

My Top Tip From My Time in Safety

I started out in electrical construction in 2005, but have been working from a delivery management position for the past several years. My father introduced me into construction safety when I was young, whilst sharing the wins and lessons along the way in his business. The most important aspect of construction he truly instilled in his staff was safety, and everyone plays a part — it was a core value to his business.

So my tip comes around leadership, in a similar fashion to my father. Any person can be a leader for safety in any position, and it’s the leaders who truly influence the people around them by voluntarily fulfilling safety obligations naturally. To be a true leader, you need to maintain good habits of situational awareness and instigate others to follow. 

Advice to Those Starting Out

Instead of emphasising the rules of safety, focus on caring for those around you. You can’t just ask people to follow the rules without making them understand why. Going around as the ‘safety policeman’ punishing people is not going to get the positive results you may want to flourish your career. To truly make a difference you need to be the one caring for those around you and to help others align their focus in a similar fashion because without care, destruction is around the corner. 

New Rules From 2020 I think Will Stay

���Ǵ��� was a success for us during the pandemic by allowing us better real time remote access to data and improved remote cross functional collaboration. Utilisation of mobile platforms for management will gain more strength and will be around for the long term. 

The world has realized how much money and carbon emissions can be saved by hosting virtual seminars and video meetings, reducing or eliminating many of the downfalls of travel. Opening the lines of communication via web has been helpful to interface with offsite parties during the pandemic and will likely sustain it’s surge in usage. 

Lastly, the effects of this pandemic have put every business in the world on their toes with making tough decisions, considering hygiene, visualizing reduced budgets, and rethinking methods to access the critical needs for their businesses to succeed. There is no doubt the emphasis of sustainability and self-reliance will be at the top of the critical objective for any business’s design map. 

Stephanie Gaylard

is the Health, Safety and Environment Services Manager at Her primary role is to manage health and safety products and services and provide advice to the 8,000+ building companies who are members of the association.

What’s Unique to Safety in Australia 

From a national perspective, we do have a concept of harmonisation. So while we do have a strong representation from the various states, we are still working towards a holistic national view where we are managing harm yet managing the variables within the different states.

My Top Tip From My Time in Safety

My key piece of advice, after 14 years in the industry, is to build your networks and make connections with people from all types of angles of health and safety. I’ve learnt that the breadth of what you need to know is huge—and we can’t know it all because things are constantly changing. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is a great example. I worked with  legal experts, hygiene and medical experts, industry associations, and local inspectors just so I could draw on their knowledge to help me do my role. Safety is such a broad and mammoth role, so we can’t expect to be an expert in everything. Ask for help.

Advice to Those Starting Out

My advice starting out is don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! In the safety profession, we must learn on the job. A lot of us come into safety from an academic background—but most of the important learnings occur on the site. For example, how do the machines work? How do the teams work? How is everyone communicating? Practical skills must go hand in hand with the academic training.

New Rules From 2020 I Think Will Stay

The general increase in hygiene practices. There are things we should have done in the past, such as maintaining clean bathrooms and social areas, washing our hands, and staying home when we’re sick. Some parts might be relaxed, such as social distancing. Moving forward, it’s so important for organisations to incorporate these new practices into their systems. 

Craig Young

is the Work Health Safety Environmental Quality Manager for . He’s been in the construction industry for over 20 years, and believes that when it comes to safety, it’s everyone’s responsibility: not just the person with the official title.

What’s Unique to Safety in Australia 

Do we have extreme conditions in terms of our weather? Sure, but so do many other countries. Again, I think it comes down to what the public, and workers, deem as acceptable. There are many elements in Australia that need to be taken into consideration.

Another thing that makes Australia special is our consideration of the environment. My role isn’t just about protecting our people; it’s also about protecting our environment. Right now, if someone is injured, on site, there is a huge effect. However, if the tree down the street dies because of neglect from the construction zone, the ramifications aren’t similar. This is going to change, as the public hold business more accountable. We all have an obligation to be environmentally an socially responsible without hindering future generations, regardless of your view of climate change.

My Top Tip From My Time in Safety

Something my grandfather said has always stuck with me—’Look up.’ At the time, it was in relation to travelling. When you’re in a foreign location, you don’t know where to go, so you look up, and more than not you’ll find what you’re looking for.

In construction, it’s very easy to focus on oneself. but ultimately, we need many people to complete a project. Unless you ‘look up’ and look at other people and your surrounding environment, how can you be working cooperatively, if you’re not working cooperatively how can you achieve a successful Project outcome

Many times during an inspection or audit, I’ve stopped and looked up. Almost always, it prompts me to dig for more details—evidence to be presented and demonstrated, to be explained a situation again in detail, or just to prod deeper into something that doesn’t feel right.

Advice to Those Starting Out

I would say my top tip is to be genuine. Creating safe workspaces isn’t about saying, ‘Tick, done, let’s move on’—it’s about being honest and thorough. And that’s tough sometimes. In the hashtag era, I have three hashtags I work and teach by: #BeEnvironmental, #BeSafe, and #BeQuality. It’s not about being top of mind, it’s about doing the action you NEED to do.

New Rules From 2020 I Think Will Stay

One new habit I can’t see people reducing is personal hygiene. Not just from a legislative angle; but personally, people are now thinking about this a lot more. While the focus has been on COVID, I understand there has been a significant reduction in the number of  cold and flu cases. So, I think this new commitment to personal hygiene will continue.