Critical Risk Control Masterclass Program

Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm each day

Day 1 – Foundations and Bowtie Development

Time	Session Title	Description
9:00 am – 10:00 am	Welcome & Introduction	Opening remarks and introduction by Dan Yates and Paul Green. Insights on consultation, workshopping, and maturity in developing QGN35. Q&A and group discussion.
10:00 am – 11:00 am	Deciding the scope	Identifying critical risks and top events. Group activity: Define scope for a selected risk scenario. Share and compare scopes across groups.
11:00 am – 11:15 am	Morning break	Refreshments and informal discussion.
11:15 am – 12:30 pm	Bowtie framework	Anatomy of a bowtie diagram. Hazards, top events, threats, consequences. Workshop: Build a basic bowtie for scoped scenario.
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm	Lunch break	Lunch and networking.
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm	Control identification and classification	Types of controls (preventive, mitigative). Control effectiveness and hierarchy. Workshop: Identify and classify controls in bowtie.
3:00 pm – 3:15 pm	Afternoon break	Refreshments and informal discussion.
3:15 pm – 4:45 pm	Critical controls identification	What makes a control 'critical'? Group activity: Select critical controls from bowtie. Peer review and facilitator feedback.
4:45 pm – 5:00 pm	Day 1 Review & Reflection	Summary of key learnings. Open Q&A. Preview of Day 2.

Day 1 - Networking Session

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Networking session

Networking with finger food and drinks.

Day 2 – Control Specification, Verification & Future Directions

Time	Session Title	Description
9:00 am – 9:30 am	Recap of day 1	Group reflections. Revisit bowtie diagrams and critical controls.
9:30 am – 10:30 am	Critical control criteria	Criteria from QGN35 and other frameworks. Workshop: Apply criteria to selected controls. Group discussion: Challenges and insights.
10:30 am – 10:45 am	Morning break	Refreshments and informal discussion.
10:45 am – 12:00 pm	Specification of critical controls	Performance requirements and attributes. Workshop: Draft specifications for selected critical controls. Share examples and receive feedback.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm	Lunch break	Lunch and networking.
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm	Verification and assurance	Designing verification processes. Role of frontline workers and supervisors. Workshop: Build a verification plan for one control. Group presentations.
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm	Afternoon break	Refreshments and informal discussion.
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm	AI in critical control verification	Presentation by Dr Nikodem Rybak. Case examples and future applications. Q&A.
3:45 pm – 5:00 pm	Organisational integration & reflection	Embedding critical controls into systems. Maturity models and continuous improvement. Reflection activity: 'Where to from here?' Individual and group planning. Commitments, online survey helping to shape next year’s masterclass and next steps.

Presenter Bios

	Maureen Hassall is a Professor and Director at UQ’s SMI Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre where she works as a researcher, teacher, consultant in critical risk management, systems and process safety engineering and human factors across high hazard industries. Her passion is preventing work related fatalities and career ending incidents through evidence-based practical and impactful solutions derived from consultative, and collaborative research that improve the design and management of work so it is safe, healthy, and rewarding for a diversity of workers. Her work is informed by over 30 years of industry experience in mining, metals manufacturing, chemicals, oil and gas, and other high hazard industries working in Australia, Canada and New Zealand as well as Bachelor's degrees in engineering and psychology, an MBA and a PhD in human factors methods that help industry personnel identify and manage hazardous situations.
	Libby Humphries has over 20 years’ experience in health and safety including the development and delivery health and safety management systems and risk management planning within Rio Tinto and consulting to coal seam gas contracting companies. She has lived across Australia including Gladstone (Qld), Jabiru (NT) and Parkes (NSW) and has tertiary qualifications in psychology, project management and health and safety. She is passionate about health and safety management systems including the effectiveness of competency frameworks and educating to improve health and psychosocial risk management. Her qualifications include bachelor’s degree arts (psychology) and postgraduate qualifications in Project Management and Health and Safety.
	Dan Yates GAICD EMBA is a seasoned mining executive with over 25 years of operational leadership across metalliferous and coal sectors. He has delivered transformative improvements in safety, productivity, and strategic planning across diverse mining operations. As Managing Director of Salus International, Dan leads high-impact interventions across global sites. His expertise spans operational management, health and safety, ESG strategy, mine rehabilitation, and stakeholder engagement. A graduate of QUT’s EMBA program and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Daniel also contributes at regional and state levels to natural resource management through board and chair roles in leading environmental organisations.
	Paul Green is a seasoned mining executive whose career spans from hands-on roles as a pumper and longwall shearer operator to senior leadership positions. He played a pivotal role in restarting the original Kestrel mine to achieve a lowest quartile safety and cost and highest quartile productivity operation, led the revival of Tower Colliery as GM/Project Director, and helped position Ensham as one of the best bord and pillar operations in the world. As Managing Director, Paul successfully steered an ASX-listed company out of insolvency. Notwithstanding extensive studies in engineering, psychology, finance, and business, Paul remains grounded in the field—validating data, challenging assumptions, and coaching leaders to drive meaningful, measurable change.
	Dr Nikodem Rybak is a machine learning and complex systems researcher at the University of Queensland, leads the Artificial Intelligence Health, Safety, and Environmental Risk Management program at MISHC within the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI). With a PhD in computer science, Nikodem’s research spans AI-driven solutions to address the complexities inherent in diverse industries. In the Advanced Data Analytics and AI Masterclass, he will present sessions on introduction to AI, covering video, signal processing, and the latest advancements in generative and reasoning systems. His expertise in the application of AI for risk management and decision support systems offers industry professionals the opportunity to gain critical insights into leveraging state-of-the-art AI solutions to drive innovation and enhance operational efficiency. He leads the MISHC Artificial Intelligence Health Safety and Environmental Risk Management program.