Awards celebrate WA's healthy and safe workplaces

The seven recipients of the Work Health and Safety Awards 2023 have been revealed. The Awards recognise outstanding innovations and solutions to specific workplace health and safety issues by individuals, groups or organisations.

Wallis Drilling Pty Ltd took home the award for Work Health and Safety Invention of the Year for its Aircore automated rod handling system that eliminates the manual handling of drill rods. Epigroup received the award for the Best Solution to a Work Health and Safety Risk (for a company with 199 or fewer employees) for its Alter Ergo service that helps prevent musculoskeletal disorders using 3D modelling and motion sensors to better manage tasks. The City of Canning received the award for the Best Solution to a Work Health and Safety Risk (for a company with 200 or more employees) for the LBin tail lift platform at its waste transfer station that provides a safe work area between a truck and the waste disposal edge.

Macco Feeds took home the Leadership Excellence Award (for companies that employ 199 or fewer employees) for implementing work health and safety improvements including the redesign and application of a comprehensive safety management system specific to its business. Good Sammy Enterprises also took home the Leadership Excellence Award (for companies that employ 200 or more employees) for safety management initiatives designed for its workplace and staff requirements.

The Town of Port Hedland received the Best Intervention to Address a Psychosocial Hazard in the Workplace Award for reducing the impact of antisocial behaviour and psychosocial hazards with a suite of initiatives. Rob Curtis of St John Western Australia was named the Health and Safety Representative of the year for advocating for the health and safety of his fellow workers, including championing numerous safety initiatives applied across St John.

Acting WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North congratulated the award winners for their commitment to the health and safety of all Western Australian workers. North said the Awards recognise outstanding health and safety management, solutions and innovations in workplaces across both resources and general industries.

“This year’s winners were chosen from a group of 25 excellent finalists that were in turn chosen from a pool of 65 impressive nominations. This year’s finalists have been of a very high standard to which all workplaces can aspire, and I encourage anyone who has an interest in workplace health and safety to begin considering a nomination for next year’s awards,” North said.

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