Summary:

In this fun episode, Alanna welcomes Mia Soper, the winner of the Student of the Year award at the 2023 Women in Safety Awards.

Mia Soper's journey into health and safety is truly inspiring. Her recognition as the 2023 Student of the Year at the Women in Safety Awards speaks volumes about her dedication and expertise.
Mia's passion for her work is evident from the moment she begins to recount her journey. She exudes enthusiasm and speaks with genuine love for the profession. For Mia, health and safety isn't just a job; it's a vocation—a way to make a real difference in people's lives.
Despite facing challenges along the way, Mia's resilience shines through. She embraces obstacles as opportunities for growth, emerging stronger each time.
Through Mia's story, we're reminded of the power of passion and dedication. Her journey serves as inspiration for aspiring safety professionals, showing that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible. And as we continue to follow Mia's career, it's clear that her future is bright and promising.

The conversation touches on challenges Mia has faced as a young female in construction, including overcoming imposter syndrome and gaining respect in a male-dominated industry. Mia also discusses her studies in health and safety and how they have applied to her job, as well as her approach to maintaining work-life balance.

Connect with Mia: [email protected]

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/mia-soper-15783b252

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Alanna was recently on the Safety Exchange Platform with David Provan and others on all things creating influence. In this empowering solo episode of the Women in Safety podcast, Alanna dives deep into the critical topic of influence in workplace health and safety. Drawing from her wealth of experience, she unpacks key elements to cultivating effective influence: authenticity, relevance, consistency, and resilience.

Listeners are guided through the importance of authenticity in building trust and credibility, highlighting the significance of being genuine in interactions and decision-making processes. 

Tune in to gain invaluable insights and practical strategies for enhancing your influence and driving positive change in the realm of safety and beyond.

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Episode Summary:

Menopause used to be such a taboo topic  yet today we discussed issues such as barriers to communication, workplace adjustments, culture and more when it comes to menopause at work. Thea O’Connor is a workplace advocate and founder of Menopause at Work and is dedicated to changing how women, men and organisations deal with the changes and challenges that come with menopause. Alanna and Thea break down some of the data and detail found in a report done in New Zealand which captures both women and organisational views on menopause and it's an interesting discussion!

Let’s take some of the shame, guilt and hardship out of this conversation and share it with those in our lives!

Read the NZ Report: https://www.nzier.org.nz/publications/the-silent-transition-understanding-the-impacts-of-menopause-in-new-zealand-workplaces

Connect with Thea: https://www.thea.com.au/menopause-at-work/

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Brief summary of episode: 

Many of us in the Women in Safety Community know Joelle Mitchell as the Co-Host on the Pysch Health and Safety Podcast or the Director of FlourishDX. Our podcast explores who Joelle was before all of this and her interesting, complex and exciting career from document controller to human factors for the offshore regulator. 

Joelle shares her extensive knowledge and application since becoming a psychologist and applying to health and safety roles. You will love how Joelle could take learnings from each stage of her career and apply it to whatever challenge she faced. 

Join Alanna and Joelle through the twists and turns that took to her leading health and wellbeing from a psychologist view.

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As we begin to celebrate all things health and wellbeing in April, we invited our 2023 Empowered Member of the Year Peta Mercieca back to the podcast to explore what health and wellbeing techniques she instils in her work and routine to create better balance.

Peta has been an absolute advocate for putting her own mental health first and has many times shared her struggles in the Women in Safety community. This podcast is no different. Her vulnerability has been on display many times in this episode as we cover off her habits, her tips and tricks and what she has changed to start thriving in her career.

Please note, we discuss mental health, anxiety and medication in this episode. 

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Kate shares her journey into the field of workplace relations and highlights the challenges and successes she has encountered as a health and safety lawyer.

She discusses the importance of taking health and safety matters seriously and the positive impact of recent changes in law, such as the reframing of sexual harassment as a safety issue.

Kate also provides valuable insights on work-life balance, staying updated on regulatory changes, and tips for women looking to make their mark in the health and safety field.

Tune in to the Women in Safety podcast. Stay informed about the latest trends and regulatory changes in the health and safety field while hearing inspiring stories from women making a difference in the industry.

Resources:

EmploySafe Legal - Kate Simpson's law firm specialising in employment law and safety law advice for employers.

OHS Alert - A publication providing updates on upcoming changes to health and safety laws and case law.

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

Eustacia Jennings is possibly one of the longest running supporters of Women in Safety despite living and working in the Bahamas!

We met Eustacia in person at the 2023 World Congress and Women in Safety Awards in Sydney and delighted to have her on the podcast for International Women’s Day celebrations.

Eustacia is a fierce health and safety advocate in the Bahamas. At present, there are no health and safety regulations or policies and Eustacia has made it her mission to change that. Join our conversation to hear how she uses her voice, makes change, challenges her own imposter syndrome, and leads health and safety globally. You will walk away from this episode reminded of your own why! 

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BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE EPISODE:

Welcome back to the Women in Safety Podcast! In this episode, we embark on a fascinating journey with Yolanda Oosthuizen, a distinguished senior leader in the energy sector. With a wealth of experience in health, safety, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), Yolanda's insights are sure to captivate and inspire.

Join us as we delve into Yolanda's remarkable career trajectory, spanning from being a Maths and Science Teacher in South Africa to leading accountable teams in New Zealand. Through our conversation, we uncover the triumphs and tribulations she's encountered along the way. Yolanda's narrative is one of continual learning, and mentorship and where every day presents new opportunities and challenges to overcome.

Tune in as Yolanda shares her vibrant story, offering valuable lessons and perspectives that resonate far beyond the realm of safety management. Get ready to be inspired by her journey and empowered by her wisdom.

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

Welcome to the Women in Safety podcast, where empowerment meets excellence in the health and safety profession.

Michelle is a career safety professional who has worked both internally and for herself consulting in work health and safety. Michelle knows all too well some of the daily struggles of safety professionals and believes collaborating has been a key to her successes.

Michelle shared some of her challenges in her time as a consultant and how professionally, one of the biggest impacts on her career was working on site.

Join this impactful conversation to hear how fulfilling and varied Michelle's career has been and a hot tip - she hands out a great nugget of advice toward the end!

Tune in to find out!

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In this episode we had the pleasure of interviewing Emma Richards, the Founder and Lead Optometrist for Safety Glasses Online. Emma is an optometrist by trade and was sick of seeing patients injured at work so she started to make change!

Emma shared valuable insights into two key areas crucial for better safety outcomes- don’t be ashamed to be yourself and seek to understand people and the problems they face at work more to you can solve the issues faster.

Emma delved into the intricacies of dealing with challenging individuals in the pursuit of improved safety. She emphasised the importance of effective communication, empathy, and understanding in managing difficult situations.

Throughout the conversation, Emma's expertise shone through, offering invaluable insights for safety professionals particularly in making change to PPE practices on site. 

Tune in to this episode to gain insights from Emma. Connect with Safety Glasses Online

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