Steve is a senior associate in the Melbourne Employee Relations group. He performs a senior role in the firm’s Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) practice.

His focus on WHS involves assisting clients to proactively manage risk in the workplace, and ensure legal protection in the event of an incident or regulatory investigation.

Steve works closely with clients from a range of industries, including the construction, transport, agricultural, manufacturing and financial industries, as well as Government departments and enterprises.

WHS governance and systems development

Steve particularly enjoys working with clients to develop proactive and practical health and safety compliance strategies. He has recently:

• advised Board members and executive officers on their personal compliance obligations and assisted in the development of an WHS improvement strategy for the businesses they lead
• developed a comprehensive contractor management system for an employer regularly dealing with dangerous goods
• advised a large national corporation on the development and implementation of a comprehensive fitness for work policy, and
• assisted a client in the development of a comprehensive safety governance framework. This integrated structure for managing a range of workplace risks has provided a sustainable basis for demonstrating legal compliance and ensuring proper accurate reporting and improvement, now and into the future.
  

WHS litigation

Steve has also been involved in the defence of a number of Worksafe prosecutions, arising from serious workplace incidents. This includes providing prompt and practical advice on steps to take immediately following an incident, as well as developing strategies for the efficient management of ongoing regulatory investigations.

He has recently assisted a large government employer, in defending charges under workplace health and safety legislation arising from a fatal incident at its workplace. Steve worked with Counsel to contest a two week hearing in the County Court (before a judge and jury). The client was ultimately acquitted of all charges.

He has gained valuable experience through appearing for and representing clients in State and Federal Courts, as well as administrative tribunals.

Steve obtained his law degree from the University of Melbourne with honours. He also has a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in political science.

Steve commenced articles at Freehills in the Melbourne office. In 2008 he undertook a secondment to the Freehills Sydney office to continue his focus on workplace health and safety and to provide further assistance and depth to the team there. He returned to Melbourne in 2009, where he has assumed a senior role in the management of the workplace health and safety team in that office.

Steve is an accomplished facilitator and trainer and regularly receives praise from clients for his engaging style of training and facilitating. He has recently applied these skills in a range of forums, including:

• Board and Executive presentations
• industry groups forums, including developing tools and processes for WHS incident management
• management committees, including presentations on contractor management systems and other means to ensure compliance with WHS obligations to contractors, and
• a day-long course, attended by around 70 employees of a large corporate employer including the facilitation of various topics, scenario based learning and information on the application of company policies.

Steve is also a contributing author to the CCH Master OHS Guide, and his views are regularly sought in relation to current issues affecting workplace health and safety developments.