Finalists announced for 2019 WorkSafe Awards

Twenty-seven individuals, businesses and health and safety representatives are set to be recognised at this year’s WorkSafe Awards.

The awards, hosted by WorkSafe Victoria, celebrate the efforts of Victorian people and organisations in improving workplace health and safety and supporting injured workers’ return to work.

According to WorkSafe Victoria, finalists were selected from 219 nominations across nine categories and represent a variety of industries, including construction, transport, retail, local government and health.

WorkSafe Victoria Chief Executive Clare Amies said every finalist deserved to be recognised for their dedication.

“The WorkSafe Awards highlight the amazing things people do every day to make the lives of workers better, whether it’s through improving health and safety, or helping injured workers return to work,” Amies said.

“Another inspiring group of finalists are injured workers who have returned to work themselves. These finalists have overcome challenging obstacles, demonstrating great perseverance and courage along the way.”

Finalists include:

Leading Return to Work Practice by an Employer

• Opal Aged Care (Melbourne)
• Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Melbourne)
• Baw Baw Shire Council (Warragul)
   

Return to Work Coordinator Excellence

• Julie Hancock (Zagame Corporation Pty Ltd, Melbourne)
• Kate Rowe (Whittlesea City Council)
• Winnie Tjong (Northern Health, Epping)
   

Worker Return to Work Achievement Award

• Alex McCrae (H.I.M Spares, Dandenong South)
• Gary McArdle (Walker’s Earthworks, Hamilton)
• Joanne Woodward (Bairnsdale Regional Health Service)
   

Best Solution to a Manual Handling Issue

• St Vincent de Paul Society of Victoria (Box Hill)
• Adams Heavy Haulage (Endeavour Hills)
• Reece Group (Burwood)
   

Best Solution to a Specific Workplace Health and Safety Issue

• Belle Banne Conveyor Services (Dandenong South)
• Western Health (Footscray)
• Dyson Group of Companies (Bundoora)
• Melbourne Water (Docklands)
   

Health and Safety Invention of the Year

• Swift Equipment (Pakenham)
• Sigmatec Pty Ltd (Sunshine North)
• Butler Freight Services (West Melbourne)
   

Health and Safety Representative of the Year

• Stephen Jones (Viva Energy Refining Pty Ltd, Geelong)
• Sally Collier-Clark and Sara Jorgensen (Bendigo Hospital)
• Jason Atkinson (DP World West Melbourne)
   

OHS Leadership, Achievement Award

• St John of God Healthcare (Ballarat)
• Coca Cola Amatil (Mentone)
   

Commitment to Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing

• Whittlesea City Council
• Scope (Melbourne)
• Western Health (Footscray)
   

Winners will be announced at the WorkSafe Awards Dinner at Melbourne Town Hall on 31 October.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Dmitriy