Published Friday, 27 April, 2007 at 10:30 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
2007 QUEENSLAND WORK SAFE AWARDS LAUNCHED
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel has launched the 2007 Queensland Work Safe Awards on the eve of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on April 28.
Mr Mickel said it was fitting to launch the Awards at a time when the international spotlight was focused on the continuing need to be vigilant about safety in our workplaces.
He called on all businesses, big and small, to enter the Awards being run for the second year by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.
“The Awards publicly recognise those businesses, individuals, partnerships, industry associations and other orgranisations who demonstrate their commitment to excellence in workplace health and safety every day,” Mr Mickel said.
“They aim to reward genuine efforts to prevent workplace incidents that can result in death or injury to workers, promote best practice and encourage businesses to develop and share innovative safety solutions that result in safer Queensland workplaces.
“They are not just for big city businesses. I encourage businesses of all sizes, no matter where they are located or what industry they are in, to enter.”
Mr Mickel said by entering the Awards businesses play an important role in improving health and safety education in Queensland by sharing safety solutions and ideas that have proven practical application in the workplace.
“Good businesses know the many benefits of having a good health and safety system,” he said. “These businesses often find ingenious ways to overcome safety risks to protect their workers, boost their productivity and reduce their costs.”
Mr Mickel said winners receive public recognition and publicity of their health and safety achievements it also boosts their reputation with their own industry.
“They also get a chance for national recognition as winners are automatically eligible to enter the Safe Work Australia Awards run by the federal Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council.”
Australian Country Choice was the overall winner of the inaugural Queensland Work Safe Awards last year.
The company won the best workplace health and safety management system category for reducing the manual handling risks at its Cannon Hill red meat processing plant by introducing automated equipment and conveyor technologies including devices to ensure operator safety.
So successful was the system that peak industry body, Meat and Livestock Australia, asked the company to develop generic guidelines based on the system for dissemination to the Australian red meat process industry.
Mr Mickel said entering the Awards is easy and businesses can nominate in more than one category.
Two new categories - for electrical safety and for contributions by individuals – give business even more opportunities to showcase their safety initiatives this year. The categories for 2007 are:
• Category 1: Best workplace health and safety management system
• Category 2: Best solution to an identified health and safety issue
• Category 3: Best workplace health and safety practices in small business
• Category 4: Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety
• Category 5: Best solution to an identified electrical safety issue.
Winners will be announced during Work Safe Week from 21 to 27 October 2007.
Entries close 5pm Tuesday 31 July 2007.
Visit www.worksafeawards.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 915 for more information.
*Note: World Day for Safety and Health at Work has been run by the International Labour Organisation since 2003 to promote and create awareness of occupational health and safety internationally.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349
27 April 2007
Mr Mickel said it was fitting to launch the Awards at a time when the international spotlight was focused on the continuing need to be vigilant about safety in our workplaces.
He called on all businesses, big and small, to enter the Awards being run for the second year by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.
“The Awards publicly recognise those businesses, individuals, partnerships, industry associations and other orgranisations who demonstrate their commitment to excellence in workplace health and safety every day,” Mr Mickel said.
“They aim to reward genuine efforts to prevent workplace incidents that can result in death or injury to workers, promote best practice and encourage businesses to develop and share innovative safety solutions that result in safer Queensland workplaces.
“They are not just for big city businesses. I encourage businesses of all sizes, no matter where they are located or what industry they are in, to enter.”
Mr Mickel said by entering the Awards businesses play an important role in improving health and safety education in Queensland by sharing safety solutions and ideas that have proven practical application in the workplace.
“Good businesses know the many benefits of having a good health and safety system,” he said. “These businesses often find ingenious ways to overcome safety risks to protect their workers, boost their productivity and reduce their costs.”
Mr Mickel said winners receive public recognition and publicity of their health and safety achievements it also boosts their reputation with their own industry.
“They also get a chance for national recognition as winners are automatically eligible to enter the Safe Work Australia Awards run by the federal Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council.”
Australian Country Choice was the overall winner of the inaugural Queensland Work Safe Awards last year.
The company won the best workplace health and safety management system category for reducing the manual handling risks at its Cannon Hill red meat processing plant by introducing automated equipment and conveyor technologies including devices to ensure operator safety.
So successful was the system that peak industry body, Meat and Livestock Australia, asked the company to develop generic guidelines based on the system for dissemination to the Australian red meat process industry.
Mr Mickel said entering the Awards is easy and businesses can nominate in more than one category.
Two new categories - for electrical safety and for contributions by individuals – give business even more opportunities to showcase their safety initiatives this year. The categories for 2007 are:
• Category 1: Best workplace health and safety management system
• Category 2: Best solution to an identified health and safety issue
• Category 3: Best workplace health and safety practices in small business
• Category 4: Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety
• Category 5: Best solution to an identified electrical safety issue.
Winners will be announced during Work Safe Week from 21 to 27 October 2007.
Entries close 5pm Tuesday 31 July 2007.
Visit www.worksafeawards.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 915 for more information.
*Note: World Day for Safety and Health at Work has been run by the International Labour Organisation since 2003 to promote and create awareness of occupational health and safety internationally.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349
27 April 2007