CQUniversity's Geoff Dell has been honoured with the highest award the Safety Institute of Australia bestows, the Harold Greenwood Thomas Award*.

This SIA award is not given every year but rather when an exceptional individual is nominated by their peers.

Associate Professor Geoff Dell

Associate Professor Dell has previously been Dean of the College of Fellows and National President (on two occasions) for the SIA.

He was still Dean of the College of Fellows earlier this year, when he started working with CQUniversity to implement new degree programs in the developing field of forensic accident investigation.

These new teaching and research programs will complement the safety science, OHS and human factors programs already offered by CQUniversity.

Dr Dell has encouraged degree-level studies in forensic accident investigation "to ensure Australia is better placed to learn lessons from accidents, whether they occur in aviation, traffic, rail or industrial settings".

"The standard of accident investigation across industry is generally very poor," Dr Dell says.

"There is a wide variation in investigation methods, models and objectives applied which often results in sub-standard identification of causal factors and inadequate definition of corrective actions which leads to less than optimal implementation of preventive measures.

"The same accidents and incidents recur time and again and the lessons are missed entirely or misunderstood. To a considerable degree this may be attributed to the absence of effective investigation education and training.

"Internationally in aviation, for example, there are only two university-based applied investigation teaching programs open to industry participants. In Australia there are none."

"There are also no formal tertiary education programs in Australia addressing the broad investigation needs of the other industries. There are a number of investigation theory short courses on the market, but none have an applied science basis and few provide professional competency-based learning approaches and methodologies.

"The new CQUniversity suite of accident investigation degrees will satisfy this long standing education need."

* Harold Greenwood Thomas was an important founder of the SIA. He was a man of influence through his contribution to the body of knowledge of safety in Australia. In recognition of his status, the SIA has struck an award in his honour.  The award is for an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the aims and objectives of the Institute. It can be, but is not necessarily, an annual award, and is structured to be the highest non-membership honour the SIA can bestow on a person in Australia.