Practical Innovation in Health and Safety with Daniel Hummerdal and Rob Cousins
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Practical Innovation in Health and Safety | Daniel Hummerdal & Rob Cousins | Health & Safety Unplugged S4 E4
What happens when two of the sharpest minds in safety innovation sit down to challenge the status quo?
In this episode of Health and Safety Unplugged, host Matt Jones is joined by Daniel Hummerdal (former Chief Advisor for Health and Safety Innovation at WorkSafe NZ) and Rob Cousins (Executive GM at Entain Australia and New Zealand) to explore how practical innovation is reshaping the health and safety landscape.
With a focus on what works in the real world—not just in boardrooms or policy documents—this conversation dives into fresh thinking around trust, frontline empowerment, and the true value of learning from everyday work. You’ll hear how organisations are applying adaptive safety practices to reduce harm, build psychological safety, and foster a more human-centred approach to risk.
💬 Topics Covered:
What “innovation” in health and safety actually looks like
Lessons from inside WorkSafe and major enterprise environments
The shift from compliance-led to learning-led H&S models
How to engage workers in meaningful safety conversations
Practical strategies for creating adaptive, responsive systems
🎯 Perfect for: H&S professionals, executive leaders, operational managers, and safety consultants looking to evolve beyond traditional safety frameworks.