22 April 2025
5 min read
#Renewable Energy, #Workplace Relations & Safety
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Welcome to ‘Beyond the Hard Hat’, a series of conversations designed to challenge conventional thinking about safety and risk. We're moving past checklists and paper systems to explore the human side of safety, delving into leadership, culture and the often-unseen factors that impact Australian workplaces. Join us as we speak with industry leaders, innovators, and frontline professionals who are pushing the boundaries and creating workplaces where people thrive.
In this first conversation, we are joined by HSE executive Joanna Knight, to discuss her time working in the renewables sector.
Jo found herself in the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) space, after joining the consulting arm of Shell in Malaysia where she focussed on major capital projects for both Shell and its key partners. Her exposure to some leading safety practitioners in that role sparked her ongoing interest in behavioural safety. Jo spent the next part of her career working in sustainable development and HSSE in Europe and Turkey, before returning to Australia and spending time in construction, infrastructure and the renewable energy sector.
The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.
I believe that many organisations underestimate or are not fully aware of their critical or key HSE risks. I think more needs to be done with respect to ensuring thorough risk assessments tailored to their operations are undertaken and periodically reviewed, with the people who are actually doing the work. Also, the sector has faced a shortage of experienced personnel in the often more remote locations that renewables projects are located in.
It starts with clear communication. Ensure all teams understand the identified risks and how to mitigate them. This includes clear procedures, training and open communication channels. Don't just assume everyone knows what to do. And yes trust, but verify. People do not come to work to get hurt but people can and do become complacent so you need to create an environment where your teams can raise concerns and ensure that no one gets hurt.
I believe that contractors were often treated differently to employees. For a positive HSE performance, you need to treat contractors as part of your team as they are integral to your safety culture. Include their safety statistics in your overall reporting and ensure they adhere to your HSE standards. You cannot outsource your risk – as a PCBU, you're still responsible.
Often renewables projects are located away from cities and regional hubs, so remote worker safety and emergency response is key. In wind projects, working at heights is a key focus as well as the risks associated with connecting to power grids. Ensure robust procedures are in place for electrical work and interface management as well as a smooth transition from design to construction to operation and maintenance. Finally, implement comprehensive fire prevention and response plans, especially in remote locations.
A strong safety culture is simply part of a strong performance culture. It starts with visible leadership and a commitment to safety from the top. Senior executives and board members must model safe behaviours and actively participate in HSE initiatives. You should foster a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting safety concerns without fear of reprisal. Encourage open communication and feedback and encourage your executive team to question traditional practices and learn from past incidents, both within and outside the renewables sector. Equip your workforce with the skills to intervene when they observe unsafe behaviours. You cannot underestimate the power of promoting a culture of proactive safety that is not an add-on or a tick box exercise.
As the renewables sector grows rapidly, ensure that safety is not compromised. Integrate HSE into all strategic decisions and operational plans. Analyse decision-making processes following significant near misses and incidents to identify deviations from agreed procedures and implement corrective actions. Actively participate in industry forums and share learnings to improve HSE performance across the sector.
Regulatory uncertainty is a big one. Advocate for clear and consistent regulatory frameworks to reduce uncertainty and promote investment in renewables. Also, proactively manage environmental and social impacts and seek certainty in the approval process. Many renewable projects are on ‘someone’s’ land so engaging in a positive way in the local community can enhance the culture of your project and your legacy.
Make safety a core value and integrate it into every policy and decision. Foster a close relationship with the CEO to ensure that HSE is a top priority at the highest levels of the organisation. Do not just say ‘safety is our number one priority’. Be able to show it is.
By prioritising these HSE considerations, executives in the renewables sector can create safer, more sustainable and ultimately more successful organisations. A strong HSE culture is not just a moral imperative; it's a business imperative.
We thank Joanna Knight for taking the time to sit with us and share her expertise in this space and to partner Jane Hall and senior associate Chelsea Ives, for facilitating this discussion. Our national renewable energy group are leading advisors in the regulatory, commercial and technical framework underpinning the development of renewable projects. Learn more here.
Disclaimer
The information in this publication is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavour to provide accurate and timely information, we do not guarantee that the information in this article is accurate at the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future.
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