Making Health and safety good business
HSE Management Australia is ahead of the game, and is one of the first companies to play the full game in this field; Management system development, implementation, review and support. Brad Sly established HSE Management Australia in July 2009 after he had worked as a safety Manager at a large civil construction company. It was here where he recognised the need in industry was for occupational health and safety to take a more practical and manageable approach. “I took this organisation through to Australian Federal Safety Accreditation with minimal changes to the way they did business,” Brad says that he was not satisfied with only achieving this, and wanted to look at where real changes to the management of safety programs could be made in order to assist the entire industry. He found his outlet in the development of HSE Management Australia. Brad established HSE Management Australia with a view to “making safety manageable and efficient”. Brad is not only passionate about safety, but also has the ability to examine the business structure of clients and provide their organisations with simple but effective tools that are unobtrusive and cost effective. HSE does this all and is at the same time extremely efficient at managing safety compliance. He believes that a Safety Management System and associated safe systems of work need to reflect the organisation, its risks and the way it does business.
It is little wonder that this model has met with so much success, and the rapid growth of HSE Management Australia is testimony to the high level of approval that has been shown by their clients. The philosophy behind this belief, he says, is that companies who are already successful have to have tools that work with the systems they already have in place, and should not be hampered with competing goals and processes. HSE Management Australia provides its clients with tools that are made to order, ensuring the continued success of their customers operations. “The construction industry (civil and the building industries) have become our major focus, but I will say that we have a client in every major industry – in that way we are not limited,” says Brad.
Surprised by success
“We are extremely busy, with clients all over Australia; to a point that – when I set up two years ago, my aim was to work from my lounge room and do two days consultancy a week so as to spend more time with my young family. We have now grown to an organisation of Safety Management System Developers, Training Managers, OHS Hygienists, Advisors and support people,” says Brad. The key to their success is that their systems and management processes actually do value add. “It is a whole service,” says Brad. “We develop safety management systems around the organisation, rather than selling an “off the shelf” product. Once those management systems are developed, we provide ongoing support in a capacity where our organisation acts as our client’s safety managers.” This gives their clients access to experienced managers who will operate on the ground and keep track of changes in both laws and society expectation. HSE Management Australia believes that ‘a safer workplace means better business’. “We will develop an OHS and Environment Management System that ‘fits’ your business,” says Brad. “We will provide ongoing support, advice and assistance to ensure the management system continues to develop and grow as your business does.”
Making their own path
Brad sees HSE Management Australia as a trail blazing company in a new industry niche, and provides companies with cost effective and value added safety management systems. “We are very much pioneers. Nobody does what we do,” he says. “This is because we do the whole service, and in that way we don’t really have competitors in this space. There are people that provide part of what we do, but they don’t actually see the job through,” he says.
Brad sees that the role HSE Management Australia plays, will become increasingly important with new legislation and regulations entering the industry next year. “With the ‘Harmonised Workplace Health and Safety Act’ coming into effect in 2012, increased compliance issues, and the need to enter the Australian Federal Safety Accreditation Scheme to remain in the construction game, HSE Management Australia could well be the answer,” he says.
“We provide a complete range of OHS&E services to enable businesses to meet their obligations. We can assist with building a customised safety management system to suit the size, risk and nature of your business. In addition to that, we can fulfil your day-to-day risk management and safety obligations as well as help you to meet your legislative requirements. We can mentor you and your staff on how your safety system works and how to implement and use it in your day-to-day activities. HSE Management Australia can help with the safety management of your worksite, including toolbox talks, hazard inspections, committee meetings and training. Or, if you’re looking to take your business to the next level, we specialise in AS4801 implementation and the Australian Federal Safety Accreditation Scheme. The construction industry relies on contractor management and plant management systems that ensure standards are met; HSE Management Australia can deliver these systems.” This does not represent a spend with no returns, Brad reiterates. By having HSE Management Australia’s services in their employ, clients will see a real reduction in accidents and injuries; this represents time and money saved.
The proof is in the pudding
Brad sees that they have entered a field that may not have many, if any, other players in it, but he sees that it will become increasingly important as time moves on. Their approach of complete integration and solution delivery will continue to set them apart, even if they pick up competition in the field. It is not often that a company will get it right on the first try, but by all accounts HSE Management Australia has done just that.
