Safety Institute of Australia
Safety In Action 2007
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Southbank
March 21, 2007
Michael W. Thompson, CSP
ASSE President-Elect
Thank you Dr. Dell. On behalf of the nearly 33,000 members located in 64
countries around the globe, we the American Society of Safety Engineers
bring you fraternal greetings. This is my second visit to Australia in four
months and my first visit to Melbourne. It is a remarkable and beautiful city.
Attending this years Safety In Action Conference and having the oppottunity
to meet so many of you it is my observation that we SH&E professionals
share much in common and most importantly we can share a common vision
for our respective workplaces; incident and injury-free.
This is the 10th conference for SIA, Victoria Division, and it allows all of us
to reflect upon our past successes, learn from our failures and always look to
the future. Your principal sponsor, WorkSafe, through Mr. John Merritt is
promoting a lifestyle that makes health and safety a 24/7 experience in every
aspect of life.
For 96 years, ASSE, its members have worked to make protecting people,
property and the environment a value. Likewise I see SIA and its members
surely seeking a similar aspiration. Our work world continues to change
before our very eyes and we are challenged to use technology to achieve our
aspirations for an incident and injury-free workplace.
Together our two organizations can work to promote SH&E, the profession
and bring focus to our members careers and potential. In recent times the
formation of INSHPO is a means to reach agreement on actions that will
achieve these stated aspirations. I believe active and meaningful exchanges
of views allow us to understand and to find common ground for action.
I look forward to this year to further enhancements to our two societies
exchanges and to continuing the better definition of INSHPO, its strategic
goals and objectives.
On a professional basis; attendance at your excellent conference offers me
an opportunity to listen, learn and network. My participation here has
allowed me to gain new insights.
For that I am honored to be here. On a personal basis, please look to your
left and to your right. Very likely you have someone of significance that
helps you to go out each day and do what you do. As for me, I’d like to
recognize my wife, Judith who has always been there for me; and please
welcome Mr. Fred Fortman, our executive Director. Be sure to
celebrate your hero at home and work; thank them for supporting you.
10 years of “Safety In Action” is proof that the content and delivery model
of this conference works to allow you and I to recharge and bring new tools
to our employers and workforces.
In closing, I’d like to extend my thanks to Dr. Geoff Dell, Mr. Phil
Lovelock, and Mr. Neil Dine for your leadership in delivering this
successful conference and for your gracious hospitality. Ladies and
Gentlemen, thank you your kind attention and please continue to enjoy this
wonderful conference.