Forty-six occupational health and safety students and industry professionals from throughout Central Queensland gathered in Rockhampton recently (Aug 13) to consider ways to avoid repeat accidents.

Guest presenter Dr Geoff Dell spoke about how misinformation, lack of hard data and risk decision errors have contributed to accidents being repeated across industries.

Guest speaker Dr Geoff Dell, Northern Territory-based OHS student Marita Wilson and PNO-CQ Coordinator/Lecturer Dale Trott chat about the key topics discussed

Attendees included flex-studies students participating in the residential component of their degrees.

Dr Dell is principal consultant and managing director of Protocol Safety and will also be working with CQUniversity in exploring the feasibility of an accident investigation and safety program at the University.

CQUniversity lecturer Dale Trott convened the event as Coordinator of the Professional Networking Organisation (PNO-CQ) and in his role as CQ regional representative for the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA). The PNO-CQ is offered to regional Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) industry professionals and CQUniversity students alike as a means of establishing networks and feeding valuable industry insight into the OHS program.

Mr Trott said Dr Dell's presentation was one of many provided to the PNO-CQ by industry professionals and academics over the past 3 years.

"The PNO-CQ has been offered three times a year from Gladstone, Rockhampton and Mackay campuses, linked into Emerald and Bundaberg by ISL. All sessions are recorded, where possible, and offered to professionals for later reference," Mr Trott said.

Mr Trott is always interested to hear about anyone wanting to present to the group on topics that are of unique interest to the CQ region and OHS industry professionals.