Dr Derek Thomas FACP

Experience

• 

  Active Injury Management

  Jan 2009 - Jan 2015

  Director

  -Created strategic business plans to ensure viable business growth, including the establishment of multiple revenue streams through health, safety and ergonomic services to industry.-Led, coached and mentored staff, and engaged contracted expertise to suit industry demand for Health Safety and Environment, rehabilitation and ergonomic services. -Investigate and recommend best practice Health Safety and Environment, and wellbeing solutions to clients based on current research, legislation, codes of practice and Australian Standards.-Provide proactive advice on injury management, workers’ compensation rehabilitation and claims management to clients across Queensland and the Northern Territory.-Cultivated strong working relationships with customers, colleagues, and industry stakeholders to enable to collaborative delivery of customer-focused outcomes. Clients included companies such as WorkCover, Hasting Deering, Aurizon, Queensland Rail, Followmont Transport, and Boeing Australia.-Directed ergonomics projects, organised human resources, facilities, equipment and materials to fulfil client objectives within budget. One project for a heavy machinery manufacturer resulted in a reduction of all injury incidence by 52% and musculoskeletal injuries by 58%.-Developed and delivered tailored health and safety education for clients. A manual Task Risk Management program for one company was delivered to over 3500 staff across a geographically diverse workforce within Queensland and the Northern Territory. Show less

• 

  QUT (Queensland University of Technology)

  Apr 2014 - Mar 2023

  -Providing technical expertise on Health Safety and Environment to QUT's Facilities Management for approximately 200 million dollars of annual capital work projects across 2 campuses and 17 locations throughout Queensland.-Verified that Principal Contractors’ Safety Management System complied with legislative and QUT requirements and regulatory frameworks.-Provide expert rehabilitation advice to the QUT Workers' Compensation Rehabilitation team on complex cases.-Built QUT’s COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan. The Framework has been rolled out across the university and offered a strategy for restricting or easing university access based on government guidelines. Show less -Provide strategic direction to the Integrated Transport Services to ensure it meets sustainability and transport goals and aligns with QUT’s Estate Master Plan, Sustainability Action Plan and Blueprint 6.-Prepared and managed the seven-million-dollar transport budget, allocated physical and human resources for major QUT events and during university lockdowns due to COVID-19 government directive.-Managed the audit of all parking equipment's electrical and networking infrastructure. After rectifying identified issues by December 2021, the system incurred reduced equipment failures, provided improved customer service, as well as managed future upgrades. Show less -Lead the Science and Engineering Faculty’s (SEF) HSE team and 14 Health Safety and Environment Advisors. Mentored and coached staff on Health Safety and Environment, and wellbeing best practices.-Provided strategic leadership to improve the performance and efficiencies of the faculty’s HSE team through the creation of an operations manual. The manual was then further used as a training aid for new team members, adopted by the central HSE Department and utilised throughout the QUT.-Achieved a 40% reduction in incidents within the Science and Engineering Faculty (SEF) from 2017 (136) to 2018 (82) compared to an 8.5% reduction throughout the university.-Boosted the HSE profile in SEF with 91% of staff indicating keeping high levels of health and safety is a priority and 90% reported being aware of their HSE responsibilities. Up 4% from the previous year. Show less -Organised and lead an expert panel of QUT staff representing all faculties and divisions to implement the findings of the Organisational Work-Related Road Safety Situational Analysis Report. Within six months the panel had implemented all 18 recommendations. A change management plan and implementation outcomes were outlined in submissions to the University Health and Safety Committee.-Created the QUT safety leadership program to drive behavioural safety leadership and culture change at the university. The program aimed to develop active transactional and transformational leadership from emerging to executive leaders.-My findings and recommendations into the effective functioning of the Health and Safety Committee were endorsed by the University Health and Safety committee which include environmental aspects within the Terms of Reference of both the university-level and local Health and Safety Committees. -Successfully project managed the inaugural Health, Safety And Environment month program. This program showcased 4 premier QUT Health, Safety And Environment events and a range of Health, Safety And Environment local initiatives. The month was embraced by the QUT community with over 430 people attending centrally organised events and numerous more attending local area events. Show less

  • Senior Health Safety and Environment Partner

    May 2017 - Mar 2023

  • Manager Integrated Transport Services (Secondment)

    May 2021 - Nov 2021

  • Health, Safety and Environment Manager

    Jan 2016 - Apr 2017

  • Senior Health and Safety Officer

    Apr 2014 - Dec 2015
• 

  Griffith University

  Mar 2023 - now

  Senior Health and Safety Manager