Wayne G. Herbertson

Wayne Herbertson was born in 1961 in Portland, Victoria Australia. The Son of a dairy farmer he grew up in the country which allowed him to develop his practical skills. From a young age he was making furniture and always being creative. He went on to university and gained a MSc in Metallurgy and later added to this with two Diplomas, one in Safety and the other Theology.

In his early career he spent time tutoring at University. Initially he found it difficult to enter the general workforce due to being highly qualified and having no experience. This wasn't a deterant though as his first job was packing Mars Bars at Mars Confectionary. He still boasts about being able to pack 120 Mars Mars per minute. This was followed by landscaping and then his first management position with Harrington Metallurgists. He has subsequently spent 20 years working in various industries from mining, manufacturing, refining, construction and research. His experiences have been with several international companies including, Siemens, Johnson Matthey, Bradken, BHP and Comalco in various positions from supervisor to executive management.

The recent death of a life long friend in a work related accident prompted the writing of his first book, The Practical Safety Guide to Zero Harm. It comes out of a desire to make a difference and to share knowledge. He has had considerable success in this area during his career leading many organizations to significant safety improvements. It's an area he is passionate about, and when this is coupled with his practical approach to problem solving, the effects are immediate.

He is currently a Director of Practical Safety International and Executive General Manager Human Resources at Bradken.