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Helen Fitzroy
PrintHelen Fitzroy’s passion for workplace safety commenced following the death of her husband, Steve, in an underground mining accident in Norseman, WA in 1991. The accident left Helen a widow in her early thirties with three young children to raise. “Just a Number” outlines her family’s journey in the five years following Steve’s death, as they traversed the quagmire of emotional, legal and bureaucratic processes that constitute life for a bereaved family following a workplace death.
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Testimonials for Helen Fitzroy
During your presentation, you could’ve heard a pin drop! We run our own ‘after action’ review and the feedback from people on site has been that Helen was the best speaker we have had at our safety day event.
John Stutchbury, OHS Superintendent, Glaxo Smith Kline Australia
I would like to thank you for your moving presentation in Mt Isa today at our Leaders Day. I found this most interesting and a credit to yourself and your family for being able to pass this knowledge on. I would recommend your story to anyone and will always refer back to this.
Geoff Todd, Maintenance Manager, Xstrata
Thank you for your very thought-provoking and moving talk. We really appreciate how much everyone's attention to implementing and maintaining safe work practices makes a positive difference to our quality of life both at work and at home. I'm sure that you have inspired many of us to be more aware and proactive in making changes happen. Thank you.
RCR Resources Eagle
Your presentation was extremely powerful. Personally for me, it made me appreciate the role I am in even more, and like you, want others to learn from the past and prevent incidents in the workplace.
Thiess Georgiou JV
One aspect of your presentation that really hit me hard were the numbers of people who have been unfortunate enough to make your list. I would've thought stats like that would be from the 1800's- and that's only in Western Australia... Thanks for being so brave and bold. You really are making a difference to the way people think (and work).
Blaize Thompson, Surveyor
It was a privilege to have you present to the team. Your sessions have had far more impact than any of my conversations – Thank you.
Ian Dorant - Worley Parsons
The review and the feedback from people on the site has been that Helen was the best speaker we have had at our safety day event.
OHS Superintendent
Thank you for sharing your story so openly. Thank you for being a champion for the safety of our craftsmen. Thank you for challenging us as leaders to effect change that keeps our craftsmen safe.
Manager GE Power (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)
Fee Range: Up to $5000
Helen Fitzroy's Biography
Helen Fitzroy’s passion for workplace safety commenced following the death of her husband, Steve, in an underground mining accident in Norseman, WA in 1991.
The accident left Helen a widow in her early thirties with three young children to raise. At the time of Steve’s death, mining fatalities were largely ‘normalised’ by companies and government regulators. The deaths were considered an inherent risk of the industry, with virtually no support offered to families to enable them to move forward with their lives.
One of Helen’s coping strategies was writing. She wrote to her husband Steve, but also to herself and her children leading to the publishing of her first book some years later, “Just a Number”.
“Just a Number” outlines her family’s journey in the five years following Steve’s death, as they traversed the quagmire of emotional, legal and bureaucratic processes that constitute life for a bereaved family following a workplace death.
Since writing Just A Number, Helen has been travelling extensively across Australia as well as overseas campaigning for improved safety and better support for bereaved families. She also delivers safety focused presentations to companies across all sectors highlighting the importance of both parties’ commitment to safety at work.
Helen’s presentation tells her story. It is a highly personal, engaging and inspiring account of how the tragedy of losing her husband in a workplace fatality has led her to become one of the most respected workplace safety advocates in Australia today. Helen’s presentation helps refocus our minds on safety as a core value in the workplace. It reminds us of the important asset to come out of the workplace… people.
Progressive organisations across industries including mining, oil & gas, construction, agriculture, infrastructure, power and utilities providers, the pharmaceutical industry, Universities and government agencies and more have all benefited from Helen’s unique and engaging perspective.
In 2023, Helen received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to the mining industry.
Contact Helene Greenham directly to enquire about Helen Fitzroy for your event - helene@platinumspeakers.com.au
Speaking Topics Include
The Personal Perspective of a Workplace Fatality
An anecdotal account of the impact on those closest; families, work colleagues and the hidden challenges and processes.
The Importance of Personal Safety
Reinforcement of why individual safety and compliance with process and procedures is crucial to a safe and productive work environment.
Prevention is Better than Cure
Creating awareness of why a significant incident is NOT the learnings an individual or company wants to experience, in order to change behaviour.
Creating a Healthy Safety Culture and Dispelling the Myths
Consider the language used; the clichés; the non-verbal messages; the organisational culture and the demonstration of ‘walking the talk.’ Is it just ‘lip-service’ within your organisation?