I am extremely proud to announce that the SBEnrc with our long-term partners John Holland have won an Australian Engineering Excellence Award for our work in construction industry safety. The award was for three main projects: Construction site safety culture; Safer construction; and Safety effectiveness indicators.
L-R: Associate Professor Bert Biggs (Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) at QUT), Dr Keith Hampson (CEO, SBEnrc), Dean Cipolla (General Manager Safety, John Holland) and Chris Evans (Executive General Manager of Regional Businesses, John Holland)
Winning this award highlights the industry contribution by our research partners, together with the industry leadership of John Holland, to making construction in Australia safer. Thank you to everyone involved in these projects.
However it doesn’t stop here. It is through the ongoing implementation of our safety research outcomes and more targeted projects that Australia’s construction industry can work together to reduce the number of on-site accidents, injuries and deaths – making our construction industry a more attractive place in which to belong.
Project News
The SBEnrc, together with lead industry partner John Holland, has now commenced further research into safety with a $400,000 two-year study into the safety impacts of alcohol and other drugs in construction. The National Industry Steering Committee comprises:
- Chair: Nick Stump, John Holland Board Director and Chair, John Holland Safety Committee
- Bert Biggs, A/Professor CARRS-Q QUT, Research Project Leader
- Keith Butler, Director, Workplace Health and Safety, Engineering and Technology Division, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads – representing Austroads
- Lindsay Fraser, Assistant National Secretary, Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU)
- Matt Gardiner, Director, Policy and Liaison Team, Building Industry Safety and Policy Branch, Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
- Peter Godfrey, Director BAS Consulting, Immediate Past National President, Engineers Australia
- Keith Hampson, CEO, SBEnrc
- Steven Luce, Principal Program Director, WA Department of Treasury and Finance, Building Management and Works – representing Australian
- Procurement and Construction Council (APCC)
- Liam O’Brian, National Organiser, Australian Workers Union (AWU)
- Suzanne Williams, OHS National Research Officer, MBA, Canberra
- Regional Safety Manager – Northern Region, John Holland, Industry Project Leader. Appointment TBA.
SBEnrc Board meeting update: New member
At its final meeting for the year on 24 November, the SBEnrc Board confirmed the membership of the NSW Roads and Transport Authority as a partner of SBEnrc. We are looking forward to working with the NSW Government through the RTA from 1 January 2011 and beyond. The RTA will be integrally involved in our safety, sustainable infrastructure and digital modelling projects in the first instance.
We are working on the finalisation of our 12 research projects and will provide further details as they are confirmed.
The CIB (International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction)
Chaired by SBEnrc’s Chair John V. McCarthy AO, has been asked to assist in the implementation of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support the implementation of the India Slum Eradication Program. Under this ambitious program 25 million dwellings are to be built to accommodate the constant urbanisation of over 90 million people. Over coming years urbanisation in India is projected to rise from 50% to 75% of the population, exerting tremendous pressure on housing capacity. Life expectancy in the slums is only 40 years of age and the potential for major disease outbreak is a constant. A decision will be made by CIB about participation in this project in coming weeks.
We wish all of you a very happy and safe holiday season and look forward to working with you again in 2011
Best regards
Keith Hampson
CEO