Latest from Zenergy – June 2023 Newsletter

Zenergy Safety, Health & Wellbeing Industry Update


As we come to the close of the financial year, it has been a record year for Safety Health & Sustainability employment, with almost all sectors and regions recording growth in FY22/23, with the notable exception of a slowdown in a traditionally reliable and strong construction sector. The fastest growing of the recruitment segment has been in the contracting and consulting space, with a phenomenal 32% increase year on year. We attribute this to organisations working through increased staff turnover, additional workload post covid and having the ability to bring in resources on a short-term basis to assist with overflow work, projects and retention issues.


The pace continues into the new year with: 

  • Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2023 and Gala Dinner coming up in Melbourne on August 31st 
  • SafeWork month in October 
  • Zenergy’s annual CEO forum takes place in October
  • The 23rd World Congress on Safety & Health at work takes place on 27 - 30 November 2023 at the ICC in Sydney

 

2023 is a rich environment for Safety Health & Sustainability professionals to work in. Emerging technologies, environmental impetus and the need to create psychologically healthy and safe workplaces are all opening up exciting opportunities for growth and career development and we look forward to working with you in the new financial year! 


Zenergy Updates and Events

Zenergy’s New Sydney Headquarters – Surry Hills, Sydney

 

After 15 years at Circular Quay in Sydney CBD, the Zenergy team have been extremely excited to move to our new purpose built HQ in Surry Hills, Sydney NSW. The construction of our new headquarters is a big milestone in our history and after 17 years in total of doing our best to provide the best service to our customers and working conditions for our team, moving in Q3 of this year we started writing a new chapter in history in our own building. 

 

This was a dream that we had for several years, and now the dream became reality. The new office building mirrors the company’s spirit in an open, modern office space, encourages creative thinking, and offers top-notch facilities, equipment, and amenities and we look forward to welcoming you all in the new financial year!


Zenergy Leaders Forum – Panel Discussion 'Contractor & Vendor Management'

 

 A full house in Sydney at Mirvac for a fascinating discussion with some of the leading legal and safety minds in our industry! 

 

The topic was 'Contractor & Vendor Management' and with active audience participation, one of the key themes was to 'engage early and engage wholeheartedly' or potentially suffer the consequences down the track. MC Brian Long. READ MORE… 

 

A special thanks to the panel: 

  • Steve Bell Herbert Smith Freehills 
  • Lea Constantine Ashurst 
  • Alena Titterton Clyde & Co 
  • David Provan, Forge Works 

 

For upcoming similar events get in touch with the team Zenergy Safety, Health & Wellbeing.


Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2023 – Sponsorship Opportunities


The Australian Institute of Health & Safety, in partnership with Zenergy Safety, Health & Wellbeing, is proud to present the Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards for 2023 with the awards and Gala dinner to be held on Thursday 31st August 2023 at Zinc at Fed Square in Melbourne. 

 

The awards provide national recognition to organisations and individuals who are demonstrating excellence and innovation in the field of Workplace Health & Safety. They recognise 11 individual and organisational achievements. READ MORE… 

 

In 2022 there were over 500 nominations, with 12 winners and a gala awards evening event attended by over 250 people. The launch of the official new microsite has dedicated links to sponsorship pages, criteria and all other information. Follow the link https://awhsa.org.au/ 

 

For further information reach out to the team at Zenergy on 1300 333 400!


Introducing our Contract / Interim Division

 

Our contract recruitment division is dedicated to connecting businesses with highly skilled professionals on a temporary basis to meet their specific project needs. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, organisations often require flexible workforce solutions, and that's where our expertise comes into play. 

 

We specialise in sourcing, screening, and placing talented individuals who can seamlessly integrate into any organisation for a defined period. Whether clients need additional resources for a short-term project, require specialised expertise, or want to cover for an employee on leave, our division is here to help. 

 

Our team of experienced recruiters understands the nuances of contract recruitment. We work closely with both clients and candidates to ensure a smooth and efficient process. Our extensive network and industry knowledge enable us to identify and attract top-notch professionals across various domains. 

 



Zenergy Client Site Tour – James Hardie

 

Two of our team from the Sydney office  Giulia Giovagnoli and Kathleen Melville were welcomed for an exciting site tour by our client James Hardie. James Hardie Industries is the largest global manufacturer of fibre cement products and is dual-listed on the Australian and New York Stock Exchanges. READ MORE…. 

 

Industry leader Katie Chapman, who is EHS Projects Manager APAC at James Hardie, brought the ladies around site, where they witnessed the different types of cement cladding and panels that are manufactured on site right through to distribution. All the while understanding the ways that risk is managed. Wayne Auty – Distribution Team Leader NSW took pride in showing the Zenergy team around the company, where he has worked for over 40 years. 

 

Truly inspiring to be given access into how the James Hardie business continues on it's growth trajectory and further insight for the Zenergy Safety, Health & Wellbeing team to help guide HSE Professionals to better career choices.


Zenergy Team Outing

 

The Zenergy Safety, Health & Wellbeing team got together recently for team building and an evening out to celebrate a fantastic 6 months working together on some outstanding assignments with our clients all across Australia. 

 

There was a special mention to Lewis Trow who has relocated from the UK with his young family and made an impact in such a short period of time and to Daniel Clancy who has taken the Victoria market by storm. A warm welcome to Devon Lowe who joined earlier this month is making a difference already.


Industry News & Resources

National Safe Work Month 2023 theme released..

 

Safe Work Australia has released the theme and campaign kit for National Safe Work Month to be held in October 2023. 

 

The overarching theme for 2023 is For everyone’s safety, work safely - encouraging everyone to make health and safety in the workplace a priority. 

 

READ MORE…


Psychosocial safety requirements in the workplace

 

You will have no doubt been hearing a lot about “psychological safety” and “psychosocial safety” lately and for good reason. The laws are changing in these areas in relation to workplace obligations. It can be confusing, but it shouldn’t be. It’s important to not over-complicate this topic because it is a very critical factor to get right in the workplace. 

 

READ MORE….


Racing company fined $350,000 after young rider’s tragic death

 

A horse training company has been convicted and fined $350,000 after an apprentice jockey was thrown from her horse and died during pre-dawn training at Cranbourne, Victoria. Saloon Park, which trades as Ken Keys Racing, was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court after being found guilty of one charge of failing to provide or maintain a system of work that was safe and without health risks.

 

READ MORE….


Transitioning From AS/NZS 4801 TO ISO 45001

 

Companies yet to transition from AS/NZS 4801 to ISO 45001 have until 23 July 2023 to transition to the new standard. From 23 July 2023 onwards, AS/NZS 4801 certificates will not be recognised and companies seeking ISO 45001 certification will be treated as new applicants by their external certification body. Standards Australia has marked 4801 as 'Superseded' and 'Published, Obsolete'. As such, any organisation which previously had 4801 should move to 45001 if they do not require 4801 for legislative or contractual reasons.

 

READ MORE….

Search Zenergy's Job Board


  To support safety & wellbeing in the workplace 

Sydney ~ Melbourne ~ Brisbane ~ Perth

 

  Zenergy Safety Health & Wellbeing

25 Brisbane Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010

1300 333 400

www.zenergygroup.com.au

 


Contact Us

Zenergy News

WHS news Australia
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By Dean Woods • October 19, 2026
Queensland’s psych injury claims shake-up, fake safety certificates under investigation, fresh job market data and this week’s featured HSE role.
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By Dean Woods • October 13, 2026
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By Dean Woods • October 13, 2026
Welcome to Take 5, Zenergy's weekly five-minute scan of what's moving in Australian workplace health and safety, workers compensation and people & culture — five items, one featured senior role, every source named. This week: a hard regulatory deadline lands on the calendar, Safe Work Month hits its stride, and Safe Work Australia publishes the clearest picture in years of who is actually exposed to harm at work. 1. New workplace exposure limits commence 1 December — including Australia's first diesel particulate limit The transition period for Safe Work Australia's updated workplace exposure limits (WELs) for airborne contaminants ends on 1 December 2026. The list introduces Australia's first national exposure limit for diesel particulate matter — 0.01 mg/m³, measured as respirable elemental carbon — alongside revised limits for a range of other contaminants. Regulators are telling duty holders to use the remaining weeks to review exposure monitoring, confirm controls are effective, and prioritise elimination and engineering controls over reliance on RPE. If your operations involve diesel plant in enclosed or poorly ventilated environments — distribution centres, tunnels, underground mining, workshops — this is the compliance item to table at your next leadership meeting. Safe Work Australia has published guidance and a transition toolkit, and state regulators including SafeWork SA have flagged the change, as has NOPSEMA for offshore operators. Sources: Safe Work Australia — Changes to Workplace Exposure Limits (safeworkaustralia.gov.au); SafeWork SA — Get ready for new Workplace Exposure Limits (safework.sa.gov.au); NOPSEMA — Diesel engine emissions: new workplace exposure limit takes effect December 2026 (nopsema.gov.au). 2. Dates ahead: Safe Work Month's “for health” week and World Mental Health Day National Safe Work Month is underway, with Safe Work Australia's 2026 theme “Safe work is for life” running week-by-week focuses: “for health” (week two, this week), “for the future” (week three) and “for all” (week four). World Mental Health Day falls on Saturday 10 October, inside Mental Health Month — a natural prompt to put psychological health on the toolbox agenda, not just the poster wall. Regulators are active too: SafeWork NSW opened the month with a compliance operation targeting the meat processing sector. Sources: Safe Work Australia — National Safe Work Month (safeworkaustralia.gov.au/national-safe-work-month); SafeWork NSW — news, 1 October 2026 (safework.nsw.gov.au). 3. People & culture: FWO recovers $453 million for workers in 2025–26 The Fair Work Ombudsman's 2025–26 results, released 14 September, show $453 million recovered for underpaid workers across the year, with Ombudsman Anna Booth urging employers to find “compliance common ground”. For employers, the signal hasn't changed: payroll governance, award classification and record-keeping sit alongside WHS as enterprise-level compliance risks — and the regulator's recovery capability keeps growing. Worth a standing item on the people & culture risk register, especially for businesses with large award-covered or labour-hire workforces. Source: Fair Work Ombudsman media release, 14 September 2026 (fairwork.gov.au/newsroom). 4. Job market pulse: national vacancies ease, HSE demand holds The ABS's August 2026 Job Vacancies figures (released 1 October) show 325,000 vacancies nationally — down 0.9% over the quarter and 1.3% over the year, and 31.2% below the May 2022 peak. Private sector vacancies fell 2.0% for the quarter while public sector vacancies rose 7.8%. Health care and social assistance remains the deepest vacancy pool at 54,300. Against that gently easing backdrop, safety hiring is holding its ground from WHS advisors in Melbourne manufacturing to safety leadership in Queensland logistics — a spread we read as steady, sector-broad demand for proven operators rather than a hiring spike. Sources: ABS — Job Vacancies, Australia, August 2026 (abs.gov.au); 5. Industry story of the week: 68% of workers likely exposed to at least one hazard Safe Work Australia's newly published Worker Exposure Survey finds 68% of Australian workers are likely exposed to at least one physical or chemical hazard at work, with 28.9% experiencing high-level exposure. Solar UV is the most common hazard (an estimated 4.87 million workers), silica exposure covers an estimated 2.04 million workers and is heavily concentrated in construction and mining, and apprentices and trainees are disproportionately exposed across heat, silica, lead and asbestos. Construction, agriculture and mining are the industries most likely to see multiple hazard exposure. It's the week's most important read for HSE leaders — and the subject of this week's Zenergy deep-dive, where we unpack what the numbers mean for exposure monitoring, young-worker supervision and the 1 December exposure limit deadline. Sources: Safe Work Australia — Worker Exposure Survey (safeworkaustralia.gov.au); Safety Solutions, 28 September 2026 — “Over two-thirds exposed to a physical or chemical hazard, workers survey reveals”
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