For over 60 years, A&G Engineering has forged a reputation as a dependable partner to Australian industry—designing, manufacturing, and installing stainless steel pressure tanks and fermentation vessels for the wine, dairy, chemical, petroleum and water treatment industries. As a family-owned and operated business, A&G Engineering blends enduring family owned and operated business values with modern industrial disciplines, retaining long-serving employees and clients by focusing on quality, trust, and continuous improvement.
Central to A&G Engineering’s success story is its comprehensive safety program, led by Darren Tidswell, Work Health and Safety Manager. Since joining the company in 2022, Darren has brought on-the-ground experience and a strategic outlook to the business’s safety practices, drawing on a career that has spanned agriculture, mining, and heavy industry.
A Practical Leader with ‘Feet on the Ground’
Darren’s path into safety was hands-on from the start. Leaving school at 15, he spent two decades as a shearer before transitioning into mining, where he rose to crew leadership and began exploring safety as a career. “I put myself through a Certificate IV in Safety while still on shift in mining. It was challenging, yet incredibly rewarding,” he recalls. That decision led to safety roles across agriculture and mining before he joined A&G Engineering.
Tired of the fragmented decision-making in large corporates, Darren was drawn to A&G Engineering’s culture. “I heard an ad on the radio, and decided to have a look at A&G. I discovered that A&G has a very high retention rate with their team. Many of the team members had been there 20, 25 years. You don’t see that much anymore,” he says. “What attracted me was the family atmosphere. Friendly, yet fully focussed and committed to quality and servicing the customer”
Now, as the safety lead in a business that spans multiple sites and divisions, Darren reports directly to CEO Tom Gallagher and works closely with operations and retail managers across locations.
Building Trust before Enforcing Change
Darren’s priority upon joining A&G Engineering was simple: build trust. “The previous safety lead had been with A&G for 15 years, so my priority was simply to meet the people on the ground and build trust,” he explains. “Safety doesn’t work if people don’t trust you. My job is to educate, support and manage a robust safety programme, and that starts with knowing the people personally, understanding their roles and responsibilities and supporting them to be their best while maintaining the appropriate safety standards.”
This philosophy aligns with his approach to implementing safety initiatives. He emphasises that any change must be practical and collaborative, especially in a long-standing manufacturing environment where it can be more comfortable to rely on the old ways of ‘we’ve always done it this way’. As businesses evolve with expanded teams and locations, and the introduction of sophisticated tools and machinery, safety is an evolving discipline that must keep pace with the business, and lead with compliance.
Investing in Health and Safety with People in Mind
One of the most significant recent safety projects at A&G Engineering has been the rollout of powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR helmets) in response to new welding fume exposure standards. Initially, the business purchased 80 units across its workforce. But rather than issuing the gear outright, Darren invited employees to participate in a co-payment scheme. “When workers contribute financially, they value the equipment more,” he says. “99% of welders signed on, and they take real pride in using it.”
In parallel, A&G Engineering invested in on-tool fume extraction units to protect all personnel—not just welders. This proactive approach ensured compliance was met well before formal mandates took effect.
Darren has improved site inductions, and overhauled contractor onboarding to reduce time and improve compliance. A focus on visual SOPs, onboarding checklists, and tailored training matrices has helped streamline safety without overburdening operations.
Walking the Line Between Safety and Production
A recurring theme in Darren’s work is finding a middle ground between formal regulation and practical execution. This pragmatism helps align safety with operational goals rather than setting them at odds. Darren is regularly on the road to work alongside teams in Griffith, Melbourne and other locations. “If there’s an issue, I’ll get in the car and go and sort it out. We work through it together.”
Embedding Safety into Culture
Rather than focusing on lagging indicators like lost-time injuries, Darren tracks leading indicators: toolbox meetings, inspections, training completions, and worker observations. “It’s not about ticking a box. It’s about engaging with people directly,” he says.
The safety culture at A&G Engineering is successful not just because of policy but because of Darren’s personal presence and the company’s values. “The leadership team gives me ownership,” he says. “There’s no micromanagement. Everyone’s trusted to do their job, and that ownership flows through to safety too.”
Looking Ahead
For Darren, the work is never done. Initiatives under way include improved traffic management systems, Health monitoring for employees who undertake stainless steel welding, and potential upgrades to electronic reporting systems. As expectations rise across industry, Darren believes empowering our people and giving them ownership of safety becoming increasingly important.
Still, the human side remains the priority. “You can have the best paperwork in the world, but it’s the conversations and relationships that keep people safe,” he says.
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A&G Engineering have been manufacturing stainless steel storage tanks and pressure vessels for 60 years. The unmatched combination of experience, flexibility, expertise, and technology combine for every A&G project to minimise production and operational risk and ensure on-time, on-budget, and as-specified delivery.
If you have a technical query or want to find out how A&G can help you with your next project, talk to our expert team by calling us on (02) 6964 3422 or email sales@agengineering.com.au with your inquiry.
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