WorkSafe Awards entry and judging process

1. Entry submission

Entries for the 2025 WorkSafe Awards open Monday June 2 2025.

You can register an account and submit your entry for any of the seven awards categories at Award Force (WorkSafe Awards entry system). Entries close Monday 30 June 2025.

2. Initial eligibility check

We check to make sure your organisation is not currently under investigation or prosecution (see or terms and conditions for further information), or has been convicted or sentenced for any breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (2004) within the last three years.

Only entrants with businesses which are Victorian, operate substantially in Victoria or hold a current Victorian WorkCover insurance policy will be eligible to be nominated for an award at the annual WorkSafe Awards event.

3. Subject matter expert review

Your entry will be referred to a team of internal subject matter experts for review. If they believe your organisation has demonstrated a significant achievement in its category, your entry will progress to the validation and assessment stage.

Please note: entries should demonstrate more than compliance in order to proceed.

4. Validation and assessment process

The validation and assessment process is different for each award category.

• Health and Safety awards – a WorkSafe Victorian occupational Health and Safety Inspector will contact you and may visit your workplace to validate the information in your entry.
• Return to Work awards – a WorkSafe Victoria representative may ask you for a telephone interview or a WorkSafe Victorian Return to Work Inspector may visit your workplace to validate your entry.

Entries that go through the validation process are assessed against set judging criteria. Those entries that most closely meet the criteria will progress to the next stage and into the running to be an award finalists. Validation visits will take place from early August through to mid September 2025.

5. Finalist and Recipient Panels

A Finalist Panel will select the award finalists for each category and following this a final Recipient Panel will determine the award winners. Both panels comprise representatives from WorkSafe’s executive team, and senior representatives from industry associations and unions. The Finalist Panels are due to meet week commencing 6 October 2025.

6. Finalists notified

The complete list of finalists will be selected and notified by mid October 2025.

7. Filming

All finalists will have their initiative filmed. This film will be used by the Recipient Panel to assess your entry and the film will also be shown at the awards dinner.

8. Winners announced at Awards Presentation and Dinner

All finalists are invited to the prestigious WorkSafe Victoria Awards 2025 Presentation and Dinner in late February 2026 (date to be confirmed) where we will announce this year’s winners.