News & Advice
Insights into better HSEQ management, safety tips, WHS industry news, resources and advice from Newcastle and the Hunter Valley’s award winning Safety Consultants – Red Insight, the Home of Insightful Safety.
Reflecting on Tragedy: Lessons in Workplace Safety from Manly Incident
The tragic loss of a labourer in Manly, just before the long weekend, is a stark reminder of the risks associated with overlooking safety protocols, especially in hazardous work environments like roof spaces. It serves
The Dangers of Lithium Batteries and Safe Disposal Practices
A couple of recent articles in the Newcastle Herald about lithium batteries have highlighted the need for us to discuss the dangers to our local community. Lithium batteries have become an indispensable power source in
Reflecting on Tragedy: The Ballarat Mine Collapse
It has been days since the devastating mine collapse in Ballarat, Victoria, yet the shockwaves of the incident continue to reverberate through the community. The tragic loss of life and the critical injuries sustained by
SafeWork NSW prosecutes Department of Education
Amidst a separate but equally significant development from the ongoing mulch asbestos story, SafeWork NSW has taken action by pressing charges against the Education Department. This action comes following an extensive investigation into an asbestos
Pallet Jack Incident
A tragic incident occurred at a workplace in Adelaide's northwest, resulting in the death of a 62-year-old man. The man was loading products onto a truck when he fell backward, causing a pallet jack to
Asbestos Contaminated Mulch
A taskforce has been established by the NSW government to address the discovery of asbestos-contaminated mulch in various sites across Sydney, including schools, parks, hospitals, and supermarkets. Premier Chris Minns has raised concerns about potential
Fairy Bower Machinery Incident
In a tragic workplace incident in Rockhampton, a man in his 30's suffered a severe injury to his arm after it became trapped in machinery. The injured worker was rushed to Rockhampton Hospital in a
SA Power Station Lead Exposure
Several workers, including AGL employees, at Torrens Island Power Station in South Australia have experienced elevated lead levels, prompting concerns about safety breaches during the decommissioning process. The discovery of lead, initially mistaken for asbestos,
Allan Dostal and Kurt Speirs are Finalists at the 2024 Hunter Safety Awards
We are thrilled to announce that two of our outstanding consultants, Kurt Speirs and Allan Dostal, have been named finalists at the prestigious Hunter Safety Awards! Kurt is in the running for the Young WHS
Landmark CoR Case
A transport manager was sentenced under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) for a 2020 crash on Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway that resulted in the death of four police officers. The national operations manager of a
Local Maitland Business Fire
We are saddened to hear of the fire at a local business in Maitland earlier this morning. Thankfully, there seems to be no indication that anyone was injured. With the damage, there will still be
Mobile Phones Distracted Driving – by Kurt Speirs
Mobile Phones Distracted Driving 2023 by Kurt Speirs Mobile Phones Behind the Wheel The ongoing debate surrounding working from home dominates headlines and social conversation, with flexible working in a post-Covid economy heralded as both
WE ARE HIRING!
We're Hiring! Seeking two HSEQ Consultants for Award-Winning Consultancy Are you a seasoned professional in the field of Workplace Health and Safety (WHS), Environmental Management, and Quality Assurance (HSEQ)? We are looking for someone with
Hunter Safety Awards – Young WHS Leader of the Year 2023
Young WHS Leader of the Year 2023 What an incredible honour it is to be named the Young WHS Leader of the Year 2023! This award holds a profound significance for me as it coincides
The Nut Truckers journey – Kurt Speirs fundraising for Cancer
Please pardon the use of one word in this blog...it's the name of the event and it's for a great cause! Cancer is devastating, and almost everyone has seen the impact of the disease up
Red Insight SAFETY ALERT 28
Red Insight Safety Alert 28 With the upcoming holidays it is a good time to think about your First Aid Kits for all workplaces. This is also a great reminder for those who work
Women in Business – Monica Toews Brown – HBR Article
WOMEN IN BUSINESS We are all pretty thrilled Monica was chosen to be one of the highligted Women In Business this year in Decembers HBR Magazine, alongside a few amazing women. One quote from the
Victoria’s First Workplace Manslaughter Charge
If you haven’t heard yet, Victoria has brought their first workplace manslaughter charge. The Director of the stonemasonry business is facing 25 years in jail. As a parent of young children, I know I absolutely will
Meeting with Jenny Aitchison MP Member for Maitland
Three Remarkable Women. There is something very heart-warming seeing these three courageous and remarkable women together. All three have incredible passion for giving to their local Hunter Valley community and to others in their day
Monica’s Lecture at the University of Newcastle
Bringing Hunter Valley WHS Safety professional Monica Toews Brown back to her Uni years, teaching eager university students 👏What an honor to have been invited to the University of Newcastle by Dr Tanvi Newaz to
Safety Alert 027 – New Computer Electrical Fire
SAFETY ALERT Alert: Electrical Fire Risk - Safety Alert 027 Subject: Electrical Appliances / Laptop Chargers Distribution: Red Insight team, social media, and current clients Reference Number: Safety Alert 027 Description of incident or hazard:
WHS Champion of the Year – Monica Toews Brown
Red Insight at the Hunter Safety Awards 2022 by Carrie Loughnan
Hunter Safety Awards Finalists 2022
Hunter Safety Awards 2022 Congratulations Liam and Monica for being finalist in this years Hunter Safety Awards!! Liam is up for the Young WHS Leader of the Year and Monica for the WHS Champion of the
In Memory of Brayden Asser
In Memory of Brayden by Liam Beeton
Environmental Responsibilities – By Liam Beeton
Environmental Responsibilities What are Environmental Aspects & Impacts? Environmental Aspects are an element of an organization's activities, products or services that can interact with the environment. Companies must address
The TELSTRA Best of Business Awards
The Telstra Best of Business Awards - WE'VE been NOMINATED. This is only the beginning. Winning this award would be a game changer for us which will help us reach our goals of growing to
Working At Heights
Working at Heights Working at heights is a common hazard that can be found in most industries and workplaces. Falling from a height is one the leading causes of fatalities and serious injuries. In
WhereAreYou? A RedInsight Safety Initiative
WhereAreYou? A RedInsight Safety Initiative Each year in NSW alone, there are over 30,000 major work-related injuries and 56 deaths on average each
Sign up to Safety this September and Save
This September, Maitland’s WHS specialist celebrates six years helping Hunter businesses stay safe. Red Insight helps businesses to implement and maintain proper safety systems and procedures. From establishing or reviewing your safety management system, to
Are we causing more harm than good?
The Most Overlooked Reason Why Kids Won't Listen This article is an interesting read on being overly cautious with our children - "don't climb that, you might fall," or "that's not safe, sit down, you're
What are the biggest WHS risks office workers face?
When you think of high risk jobs you might conjure up images of semi-trailers criss-crossing our road system or warehousing staff lifting heavy loads while forklifts whiz to and fro. To some extent, this perception
Red Insight Proudly Sponsor 2019 Hunter Safety Awards
Red Insight is proud to be associated with enterprises in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley region that have integrated work, health and safety initiatives into their core business. We are thrilled to support the Hunter
Prevent Heat-Related Illness
Ever wondered how to avoid heat-related illness amongst your workers and what your employer obligations are? This handy flip-book has the answers brought to you by the team at Red Insight in partnership with
Shipping Container Safety
The Unknown Dangers of Shipping Containers With the push to keep costs to a minimum, project and site managers often find themselves being resourceful and repurposing items; shipping containers would arguably be top of the
2018 WHS Champion of the Year Finalist
Congratulations are in order as Monica Toews Brown, our very own Senior Risk Manager and Operations Manager has been selected as a finalist for the WHS Champion of the Year award at the 2018
New Toys Brings New Risks
The introduction of new plant or equipment in the workplace may introduce new risks. The same can be said for our home life. Many people may have been lucky enough to receive a drone for
What’s your story?
They say, ‘time flies when you are having fun.’ Well I must have had heaps of fun as the Christmas and New Year holiday has been and gone in a blink of an eye. After
You owe it to yourself
As most of us are completing our last week of work before the Christmas break, there are a lot of things on our minds. Will I get finished what I need to at work? Have
The Not So Obvious
Some hazards and risks are obvious. You would not put your hand in an operating blender, for example, and hopefully you wouldn’t put a knife in the toaster to rescue a jammed piece of toast
A Different Perspective
Certain things in life seem to be quite clear. We often count on things that we always thought were correct or done a certain way. It’s not until we look from a different angle that
Rewarding for Production
Note: This post has been modified slightly from another blog to which I contribute. Is rewarding for production also rewarding workers for cutting corners? A few years ago, I worked as a Safety Advisor on
2017 WHS Champion of the Year – Hunter Safety Awards
2017 WHS Champion of the Year – Hunter Safety AwardsRed Insight's is very proud to announce that our Principal Risk Consultant, James Brown, is the winner of WHS Champion of the Year category at the 2017 Hunter
Precious time
Early 2017, an incident occurred that involved three members of the same family perishing on a farm in Regional NSW. Fumes overcame the first man. In an attempt to rescue him, his brother entered the
Is your workplace Greener than it should be?
Medical marijuana has recently been legalised in Australia which has subsequently introduced a number of questions to Business Owners and Managers such as: Can I employ someone who is using medical marijuana? How much will
Hunter Safety Awards Finalist
It is with great pleasure to announce that James Brown, our Principal Risk Consultant has been selected as a finalist for WHS Champion of the Year, in the 2017 Hunter Safety Awards. We at Red
One of my workers is injured…What do I do?
One of my workers is injured…What do I do? When one of your workers get injured at work, there are a number of steps that need to be carried out. 1 - If a worker
Holiday Safety
During the Christmas season, houses are brilliantly lit up and provide a magical sense to the season. Lights are, however, a fire and electrical hazard so here are some tips to enjoy the season safely.
They Want You to Come Home
They want you to come home. When you get up, leave your house and head to work, just remember that your family are expecting you to come home at the end of the day. This
Keeping your head above water
Tragedy can occur in an instance. Personally, I prefer to post about positive, innovative approaches to safety or similar. This post, however, seems imperative as while it may seem we are inundated by reminders about
Young Workers
Young Workers With a recent number of Young Worker incidents in the news, I thought it a timely reminder to ask, "how do you manage your young workers?" A 16 year old apprentice fell seven metres
With safety, do you have tunnel vision?
Imagine George Street in Sydney or Hunter Street in Newcastle requiring massive civil infrastructure upgrades such that sections would be closed off to vehicle access for years - a likely, if not certain, possibility. Economic uncertainty, business downturn,
Common Sense?
If you want a safety professional's head to explode, tell them safety is just common sense. Recently, this image appeared on a post on LinkedIn. Essentially, the question asked is, "is this Common Sense?" So
First aid – cartoon
Have you seen the St John Ambulance choking advert? This video uses cartoon characters - a pen lid, marble, princess and jelly baby (choking objects) - to demonstrate the correct method to save a baby. It's
R U OK?
2100 Australians take their lives every year. R U Ok? is a powerful question that can save a life. Today is R U Ok? Day. Have a chat today - you just may save a life!! The following
How much is too much?
Safety Alerts are necessary, particularly where trends highlight critical information that may prevent future incidents. Consultation of alerts is particularly effective when the incident has a resounding familiarity to the receiver of the information - for example,
Bush Fire Danger Period – Starts Today!!
Bush Fire Danger Period Starts Today - 1 September Do you know when you are allowed to conduct hot works, such as welding or grinding? What about using a BBQ? The requirements vary depending on
Safe Work Australia’s recent update on Workplace Bullying
Safe Work Australia has recent updates on workplace bullying: This includes a 30 page Guide to Preventing Workplace Bullying (click here Guide-preventing-responding-workplace-bullying), as well as a 15 page Workers Guide which includes help for not only those
Workplace Bullying
Have you experienced workplace bullying? Know someone who has? The following link has some good information on: 1) what is bullying and what it is not, 2) who is responsible for stopping bullying, and 3)
SafeWork NSW Roadmap 2022
It's Time to Talk Safety The Work Health and Safety Roadmap for NSW 2022 has been released and is aimed at everyone to continue the decline of fatalities and serious injuries and illnesses within
Voluntary Health and Wellbeing Promotion Programs
Organisations benefit from implementing voluntary health and wellbeing promotion programs for a number of reasons including: Gains workers trust and loyalty because the workers will feel the business actually cares about them when their personal
National Safe Work Australia Month – October 2016 – Start Planning Now
Have you started planning for National Safe Work Australia month? Depending on the size of your company, some extensive planning may be involved and should commence now if you have not started already – 2
Why is Management Commitment & Policy Important?
...…because a safe, successful business starts at the top. A safe workplace is important – and it starts with you. As a manager and leader, the rest of the company look up to you and
What is Red Insight and Insightful Safety
Red Insight Pty Ltd is a consultancy company currently specialising in Workplace Health & Safety (WHS). The company is a family owned business, established in 2014. The inspiration behind the Red Insight logo is