Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Selectedachievements
Professional Development
Languages
Accomplishments
Timeline
Generic

Sarah McDonald

Rockingham,WA

Summary

Seasoned Health and Safety Leader with a proven track record at Oranga Tamariki, enhancing safety protocols and fostering a culture of wellbeing. Expert in ISO 31000 and persuasive communication, I've spearheaded critical risk management strategies, achieving exemplary standards recognized by senior leadership. Skilled in relationship building, my initiatives have significantly mitigated risks, promoting a secure environment.

Overview

28
28
years of professional experience

Work History

Critical Risk - Senior Advisor

Oranga Tamariki
12.2023 - Current
  • In this fixed term role, I provide Oranga Tamariki Senior Leadership Team with specialist advice, support and strategies to ensure that our people and those we work with stay safe and secure
  • I developed and facilitated the implementation of the National Critical Risk Management Strategy by aligning it with best practice standards and strategic health and safety systems specific to the organisations needs ensuring continual improvement
  • The nine priority critical risks were assessed, analysed, critical controls verified and implemented within programme timeframes complimented with the development of ongoing monitoring and assurance tools to underpin the critical risk management system
  • This included educating, training, influencing, motivating, and engaging with managers and staff nationally to understand the importance of critical risk management
  • The key area was developing the capability of managers and staff through sound advice, guidance, facilitating workshops and providing specific training where necessary

Health and Safety Lead

New Zealand Police
11.2023 - Current
  • The role as Health and Safety Lead included reviewing the health, safety and wellbeing with the NZ Police 'high critical risk specialist groups' which is part of existing investigative units that are primarily focused on planned illegal operations to apprehend high-risk offenders and combat organised crime or protection units
  • These specialist teams included the Special Tactics Units (STG), National Dive Squad and the Diplomatic Protection Service
  • My role was to review the critical risks and controls of each group individually and actively contribute to a supportive and positive environment, developing leaders and team members to achieve, find improvements for all staff to ensure corrective actions were implemented
  • Health and Safety reports on each group were provided to the NZ Police Health and Safety Governance Group where the chairperson acknowledged my work as 'Exemplary' and the standard the Governance Group wanted in all future reviews moving forward

Health and Safety Lead

New Zealand Police
08.2022 - 08.2023
  • The role as health and safety lead for New Zealand Police Frontline Capability which involved developing the national health and safety strategy for NZ Police Custodial services working closely with the Human Rights Commission on its development
  • In this role I developed a strategy working with all 12 directorates across NZ Police
  • The strategy included a Custody Health and Safety Action Plan which I developed to support the custody group aims and objectives articulated in the Custody Strategy that took an approach for continuous improvement in the health and safety of people, including staff, detainees and communities and is intended to provide efficient, proactive and practical ways of ensuring health and safety

Health, Safety and Sustainability Manager

Whitireia & WelTec Community Polytechnic Limited
08.2021 - 08.2022
  • I joined Whitireia & WelTec Community Polytechnic Limited in my role as Health, Safety and Sustainability Manager and reported to the Board and Audit and Risk governance group
  • We had five campuses across the Wellington Region with 600 staff members and 8000 students
  • Our most critical risk at Whitireia & WelTec was a high rate of psychological risks that were not recognised at the time
  • I created and implemented a health and safety strategy, which included joining all of stakeholders to build a safer healthier community, building community relationships with Iwi Ngatitoa WorkSafe, HASANZ, NZP, TPK, WREMO and the CCDHB
  • I was a team member who developed a Rangatira mental health first aid responder course with CoLiberate national mental health team, which included securing trainers with significant funding from Te Puni Kokere (TPK)
  • This course trained 200 staff and students in a short period of time
  • Due to the success, we were able to apply for more funding as we were able to show tangible psychological mitigation evidence

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Consultant

Safe Haven HSE Ltd
10.2020 - 08.2022
  • I formed Safe Haven in 2020 and worked on two national projects with NZ Police – the Firearms Reform Implementation Programme (firearms buy-back scheme) and the initial COVID-19 Fatality Response
  • For both projects I was the National Health and Safety lead, reviewing and setting up health and safety management strategy’s, processes, and practices ensuring critical risks were managed reporting to governance groups
  • For the implementation of firearms reform, I stayed on at the end of the programme and provided an in-depth independent review and analysis of the health and safety management systems and practices of the programme
  • I worked with all levels of the organisation for this programme – governance, leadership, and worker representatives with key people in all twelve Police Districts
  • For the Fatality Response Team, I lead the development and implementation of a wellness, health and safety management plan for the twelve Police Districts which prioritised a wellbeing plan mitigating psychological harm

Health & Safety Practitioner - Site Safe Health and Safety Advisor - Trainer

Site Safe NZ
08.2019 - 10.2020
  • Company Overview: Site Safe NZ is a not-for-profit organisation operating in the NZ construction industry for over 20 years
  • As a Health and Safety Advisor - Trainer at Site Safe NZ, I provided expert advice to the construction industry and government departments
  • I also take pride in being trained under Standards NZ and registered under Category 1, Private Training Establishment with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority
  • I enjoyed training within the construction industry and thrived on harm prevention and changing behaviours at all levels of an organisation
  • I developed, trained and utilised proven leadership and engagement programmes which changed the mindsets with business owners, managers and contractors throughout New Zealand
  • Site Safe NZ is a not-for-profit organisation operating in the NZ construction industry for over 20 years

Senior Health, Safety & Wellbeing Advisor

Fletcher Construction
01.2017 - 08.2019
  • Successfully implemented strategic health and safety organisational management and risk management strategies on a large-scale collaborative civil construction project
  • In this role, I led the health, safety and wellbeing team that supported the development of the 18 km Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway
  • This expressway, Wellington Northern Corridor projects was delivered as part of an alliance of Fletcher Infrastructure, Higgins, Beca and NZTA
  • The $640 million contract was a 18km four lane expressway which included the in-house construction and building of eighteen bridges one of which had three diameter wide piles, a first for NZ with cages up to 58 tonne and approx
  • 250 to 280 cubes of concrete per hole
  • Total earthworks volume including peat excavate and replace, topsoil handling, cut to fill in sand, unsuitable, and other miscellaneous earthworks was over 5,800,000m3
  • The Project successfully implemented health, safety and wellbeing systems that complied with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
  • I developed and delivered an engagement risk management strategies with the Alliance Board, senior managers, supervisors, skilled operators and a wide range of subcontractors across the project
  • The project and I personally achieved several industry-leading outcomes, including 'Our Safety Formula', an award-winning worker engagement programme

HSQE Manager Rail Division

John Holland / Fulton Hogan
03.2013 - 12.2013
  • In this contract role, I worked for John Holland & Fulton Hogan Rail Division who upgraded the Wellington Region Rail Programme and implementing significant improvements to ageing overhead traction systems from Tawa to Pukerua Bay
  • We implemented an OSH system based on John Holland’s 'No Harm' vision where 'everyone will return home safely every day'
  • I developed and delivered a risk management strategy and engaged with the client, board members, senior managers, supervisors, skilled operators and a wide range of subcontractors across the regions project as well as other areas in NZ

Health, Safety and Environmental Manager

Kiwi Contractors Ltd
01.2007 - 01.2013
  • Managed health, safety and the environment across organisation operations and sites
  • I worked for Kiwi Contractors Ltd for over four years and the role provided me with a solid base for my health and safety career in the civil contracting arena
  • Among many tasks, I led the implementation of health and safety management plans and site health and safety induction programmes for new employees, subcontractors and visitors
  • I also supported health, safety and wellbeing committee meetings and toolbox meetings, leading project audits and site inspections, and monitored the timely close out of all corrective actions from inspections and audits

Surveillance Officer/Intelligence Officer

New Zealand Security Intelligence Services
01.1997 - 01.2007
  • Leading, mentoring, budgeting, managing, planning, implementing operations
  • Working with other government departments Nationally and Internationally
  • Analysing and managing information to strict standards

Education

NZ Institute of Safety Management Graduate member -

01.2024

HASANZ Practitioner Registered -

01.2024

National NZQA HSE Trainer -

01.2018

Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health -

Massey University
01.2015

Skills

  • Health and Safety Governance
  • Key Performance Indicators
  • Insight Reports
  • Legislation and Regulation Updates
  • Health and Safety Leadership
  • Relationship Building
  • Team Environment Creation
  • Health and Safety Initiatives
  • Relationship Management
  • Legal and Governance
  • Critical Risk Profiles
  • Compliance
  • Digital Competence
  • High-Risk Heavy Machinery Experience
  • Construction Experience
  • Compliance and Legislation Background
  • Health and Safety Training
  • Learning and Development Strategies
  • Communication Skills
  • Presentation Skills
  • Persuasiveness
  • Influence
  • Workplace Safety Systems
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • ICAM Investigations
  • Enterprise Risk Management
  • ISO 31000
  • ISO 45001

Selectedachievements

  • Successfully developed and implemented Nga Papa Korero Mental Health First Aid course 2021
  • Site Safe NZ Award Judge for all categories 2020 - 2024
  • HASANZ Poutama Scholarship Judge 2020 - 2024
  • NZ Workplace Safeguard Award Judge for all categories 2018
  • NZ Safe Legal National Conference speaker AUCK – WN – CHCH 2018
  • NZ Safety360 Leadership speaker Maintaining high quality safety throughout the supply chain 2018
  • NZ Workplace Safeguard NZISM Health and Safety Practitioner of the year 2017
  • NZIOB National Safety Excellence Individual Award 2017
  • NZTA & Fletcher Construction Leading HSE Site in NZ 2017
  • NZ Institute of Safety Management Graduate member 2017
  • Fletcher Construction finalist for HSW Advisor of the year 2016
  • Hays NAWIC Professional Women of the year 2016 (Awarded highly commended in this category)
  • NZ Workplace Safeguard Award finalist 2016 Best Significant Health & Safety Initiative by a large company
  • NZ Workplace Safeguard Award finalist 2015 Best Significant Health & Safety Initiative by a large company
  • Site Safe NZ Safety Innovation Award 2014 (large business)
  • Member of the M2PP HSW team
  • New Zealand Security Intelligence: Contributed throughout ASIO Deployment for Sydney Olympic Games 2000; Security Operations - International Apex Government meeting in Auckland 1999. Gained top secret clearance approval for 10 years.
  • New Zealand Representative and Professional Athlete: New Zealand Women’s World Series Softball Team 1994

Professional Development

  • CoLiberate Nga Papa Korero mental health, 2021
  • ISO 45001, 2021
  • Safety in Design, 2021
  • Leadership in health and safety, 2018
  • Health in Design, 2019
  • HSWA (2015) implementation planning, 2015
  • ICAM lead investigator training, 2014
  • Corporate Risk Assessment, 2014
  • Success Formula Organisational engagement, 2018
  • Site Safe Training Development team, 2011
  • CES Asbestos identification and control, 2014
  • Defence Officer Leadership Training, 2005
  • Risk Management Training, 2000
  • Defence Strategic Management Training, 2002
  • Defence Radio and Communications Training, 1999
  • Defence Surveillance Training, 1999
  • Defence Photography Training, 2002

Languages

Italian
Elementary

Accomplishments

Elite athlete for National Sports team

Timeline

Critical Risk - Senior Advisor

Oranga Tamariki
12.2023 - Current

Health and Safety Lead

New Zealand Police
11.2023 - Current

Health and Safety Lead

New Zealand Police
08.2022 - 08.2023

Health, Safety and Sustainability Manager

Whitireia & WelTec Community Polytechnic Limited
08.2021 - 08.2022

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Consultant

Safe Haven HSE Ltd
10.2020 - 08.2022

Health & Safety Practitioner - Site Safe Health and Safety Advisor - Trainer

Site Safe NZ
08.2019 - 10.2020

Senior Health, Safety & Wellbeing Advisor

Fletcher Construction
01.2017 - 08.2019

HSQE Manager Rail Division

John Holland / Fulton Hogan
03.2013 - 12.2013

Health, Safety and Environmental Manager

Kiwi Contractors Ltd
01.2007 - 01.2013

Surveillance Officer/Intelligence Officer

New Zealand Security Intelligence Services
01.1997 - 01.2007

NZ Institute of Safety Management Graduate member -

HASANZ Practitioner Registered -

National NZQA HSE Trainer -

Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health -

Massey University

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Sarah McDonald