JABA Safe
When you need more than a Safety Advisor
Bringing safety to your operations with smart, tailored solutions​
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Listening to what clients want and need.
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Observing and reporting what else may be required by legislation.
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Safety through trust, action, and accountability.
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Grounded in values. Driven by outcomes.
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Building safer teams and workplaces.
Click and Contact me for -
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Exploration and Remote site auditing.
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Supervisor / Senior Geo inspection training, assessment and mentoring.
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Procedure, Document and Checklist review, editing and creation.
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HAZID / CRAW / Risk Assessment workshop lead.
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Review of your current hazards and controls.
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Safety Management System review and enhancement.
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Incident investigation and incident report writing.
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Environmental and Heritage Surveys. Rehabilitation safety analysis.
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Leave and holiday cover for your site.
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Gap analysis on training needs.
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Contractor Management documentation review.
Meet Jim
Jim's Commitment
​My work is grounded in a deep respect for people - their safety, their wellbeing, and their right to a workplace that values their safety. Over the past 20+ years in exploration, oil & gas, construction and mining, I’ve learned that real safety leadership is not just about checklists and compliance, it’s about teamwork, culture, trust, and action.
These are the values that guide my work:
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Integrity – I do what I say I’ll do. I lead with honesty, consistency, and accountability, whether in the office or out in the field.
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Respect – Every person, regardless of their role or background, deserves to be heard, supported, and empowered to work safely. I take the time to engage, listen, and understand.
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Collaboration – Safety is not a solo effort. I work closely with teams, clients, and stakeholders to build shared ownership and drive collective success.
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Practicality – I believe in safety that works. My approach is grounded, realistic, and tailored to the unique challenges of each task, site and workforce.
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Courage – Speaking up, driving change, and holding the line on safety takes courage. I’m committed to doing what’s right, even when it’s not easy.
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Enjoyment - Loving what I do, where I work and who I work with.​
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​My goal is always the same: to lead with purpose, build trust on every level, and help create workplaces where safety is not just a rule, but a shared responsibility and a lived value.
​Why “JABA” Safe?
Well, JABA is an acronym of all our families’ names. The best teams are always like a family. They instinctively protect each another while aiming to continuously develop and improve. Once you develop a good team, that is your safety and they are your culture.
My background, like many safety professionals, is a mixed bag. 6 years in the Army, Honours Degree in Geology and Electronic Instrumentation, Oil and Gas career as a downhole logging engineer and manager and then a safety professional. With the (big!) exception of my university days, safety and risk assessment was always an absolute essential part of my day-to-day life.
My Experience and Expertise
Operational Excellence
With over two decades of hands-on safety leadership in exploration, mining, oil & gas, construction and major infrastructure projects, I bring strategic insight and a practical, yet systems-led approach to embedding safety into every layer of operations. I work closely with workers and leadership teams to develop forward-thinking safety frameworks that keep workers correctly informed, trained and safe, drive cultural change and elevate operational excellence. My focus is on delivering real value for all stakeholders through collaborative planning, disciplined execution, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
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“Jim is highly capable of delivering ‘value-add’ outcomes in a timely and collaborative manner. Always a pleasure delivering successful campaigns together.”
Operations
I believe in practical, on-the-ground safety strategies that align with real-world operations. From remote drilling campaigns in the Snowy Mountains to offshore, to power line construction to working with all the Big 4 Iron Ore producers and mineral exploration companies in Western Australia, I’ve supported diverse workforces with clear, actionable safety protocols that enhance performance while controlling risk. By aligning safety systems with daily operations, I help clients reduce exposure, improve compliance, and build safer, more efficient workplaces—whether on a greenfield project or a live operational site.
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“Jim has an outstanding ability to engage people at all levels and lead a journey of change. He improves the employee experience for leaders, employees, and subcontractors alike.”
Legislative and Statutory Requirements
As a schedule 26 supervisor I can perform a safety audit on your health and safety management system, procedures, inspections and reporting regimes in your offices and / or in the field.
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Tailor made procedures and safe work instructions or a review and edit of what you already have. Too many companies have off-the-shelf, or office written procedures and systems that aren't addressing your real world or specific hazards in the workplace.
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Innovative Solutions
Many smaller companies don’t need a full time safety advisor, regardless of what you’ve been told. They do however require practical safety guidance and a fresh set of eyes occasionally to help understand legislative requirements and control hazards effectively. They may also just require an extra safety professional on site occasionally for a short period. Processes and procedures also need regular reviews and updates as your staff, equipment and even business changes.
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That’s where I can help. Discussions as to your intentions, a review of your safety paperwork and systems and a short site visit is usually all that is required to get you back on track. Follow-up visits can be arranged at a later date if desired and requested. If you want to elect and develop health and safety representatives and start a safety committee I can also guide you through that.
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In high-risk, dynamic environments, adaptability is essential. I deliver innovative, fit-for-purpose safety solutions that support high-performance operations without compromising on control and pass on in-house and industry lessons learned. You probably do not need that 3 or 6 month contract safety advisor people say you do.
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“Jim provided strong support and practical operational solutions during complex drilling programs. He built strong relationships with clients, engineers, drillers, and subcontractors alike.”
Services Previously Provided
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Safety support for rehabilitation and remote crews on Rio Tinto and Mineral Resources Sites.
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Shutdown safety lead on BHP sites.
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Safety Project Manager for GHD.
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Senior Safety Advisor on multiple clients' remote exploration projects.
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Safety Analyst.
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Schedule 26 Supervisor.
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Construction work on Fortescue mine sites and rail corridors.
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Environment and Heritage Safety lead.
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Senior Work Health and Safety Advisor.
Work History Location
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Exploration & Drilling -
York Hill, Ant Hill, Sunday Hill, Kumina, Lamb Creek, Marillana, Mount Marion, Mount Richardson, Bungaroo, Parker Range, Koolyanobbing, Mount Jackson, Windarling, Kens Bore, Nullagine area, Snowy Mountains Hydro, Kanmantoo, Melbourne, Dampier, Wodgina, Iron Valley, Wonmunna.
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Environmental & Heritage Surveys -
Kumina, Lamb Creek, Mount Richardson, Bungaroo, Kens Bore, Nullagine area.
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Rehabilitation -
West Angelas, Kens Bore, Hope Downs 1,4, Kumina, Mesa A, Mesa J, Gudai Darri, Bungeroo, Western Turner 2, Brockman, Tom Price, Mount Richardson, Marillana, Kumina.
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Construction -
Iron Bridge, Pilbara Ports, North East Link Project Melbourne, Snowy Mountains Hydro, Karratha Substation, Mount Richardson.
Oil & Gas - (onshore and offshore)
Australia, Oman, Republic of Congo, United Arab Emirates, throughout Europe, Alaska, Canada, India, Bangladesh, Uganda & Egypt
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Companies worked and contracted for in Western Australia and throughout Australia -
GHD, Mineral Resources, Rio Tinto, Kairos Minerals, Warrikal, Genus, BHP, Future Gen, Fortescue, North East Link, Powerlines Plus, Snowy Hydro, Pilbara Ports, Fortescue, Western Power.
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Safety training for geologists who manage or oversee drilling rigs, core yards or storage facilities.
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​Documentation creation for logging / sampling / transporting core and samples.
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Chain of responsibility training.
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Onsite risk assessment and safety training of all geological work in the field.
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Transport chain of responsibility training.
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Multi-day heritage surveys.
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Risk assessment of remote work and travel.
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Emergency Management reviews.
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Mock emergency drills and training.
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Helicopter inductions and safety.
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Multi-day environmental surveys.
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Subterranean Troglofauna and Stygofauna surveys.
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Wetland ecology survey.
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Air and dust pollution measurement.
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Asbestos and PFM core removal and preservation.
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Schedule 26 Supervisor.
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Liaising with heritage, archaeology and environmental contractor teams.
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Risk assessments and hazard workshops.
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Emergency Equipment checks.
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Remote work practice and procedure writing.
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Core Yard setup and improvement suggestions.
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Site Safety and Hazard analysis
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Training gap analysis​​.
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Core cutting, handling and transportation safety.
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Manual handling and musculoskeletal assessments.​
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Transport chain-of-responsibility coaching and document creation.
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​Downhole formation logging procedures.
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Wireline surveys​ safety and inspections.
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​Rehabilitation of drill pads and tracks.
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Working within shire groundwater catchment areas.
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Working with National Park Authorities.
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Drilling within Shire parks and reserves.
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Ensuring environmental compliance.
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Bush fire and remote worker risk and control analysis.
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Remote Target Action Response Plans (TARP).
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Emergency Management planning.
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Procedure review, edit and creation.
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Heritage survey risk assessments and planning.
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Helicopter refueling landing and boarding area safety.
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On-ground Heritage, Archeological and Anthropological surveys.
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Safety Management System review and edits.
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Exploration and Drilling project safety reviews.
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System, Equipment and Inspection regime audits.
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Incident investigation and reporting.
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Safety staff coverage for holidays and busy periods.
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Safety Training for site staff.
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Reviewing and building on your culture of safety.
Exploration, geotechnical and resource definition Drilling Rigs and methods previously overseen / supervised as a safety advisor and supervisor.
RC Drill rigs
Diamond Drilling Rigs
Hydro Rigs
Sonic Rigs
Auger drilling
Geotechnical bulk sampling
CPT Rigs Large diameter foundation drill rigs
Jack-Up Barge Diamond Drilling
Pontoon Barge Diamond Drilling
Strategic Partnerships
Our strategic partnerships are designed to help clients over the long-term. Through an on-going understanding of your business and workers needs it's easy to jump back into the workforce whenever required. The aim is to help keep your workers safe, ensure legislative compliance and propel your business forward.
Our Edge
Tailored Solutions
Through experience and exposure to many safety systems and success stories, we provide tailored solutions that align with your unique business needs.
Client Testimonials
"Jim collaborated closely with our remote exploration geological team, delivering hands-on safety training specific to exploration drilling rigs and offering comprehensive safety solutions across all aspects of our mineral exploration activities.
He conducted a thorough review of our Safety Management System (SMS), including associated policies and procedures, and provided clear, actionable recommendations for improvement to our management team.
Jim is both approachable and pragmatic, offering exactly what our business needed—a balanced blend of field-based practical expertise and strategic corporate safety guidance."
Dr. P Turner
Manager Director
Kairos Minerals
"Having worked together on multiple significant projects in Western Australia, Jim is an astute professional in his field and is highly capable of delivering "value add" outcomes for all stakeholders in a timely and collaborative manner! Always a pleasure delivering successful campaigns together."
André Fuller
General Manager
Hagstrom Drilling
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Councillor - Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC)
"I am delighted to recommend Jim Milne as a strong and effective safety leader. Jim has an outstanding ability to engage people at all levels to lead a journey of change that delivers sustainable exposure control and reduction for improved safety performance. He takes a systems leadership approach that is practical and effective, improving the employee experience for leaders, employees and sub-contractors. On construction projects with high risk, dynamic context and highly variability of peoples experience and skills, Jim is an asset to the leadership team with high action orientation and accountability with effective engagement and influencing skills."
Ellen Downs
Senior Consultant
LJM Group
