Russell, Freyssinet Australia and New Zealand Health and Safety Manager

Health & Safety career in the civil construction

I began my professional journey as an Environmentalist in the mining industry, but later shifted my focus to Health and Safety after pursuing further education in that area as a result of increased interest. I returned to the mining industry as a Health and Safety professional before eventually branching out into civil construction, where I worked on numerous road and bridge projects across Australia. Following this, I spent several years working on large-scale tunneling projects within Sydney Australia before joining Freyssinet.

At Freyssinet, I initially joined as a Senior Safety Coordinator, I later advanced to the position of State Safety Manager and now serve as the National Health and Safety Manager for Freyssinet Australia and New Zealand. In my current capacity, my primary objective is to ensure that all HSE requirements are met, in compliance with legal requirements and company systems, to safeguard the health and safety of our people. As a Safety Manager, I am committed to cultivating a robust safety culture within the company, empowering our staff to reach their full potential.

A meaningful job

My decision to accept this job was motivated by my desire to join a thriving team, where I could contribute my knowledge and experience towards the goal of ensuring safety not just for our current projects, but for future teams as well. At Freyssinet, safety is an absolute priority and this profession is highly respected for its commitment to reducing workplace incidents. Adaptability is the most valuable quality for this role, as it allows for effective collaboration with individuals of varying personalities and in diverse situations.

A supportive network at Freyssinet

To me, Freyssinet represents an organisation that nurtures its employees to expand their horizons and embrace innovative ideas within their respective fields. It boasts a supportive network of individuals and teams possessing extensive knowledge, always eager to share and educate colleagues, with a view towards facilitating their professional growth and success.

My day-to-day work would not be possible without the invaluable assistance of my immediate team and the wider Freyssinet community. Our collective drive to succeed has enabled Freyssinet Australia and New Zealand to implement and sustain numerous initiatives and innovations, including but not limited to improved internal reporting systems, enhanced trend identification and data communication, various safety campaigns, the development of innovative safety controls and methodologies, and workforce upskilling. The Freyssinet team’s unwavering support has been instrumental in our achievements thus far.