CLEVER QUEENSLANDERS WIN 2008 WORK SAFE AWARDS

A world-first car transporter that prevents workers falling from heights was today announced as a winner of the 2008 Queensland Work Safe Awards.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel today congratulated winners for their creativity in making Queensland workplaces safer.

The awards were announced at Parliament House as part of Safe Work Australia Week, which runs from October 19 to 25.

“I would like to thank and congratulate award finalists and winners for their contribution to making their fellow Queenslanders safer,” Mr Mickel said.

“The awards show that Queensland businesses can come up with original and clever ways to improve the health and safety of their staff.

“There are many benefits of having a good health and safety system – it helps protect workers as well as boosts productivity and reduces costs,” he said.

This is the third year that Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) has held the awards.

Winners get a chance for national recognition as they are automatically eligible to enter the Safe Work Australia Awards run by the federal Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council.

Entries came from a wide range of sectors including transport, retail, rural, light and heavy industry, as well as from industry groups and Queensland government departments.

A panel of judges representing industry, employer associations, unions, WHSQ, and the Electrical Safety Office chose the winners and finalists.

The winners and highly commended entries are:

1. Best solution to an identified health and safety issue

Winner: J. Smith and Sons Pty Ltd, Gympie – for the FlatPack, an innovative new type of car carrier designed to eliminate falls from heights. Safety advancements achieved in the FlatPack car carrier are an industry first both nationally and internationally.

2. Best workplace health and safety practice in small business

Winner: Bailey Tanks Pty Ltd, Redbank – as a result of a serious workplace injury, Bailey Tanks designed and developed the Tank Mover, a tank trolley designed to eliminate muscular injuries caused while lifting and moving rainwater tanks. The trolley requires very little effort to lift the tank and roll it on and off a vehicle.

3. Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety

Winner: Noelene Lucjan, Principal Workforce Management Officer, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Brisbane – for her innovative approach in finding solutions to manual handling and ergonomic issues throughout the EPA through extensive consultation with employees and management. Noelene has a passion for ensuring the health and safety of all EPA employees and she has the agency’s “Not One Not Ever” (NONE) strategy in mind at all times.

4. Best solution to identified electrical safety issues

Highly commended: Electrical and Communications Association (ECA), Fortitude Valley – for SafetyConnect, the ECA’s electrical and workplace safety system to help electrical contractors comply with their obligations under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995. SafetyConnect provides business owners and managers with the tools to develop a safety culture within the workplace and ensures that safety is supported and fostered by management.

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