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COLLABORATE - Essential skills for the modern WHS practitioner

Friday, November 20, 2026
1:35 PM - 3:00 PM

Overview

Critical thinking, networking, human factors, systems thinking and stakeholder engagement.


Details

CAPABILITY, CURRENCY AND INFLUENCE As work changes, so must the skills of the people responsible for making it safe. This session looks at how practitioners stay current, adaptable and influential in an increasingly complex environment. Critical thinking and professional networking are the entry points into the competencies shaping the profession: human factors, systems thinking and stakeholder engagement. You will leave with a clearer view of how collaboration, continuous learning and strong professional connections help you anticipate change and build capability rather than react to it.


Speaker

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Carlee Ackland
Health & Wellbeing Specialist
Water Corporation

Essential skills for the modern WHS practioner

Biography

Carlee Ackland is a Health & Wellbeing Specialist at Water Corporation whose career has evolved from clinical rehabilitation and injury management into safety, ergonomics and human factors. Her work focuses on how the design of work, infrastructure and organisational systems influences human performance, safety and operational outcomes. She holds Undergraduate qualifications in Human Movement and Exercise Rehabilitation, a Graduate Diploma in Education, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Human Factors and Ergonomics. Carlee is focused on preventing injuries, incidents and human error through better system and infrastructure design. She has supported the profession through the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia (HFESA) as the former WA Branch Professional Development Coordinator and now as a member of the planning committee for the HFESA Conference in Perth in 2027.
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William Byrne
Director / Senior Consultant
P3RSS

COLLABORATE - Essential skills for the modern WHS practitioner

Biography

Bill is a seasoned WHS/OHSE professional with over 35 years' experience across resources, construction, utilities, health services, local government and academia. At P3RSS he delivers strategic OHS management system solutions and long-term improvement programs. His career spans all levels of WHS/OHSE roles, complemented by expertise as a consultant, integrated management system auditor, and trainer in WHS management systems, due diligence and ICAM investigations. An adjunct lecturer in postgraduate OHS studies, Bill has co-authored research on fishing industry fatalities and completed his Masters research on safe work method statements. His academic work has earned national recognition, including the AIHS Postgraduate Education Award (2021) and the WHS Law Excellence Award (2017). A committed advocate for safety, Bill serves on the AIHS WA Branch Committee, is past coordinator of the Perth Safety Symposium, and was recently accepted into the AIHS College of Fellows.
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Rob King
Director / Principal Human Factors Consultant
Coretex Consulting

COLLABORATE - Essential skills for the modern WHS practitioner

Biography

Rob King is the Director of Coretex Consulting and a Certified Human Factors and Ergonomics Professional (CHFEP) with 20 years’ experience in human factors, ergonomics and workplace risk management. Based in Perth, he supports organisations across mining, oil and gas, rail and water to improve safety, usability and operational performance. His expertise includes human factors engineering, safety-critical task analysis, control room design, incident learning, and Human and Organisational Performance. He works with engineering and operational teams to identify risks and improve equipment, systems and work processes.
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