Episode 27 – Paul Williams – Safety Isn’t a Tick Box

“Everything I do is based on education. It’s sharing information, educating the people that need to be educated, and documenting it to provide evidence.” – Paul Williams

In this episode of Building Stories – The Podcast, powered by Deep Space, we’re joined by Paul Williams, National WHSEQ Manager at Simonds Homes, to talk about the state of safety in residential construction and why education, not just compliance, is the only way forward.

Paul takes us through his personal journey from hospitality to high-vis, and how his passion for keeping people safe has fuelled industry-wide change from developing real-world induction programs to co-founding the Residential Induction Card (RIC).

We discuss:

• Why traditional inductions often fail to reach the right people
• How digital tools and video content are changing the game
• Why you can’t outsource responsibility for safety
• How the RIC card is empowering smaller builders and trades
• Where AI and automation can support a safer, more inclusive industry

Paul also shares honest stories from site and powerful insights on how the industry can, and must, do better.

Key Sections:

From Publican to WHSEQ Leader – 03:07

The Power of Early Safety Education – 07:30

What’s Changed in Construction Safety Over the Years – 13:37

The Logic Behind the RIC Card and Its Impact – 28:14

Why Smaller Builders Are the Real Winners – 32:20

The Future of AI, Multilingual Support and Site Safety – 50:34

Building Stories is powered by Deep Space – Mission Critical Construction AI.