2007 WORK SAFE AWARDS WINNERS APPLAUDED
Published Tuesday, 23 October, 2007 at 10:45 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Winners of the 2007 Work Safe Awards were today applauded for their efforts to make Queensland workplaces safer.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel announced the winners of this year’s awards at an industry function at Parliament House today.
The Awards, run for the second year by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, celebrate the great work being done by workers and businesses to improve health and safety at the grass roots level throughout the state.
“The winners and finalists should be proud of their achievements. They deserve public recognition for their strong commitment to continuous improvement in health and safety in their workplaces,” Mr Mickel said.
“A panel of judges representing industry, employer associations, unions, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the Electrical Safety Office chose seven finalists from 52 entries.
“It’s great to see entries came from across a range of sectors including local government, construction, retail, rural and heavy industry.”
Mr Mickel said what the winners had in common is that they had ensured workplace health and safety is an integral part of their management systems and workplace cultures.
“Company chief executives are in a unique position to show real leadership by ensuring workplace health and safety is a priority from the top floor to the shop floor.
“But workplace health and safety isn’t just a job for the boss or the workplace safety officer - everyone has a role in making our workplaces safer and healthier.”
The winners and finalists are:
Best workplace health and safety management system
Winner: Townsville City Council for its strong commitment to improving health and safety for its 1300 employees who undertake a diverse range of work activities to deliver infrastructure and services to the Townsville community. The Council embarked on a four-year safety cultural change program.
Finalist: Myer Queensland, Mitchelton, Brisbane for implementing an excellent safety management system that demonstrates commitment to achieving continuous improvement in safety performance and a strong safety culture.
Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue
Winner: Watpac Australia Pty Ltd, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, for developing a safe means of installing the 20,000m2 of fabric membrane roof panels in the construction of Skilled Park stadium at Robina, which is to be the home of the Gold Coast Titans rugby league club. This was a good example of achieving the safe construction of a design that created a high risk for workers.
Finalists: Boyne Smelters Limited, Boyne Island near Gladstone, Australia’s largest aluminium smelter, for its innovative approach to worker participation in finding solutions to ergonomic issues through an annual staff competition that encourages, recognises and rewards improvements made in various work areas.
Myer Queensland, Mitchelton, Brisbane, for putting in place a safety management system that achieved a cultural shift in its 3,000 strong workforce and led to a marked reduction in the higher than industry average of lost time injuries at its 10 department stores across Queensland.
Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety
Winner: Dick Turpin, Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, Milton, Brisbane, for his many years of dedication to workplace health and safety, in particular the positive influence he had on the safety culture in the high-risk construction industry through his strong mentoring and training skills.
Best solution to an identified electrical safety issue
Winner: Upper Haughton Harvesting Pty Ltd, Giru, north of Ayr, for simple and cost-effective solutions to minimising the risk of contact with overhead power lines when sugar cane unloading and bin handling are undertaken at rail sidings.
Townsville City Council, Watpac Australia Pty Ltd and Dick Turpin from Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd are now eligible to enter the national Safe Work Australia Awards run by the Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council.
The Queensland Work Safe Awards are the highlight of Work Safe Week which runs from 21 to 27 October. This year hundreds of activities are being held in workplaces throughout Queensland to highlight the importance of workplace health and safety. Visit www.worksafeweek.qld.gov.au for more information.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion 3237 1125
• Townsville City Council: Troy Greenwood (07) 4772 2722 or 0409 646 213
• Watpac Australia Pty Ltd: Brian Lewis (07) 3251 6300 or 0417 758 876
• Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd: Natasha Jaycock (07) 3215 4412 or 0434 184 354
• Upper Haughton Harvesting Pty Ltd: Roy Young (07) 4722 1609 or 0438 108 760
• Myer Queensland: Denise McNamara (07) 3843 7218 or 0434 101 450
• Boyne Smelters Limited: Robert Close (07) 4973 0340
23 October 2007
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel announced the winners of this year’s awards at an industry function at Parliament House today.
The Awards, run for the second year by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, celebrate the great work being done by workers and businesses to improve health and safety at the grass roots level throughout the state.
“The winners and finalists should be proud of their achievements. They deserve public recognition for their strong commitment to continuous improvement in health and safety in their workplaces,” Mr Mickel said.
“A panel of judges representing industry, employer associations, unions, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the Electrical Safety Office chose seven finalists from 52 entries.
“It’s great to see entries came from across a range of sectors including local government, construction, retail, rural and heavy industry.”
Mr Mickel said what the winners had in common is that they had ensured workplace health and safety is an integral part of their management systems and workplace cultures.
“Company chief executives are in a unique position to show real leadership by ensuring workplace health and safety is a priority from the top floor to the shop floor.
“But workplace health and safety isn’t just a job for the boss or the workplace safety officer - everyone has a role in making our workplaces safer and healthier.”
The winners and finalists are:
Best workplace health and safety management system
Winner: Townsville City Council for its strong commitment to improving health and safety for its 1300 employees who undertake a diverse range of work activities to deliver infrastructure and services to the Townsville community. The Council embarked on a four-year safety cultural change program.
Finalist: Myer Queensland, Mitchelton, Brisbane for implementing an excellent safety management system that demonstrates commitment to achieving continuous improvement in safety performance and a strong safety culture.
Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue
Winner: Watpac Australia Pty Ltd, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, for developing a safe means of installing the 20,000m2 of fabric membrane roof panels in the construction of Skilled Park stadium at Robina, which is to be the home of the Gold Coast Titans rugby league club. This was a good example of achieving the safe construction of a design that created a high risk for workers.
Finalists: Boyne Smelters Limited, Boyne Island near Gladstone, Australia’s largest aluminium smelter, for its innovative approach to worker participation in finding solutions to ergonomic issues through an annual staff competition that encourages, recognises and rewards improvements made in various work areas.
Myer Queensland, Mitchelton, Brisbane, for putting in place a safety management system that achieved a cultural shift in its 3,000 strong workforce and led to a marked reduction in the higher than industry average of lost time injuries at its 10 department stores across Queensland.
Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety
Winner: Dick Turpin, Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd, Milton, Brisbane, for his many years of dedication to workplace health and safety, in particular the positive influence he had on the safety culture in the high-risk construction industry through his strong mentoring and training skills.
Best solution to an identified electrical safety issue
Winner: Upper Haughton Harvesting Pty Ltd, Giru, north of Ayr, for simple and cost-effective solutions to minimising the risk of contact with overhead power lines when sugar cane unloading and bin handling are undertaken at rail sidings.
Townsville City Council, Watpac Australia Pty Ltd and Dick Turpin from Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd are now eligible to enter the national Safe Work Australia Awards run by the Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council.
The Queensland Work Safe Awards are the highlight of Work Safe Week which runs from 21 to 27 October. This year hundreds of activities are being held in workplaces throughout Queensland to highlight the importance of workplace health and safety. Visit www.worksafeweek.qld.gov.au for more information.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion 3237 1125
• Townsville City Council: Troy Greenwood (07) 4772 2722 or 0409 646 213
• Watpac Australia Pty Ltd: Brian Lewis (07) 3251 6300 or 0417 758 876
• Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd: Natasha Jaycock (07) 3215 4412 or 0434 184 354
• Upper Haughton Harvesting Pty Ltd: Roy Young (07) 4722 1609 or 0438 108 760
• Myer Queensland: Denise McNamara (07) 3843 7218 or 0434 101 450
• Boyne Smelters Limited: Robert Close (07) 4973 0340
23 October 2007