Congratulations to WorkSafe Award recipients, a ‘unique mix’

23 October 2007

Workplace safety leaders have been recognised in the annual WorkSafe Victoria Awards, with recipients ranging from a second generation health and safety representative to the Australian Ballet and an invention that makes it safer to work at height.

There were a record 160 entries with 31 finalists in this year’s awards from which eight recipients were announced in front of almost 1000 people at Crown Palladium tonight (Tuesday).

“The awards continue to raise the bar and show that with commitment and creativity, health and safety improvement can be achieved,” said WorkSafe Victoria’s Executive Director, John Merritt.

“Safety is about getting involved and having a go. What all the finalists have shown this year is that improved outcomes are possible when people work together.

“Ranging from the factory floor to the not-so-traditional workplace of a ballet dancer’s stage, one of the highlights this year was the diversity of workplaces represented,” Mr Merritt said.

“Each finalist and award recipient is a role model and should be proud of their efforts.

“What they’ve shown us all is that problems sometimes need to be attacked from different directions to deliver great results.

“The benefits are ensuring everyone maintains quality of life by preventing pain and suffering,” Mr Merritt said.

Find out more about the 2008 WorkSafe Victoria Awards at worksafe.vic.gov.au

2007 WorkSafe Victoria Awards

• Health and Safety Representative of the Year - Tarek Soueid – Woolworths, Broadmeadows
• Health and Safety Committee of the Year-OneSteel Laverton Wire Mill, Laverton North
• Best Design for Workplace Safety – GTS Freight Management, Mildura
• Best Health and Safety Initiative for Small Business – Laddersmart, Myrtleford
• Best Solution for Sprain and Strain Injuries – Scope, Box Hill, Special Commendation - Capral Aluminium, Campbellfield
• Best Strategies for Health and Safety Management –  The Australian Ballet, Southbank
• Best Solution to a Health and Safety Risk - EARS Australia, Knoxfield
• Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Health and Safety – David Murden

Recipient summaries & contact details

Health and Safety Representative of the Year - Tarek Soueid – Woolworths, Broadmeadows

Tarek currently represents 17 employees in his DWG at the afternoon dispatch department at Woolworths’ Hume Distribution Centre.  It has been said by the OHS manager that Tarek is ‘the engine room’ of OHS at the distribution centre, showing an extraordinary willingness to ‘raise and persist with issues through to resolution’. He has played a key role in devising and flow-charting a new site wide OHS consultative structure.  In addition, he has been involved in raising and resolving a wide range of OHS issues at the site, including negotiations to increase the number of HSRs for the site; manual handling associated with a trial introduction of roll cages and wrapping of pallets and the introduction of bullying and harassment guidelines. 

Contact: Tarek Soueid 0402 483 630

Health and Safety Committee of the Year - OneSteel Laverton Wire Mill, Laverton North

The OneSteel Laverton Wire Mill committee plays a vital role in reducing the risk of injury or harm to employees in this workplace where in the past injuries were commonplace. The committee helps to ensure the safe operation of all equipment and machinery, facilitates consultation and cooperation with all employees, and proactively develops and assists in OHS initiatives. Various programs and strategies have been implemented by the committee including: trend analysis; hazard inspection program; observation checklist; and a suite of sprain and strain initiatives. This committee is committed to improving workplace health and safety through employee involvement and aims for the best possible controls to eliminate or reduce workplace risks.

Contact:  Doug Mitchell 0439 378 556

Best Design for Workplace Safety - GTS Freight Management Pty Ltd, Mildura

This cutting edge facility was built through extensive employee consultation with an in-house development team with the aim to minimise risk to employees. A range of initiatives has been introduced (suspended ceiling pit system, traffic control, overhead gantry, retractable hoses, in-line hoses, non-slip surfaces, ventilation, guarding, noise reduction, etc) which all aim to reduce risk of stress, strain, fatigue and manual handling injuries. A range of significant workshop risks has been designed out in the new facility. 

Contact: Angelo Rodi 0418 347 614

Best Health and Safety Initiative for Small Business – Laddersmart, Myrtleford

Laddersmart is a bracket for use with ladders to create safe access to eaves, guttering or the sides of buildings. The easy-to-use device enables the ladder to be secured from the ground using a telescopic pole and once the ladder is slid into the adjustable lockable clamps, the bracket relies on the fascia for a friction grip, not the strength or shape of the gutter. Laddersmart secures the ladder and reduces the risk of ladders sliding out or tilting while in use. This initiative helps to prevent incidents involving employees and home owners alike.  Laddersmart will appear on The New Inventors on ABC TV on Wednesday 24^th October alongside award finalist Arden while another finalist Special Agricultural Services will appear on 21st November. 

Contact:  Barry Bodsworth 0421 286 334

Best Solution for Sprain and Strain Injuries - Scope (Vic) Ltd, Box Hill

The transportation of people in wheelchairs has traditionally been accompanied by significant risk of injury from manual handling or sprain and strain for drivers and helpers who are responsible for securing wheelchairs in vehicles. Scope is gradually replacing their vehicle fleet with specially designed vehicles and is also retrofitting existing vehicles to incorporate many features of the system including a new restraint system, moveable restraint points, removable seating, and a one-handed securing method. This initiative significantly reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders amongst employees and removes some risks completely.  

Contact: Alex Lokuge 0438 367 608

Special Commendation - Capral Aluminium Ltd, Campbellfield

Dies used to shape extruded aluminium components need to be split for cleaning and machining, a task usually performed by hand using a hammer and chisel across the aluminium extrusion industry.  This manual process creates significant risks and causes injuries involving sprains and strains, fractures, cuts and bruises in addition to face and eye injuries from flying metal.  Developed with extensive input from the die shop team, this new hydraulic extrusion tool splitter eliminates all the risks of the manual die splitting part of this process and is now being shared across all Capral sites and other companies within the aluminium extrusion industry. 

Contact:  Luke Van Parreren 0404 818 245

Best Strategy for Health & Safety Management - The Australian Ballet, Southbank

This range of initiatives promotes the overall health and wellbeing and safety at work of all employees in the company, from the dancers to wardrobe staff. This transparent in-house program includes improved prevention and treatment programs, detailed risk assessments and implementation of control measures at all performance venues and a dedicated return to work program operating each summer. The occupational health and safety culture is now more positive and pro-active and has led to a reduction in the number and extent of injuries.

Contact:  Vanessa Duscio 0409 977 312

Best Solution to a Health and Safety Risk - EARS Australia, Knoxfield

EARS Australia has designed and developed a revolutionary manifold that recycles exhaust air from pneumatic tools back through the compressor instead of being discharged into the working environment.  The result is a dramatic reduction in noise levels (in some cases well below the level requiring hearing protection), reduced vibration, and improved efficiency, capture of airborne contaminants generated by the tool’s operation and lower operating costs.  This innovation has application to any workplace where pneumatic tools are used or capable of being implemented and can be retrofitted to an existing compressor or installed as a complete unit.  

Contact:  Bruce McKinley 0419 133 610

Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Health and Safety – David Murden

For over 40 years, David has invested time and effort in helping to make Victorian workplaces safer.  His significant contributions include: being a member of the original OHS Commission which helped engineer and introduce the 1985 OHS Act; driving OHS via his role as Executive Director of the Master Builders Association for three decades; founding member of Holmesglen TAFE; and leading tripartite and advisory forums as a founding member and secretary of the Victorian Congress of Employer Associations.

Contact: David Murden 9853 9021 or 0418 319 975