For Stanwell Health and Safety Graduate Brianna Smith, it was the loss of a close friend in a car accident that served as the catalyst for her journey into safety.
However, her journey to Stanwell’s Health and Safety team didn’t take the typical path, Brianna initially undertaking and completing a degree in Accident Forensics.
“After the accident, it was the not knowing what had happened and the waiting for answers that was terrible,” she said.
“Loss at anytime is difficult, but when it is surrounded by questions and unknown, it can make the healing process difficult.
“I wanted to be there for families and friends who had suffered loss and help provide them with answers and closure.”
It would be a shift in career though that would see Brianna move into the prevention of accidents and injury as Stanwell’s Health and Safety Graduate.
“Like any industry, the bigger the place, the higher the chance of risk,” she said.
“I wanted to be involved in not only injury and accident prevention, but in helping to shape the culture of what safety is and how you can be safe.
“Stanwell has a really strong safety culture and I have found all employees have great respect for safety, and the Health and Safety team.”
Inline with National Safe Work Month, Brianna said there are many ways each person can be a Safety Champion.
“My biggest tip for anyone would be to have the confidence to speak up if they see something,” she said.
“We are moving away from the mindset of, ‘We’ve done it that way forever, so let’s continue to,’ to, “I have a suggestion on how we can make this safer’, and this is a great way for individuals to become Safety Champions.”
“At the end of the day, we want our workers going home the same way they turned up.”