The 2024 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards were held at Optus Stadium on Thursday 31 October.
This year a record number of 89 submissions were received with 41 companies and individuals recognised as finalists. The Department celebrates the finalists and thanks all entrants.
We are delighted to have announced nine winners and three merit certificate recipients at the ceremony – congratulations!
Taz Drone Solutions – Prism tripod dropping drone
The use of survey prisms in open cut mines helps to ensure accurate surveying and mapping of mine wall movement. Taz Drone Solutions has developed a groundbreaking technology that transforms the process of safely installing survey prisms on open cut mine walls.
The innovation is a custom drone equipped with a specially designed tripod to which a survey prism is attached. Operated remotely, the drone accurately places the prism tripod on a mine wall allowing for a safe work environment and no lost production time.
Schlam Payload Industries – Tray stand trolley
Schlam Payload Industries has developed an innovative solution to improve safety and efficiency in the manufacturing process of dump truck bodies; specifically the hazards associated with positioning heavy stands.
The tray stand trolley features a lever action system for lifting stands and a rear-steering three-wheel design for greater manoeuvrability. The trolley has resulted in zero incidents related to stand positioning and significantly improved workplace safety and productivity. This innovation has potential applications across any industry requiring precise and safe positioning of heavy equipment.
Trac Skirt International – Trac Skirt
PSM Upstream Solutions – Engineered structural preservation crates
Heavy equipment over 500 kilograms is often transported across WA in unsecured/unconfined timber crates These existing packaging options can pose significant risks to public and property.
PSM Upstream Solutions developed bespoke structured crates that are ready for transport. The engineered preservation and transportready timber crates meet the chain of responsibility for securing and restraining assets for both transport and storage. These tailored crates safeguard client assets and eliminate risks from falling objects onto roads avoiding potential injuries and fatalities.
Support Vehicles Australia – Off highway tank body pins and clamps
St John Western Australia – Stryker Power PRO stretcher rollout
Manual handling contributes to a majority of paramedic injuries primarily occurring during the use of manual stretchers.
St John have rolled out the Stryker Power Pro stretcher allowing paramedics to raise, lower and unload patients using a touch finger control rather than a manual lift, reducing the risk of injuries to staff and improving comfort for patients. The introduction of the Stryker stretcher has decreased stretcherrelated injuries by more than 77 per cent in three years.
Bethanie – ember @ risk project
Anglicare WA – well @ work
Well@Work is Anglicare’s proactive initiative for staff psychological health and wellbeing. The initiative integrates direct support, prevents harm and creates opportunities to thrive.
The organisation, acknowledging that people’s health and wellbeing changes due to diverse factors, has embedded a culture of awareness, promotion and learning throughout all levels of the organisation to be actively engaged in psychosocial safety. The approach is versatile and can be adopted across organisations and industries.
East Metropolitan Health Service, WA Health, Royal Perth Bentley Group, RPH Emergency Department – MAKESpace
Shire of Ashburton – LEADing by example: creating a sustainable healthy and safe workplace for today and tomorrow
In just 12 months, the Shire of Ashburton transformed its approach to work health and safety, shifting from little knowledge and inconsistent management to embedding a safety-first culture across its towns and sites. Demonstrated and visible leadership commitment was key.
Leading from the top, the objectives were to empower the workforce to identify work health and safety issues, ensure availability of appropriate tools and resources, embed management systems, ensure performance is monitored and reported and that risks are being identified and effectively controlled.
The commitment to worker health, safety and wellbeing is embedded at all levels of the organisation including in performance criteria, additional employment benefits, ongoing education and training and the appointment of a work health and safety advisor to continue developing and implementing Shire-wide programs and initiatives.
City of Stirling Volunteer Services – Volunteer work health and safety consultations
To improve the work health and safety of their volunteers, the City of Stirling’s volunteer services team developed an initiative that meets compliance as well as embedding work health and safety into their volunteer programs. The council developed a consultation delivery plan and resources to explain work health and safety to its 350-strong volunteer base working in over 60 different volunteer programs.
Each volunteer program is then updated and improved based on the findings of the consultations. The plan includes engaging volunteers in interactive activities around relevant topics and using their views, ideas and experiences to identify areas for improvement and implement changes to build and embed a safer work culture.
WA Police Force (Children’s Crossings Unit) – Project Ruth Less
The small leadership team of the WA Police Force – Children’s Crossings Unit has driven multiple initiatives to improve the safety of traffic wardens and by association the children and community that they serve. With a workforce made up predominantly of the retiree demographic, the unit leveraged internal and external stakeholders to encourage their approximately 700 traffic wardens to better identify areas of concern so they could be triaged and addressed.
For example, the wardens’ reporting of near-misses due to poor driving led to the development of actions including a stronger focus on modifying driver behaviour and working with local government authorities and Main Roads to change roads around crossings. By better ensuring the safety of wardens, the leadership team are also improving the safety of the tens of thousands of children and other vulnerable members of our community who use crossings every day.
James Walker – WA Country Health Service
James Walker is a high performing HSR at Warren Hospital, Manjimup. He has introduced key initiatives including improving psychosocial safety for staff and implementing safety culture surveys and action plans to address concerns.
Other achievements include the development of safety videos demonstrating the safe use of equipment and implementing processes to make reporting hazards and incidents easier for staff, such as using QR codes for submissions via mobile phone. James delves deeper into the “why” of hazards and incidents and is committed to ensuring that effective actions are taken.
