2012 Safety Ambassador of the Year announced

On Wednesday, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten, launched the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022 at a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra. He also announced the 2012 Safety Ambassador of the Year.

The strategy provides a framework to drive improvements in work health and safety in Australia. It promotes a collaborative approach between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, industry and unions and other organisations.

“Work health and safety is an important issue that usually doesn’t get the recognition it deserves until it is too late,” Shorten said.

“Around 250 workers die each year from traumatic injury fatalities and around 130,000 workers receive injuries that result in them requiring one week or more off work.”

The strategy is aimed at governments, work health and safety regulators, industry, unions and other organisations that influence work health and safety in workplaces across Australia.

“The Australian Strategy is targeted at decision makers but, through the action area of leadership and culture, and initiatives like the Safety Ambassador of the Year Award, individuals are also encouraged to promote and drive work health and safety in their community or organisation,” Shorten said.

In presenting the Safety Ambassador of the Year Award, Shorten recognised the commitment to improving work health and safety demonstrated by Jacinta Macaulay, the recipient of the award.

“Ms Macaulay’s entry demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to work health and safety,” Shorten said.

“Through her initiative, leadership and consultation with managers and staff at all levels, Ms Macaulay has made her workplace safer, committing herself to identifying and rectifying issues within her workplace.”

Macaulay is a return to work and claims officer at Ron Finemore Transport. Through an analysis of recurring injuries she identified areas for improvement at her workplace.

The initiatives she highlighted as part of her entry included the development of customised solutions like the ‘Fifth Wheel Coupling Aid’ and retrofitting of chequer plating to truck access ladders. She also introduced the ‘Air Hawk Truck Seat’ to minimise injuries for truck drivers and helped develop work health and safety training for new starters.

This year, over 650 people registered as workplace safety ambassadors.

“While the quality of submissions received in this year’s Safety Ambassador Award was high, Ms Macaulay’s evidence based approach and the development of innovative solutions to some common problems in the road transport industry has made her a worthy winner of this year’s award,” Shorten said.

“Congratulations to all of this year’s entrants and safety ambassadors for making workplaces safer for our nation’s workers.”

For more information, visit the Safe Work Australia website.