Laura is experienced guiding her clients through both advisory and litigious work health and safety (WHS) matters. Laura recognises the importance of working closely with her clients to gain an understanding of their operations and the specific WHS risks their organisations face. Gaining an integral understanding of her client’s operations provides Laura with the opportunity to give clients appropriate risk management solutions.
Laura has been retained by clients across a wide variety of sectors and has particular experience in the transport, energy, resources, retail, warehousing/logistics, mining and construction sectors.
Laura provides training to a diverse range of organisations and officers, particularly in relation to the intricacies of WHS legislation. Laura provides immediate advice to clients on incident response and assists clients to respond to regulatory investigations. Laura also manages contentious matters including the defence of prosecutions brought by regulators against companies, their officers and workers.
Experience
Advising clients on their obligations and potential liability under the WHS Laws including on potential legal exposure in response to a serious incident.
Acting for clients on the internal review of statutory notices issued by the relevant WHS Regulator including successfully obtaining variation or revocation of notices.
Advising clients in relation to breaches of chain of responsibility legislation including negotiating the withdrawal of charges against the Managing Director in relation to a breach of chain of responsibility legislation associated with the death of third party.
Providing training to senior workers and officers on their obligations under the WHS Laws as workers and/or officers and training on the obligations of the Persons Conducting the Business or Undertaking.
Acting for a major construction company as an interested party in a coronial inquest into the death of a trespasser on its construction site.
Preparing Due Diligence Frameworks for officers to assist them comply with their obligations under WHS Laws including industrial manslaughter provisions.
Advising on WHS components of construction contracts, maintenance and services agreements, requests for tender and letters of assurance.
Assisting clients with regulatory investigations including advising on the response to statutory requests for information and attending interviews under compulsion with the WHS Regulator.
Investigating serious incidents for clients including interviewing witnesses, engaging experts and obtaining expert evidence reports, undertaking causal analysis and drafting investigation reports.
Reviewing clients’ WHS management systems against the WHS Laws.
