HSR Support Program

• What HSR Support Officers do
• Contact a HSR Support Officer
• Further information

 Research shows that when employees have input into health and safety, workplaces have better health and safety outcomes.

WorkSafe’s HSR Support Program aims to improve employee representation by increasing the number of Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) in Victorian workplaces. It also aims to support HSRs to build their knowledge and skills.

The HSR Support Program does this by funding unions to engage HSR Support Officers. Each Support Officer works in a specific industry which has been identified by WorkSafe as having a high incidence or severity of workplace OHS claims or issues.

What HSR Support Officers do

HSR Support Officers work in their industry to:

• increase employee representation through the creation of designated work groups (DWGs) and the election of HSRs and deputy HSRs
• promote the role of HSRs
• work with HSRs to help them understand their role
• work with employers to encourage elected HSRs to be trained
• work with HSRs on representation and issue resolution procedures
• increase the knowledge and skills of HSRs
• build networks or communities of HSRs
• provide HSRs with advice on how to deal with particular OHS issues and hazards.

Support Officers do not perform the activities of a HSR and are not roving or itinerant representatives.

 

Contact a HSR Support Officer

Check the listing below to find your industry’s HSR Support Officer.

Industry sectors (Click for more information about health and safety initiatives in your industry)	HSR Support Officer and Union
Agriculture and forestry	Ben Davis (t) 03 8327 0888 Australian Workers’ Union
Construction and metal products	Tim Stephenson (t) 03 8329 0000 Electrical Trades Union
Construction, transport equipment and metal products	Georgie Kimmel (t) 03 9230 5700 Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union
Child protection, juvenile justice and housing covered by the Department of Human Services	Sergio Pirisi (t) 03 9639 1822 Community and Public Sector Union
Education	Janet Marshall (0.4FTE), (t) 03 9417 2822 Bob Maguire (0.6FTE), (t) 03 9417 2822 Australian Education Union
Education	Brian Martin (t) (03) 9254 1860 Victorian Independent Education Union
Emergency services	Vasso Zangalis (t) 03 9419 8811 United Firefighters’ Union of Australia
Health	Michael May (t) 03 9341 3333 Health Services Union of Australia
Meat	Evert Van der Steeg (t) 03 9662 3766 Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union
Metal products, rubber, plastic, textile, wholesale trade, wood	Ken Van der Meulen (t) 03 9287 1777 National Union of Workers
Mining and earth resources	Percy Pillai (t) 03 8327 0888 Australian Workers’ Union
Mining and earth resources	Julie Tyrrell (t) 03 5134 3311 Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (Mining and Energy Division)
Road transport	Eugene Richards (t) 03 8290 0600 Transport Workers’ Union
Stevedoring	Bruce Paris (t) 03 9329 5477 Maritime Union of Australia
Textile, clothing and footwear	Julie McKeown (t) 03 9639 2955 Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia

 

 

Further information

For more information about the HSR Support Program please contact the Health and Safety Grants Manager

(t) 03 9641 1682

(e) HSR_Support@worksafe.vic.gov.au